Danny and his fiancée, Livni, have taken an extended trip to Venice from their home in Melbourne. While she pursues her interest in professional photography and art history, he's busy working on his PhD thesis.
The object of his research is the mysterious Marino Faliero, former doge of Venice. Though he was a powerful Venetian ambassador and had won renown in war, Faliero fell from grace, and his own people beheaded him only a year after electing him ruler of the republic.
When Danny is granted permission to enter a secret Jewish library in Venice, he uncovers lost details about Faliero's life. Documents and private letters reveal a power struggle between the Vatican and Venice, as well as Faliero's steamy affair with a Jewish woman named Judith Jisrael.
The medieval love story of Marino and Judith intersects with the modern-day relationship of Danny and Livni, and the charm and character of Italy come alive on every page. Author J. J. Lohmann tells this little-known historical tale in colorful prose that will keep you hooked until the very end.
