First published 2026
Florence, 1557. Pontormo lies dead at the base of the frescoes he spent eleven years creating. Someone has altered one of his paintings. Vasari, Duke Cosimo de Medici's trusted agent, must solve the murder while navigating treacherous political waters. He seeks counsel from the aging Michelangelo, exiled in Rome. The investigation demands artistic knowledge and political cunning. Europe teeters on the brink of war. Cosimo faces threats from his cousin Catherine, Queen of France, who has allied with his republican enemy Piero Strozzi. Savonarola's followers still lurk in the city's convents. In Rome, the Pope condemns the nude figures in the Sistine Chapel. Through letters between color grinders, nobles, painters, sculptors, architects, and royalty, each correspondent reveals their secrets and motives. Everyone becomes a suspect in this web of art, politics, and murder.
Genres: art, historical-fiction, mystery, political-thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-allies, investigation
Setting: Florence, Rome
Period: 1557
Hardcover