The Sign of the Weeping Virgin (Five Star Mystery Series)
Fans of historical mysteries will thoroughly enjoy this chance to visit the Italy of 1480 in the company of real-life historical figure Guid'Antonio Vespucci, a Florence lawyer. Returning from a government mission, he finds his home city distraught over the kidnapping of a wealthy young woman, Camilla Rossi da Vinci, supposedly by Turks. The Florentines are equally abuzz, though, over a painting of the Virgin Mary in Guid'Antonio's family church that has miraculously begun to shed tears. Tasked with investigating by city leader Lorenzo de' Medici, who's preoccupied by his war against the pope, Guid'Antonio partners with his favorite nephew, Amerigo, and uncovers even more mystery, including a secret message painted by artist Sandro Botticelli on the church's wall. Backed up by sure-handed storytelling and scrupulous research into the period, White creates richly evocative descriptions of Renaissance-era Florence certain to please the amateur historian and armchair tourist. (Dec.)