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Venice #6
The Angels of Venice
It's the night of 12 November 2019. The worst flooding in 50 years hits the city of Venice. 85% of La Serenissima is underwater. Gale force winds roar across the lagoon and along the narrow streets. And the body of Dr Jennifer Whiteread- a young British art historian, specialising in the depiction of angels in Venetian painting - is found floating in a flooded antique bookshop on the Street of the Assassins.
As the local police struggle to restore order to a city on its knees, Nathan Sutherland - under pressure from the British Ambassador and distraught relatives - sets out into the dark and rain-swept streets in an attempt to discover the truth behind Whiteread's death.
The trail leads to the "Markham Foundation", a recent and welcome addition to the list of charities working to preserve the ancient city. Charming, handsome and very, very rich, Giles Markham is a well-known and popular figure in the highest Venetian social circles, and has the ear of both the Mayor and the Patriarch.
But a man with powerful friends may also have powerful enemies. And Nathan is about to learn that, in Venice at least, angels come in many forms - merciful, fallen and vengeful...
As the local police struggle to restore order to a city on its knees, Nathan Sutherland - under pressure from the British Ambassador and distraught relatives - sets out into the dark and rain-swept streets in an attempt to discover the truth behind Whiteread's death.
The trail leads to the "Markham Foundation", a recent and welcome addition to the list of charities working to preserve the ancient city. Charming, handsome and very, very rich, Giles Markham is a well-known and popular figure in the highest Venetian social circles, and has the ear of both the Mayor and the Patriarch.
But a man with powerful friends may also have powerful enemies. And Nathan is about to learn that, in Venice at least, angels come in many forms - merciful, fallen and vengeful...
416 pages, Hardcover
Published July 14, 2022
101 people are currently reading
179 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
March 27, 2023
3.5 stars
January 9, 2023
One of my happiest discoveries of 2022 was Philip Gwynne Jones’s excellent series of crime novels set in Venice and featuring British Honorary Consul, Nathan Sutherland. Nathan is a very likeable fellow, being charmingly self-deprecating, and always looking for any excuse to enjoy a quick spritz.
This is the sixth novel in the series, and maintains the high standard set by its predecessors. On the night of a ferocious storm that coincides with the highest floods that the city has seen in years, Nathan ventures out to help Eduardo, who runs the Brazilian bar that sells his beloved Negronis. The bar is already succumbing to the flood, and Nathan and Eduardo rush to move as much of the furniture and contents beyond the reach of the waters. As they stagger back through the flooded streets, they notice that the local antique appears to be open. Investigating further, they find the body of a young woman, and summon the police.
It turns out that the dead woman is a British subject who had been living in the city for about a year, so Nathan is asked to help with the painful task of liaising with her next of kin. An expert on the representation of angels in art, she had been working on her thesis. She had, however, also been working for a charity run by another expatriate Brit (one unknown to Nathan at that stage) which specialises in raising fund to help with restoration of notable sites around the city.
There are far too many storylines to attempt a simple synopsis, but the plot is very well constructed (and certainly more watertight than the Venetian sites that it encompasses) and plausible. Similarly, the characters are equally believable, including the relentlessly surly Gramsci, my favourite fictional cat. Although I have never been to Venice (yet,- although each new instalment in this series makes it more likely that I will visit the city fairly soon), I feel a fair degree of empathy with Nathan, sharing many of his musical tastes (deemed ‘regrettable’ by his long-suffering wife) and having also been tormented by a series of fractious cats, so I am eagerly looking forward to the next instalment, which I understand will be published later this year.
This is the sixth novel in the series, and maintains the high standard set by its predecessors. On the night of a ferocious storm that coincides with the highest floods that the city has seen in years, Nathan ventures out to help Eduardo, who runs the Brazilian bar that sells his beloved Negronis. The bar is already succumbing to the flood, and Nathan and Eduardo rush to move as much of the furniture and contents beyond the reach of the waters. As they stagger back through the flooded streets, they notice that the local antique appears to be open. Investigating further, they find the body of a young woman, and summon the police.
It turns out that the dead woman is a British subject who had been living in the city for about a year, so Nathan is asked to help with the painful task of liaising with her next of kin. An expert on the representation of angels in art, she had been working on her thesis. She had, however, also been working for a charity run by another expatriate Brit (one unknown to Nathan at that stage) which specialises in raising fund to help with restoration of notable sites around the city.
There are far too many storylines to attempt a simple synopsis, but the plot is very well constructed (and certainly more watertight than the Venetian sites that it encompasses) and plausible. Similarly, the characters are equally believable, including the relentlessly surly Gramsci, my favourite fictional cat. Although I have never been to Venice (yet,- although each new instalment in this series makes it more likely that I will visit the city fairly soon), I feel a fair degree of empathy with Nathan, sharing many of his musical tastes (deemed ‘regrettable’ by his long-suffering wife) and having also been tormented by a series of fractious cats, so I am eagerly looking forward to the next instalment, which I understand will be published later this year.
February 11, 2023
I cannot praise this book and this series enough. I love the character of Nathan Sutherland - Her Majesty's Honorary Consul in Venice. Set in a city I have never managed to visit but love through all I have read about it, this series brings the city to life. Always told with a little humour and some pathos, the characters all feel real and six books in are like friends.
The Angels of Venice is set against the backdrop of the devastating floods in 2019 and the authors descriptions of the battered city make you feel you are right there. On the night of the worst of the flooding a young English woman's body is found floating in a bookshop. It soon transpires that the girls death was no accident and Nathan very quickly becomes immersed in the mystery of her death.
The engaging characters and wonderful descriptions of a beautiful city make this my favourite series - I cannot wait for the next one!
The Angels of Venice is set against the backdrop of the devastating floods in 2019 and the authors descriptions of the battered city make you feel you are right there. On the night of the worst of the flooding a young English woman's body is found floating in a bookshop. It soon transpires that the girls death was no accident and Nathan very quickly becomes immersed in the mystery of her death.
The engaging characters and wonderful descriptions of a beautiful city make this my favourite series - I cannot wait for the next one!
October 12, 2022
Another solid Nathan Sutherland 'mystery' of Venice. To be fair this is more a book about Venice than a mystery, but if you love the city then this is no bad thing. For me this one was especially poignant as it was set during, and immediately after acqua grande of 2019, a time that I was in the city and saw the utter devastation caused if nothing else this captures that time wonderfully, enough to remind me of the raw emotion of the moment, even if at least one (very minor) detail is incorrect. These books genuinely go from strength to strength and I firmly hope there are many more to come.
To complete the novel at a restaurant I waded out of at the height of the first nighyt of acqua grande was a little bit special.
To complete the novel at a restaurant I waded out of at the height of the first nighyt of acqua grande was a little bit special.
July 31, 2022
Another gripping instalment in the Sutherland Series - that also brings to the fore the threats of over-tourism and climate change induced rising sea-levels.
April 3, 2024
I was on a lookout to find a book with a word Venice in the title and was lucky to have found this book which I purchased from a charity shop for £1.75.
I started reading it in Venice but Venice got away with me so finished it at home in my bed. Glad I did because after wandering numerous calli in Venice and learning about Venice I got my wits about me and understood the book a lot better only after my trip to Venice.
I have so many emotions about Venice that I can write a short book. I was glad to have visited it but I felt guilty at the same time. Guilt of being a culprit to adding to its ruination. All the stomping around, up and down on the countless bridges, people heaving on top of each other on the Rialto bridge. Bloody selfies. I hated myself for that.
Venice depends on tourists and at the same time tourists are hated by the locals. Ground floor shops, galleries, bars get flooded so often, almost every day, that Venetians give up sweeping the mud out and leave for the mainland. It must be so heartbreaking to give up on a place that contains so much history and art. Most of Venice's buildings are deserted. Most of eateries are bought by wealthy Chinese. It's made into a Veniceland and it's very sad.
It is undeniably a unique city, gliding on water, rich in opulent art and ghost stories. Venice at night is a frightening and exhilarating experience that makes you shiver and think of poltergeist. My only advice, do not venture out on a foggy night from your house, you may fall into a canal and will need to be pulled out as the steps are very slippery with algae.
As any murder mystery goes the book was alright. Gripping and very easy to read. With a brief glossary at the back which was helpful even though I knew half of the Italian words.
Definitely go if you have a chance but read the history of the place first it will help to grasp the place a lot better. Okay, one last piece of advice, do not go to tourist restaurants, follow the Italians, see where they go for lunch and you will thank me for that.
I started reading it in Venice but Venice got away with me so finished it at home in my bed. Glad I did because after wandering numerous calli in Venice and learning about Venice I got my wits about me and understood the book a lot better only after my trip to Venice.
I have so many emotions about Venice that I can write a short book. I was glad to have visited it but I felt guilty at the same time. Guilt of being a culprit to adding to its ruination. All the stomping around, up and down on the countless bridges, people heaving on top of each other on the Rialto bridge. Bloody selfies. I hated myself for that.
Venice depends on tourists and at the same time tourists are hated by the locals. Ground floor shops, galleries, bars get flooded so often, almost every day, that Venetians give up sweeping the mud out and leave for the mainland. It must be so heartbreaking to give up on a place that contains so much history and art. Most of Venice's buildings are deserted. Most of eateries are bought by wealthy Chinese. It's made into a Veniceland and it's very sad.
It is undeniably a unique city, gliding on water, rich in opulent art and ghost stories. Venice at night is a frightening and exhilarating experience that makes you shiver and think of poltergeist. My only advice, do not venture out on a foggy night from your house, you may fall into a canal and will need to be pulled out as the steps are very slippery with algae.
As any murder mystery goes the book was alright. Gripping and very easy to read. With a brief glossary at the back which was helpful even though I knew half of the Italian words.
Definitely go if you have a chance but read the history of the place first it will help to grasp the place a lot better. Okay, one last piece of advice, do not go to tourist restaurants, follow the Italians, see where they go for lunch and you will thank me for that.
June 20, 2023
I am new to Philip Gwynne Jones and the Venice series but I did enjoy it (even starting at number 6 in the series). It was a pleasant read even if it was a little slow in places. Nathan Sutherland is the honary council in Venice and reads as a typical Englishman in the Diplomatic service, all manners and mild conversations. There was nothing earth shattering about the plot but the depiction of Venice in the throws of storms and high tides was very atmospheric (to the point where I could actually smell mould and damp). For me there is no clever twist and everything was pretty predictable but I enjoyed it none the less.
August 14, 2022
Loved this book. Ironically (it's cold and very wet in Venice during the story) I read this during the 2022 'heatwave' and yet had no problems finding myself cold and wet in Venice. The story gallops on leading you to solving the mystery as Nathan does. Highly recommend this series
May 22, 2023
“Who sets out to rob a bookshop on the worst night in half a century? For that matter, who sets out to rob a bookshop at all?” (Quotation page 153)
Content
In November 2019, Venice, the beautiful, magical city, almost used to “Aqua Alta”, is affected by the worst flooding catastrophe since fifty years. On their way home, after helping Ed in his flooded bar, Nathan Sutherland and Ed notice that the window of an old antique bookshop is totally shattered. Inside they find the body of a dead woman, Dr Jennifer Whiteread, art historian. As she is a British citizen, Nathan Sutherland, British honorary consul in Venice, is officially involved and as she has been murdered, he begins to investigate.
Theme and Genre
The new thriller of the Nathan Sutherland-Series, set heavily flooded Venice, is about human angels staying together and helping people wherever possible to save La Serenissima, and about painted angels attracting just the contrary.
Characters
This time, Nathan Sutherland has more reasons to try to find out what has happened to Jennifer Whiteread and why, because the police is almost overwhelmed by the situation of the flooded city and on the other hand, the grieving father of Jennifer has come to Venice and asks for answers.
Plot and writing
The story takes place in November 2019 when Venice was seriously flooded and in a state of emergency. Besides the gripping, interesting story about angels in art, the author also vividly describes the hours and days between more rain, storms and hope. While a group of young people, calling themselves the mud angels, help wherever needed, rich Giles Markham of Markham Charity Foundation, offers noticeable sums to help to preserve the ancient buildings. There is a second storyline, a story within the story, in form of an internal monologue that gives us more and more hints, but never too much. Therefore, the story is gripping and unexpected twists keep the plot unforeseeable.
Conclusion
Atmospheric, interesting and amazing, in my opinion one of the best books of the series.
Content
In November 2019, Venice, the beautiful, magical city, almost used to “Aqua Alta”, is affected by the worst flooding catastrophe since fifty years. On their way home, after helping Ed in his flooded bar, Nathan Sutherland and Ed notice that the window of an old antique bookshop is totally shattered. Inside they find the body of a dead woman, Dr Jennifer Whiteread, art historian. As she is a British citizen, Nathan Sutherland, British honorary consul in Venice, is officially involved and as she has been murdered, he begins to investigate.
Theme and Genre
The new thriller of the Nathan Sutherland-Series, set heavily flooded Venice, is about human angels staying together and helping people wherever possible to save La Serenissima, and about painted angels attracting just the contrary.
Characters
This time, Nathan Sutherland has more reasons to try to find out what has happened to Jennifer Whiteread and why, because the police is almost overwhelmed by the situation of the flooded city and on the other hand, the grieving father of Jennifer has come to Venice and asks for answers.
Plot and writing
The story takes place in November 2019 when Venice was seriously flooded and in a state of emergency. Besides the gripping, interesting story about angels in art, the author also vividly describes the hours and days between more rain, storms and hope. While a group of young people, calling themselves the mud angels, help wherever needed, rich Giles Markham of Markham Charity Foundation, offers noticeable sums to help to preserve the ancient buildings. There is a second storyline, a story within the story, in form of an internal monologue that gives us more and more hints, but never too much. Therefore, the story is gripping and unexpected twists keep the plot unforeseeable.
Conclusion
Atmospheric, interesting and amazing, in my opinion one of the best books of the series.
July 14, 2024
This is the sixth volume in the Nathan Sutherland series and it is set during the November floodings in Venice in 2019. It is marketed as 'An unputdownable thriller', but I think that people who start reading this series and expect edge-of-your-seat crime stories, may be a bit dissapointed. Philip Gwynne Jones made the Italian city of Venice as much of a character in his books as Nathan, his wife Federica and their friends and not to forget: the cat Gramsci. This is not a complaint by the way. I love it that his books bring me back to this beautiful city for a few enjoyable hours. I have been in Venice twice, both times for a week-and-a-half in May, so I've never experienced the aqua alta, where parts of the city are flooded by high tides. In November 2019 Venice saw the worst flooding since 1966, with the water levels reaching 1.87m on the 12th of November. (I actually went online to watch footage of this flooding and also listen to the flood siren, which added to the reading experience.) In this book the body of Dr Jennifer Whiteread- a young British art historian, specialising in the depiction of angels in Venetian painting - is found floating in a flooded antique bookshop on the Street of the Assassins and Nathan Sutherland, who wants to provide her father with answers and hopefully closure, goes out and investigate her death. The book is as much about the flooding though and also raises questions about the future of Venice. It is another great instalment in this lovely series. Highly recommendable but I would advise people to read this series in order.
June 20, 2023
Good book. Like all the books in Jones' Nathan Sutherland series, the real star of the show is Venice. If you've been there, the descriptions of the city will take you back for a trip along memory lane. If you've not been there, you might want to take a view at a map and kind of level-set where you're going to spend the next handful of hours reading.
This book is set during the the acqua grande (a significantly worse flooding event than the quite regular acqua alta), a catastrophic storm and tidal event seen every few generations, and last in 2019 (the date of the story). In this gritty setting of devastation, with a plucky communal sense of both depression and stubborn perseverance, Jones unwinds a story that will keep you reading.
This book is set during the the acqua grande (a significantly worse flooding event than the quite regular acqua alta), a catastrophic storm and tidal event seen every few generations, and last in 2019 (the date of the story). In this gritty setting of devastation, with a plucky communal sense of both depression and stubborn perseverance, Jones unwinds a story that will keep you reading.
February 15, 2024
I really love this series!
Nathan solves another one and has us chuckling along the way. I was almost in Venice just after this story takes place but that Acqua Alta put the fear into me and I stayed in the much maligned Mestre instead that December. So I missed my chance to see the Mud Angels in action by just weeks. When I returned again in 2022, I met the author and bought an autographed copy of this very book at an event in a Venetian bookstore (not one mentioned in these pages). Mr. Gwynne Jones' sense of place and character is as enjoyable as ever in this sixth of the Sutherland series. I've started a list of places he mentions to visit on future trips, like the Brazilians and Church Pub that I've visited. I'll be back for book 7 and beyond, don't worry.
Nathan solves another one and has us chuckling along the way. I was almost in Venice just after this story takes place but that Acqua Alta put the fear into me and I stayed in the much maligned Mestre instead that December. So I missed my chance to see the Mud Angels in action by just weeks. When I returned again in 2022, I met the author and bought an autographed copy of this very book at an event in a Venetian bookstore (not one mentioned in these pages). Mr. Gwynne Jones' sense of place and character is as enjoyable as ever in this sixth of the Sutherland series. I've started a list of places he mentions to visit on future trips, like the Brazilians and Church Pub that I've visited. I'll be back for book 7 and beyond, don't worry.
March 31, 2025
I loved this book but I found both the victim and her dad very relatable, so it was quite a heart-wrenching story. The art-based plot and the investigation being obstructed by flooding make it another truly Venetian addition to the series.
I’ve been looking into more sustainable travel lately, a theme which is a big part of this book. It was interesting to see how Venetians feel about tourists, and to learn more about the paradox of using tourist income to maintain the city, while needing tourist numbers to decrease to slow their impact on the city.
This story is an intriguing mystery, a slice of Venetian life, and a hard-hitting reminder of why we all need to limit our environmental impact before beautiful and historic places like Venice are lost to us forever.
I’ve been looking into more sustainable travel lately, a theme which is a big part of this book. It was interesting to see how Venetians feel about tourists, and to learn more about the paradox of using tourist income to maintain the city, while needing tourist numbers to decrease to slow their impact on the city.
This story is an intriguing mystery, a slice of Venetian life, and a hard-hitting reminder of why we all need to limit our environmental impact before beautiful and historic places like Venice are lost to us forever.
October 27, 2025
Another 4.5 up to 5 from me. I'm so enjoying this series. I wandered the chilly January 06 calli in fog and water, sleet and snow and this book resonated. I remember being in hot Australia glued to my computer watching the events of November 2019 unfold, as the east coast of my country was consumed by bushfires. Philip Gwynne Jones brings Venice to life for those who have visited, and makes a reason for first timers to come, and hopefully stay more than a tourist day. The story of the angels, of Jenny and her desire to document angels in Venice, tied with well meaning outsiders wanting to raise funds to 'help' Venice survice is well written. I'm sad my journey with this series is ending, but it is so enjoyable I can see myself re-reading in a year or so.
January 26, 2024
I really do love this series. Another great installment. I thought the backdrop of the worst flood in 50 years added great atmosphere (although not great for Venice) and gave a good reason for Nathan to be the one investigating this almost completely solo.
Seeing more of Nathan and Fede's relationship and supporting each other was lovely. I loved all the references to art and architecture and roping Fede into helping with that.
I sort of saw where the plot was going for the most part, but there was one twist nearer the end I didn't see coming!
Excited to read the next book in this series
Seeing more of Nathan and Fede's relationship and supporting each other was lovely. I loved all the references to art and architecture and roping Fede into helping with that.
I sort of saw where the plot was going for the most part, but there was one twist nearer the end I didn't see coming!
Excited to read the next book in this series
September 8, 2025
During the 2019 flood of Venice, Nat Sutherland discovers the body of a young woman, in a flooded bookshop. Initially everyone assumes that she had stumbled and accidentally drowned, but it soon appears that she had been murdered. As it turns out she was a British citizen, Nat finds himself arranging various details. Venice is a muddy, wet mess and when groups of students and school children take it upon themselves to start cleaning out buildings, Nat's mystery becomes entwined with their efforts. Probably my favourite in the series to date, I highly recommend the series.
January 20, 2023
This is my third trip to Venice courtesy of Nathan Sutherland (sadly I've yet to make the trip in real life). This book offers more of the same vivid descriptions of the city except this time it has a more 'real-life' feel to it as we see the city battle the effects of winter and a flood simultaneously. I like the way I felt drawn into Nathan's life (from the exciting parts to the mundane parts) and this author depicts life in Venice/Italy very well. The murder mystery here almost felt like a subplot at times, secondary to the weather/flooding, but it was an interesting premise and very unique to Venice, and it worked hand in hand with the natural disaster situation.
March 27, 2023
So far this year, I've found it really difficult to concentrate on any book at all, but the combination of Nathan, Fede, that wonderful cat and Venice - which is, of course, the most important character of them all - enabled me to switch off for a full weekend and escape. What's not to love? The addition of Lucia was a real bonus - hope she makes another appearance later in the series. If you've liked the others, this one won't disappoint!
January 5, 2024
It is a while since I read the first three in this series and I had forgotten how much I liked the characters and writing style. Added to that I really like Venice, it's narrow footways and faded glory, even though it is really expensive and the locals tend to be rather grumpy. ( They must find all the tourists very trying when they want to get anywhere!)
I must look for the books I have missed.
I must look for the books I have missed.
October 8, 2024
I'm enjoying this series. In this book, we're in Venice in 2019 as it experiences its deepest flood since the 1960s. Nathan Sunderland and his friend Eduardo discover a body in a flooded bookshop, at first they think its an accidental death but soon its revealed to be murder and the victim is a young English woman working in Venice for British philanthropist, Giles Markam. In between helping friends clear up the damage of the flood Nathan investigates to find Jenny's killer.
September 10, 2024
The best yet
Jones’ Venice is a community of real people living among the magical art of centuries of genius. His genius is in portraying the humanity and ordinary morality of the best of us. I’m now completely besotted with average Nathan and his guiding British morality.
Get hooked on this series, and fall in love. I have.
Jones’ Venice is a community of real people living among the magical art of centuries of genius. His genius is in portraying the humanity and ordinary morality of the best of us. I’m now completely besotted with average Nathan and his guiding British morality.
Get hooked on this series, and fall in love. I have.
November 4, 2024
Loved this 6th in the Venice thriller series by Philip Gwynne Jones.
All the usual characters and an excellent storyline too. This starts off with flooding in Venice and the main character of Nathan Sutherland helping out his friends to clean up after some very high tides.
Again great writing so you can really feel the location and get to know the characters well.
All the usual characters and an excellent storyline too. This starts off with flooding in Venice and the main character of Nathan Sutherland helping out his friends to clean up after some very high tides.
Again great writing so you can really feel the location and get to know the characters well.
July 17, 2025
Brilliantly Heartbreaking
Best of this lovely series so far. Like the city of Venice, the story weaves between hope and despair, elevated artistic pursuits and crass criminality. Honorary British Consul Nathan and his brilliant wife Federica join forces with friends old and new to unravel the death of one angel, and the discovery and disappearance of four others.
Best of this lovely series so far. Like the city of Venice, the story weaves between hope and despair, elevated artistic pursuits and crass criminality. Honorary British Consul Nathan and his brilliant wife Federica join forces with friends old and new to unravel the death of one angel, and the discovery and disappearance of four others.
September 19, 2022
Not always but this time, yes indeed... among other reasons that Nov 2019 WAS an amazing time to be part of the caatastrophe and revival... still a little cuddly for me but Philip does tell a nicely-woven tale.
May 7, 2023
I love this series, the Venetian setting is so wonderfully described I can really see it in my mind as I read. Some lovely new characters in this one as well as the old familiar, and the story marched on with no lulls which kept me reading way past bedtime! Loved it 🙂
July 19, 2023
Not bad. Kind of memorable but didn’t feel much like a murder mystery type book. Interesting concept though. I have a feeling this is another of those books that is several into a series that you need to read from the beginning
November 5, 2025
I enjoyed it
I like the way the author uses humour throughout the novel, Nathan the main character is very likeeable, familiar and relateable. I really liked the way the story revolves around a real event and i love reading about Venice!
I like the way the author uses humour throughout the novel, Nathan the main character is very likeeable, familiar and relateable. I really liked the way the story revolves around a real event and i love reading about Venice!
August 1, 2022
Another wonderful book. Great being back with Nathan and the gang, plus new characters. More please.
August 17, 2022
Never read any of this series before but I loved this one. Great mystery and setting.
November 30, 2022
Great company in an expertly rendered crime thriller. With a fresh look at a Venice in Peril.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews