A Venetian Adventure

How a budget airline inadvertently helped me write Carnival of Lies

Welcome to the free newsletter of David (D. V.) Bishop, author of the Cesare Aldo historical thrillers set in Renaissance Italy. This time: behind the scenes of my fifth Aldo novel, who won the bundle of signed paperbacks, and news of a one-day deal…

Inspiration

For each Cesare Aldo historical thriller I incorporate aspects of a different genre or method of murder to challenge myself. The first four deployed the conspiracy thriller, closed circle mysteries, vendetta killings, and a serial killer. But what fresh genre elements could I adopt for the fifth book in my series?

Novels one to four had also been crafted as a quartet, with each narrative set in a different season. City of Vengeance took place during winter, while The Darkest Sin was a spring story. A scorching summer heatwave seared through Ritual of Fire, whereas A Divine Fury was a rain-lashed autumn tale.

Having exhausted the seasons, I decided to take Aldo out of his beloved Florence and away from Tuscany. It was time to kick away the support mechanisms that meant help was always near at hand if he needed assistance, time to make Aldo rely on his own wits and abilities. It was time for Cesare to leave town.

I’d been planning a trip to Venice for Aldo since writing City of Vengeance, but resisted that urge. Florence needed to be properly established as the series’ home, demonstrating it could sustain multiple novels. The glittering glamour of Venice had to wait its turn, but now this felt like the perfect opportunity.

In preparation for this, I wrote a subplot into A Divine Fury introducing Contessa Valentine Coltello, Venice’s spymaster in Florence. That laid a trail of breadcrumbs for the espionage and heist caper elements I planned to deploy, with the masks and pretending of Carnival taking the place of a season as backdrop.

Perspiration

I began drafting the fifth Aldo novel on 3^rd February 2024, with the manuscript due to be delivered the first week of July. That meant drafting 20,000 words a month (about 5000 words a week) while teaching four days a week, trying to progress my PhD and writing the occasional comic book on the side.

I usually employ five-act structure so each act occupies roughly 20,000 words in a first draft. During pre-writing I decided acts 3, 4 and 5 would largely take place in Renaissance Venice, a new locale for the series that required a mass of new research so I could credibly immerse Aldo and the reader in the setting.

I did as much of the textual research in January 2024, accumulating a reading numerous books and academic articles to educate myself about the many differences between Florence and Venice in the 1530s. But I also knew a physical trip to Venice was required to effectively create the novel’s sensory immersion.

I’d been to Venice once before long ago, but a fresh visit was needed. This is where a budget airline became my unwitting accomplice. Back in 2023 I went on holiday to Spain, flying on Easyjet from Glasgow airport. Purely by happenstance I was the 40 millionth passenger to fly from Glasgow on Easyjet.

The airline gave me free return tickets to any of its destinations (valid for a year) as a prize. Happily for me, those destinations included Venice, so I booked a research trip with my free tickets for a few days at the end of March 2024 when Aldo was scheduled to be approaching the city if my writing was on schedule.

To my delight the Venice trip dovetailed perfectly with my draft. I returned home brimming with sights and sounds and smells from the canal city, eager to write about (mis)adventures in the Serenissima. Grazie mille to budget airline Easyjet for unintentionally sponsoring my fifth Cesare Aldo historical thriller!

The rest of the drafting process was relatively smooth, hitting 60k by the start of May, 80k at the start of June and finishing my first draft by June 23^rd (I always speed up while writing the final chapters). After a thorough cut and polish the manuscript was submitted to my publisher Pan Macmillan in July 2024.

Synopsis

Venice. Winter, 1539. When Cesare Aldo learns of a conspiracy to assassinate Duke Cosimo de’ Medici, he is hired to protect the ruler of Florence – with his life, if necessary. The deadly attack that follows leads to bodies, bloodshed… and something far more dangerous.

Those behind the pot obtain a journal of the duke’s containing explosive secrets that – in the wrong hands – could destroy all of Florence. Aldo must hunt down those responsible and reclaim the journal, of face banishment from the city and everyone he loves.

The trail leads Aldo towards the one place he has sworn to never return, a cit of masks and lies where he has no allies and far too many enemies: Venice.

The fate of a dynasty rests on his shoulders – if he can make it out alive…

Reception

Pan Macmillan chose Carnival of Lies as the title for this Aldo novel, continuing the grand tradition of me failing to name my own books. All credit to my publisher for devising a perfect title without using the words Venice or Venetian in it – brava! The hardback, audiobook and ebook were all published 26^th June 2025.

The amazing team at Serenity Booksellers in Romiley near Stockport hosted the launch for Carnival of Lies, the first time an Aldo novel has been launched in England. I participated in dozens of events to promote the book, but the highlight for me has to be Venice Noir in November 2025, taking the novel back to its source.

The novel attracted lovely comments from reviewers and other writers. Orlando Murrin called it ‘a swashbuckling masterpiece, laced with intrigue, treachery and unexpected tenderness’ while Sir Ian Rankin said ‘I was privileged to have an early read of this. It’s brilliant.’ High praise indeed!

I was delighted when the novel was longlisted for the 2025 McIlvanney Prize just a week after publication (Tariq Ashkanani went on to win that award with The Midnight King). Most of the prizes for which the book is eligible have yet to even announce their longlists, so there may be more recognition to come for it.

Carnival of Lies provokes strong reactions from readers. Most people love it, but a few complain the novel belongs more to the Contessa than Aldo, while others dislike the switch from traditional murder mystery to espionage thriller. Hopefully they will find more to enjoy in the sixth Aldo, a Gothic murder mystery with no Contessa…

Reflection

Carnival of Lies is one of my favourites in the Aldo series to date. I had fun making Aldo a fish out of water in Venice (an ironic choice of words, as the novel reveals he can’t swim and has a fear of water/boats), forcing him to rely on the least trustworthy person in the world: Contessa Valentine Coltello.

A new location, a new supporting cast and the majesty of Venice all made this book a joy to write, something that was very welcome after the troubles that bedeviled the previous novel. Shifting from murder investigation to an espionage heist caper also gave me new narrative toys with which to torment Aldo.

I’ve recognised a pattern emerging in this series. Even-numbered books (The Darkest Sin, A Divine Fury) are moody, dramatic storylines suffused with issues of belief and faith. The odd numbers (City of Vengeance, Ritual of Fire, Carnival of Lies) are more action-led, full of dynamic events and peril.

It should come as little surprise that the sixth Aldo novel Shadow of Madness (out this July, available to pre-order here) is a return to moody drama, with lots of Gothic overtones! But if you want to know more about Carnival of Lies, you can hear me discussing its creation on episode six of The Aldocast.

Prizes and surprises

Last week this newsletter celebrated its 100^th edition with a competition for UK subscribers to find a bundle of five signed and personalised Cesare Aldo paperbacks. Grazie to everyone who entered the contest, and from your many names one was randomly chosen to win and that was Stu from Cornwall.

To my surprise no overseas reader of this newsletter entered the other contest to win an exclusive sneak preview chapter from the forthcoming Aldo novel, Shadow of Madness. No matter, it means I can use that elsewhere as I encourage everyone to pre-order a copy (thank you to those who already have!).

Last but not least, I’m told there will be a very special offer on the Carnival of Lies ebook in the UK tomorrow with Amazon UK seeling it for just 99p. This Kindle Daily Deal is available only on Wednesday 4^th February 2026, so don’t miss out. Onwards!

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