“This may be so, but surely the important thing – the most important thing – is where is the manuscript now?” (Quotation page 104)

Content:
It is Nathan´s birthday, and it is Carnevale in Venice too with lots of masked people everywhere, but still magical. Tonight Monteverdi´s L’Incoronazione di Poppea is waiting at Opera Fenice, but Isotta Baldan, the famous opera soprano Nathan Sutherland was looking forward to finally see on stage has been cancelled again. The singer now playing Poppea is excellent, but she is no Isotta Baldan. So Nathan´s attention wanders, watching two late arrivals, coming into the opposite box. At the end of the opera applause – and a sudden scream. At the opposite box, a person now is flumped forward over the balustrade, stabbed, and in this wallet, the police finds Nathan´s business card. The events somehow seem to be connected to an original manuscript of Monteverdi´s opera Proserpina rapita, lost a long time ago. Nathan is sent on a special quest.

Theme and genre
This thriller, part of a series, takes place in Venice during the famous Carnevale and the story centers around one of Monteverdi´s lost operas.

Characters
Nathan Sutherland works as a translator, but he too is the British honorary consul in Venice and when his help is needed, he begins to investigate, always attracted by mysteries to be solved.

Plot and writing
The story is an interesting mixture of adventures connected to one of the missing works of Monteverdi and vivid descriptions of every day’s life in Venice, between well-known and hidden places. Although there are captivating twists, there also are some lengths.

Conclusion
I definitely enjoy this entertaining, charming series about Nathan Sutherland, but this one could not completely convince me. ( )

I came across this wonderful series of novels by Philip Gwynne Jones entirely by chance, but have found it highly addictive. Nathan Sutherland is a marvellous protagonist – highly empathetic, and utterly believable – and lives in Venice where he works as a translator, but also fills the office of the United Kingdom’s Honorary Consul. This last, unpaid role involves providing support to British residents or tourists, and usually entails helping visitors who have had their wallets stolen or lost their passports. Occasionally, however, he finds himself dragged into some more complicated business.

This novel, however, starts slightly differently with Nathan joining a couple of friends on atrip to the cemetery island of San Michele on All Souls’ Day. As a consequence, he happens to be present when some workmen inadvertently unearth what proves to be an empty coffin. As the supposed occupant had been a British citizen, Nathan has to review Consulate records to try to unravel the mystery.

Philip Gwynne Jones is masterful at conveying the sights and atmosphere of the various Venetian locations as the story takes the reader all around the city. He is also an excellent PR representative for his adopted city as I am now desperate to visit Venice. He is not just a master of atmosphere, however, and his plots are always unusual but perfectly plausible. His characters are well drawn, too. Nathan is excellent as the well-intentioned but slightly clumsy Consul, while his partner Federica is perfectly charming. Pride of place to my mind, however, goes to Gramsci, the surly and demanding cat with whom Nathan shares his home – one of the finest fictional cats I have encountered. ( )

Nathan Sutherland,honorary consul and part time translator is asked to help the famous conductor, Thomas Lockwood, and his gorgeous talented partner,Isotta Baldan, an opera singer, in their quest for a mythical,but unfortunately lost,opera of Monteverdi. But death seems to follow in the wake of their investigations...
The setting,Venice during carnival, is of course absolutely stunning but somehow I'm missing some personal link to the city. We get all the names of the calle,piazza's...but there is a certain warmth,a deep involvement lacking. The relationship between Nathan and his partner Frederica is a bit soppy,a lot of tesoro,mio cuore,caro mio(and I mean a lot!). There is also a lot foodstuff going on,but there again, I don't have the feeling they are particularly enjoying their food apart from huge amounts of Spritzes (basically vermouth/Campari,white wine/prosecco and sparkling water.) Yes,Spritz is definitely an on going theme!
It is an easy read and it is not a bad story as the mystery of a long lost manuscript is captivating but it is certainly not as sparkling as the already mentioned Spritz. ( )