Twenty-Seven Ways to Commit Murder. It is 1498 and in the castle of Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, there have been a number of assassination attempts made on his life. The latest happens when the Duke and his court visit the Certosa Monastery after a hunting trip. A young man living at the Monastery, Niccolo da Pavia, intercepts the would-be assassins, saving the Duke's life. In gratitude the Duke offers Niccolo a place in his court. Niccolo dreams of experiencing the world outside the Monastery so he readily accepts. Leonardo da Vinci is Artist-in-residence to the Duke where he paints,...

A Missing Necklace * A decadent court in Renaissance Italy * A Reluctant Detective "Yes, this man is sent to kill me." The courier, transporting a fabulous necklace, wisely decides to break his journey at an Inn to assess the situation. Indeed he is being followed and reasons he is safer here than on the open road. However he and his mission are doomed and the necklace is lost. The "Tears of the Madonna" is a historical mystery novel featuring Leonardo da Vinci as a reluctant detective in the vein of Sherlock Holmes. The setting of the novel is Mantua Italy in the court of Isabella d'Este who...