Exclusive: cover reveal

Shadow of Madness unveiled

Welcome to the free newsletter of David (D. V.) Bishop, author of the Cesare Aldo historical thrillers set in Renaissance Italy. This time: revealing the eye-catching cover for my 2026 novel, Shadow of Madness.

But first…

Having lured you in with the promise of an exclusive, I shall now shamelessly use the opportunity to mention three events where I’m appearing this week!

For example, if you’re reading these words on Tuesday September 30th and are near Edinburgh, you can come hear me talk about crime fiction at the Edinburgh Literary Salon tonight! This free event starts 6.30pm in the charmingly named Outhouse venue at 12A Broughton Street Lane, EH1 3LY - get your ticket here.

At 7pm on Wednesday (October 1st) I am chairing the mighty Anna Caig for her online event, Turbo-Charge your Author Newsletter. In a fractured social media world, these are essential skills for emerging and established authors. The event is part of the CWA Crime Writers’ Clinics, but anyone can join online - get your ticket here.

This coming Saturday (October 4th) I driving south for the first Moffat Crime Fest. This one-day festival at Moffat Town Hall is packed with bestselling authors like M. W. Craven and James Oswald, and should be a brilliant day out. I’m on at 1.30pm for the historical crime panel, plus the author dinner - get your tickets here.

Aldo goes Gothic

Before revealing the cover for Shadow of Madness, designed by Neil Lang at Pan Macmillan (grazie mille!), here’s the official description for it…

Tuscany. Winter, 1540.

Travelling north into the hills above Florence, investigator Cesare Aldo seeks answers about his past. The trail leads him to Ospedale de’ Pazzi, a secure institution for the criminally insane.

Soon after arriving a blizzard engulfs the area, trapping Aldo and his companion, Doctor Saul Orvieto. Even more alarming, their cart driver is found dead. It looks like he fell over a nearby cliff in the whiteout – but Aldo suspects foul play. When a brutal slaying occurs in the central courtyard, it becomes clear a killer lurks among them.

With the snowstorm sealing everyone in and a murderer hunting fresh victims, Aldo’s search for the truth proves deadlier than he could ever have imagined . . .

Shadow of Madness is published June 11th, 2026 in hardback, audiobook and ebook. Pre-order it from the wonderful people at Bert’s Books and you don’t pay postage!

Right, that’s enough teasing, let us get to the main event.

And finally…

Without any further delay, here is the cover design for Shadow of Madness:

Grazie mille to Neil Lang for this stunning cover design which really catches the eye. It will stand out in bookshops and should pop off the screen at online retailers too! I love the bold colours that suggest a burning intensity, while its dark edges hint at the brooding menace which awaits Aldo and Saul inside this novel.

About the novel (no spoilers)

Shadow of Madness takes place in December 1540, ten months after events in my fifth Cesare Aldo book, Carnival of Lies. Anyone who’s read that knows it drops a bombshell which challenges everything Aldo has believed about his past. That revelation acts as a trigger for events in Shadow of Madness, but the novel still reads as a standalone.

Past Aldo novels have been conspiracy thrillers (City of Vengeance), closed circle mysteries (The Darkest Sin), revenge sagas (Ritual of Fire), serial killer thrillers (A Divine Fury) and espionage heist capers (Carnival of Lies). My 2026 novel Shadow of Madness most definitely takes the series into dark and Gothic territory.

I enjoyed giving Aldo and his companion Saul Orvieto a chance to be together, having been much separated during recent books. Saul may be a doctor, but he is definitely no Watson to Aldo - they are true equals here. (Alas, Carlo Strocchi does not appear in Shadow of Madness, but I have big plans for him in the seventh Aldo novel.)

I’ve noticed a pattern in the Aldo series. Odd-numbered books are full of bold action, while even-numbered novels have a more brooding quality and often pit Aldo against people of faith. Shadow of Madness is no exception, with monks and nuns running the Ospedale de’ Pazzi where Aldo goes in search of answers and finds murder instead!

Finally, here’s a rough trailer I made to mark the Shadow of Madness cover reveal:

Pre-order SHADOW OF MADNESS in hardback from Bert’s Books.

Pre-order Shadow of Madness in audiobook from Audible.

Pre-order Shadow of Madness as an edbook here.

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