Quattrocento

On the morning of the 26th of April of 1478 the cathedral of Florence was packed with the local nobility, headed by the strong man of the Republic, Lorenzo de Medici, also known as ‘The Magnificent’. The dome of Santa Maria dei Fiori shined brightly under the sun and the aura of the Resurrection Easter floated in the air. Many devotees, dressed with their best frocks, walked hurriedly along the via Martelli on their way to attend the religious service. Nothing could have predicted that just a few minutes later, in the culminating moment of Mass –when the priest was getting ready to elevate the chalice above the main altar– the scene would soon resemble a monstrous slaughterhouse, with blood shed all over the naves of the holy temple. The memory of this violent episode marked the history of the people of Florence for generations. To search for the portrait of an assassin is a top priority of any police investigation, but if the crime was committed five centuries ago, well, things are a bit more complicated. A plot full of parallel story-lines that connect the past with the present constructing a fascinating novel, mixing historical research with the attractiveness of a classic detective story.