by Luigi Natoli
First published 2024
Blasco da Castiglione arrives in early eighteenth century Palermo as a bold orphan seeking his origins. The young adventurer finds himself swept into a deadly succession conspiracy involving powerful nobles who plot to steal a rightful inheritance. Operating from Palermo's dark streets and underground caves, the mysterious Beati Paoli emerge. These masked and hooded vigilantes serve as defenders of the oppressed against aristocratic corruption. When they learn of the inheritance scheme, they launch their own shadowy intervention. Blasco becomes entangled in their machinations as he encounters characters who challenge his loyalty while he pursues his true identity. The fearless young man must navigate chivalrous duels, dangerous intrigue, and the complex web of Sicilian justice. His quest for his destiny collides with the Beati Paoli's mission to protect the powerless from noble privilege. Love and hatred, friendship and betrayal shape his path through this atmospheric portrait of Sicily's ancient capital.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, mystery, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, identity-quest
Setting: Palermo, Sicily
Period: 18th Century
480 pages · Paperback · Radius Book Group
Content warnings: violence