Description

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Amid the intrigue and danger of 18th-century Italy, a young woman becomes embroiled in romance and treachery with a rider in the Palio, the breathtaking horse race set in Siena....
It's 1729, and the Palio, a white-knuckle horse race, is soon to be held in the heart of the peerless Tuscan city of Siena. But the beauty and pageantry masks the deadly rivalry that exists among the city's districts. Each ward, represented by an animal symbol, puts forth a rider to claim the winner's banner, but the contest turns citizens into tribes and men into beasts—and beautiful, headstrong, young Pia Tolomei is in love with a rider of an opposing ward, an outsider who threatens the shaky balance of intrigue and influence that rules the land.

About the Author

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Marina Fiorato is half-Venetian and a history graduate of Oxford University and the University of Venice, where she specialized in the study of Shakespeare’s plays as an historical source. She has worked as an illustrator, an actress, and a film reviewer, and designed tour visuals for rock bands including U2 and the Rolling Stones. Her historical fiction includes the Venetian Bargain, The Daughter of Siena, The Botticelli Secret, and her debut novel, The Glassblower of Murano, which was an international bestseller. She was married on the Grand Canal in Venice, and now lives in London with her family.

Praise For…

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“[Fiorato] brings the beauty and danger of 17th-century Venice vividly to life…Those who enjoy intrigue and European history will be easily drawn into this romantic story.” —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY ON THE GLASSBLOWER OF MURANO

“Fiorato crafts a historical novel in the style of Girl with a Pearl Earring blended with painting as code à la The Da Vinci Code.” —LIBRARY JOURNAL ON THE BOTTICELLI SECRET

“An intriguing mix of history, mystery, art, music, poetry, romance, and politics…Writing with charm and authenticity, Fiorato produces a blend of historical mystery and modern romance that is thoroughly entertaining.” —BOOKLIST ON THE GLASSBLOWER OF MURANO

“Marina Fiorato has fashioned a tale of artistry, love, and intrigue....From its mysterious, highly crafted opening to its stunning, riveting culmination, it took my breath away.” —SUSAN VREELAND, AUTHOR OF GIRL IN HYACINTH BLUE ON THE GLASSBLOWER OF MURANO

“A compelling story, richly detailed, with wonderful, memorably drawn characters.” —DIANE HAEGER, AUTHOR OF THE RUBY RING ON THE GLASSBLOWER OF MURANO

“Marina Fiorato has beautifully recreated the bright, glittering world of the seventeenth-century glassblower, and nestled it surely within a compelling contemporary romance.” —JEANNE KALOGRIDIS, AUTHOR OF THE BORGIA BRIDE ON THE GLASSBLOWER OF MURANO