The Venetian Game, Philip Gwynne Jones
The Venetian Game, Philip Gwynne Jones
41 Rating(s)
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The Venetian Game
a haunting thriller set in the heart of Italy's most secretive city

Author: Philip Gwynne Jones

Series: Nathan Sutherland Series #7

Narrator: Tim Bruce

Unabridged: 8 hr 8 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 05/17/2018

Synopsis

'An unputdownable thriller' Gregory Dowling

'It is no surprise to find that Philip Gwynne Jones lives in Venice... art and architecture interweave into a story that builds to an almost surreal climax' Daily Mail

*****

A game of cross and double-cross in Venice, one of the most beautiful cities on earth.

From his office on the Street of the Assassins, Nathan Sutherland enjoys a steady but unexciting life translating Italian DIY manuals. All this changes dramatically when he is offered a large sum of money to look after a small package containing an extremely valuable antique prayer book illustrated by a Venetian master. But is it a stolen masterpiece - or a brilliant fake?

Unknown to Nathan, from a vast mansion on the Grand Canal twin brothers Domenico and Arcangelo Moro, motivated by nothing more than mutual hatred, have been playing out a complex game of art theft for twenty years. And now Nathan finds himself unwittingly drawn into their deadly business . . .

*****

Praise for Philip Gwynne Jones

'I devoured all Philip's novels and felt transported to Venice with a new intimacy' Val McDermid

'Superb - always gripping, beautifully constructed and vivid' Stephen Glover

'Sinister and shimmering, The Venetian Game is as haunting and darkly elegant as Venice itself' L.S. Hilton, bestselling author of Maestra

'Clever and great fun' The Times

'The Venetian setting is vividly described... good, fluid writing makes for easy reading' Literary Review

'Un-put-downable . . . If you love Venice, you'll love this because you'll be transported there in an instant. If you've not been to Venice, read this book and then go. If you like intrigue, and a clever plot, you'll love this book' Amazon reviewer, 5*****

*****

Vengeance in Venice, the second book in Philip Gwynne Jones' sensational Venice series, is available now

About Philip Gwynne Jones

Philip Gwynne Jones was born in South Wales in 1966, and lived and worked throughout Europe before settling in Scotland in the 1990s. He first came to Italy in 1994, when he spent some time working for the European Space Agency in Frascati, a job that proved to be less exciting than he had imagined.He spent twenty years in the IT industry before realising he was congenitally unsuited to it. Furthermore, an attempt to find a secure, well-paid job with a proper pension had resulted in him finding himself in the IT department of a large Scottish bank during the global financial crisis.Something, clearly, had to change. And so it was that - following a conversation with a man in a pub - Philip and Caroline left their jobs, sold their flat and moved to Venice in search of a better, simpler future. They were wrong about the 'simpler' bit . . .Philip now works as a teacher, writer and translator, and lives in Venice with Caroline. He enjoys cooking, art, classical music and opera; and can occasionally be seen and heard singing bass with Cantori Veneziani and the Ensemble Vocale di Venezia.

Reviews

Goodreads review by John on November 30, 2022

Very entertaining. It reads like a travel guide of Venice with added mystery. Well written, good characters with a nice sense of humour on the side. 3.5stars .......more

Goodreads review by Sandra on May 14, 2024

Over the years I’ve read most books set in Venice. So my husband struggled to find a novel for me to read before our trip to Venice. He was pleased to find this series by Philip Gwynn Jones. Fun read, the author really caught the feel of Venice and it made me look forward to my trip even more. Note......more

Goodreads review by Dolf on May 04, 2022

The Venetian Game is the first in a series and not a book for people who like fast-paced action thrillers. When you like Donna Leon this might be your kind of book. I would not classify this as a "thriller". It is a crime novel with loads of couleur locale and lots of food, and especially drink. Rea......more

Goodreads review by Paul on March 28, 2020

Easy to read and yet holds you in suspense the whole way through. The best bits? 1) the depth of Jones’s intricate descriptions of Venetian geography, society, architecture and culture 2) it has a clear and plausible plot throughout 3) [though a rarity these days] it has a decent ending and clearly......more

Goodreads review by Tripfiction on April 01, 2017

The Venetian Game is a quite excellent book for TripFiction readers. A great thriller very firmly set in Venice. The canals, buildings, art and geography of the city all come shining through… an ideal read for anyone heading out for a Spring break. Philip Gwynne Jones has lived in Venice for a numbe......more

Quotes

Sinister and shimmering, The Venetian Game is as haunting and darkly elegant as Venice itself

Clever and great fun The Times

...a playful novel, recounted by a witty and engaging narrator ... as Venetian as a painting by Bellini (or a glass of Bellini). Oh, and it's also an unputdownable thriller

A crime book for people with sophisticated tastes: Venice, opera, renaissance art, good food and wine... I enjoyed all that and more The Crime Warp

It is no surprise to find that Philip Gwynne Jones lives in Venice... art and architecture interweave into a story that builds to an almost surreal climax Daily Mail

The Venetian setting is vividly described and Gwynne Jones's good, fluent writing makes for easy reading Literary Review

a civilized, knowledgeable, charming antidote to the darker reaches of the genre, full of entertaining descriptions of the city... Lovely. Makes you want to book a flight to Venice straight away

...he puts not one foot wrong with his topography and knowledge... Add a satisfyingly (but not gratuitously) surprising and action-packed ending and you have a book that I can wholeheartedly recommend Fictional Cities

A crime story that positively thrives among the shadowy streets and canals of Venice... Gorgeous escapism with stacks of atmosphere and double-cross Saga magazine

This entertaining thriller makes good use of its watery setting, introducing readers to a rougher Venice, hidden behind the familiar facade of gondoliers and frescoes Morning Star

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