Renaissance Italy Fiction

Giulia Tofana longs for more responsibility in her mother’s apothecary business, but Mamma has always been secretive and refuses to tell her the hidden keys to her success. But the day Mamma is arrested for the poisoning of the powerful Duke de Verdi, Giulia is shocked to uncover the darker side of her trade. Giulia must run for her life and escapes to Naples, under the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, to the home of her aunt Isabetta, a famous courtesan.

In Navola, a city-state dominated by a handful of influential families, business is power, and power is everything. For generations, the di Regulai family—merchant bankers with a vast empire—has nurtured tendrils that stretch to the farthest reaches of the known world. And though they claim not to be political, their wealth has bought cities and toppled kingdoms. Soon, Davico di Regulai will be expected to take the reins of power from his father and demonstrate his mastery of the games of Navolese diplomacy. But in Navola, strange and ancient undercurrents lurk behind the gilt and grandeur.

Florence,1498, and revolution is in the air. For poor young student Niccolò Machiavelli the sudden and unexpected collapse of the Medici regime is his opportunity to get on the path to success. Elected to a position of influence in the Florentine government, the inexperienced diplomat must learn quickly as he is sent to try and stem the advance of a new warlord rampaging across northern Italy. Cruel and vicious, Cesare Borgia is the illegitimate son of a pope with ambitions to carve out a kingdom by seizing the territory of a weak and vacillating Florentine Republic. As he tries to counter...

Mia Caiozzi is determined to discover her destiny by studying the science of astronomy. But her stepmother Giulia forbids her to engage in this dangerous occupation, fearing it will lead her into trouble. The ideas of Galileo are banned by the Inquisition, so Mia must study in secret.

A struggling artist. An elite commission. A city of shadows and secrets. In Renaissance Rome, Augustine faces his ultimate test. Talented but unknown, Augustine navigates the treacherous Artist's Quarters. A rare opportunity arises to secure a prestigious commission from Italy's elite. But in this world of thievery and gambling, every alley hides danger. As Augustine hones his craft and builds connections, each brushstroke brings him closer to his dreams—and to peril. Facing ruthless rivals and dangerous alliances, he must execute his artistic vision with both skill and cunning. Will his ...

"Combine elements of evil kings and dukes, Game of Thrones-style characters, and the horrific Bastille Prison, and you have everything set for an explosive medieval thriller novel. It's a great cast with very engaging characters. Fantastic dialogue that pulls you in. And there are already enough stakes within the story to keep you engaged.” - Reedsy Discovery “An interesting premise coupled with a colourful set of characters and a twisting plot makes for a fun and engaging read. Mr Freeman takes his readers on quite the adventurous journey. This is an entertaining, well-written read ...

Rome whispers about a poison that looks like holy water. They call it Aqua Tofana—a saint-faced bottle passed hand to hand, a rumour with a price, a promise made to desperate wives behind shuttered windows. Men call it evil. Priests call it temptation. The streets call it justice. But Giulia knows what it really is: a brand built in the cracks of a city that leaves women no safe exits. When a quiet network of laundresses, servants and midwives begins to fray under pressure—boots on stone, coins offered for silence, and the Church leaning close—Giulia must protect the one person she ...

A wildly imaginative novel about a man who is reincarnated over ten thousand lifetimes to be with his one true love: Death herself. “This book made me laugh out loud. And then a page later, it made me sob. Reminiscent of Tom Robbins and Christopher Moore, Poore finds humor in the dark...

Giulia Tofana never wanted to be a nun, but she is determined to atone for her past misdeeds by making her new monastery a success. When an unexpected disaster closes the convent, Giulia is forced to turn to her old friend, Fabio Pasello, for help. Giulia still has intense feelings for Fabio, and Fabio’s passion for her has never diminished. But they are not the same people they were before. Giulia has taken her vows, and Fabio is apprenticed to Gianlorenzo Bernini, the famous sculptor, and has become one of Bernini’s rakish libertines.

"Freeman kicks off a new series set in Renaissance-era Italy with this stylish espionage thriller [and] brings the period to vivid life. Historical fans should give this a look." Publishers Weekly "Rise of the Black Cross has it all: action, adventure, high-seas villains, corrupt officials, and even romance." Readers' Favorite (5-star review) "A Renaissance spy adventure that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Steve Freeman has done well to cleverly interweave suspense, history, culture, and a mystery to keep the reader engaged. Highly recommend for those that enjoy action historical ...

To save the Republic, a hero must rise... During the height of the Renaissance, merchant ships of Spain and Milan are mysteriously disappearing. Sea captain Niccolo Corsini seeks to explain this rash of missing vessels before the phenomenon spreads to the shores of his own Republic of Florence. In pursuit of this quest, Niccolo must open old family wounds and travel incognito to unfriendly lands. His work uncovers vague rumors of a sinister plot…of an enemy realm bent on total conquest. Is this threat real? If so, is it somehow connected to the missing ships? Seeking the truth, Niccolo ...

Before the Corleones, before the Lannisters, there were the Borgias. One of history’s notorious families comes to life in a captivating novel from the author of The Birth of Venus. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY COSMOPOLITAN (UK) AND THE TIMES (UK) “In the end, what’s a...

-Publishers Weekly starred review- -Elit Award Silver Medalist- -Book Excellence Award finalist- Italy 1464: Power hungry aristocrats are battling for control of Florence. Can a young Florentine stop his birthplace from plunging into chaos? When young lawyer Nico Argenti returns home from the university eager to start a promising career, he is recruited by the Florentine Chancellor to help defeat power hungry aristocrats who are plotting to overthrow the government. Nico must rely on more than his quick wits when the shadowy villains put him in life-threatening danger as an assassin's ...

In all of human history there has never been an era as richly endowed with human creativity as the Italian Renaissance. When the economic boom of the Late Middle Ages had allowed a flourishing and wealthy merchant class to emerge, a plethora of artists, sculptors, architects, and thinkers followed in their wake. In an astonishingly short period of time, Italy was transformed mentally, physically, and spiritually.

"I must know what the king of Spain is going to do before he knows it himself. And that, Shakespeare, is why you are going to Italy." With these enigmatic words, Sir Francis Walsingham sends a young, unknown poet on a mission to Venice—a city of masks, secrets, and shadows. The poet is none other than William Shakespeare, tasked with a mission of espionage that could change the fate of England. Accompanied by the high-spirited illegitimate son of an English earl, young Will embarks on what seems a simple errand: find Walsingham’s agent in Venice and deliver secret instructions. But in ...

The Cardinal’s Sword! Pre Renaissance Italy: Papal States at war, all to gain, yet Sabatini must choose a side. With the advent of the Western Schism, powerful Italian States are riven with war, greed and power. Into this maelstrom is thrust Flavio Sabatini pirate, routier and condottieri with a chequered life behind him, as he returns to his home town of Corneto. Yet with such men the past is never far behind. As an internecine war looms within the Italian states and Saracens threaten his home town, Sabatini’s sword arm cannot be still for long. Outside the law or within? Devil or ...

"There is no book of mine about which I more thoroughly feel that I swear by every sentence as having been written with my best blood." Thus wrote George Eliot about Romola, the book which is central in her career as a novelist and amongst her most colorful, fluent, and persuasive works. Set in Florence in 1492, a time of great political and religious turmoil, Eliot's novel blends vivid fictional characters with historical figures such as Savonarola, Machiavelli, and the Medicis.

In The Merchant’s Mask, Sofia Contarini disguises herself as her late twin brother to protect her family’s legacy in Renaissance Venice—until disgraced knight Hugh de Vere uncovers her secret. Bound by mutual goals and forbidden attraction, they navigate treacherous politics, masked betrayals, and rising passion on a perilous quest for truth. As secrets unravel and danger draws near, Sofia and Hugh must decide if love is worth the risk—or if betrayal will break them both.

The Crime Writers' Association Historical Dagger Winning Author City of Vengeance is an explosive debut novel in an historical thriller series by D. V. Bishop, set in Renaissance Florence. 'An impressive and immersive debut set in a beautifully realized sixteenth-century Florence' – Antonia...

Giovanni Boccaccio, Dante, and Petrarch were the leading lights in a century that is considered the beginning of the Italian Renaissance. The Decameron, or Ten Days' Entertainment, is his most famous work, a collection of stories considered representative of the Middle Ages, as well as a product of the Renaissance.