The Four Horsemen

In this excellent sequel, Dowling successfully builds on the clever premise he introduced in 2016’s Ascension, his first novel featuring 18th-century Venetian spy Alvise Marangon—the premise being that Dowling has uncovered a folder buried in the Venetian state archives recounting Alvise’s exploits. Alvise divides his time between working as a tour guide, principally for English travelers, and serving as a confidential agent for the Missier Grande, the man responsible “for all matters of common criminality.” The Missier Grande charges Alvise with investigating the death of a fellow operative, Paolo Padoan, who apparently fell from his roof by accident. A few days earlier, Paolo reported his discovery of a mysterious secret society, the Four Horsemen, some of whose members may have belonged to noble families. Apart from looking into the possibility that Paolo was murdered, Alvise must tread carefully to avoid incurring the wrath of the Missier Grande’s archrival, the Council of Ten, in particular the three Inquisitors on the council who are in charge of inquiries related to state security. Dowling’s lead’s wry sense of humor is a plus. (Oct.)