Overview

It is February 1587. In England, Mary Queen of Scots is beheaded on the orders of the Privy Council. In Spain, Philip II plans his 'Enterprise of England': an invasion to remove Queen Elizabeth I and reinstate the Catholic faith. As rumours of all-out war circulate, Genoa's bankers and merchants wait - and watch. What they do not know is that a 'cold war' is already underway and that their city - Europe's leading financial centre - is a key battleground. Nico Castello, a man from humble parentage who has clawed his way to wealth and position in Genoa, is under pressure to choose sides. The Republic's leaders, the Church, his fellow bankers and even his bride Lisa, expect him to ally himself with the Spanish cause. But when his brother is threatened with blackmail and a customer of his bank is murdered, Nico decides that those responsible, however powerful, must be held to account. His principles could cost him his marriage, every penny he has, even his life. What price would you pay to uphold the truth?

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9781068364709

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Reviews

""An exciting new voice in historical fiction. Gripping, powerful and majestic in scope."" John Case, Past Director, Rye Arts Festival. ""A fascinating and atmospheric story of power, money and the Church, with the honourable Alchemist at its heart."" Tina Betts, Literary Agent. ""Not all good writers are good storytellers, but here is one! The characters from history, whom we think we know, are alive and fresh and the fictional ones leap from the page. Spirit of place is important for me, and here, the evocation of life in the Italian, English and Spanish seats of power is so skilfully written. I have visited the forbiddingly immense Escorial Palace in the Guadarramas above Madrid and was transported there once again. The titular character. a Genoese money lender and his family (don't be discouraged if you have no interest in high finance) are anything but dull. They breathe truth and we care about them, but most importantly, this is a rollicking good story - moving, exiting, sad and impeccably researched. Something I especially loved were the brief sea-going episodes of the trade ships. I felt the creaking timbers and straining sheets and the thrilling danger. In summary, this totally original work satisfies on so many levels - no mean feat in the genre of historical fiction. It is in no way derivative - all is fresh and new, and if you like C. J. Sansom, you'll love this."" Therese Conway.

""A fascinating and atmospheric story of power, money and the Church, with the honourable 'Alchemist' at its heart."" Tina Betts, Literary Agent. ""An exciting, new voice in historical fiction. Gripping, powerful and majestic in scope."" John Case, Past Director, Rye Arts Festival. ""Not all good writers are good storytellers, but here is one. The characters from history, whom we think we know, are alive and fresh and the fictional ones leap from the page. This totally original work satisfies on so many levels - no mean feat in historical fiction. If you like C J Sansom, you'll love this."" Therese Conway, proofreader.  ""A wonderful, atmospheric, cleverly plotted story that takes you into the past but skilfully uses all the types iof issues that dominate our world today. To coin the old cliche: I couldn't put it down and I'd recommend it to anyone who appreciates finely tuned historical fiction. Please, let's have a sequel very soon!"" Peter Thompson, taken from Amazon. ""An exciting first novel written with the authority & insight of a long-established writer. The historical backdrop in Genoa, Madrid & London at a time of international tension provides a fitting backdrop for the development of Nico & other principal characters and a fascinating plot, reflecting the author's deep understanding of the world of finance, in its early stages of development. The author is a welcome new arrival & bears comparison with Robert Harris & C J Sansom."" Clive Borthwick, taken from Goodreads. i

""A fascinating and atmospheric story of power, money and the Church, with the honourable 'Alchemist' at its heart."" Tina Betts, Literary Agent. ""An exciting, new voice in historical fiction. Gripping, powerful and majestic in scope."" John Case, Past Director, Rye Arts Festival. ""Not all good writers are good storytellers, but here is one. The characters from history, whom we think we know, are alive and fresh and the fictional ones leap from the page. This totally original work satisfies on so many levels - no mean feat in historical fiction. If you like C J Sansom, you'll love this."" Therese Conway, proofreader. ""A wonderful, atmospheric, cleverly plotted story that takes you into the past but skilfully uses all the types iof issues that dominate our world today. To coin the old cliche: I couldn't put it down and I'd recommend it to anyone who appreciates finely tuned historical fiction. Please, let's have a sequel very soon!"" Peter Thompson, taken from Amazon. ""An exciting first novel written with the authority & insight of a long-established writer. The historical backdrop in Genoa, Madrid & London at a time of international tension provides a fitting backdrop for the development of Nico & other principal characters and a fascinating plot, reflecting the author's deep understanding of the world of finance, in its early stages of development. The author is a welcome new arrival & bears comparison with Robert Harris & C J Sansom."" Clive Borthwick, taken from Goodreads. i

Author Information

David Breakell was born and grew up in Sussex, England. After his schooldays, he read law at Worcester College, Oxford. While at the university, he spent probably too much time engaged in fencing for the university team, exhibiting global cinema at the film society, and writing film reviews and other journalistic pieces for student media. After completing his degree, he spend a summer travelling across the USA, taking casual jobs when not sightseeing. Returning to the UK, he pursued a number of career options, but eventually decided to qualify as a lawyer professionally. Much to his surprise, practising the law turned out to be much more interesting than studying it. He spent most of his legal career, aside from a two-year secondment to Abu Dhabi, in the City of London. That culminated with nearly twenty years as a banking partner in a global law firm. David is married with grown-up children and lives back in Sussex, close to the sea. Apart from writing historical novels (he is currently working on the second book in the 'Alchemist' series) he is also researching a comparative memoir of his two grandfathers, set during the First World War, and reflecting their different experiences in it. When not writing, or enjoying life in his home county, he likes taking extended road trips, especially in Italy and Germany.

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