'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

*****

Murder is the deadliest art . . .

An invitation to an exclusive event during the Venetian Biennale gives Honorary Consul Nathan Sutherland the perfect chance to drink prosecco in the sunshine and meet some of the greats of the art world.

And then a world-famous critic is decapitated by one of the installations in the British Pavilion. A terrible accident, it seems, until a postcard is discovered in the victim's pocket: an image of Judith beheading Holofernes.

But this is not just a one-off. Before long, three more postcards have been sent out with deadly results. As the bodies pile up, Nathan finds himself getting closer and closer to the truth, but when he himself receives an image of Death bearing a scythe, it becomes a race against time to save his own life . . .

*****

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

'Clever and great fun' The Times

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

'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*****

About the Author

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
Sinister and shimmering, The Venetian Game is as haunting and darkly elegant as Venice itself -- L.S. Hilton, bestselling author of Maestra
...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 -- Gregory Dowling, author of Ascension on The Venetian Game
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 on The Venetian Game *
The Venetian setting is vividly described and Gwynne Jones's good, fluent writing makes for easy reading -- Jessica Mann * 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 -- N J Cooper, Bookoxygen.com
...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 -- Jeff Cotton * Fictional Cities on The Venetian Game *
A crime story that positively thrives among the shadowy streets and canals of Venice... Gorgeous escapism with stacks of atmosphere and double-cross -- Sue Price * 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 on The Venetian Game *
...a quite excellent book... Philip is entirely knowledgable about the buildings and art of the city. It forms a perfect background to a very well worked thriller * TripFiction.com *
The interactions and the locations are the strength . . . and the travelling around full of sights and sparkle . . . one damn smooth and very fine Venetian read * Fictional Cities *



Book Information
ISBN 9781472124005
Author Philip Gwynne Jones
Format Paperback
Page Count 352
Imprint Constable
Publisher Little, Brown Book Group
Weight(grams) 242g
Dimensions(mm) 199mm * 132mm * 22mm