PERSPECTIVE(S)

Eve Passeltiner and Robert Fass use their varied vocal talents to good effect in this intriguing mystery, set amid the artist community of Florence in 1557. The novel takes the form of more than 150 short letters that document the progress of an inquiry into the murder of an artist who was working on frescoes in San Lorenzo. With more than a dozen different letter writers--male and female, including the investigator, Vasari; his patron, Cosimo de Medici; Michaelangelo himself; and several suspect nuns--it can be confusing to keep track of them all. Perhaps more variation in accent or tone might have helped. But the mystery sweeps one along, and for anyone interested in Renaissance art, this is a fascinating story full of detailed historical research. S.H.H. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2025]