Deadly Rivalries

Nico Argenti series book 6

                   Book 6 of the award winning Nico Argenti series

A tragic death at a betrothal ceremony embroils Nico Argenti in the precarious world of Renaissance Florence’s elite.

Guests are gathered at a villa in the Tuscan countryside to celebrate a betrothal that would unite two powerful Florentine families. The joyful atmosphere is shattered when the groom-to-be is discovered murdered.
Florentine Security Commission member Nico Argenti, himself a guest, is charged with finding the killer, suspected to be an invited guest or a member of the villa staff. The investigation exposes Nico and his colleagues to the jealous motives of guests and a chain of interconnected crimes. Each revelation in the case, ranging from bribery and theft to tax fraud and assault, contributes to its growing complexity.
Is simply identifying the killer enough to guarantee that he will face the consequences?
Deadly Rivalries is the sixth book in the award-winning Nico Argenti Renaissance mystery series. It may be read standalone.

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The Blackest Time discussion questions

 

How did the book change your assumptions about the time of the Black Plague?

Which aspects of the story relate to our time? Which don’t?

Was there a specific decision made by a character in the book that struck you as particularly admirable or foolish?

Which turning points in the story were under the control of characters? Which were unavoidable?

Of those who escaped the disease itself, how were people in the various classes of Florentine society affected by the plague?

What were Gino’s impressions of Florence when he first arrived in the city and how did they change over time?

What measures did Florentines use to protect themselves from the plague? How do they compare to the steps we took to protect ourselves from Covid?

Florentines were devout Christians who believed in the mythical goddess Fortuna and in witchcraft. How did those beliefs lead to various explanations of the plague? Do we have dual beliefs today?

Does Professor Vianello’s prediction based on planetary conjuctions differ from today’s belief in astrology?

Who cared for the poor in medieval times? How does that differ from our practices today?