Vengeance in Venice - (A Jane Wunderly Mystery) by Erica Ruth Neubauer (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

At long last, Jane and Redvers have arrived in Venice, the famed city of love, for their honeymoon. But behind a mask at a costume ball on the Grand Canal hides the gaze of a heartless killer...

Venice, 1927: As romantic as it is mysterious, the Floating City is a dream destination for the newlyweds, but they'll soon discover the twisting canals hide more mystery than they expected. It begins when they are invited to an elaborate party at Clara Morton's stunning palazzo on the Grand Canal. The affair is as eccentric as the hostess, who is dressed as Medusa, and features everything from snakes to her pet cheetah to tarot card readings.

The fete also features a fresh corpse--Clara's ex-husband, found dead in the garden with marks around his neck. The hostess accuses the tarot card reader, who happens to be an acquaintance of Jane, claiming the woman foretold the death of someone close to her. Jane and Redvers come to the young woman's aid as they learn she was far from the only partygoer with a motive. As the couple follows a labyrinthine trail of scandalous affairs, brazen blackmail, and people who are not who they say they are, they hope that Venice will disclose her secrets before they both end up in over their heads . . .

Review Quotes

Praise for the Jane Wunderly Mysteries:

"Entertaining...Neubauer's solid puzzle plot is accented by well-drawn characters, evocative scenery, and captivating historical detail. Series fans will enjoy themselves." --Publishers Weekly on Homicide in the Indian Hills

"A wild 1927 adventure on a Scottish island includes a mysterious cult and a murder...Some historical tidbits and a starkly beautiful landscape add interest." --Kirkus Reviews on Secrets of a Scottish Isle

"This fast-paced, adventure-filled mystery should win Neubauer new fans." --Publishers Weekly on Intrigue in Istanbul

"If you're looking to escape reality, dive into this historical mystery read!" --Milwaukee's "The Morning Blend" on WTMJ4 on Intrigue in Istanbul

"Neubauer moves further away from the retro whodunits of her franchise's previous installments and closer to the hidden-treasure search beloved of interwar movie serials." --Kirkus Reviews on Intrigue in Istanbul

"A hidden gem in the trough of thrillers...this was by far a unique murder-mystery book with an unforgettable setting. Page-turning and terrific." --The New York Post, Best Mysteries of the Year on Danger on the Atlantic

"You'll be forgiven if the music from Titanic plays in your head while you explore a gorgeous ocean liner and watch Jane and Redvers solve an intriguing mystery." --Criminal Element on Danger on the Atlantic

"Because Jane is a modern woman, she uses her own smarts and her own skills to eventually solve the crime and nab the culprit. Jane is faced with starting to come to terms with her own past and beginning to look ahead to a future. She's also American, so this reader is wondering if she's headed back stateside in the next installment. I can't wait to find out." --Mystery Scene on Murder at Wedgefield Manor

"Neubauer's sprightly follow-up...The country house intrigue and an unconventional chase reap rewards. Readers will look forward to further cases of the intrepid Jane and the mysterious Mr. Redvers." --Publishers Weekly on Murder at Wedgefield Manor

"A retro whodunit with a comfy cast and a nifty solution." --Kirkus Reviews on Murder at Wedgefield Manor

"Stunning revelations, romance, adventure, and intrigue abound in this multilayered, delightfully entertaining whodunit. Neubauer's debut dazzles, with a smart plot, remarkable scenery, and skilled execution." --Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW on Murder at the Mena House

"Jane is a feisty heroine, the setting is enticingly depicted, and there are several intriguing subplots. Fans of Agatha Christie will enjoy this homage." --Booklist on Murder at the Mena House

"A roaring Twenties adventure." --Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine on Murder at the Mena House

"A welcome vacation...Erica Ruth Neubauer could whisk you off to a swanky Egyptian resort in the 1920s with plenty of cocktails and a mysterious handsome stranger." --Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Murder at the Mena House

"Fans of Elizabeth Peter are going to want to get in on the ground floor of Erica Ruth Neubauer's Jane Wunderly mysteries." --Jess Lourey in CrimeReads on Murder at the Mena House

"With deft characterizations, an engaging plot, and the most compelling heroine I've found since Amelia Peabody, Erica Ruth Neubauer's Murder at the Mena House is the best book you'll read this year. I can't wait for the next installment of this phenomenal series." --Tasha Alexander, author of In the Shadow of Vesuvius on Murder at the Mena House

"What a refreshing surprise to be back on the Nile in this confident and accomplished debut. Neubauer pays proper homage to the Golden Age, but her crisp style and witty heroine ensure that Murder at the Mena House zips along in a thoroughly modern manner. I hope plucky Jane Wunderly has a long sleuthing future ahead; I, for one, am already looking forward to her next adventure." --Catriona McPherson, author of Go To My Grave on Murder at the Mena House

"A thrilling new series!" --Victoria Thompson, national bestselling author of Murder on Union Square on Murder at the Mena House

About the Author

Erica Ruth Neubauer is the Agatha Award-winning author of the Jane Wunderly Mysteries, as well as an Anthony Award and Lefty Award finalist. She spent eleven years in the military, nearly two as a Maryland police officer, and one as a high school English teacher, before finding her way as a writer. She has been a reviewer of mysteries and crime fiction for publications such as Publishers Weekly and Mystery Scene Magazine for several years, and she's a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. Erica Ruth lives in Milwaukee, WI. Visit her at EricaRuthNeubauer.com.