RITA MONALDI / FRANCESCO SORTI
A spy uncovers a political plot in 18tn century Vienna in this sequel to the acclaimed historical thriller Secretum—"another tour-de-force of derring do" ( Historical Novel Society). Vienna, 1711. Atto Melani, a spy in the service of Louis XIV, arranges for his faithful helper to relocate from a Roman slum to the imperial court in Vienna. There, Atto enlists his help in a secret mission to bring about the end of the war between France and Austria. Meanwhile, a Turkish delegation has arrived in Vienna for talks with Emperor Joseph I—despite the fact that Austria is supposed to be at peace with the Ottoman Empire. When the emperor suddenly falls ill with smallpox and students are targeted by a serial killer, some fear that a centuries-old power struggle has been reignited. Can Atto and his helper prevent Europe from descending into all-out conflict? An unfinished palace known as the Place with No Name, an exotic menagerie and a fantastical Flying Ship are just some of the ingredients of this baroque spy novel.
