A Comedy of Murders

Book excerpt: When an orphan, Niccolo da Pavia saves the life of Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, he is catapulted from the monastery that has sheltered him for ninteen years into the opulance and decadence of court life. The attempt on the Duke's life is attributed to a mysterious assassin. Leonardo da Vinci is artist-in-residence in the the court of the Duke and he and Niccolo soon form a strong bond. The year is 1498 and the court is preparing for an invasion by the French. As the court attempts to distract from the impending war with lavish celebrations, a series of unexplained deaths in the castle send shock waves through the court. Twenty-seven bodies are found, each murdered in a different way. Leonardo records his observations in a book that exposes corruption, cover-ups and abuse of power that pose a threat to the Duke far greater than the invading armies if it is discovered. As the invading army approaches Leonardo and Niccolo must flee with the book before the Duke's guards arrive. This is book one in a series of eight adventures which follows Leonardo's life and involves the two friends in challenging situations that require their sleuthing skills. Review from National Advertising "Here's a marvelous treat, the wittiest historical mystery novel that deftly intertwines fact and fiction in a deliciously clever tale".