Venetian Masque

As French power advances through Italy at the end of the eighteenth century, Venice struggles to preserve its independence. Into this anxious city comes Marc-Antoine de Melleville, a French aristocrat whose former identity should have ended at the guillotine. Concealing his origins, he moves among political agents and officials who have good reasons to distrust one another. Rafael Sabatini turns the Venetian mask into a question of identity and allegiance. Secret missions, calculated friendships and romantic attachments make every disclosure dangerous. Behind elegant conversation lies a republic facing a decisive change, while the hero must judge which loyalties deserve sacrifice and how long a necessary disguise can be maintained without betraying himself.