Years ago, Emily's childhood nemesis, Emma Callum, scandalized polite society when she eloped with an Italian count. But now her father-in-law lies murdered, and her husband has fled, making him the prime suspect. Alone in her empty palazzo, there's no one Emma can turn to for help but Emily, who leaves at once for Venice. When a 15th century ring is found in the hand of the slain man, the mysteries of the past and present become entwined, and in order to find the murderer, Emily must first unravel the secret of a centuries old love affair. Her investigations take her through the canals of the ancient city, from opulent palazzi to slums, libraries, and bordellos, but the past does not give up its secrets easily, especially when these revelations might threaten the interests of some very powerful people, and Emily finds herself stalked by an ominous masked figure, determined to keep her from solving the case at any cost.

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"Alexander’s seventh Lady Emily mystery, set in Venice, is one of her best, not only for the fabulous Lady Emily (a relative of Amelia Peabody?), her comely mate Colin Hargreaves, and the circuitous plot, but also because readers will fall in love with the vividly described nineteenth-century Floating City...Fun to read, fast paced, and delightfully suspenseful without being overly scary, this series’ latest is the perfect entertainment for both Elizabeth Peters fans and readers who have enjoyed Lauren Willig’s Pink Carnation novels."-Booklist

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"...authoritative depictions of Venice's history, atmosphere and culinary delights... the story glides along as smoothly as a gondola.Lady Emily travels well."-Kirkus Reviews

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"This dependable series with plucky heroines and memorable villainesses is filled with local and period detail. An exceptionally good bet for readers who appreciate historical mysteries and the combination of past and present voices." -Library Journal

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"Heartrending..." -Publishers Weekly

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"With an appealing flair for historical detail and compassion for her characters, the author adds another well-crafted title to her popular series." -Historical Novel Society

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"Emily and Colin are incredibly likable characters, and the settings are so lovely that you want to step into the pages. Tasha Alexander does a fantastic job here with the crumbling palazzos, dusty old books, and gondolas gliding along the canals...I love that I was able to fall into the novel and get lost in the mystery, the romance, and the city of Venice. I was pulled into the story very early and didn’t want to leave. There’s just enough of everything in this book to make me a happy reader. Obviously, I cannot wait for Emily’s next adventure." -Bookreporter

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"...another completely enjoyable entry in what has become one of my favorite historical mystery series." -Aunt Agatha's Bookstore