Review: Carnival of Lies by D.V. Bishop

Carnival of Lies (Cesare Aldo, #5)

by D.V. Bishop

Release Date: August 26, 2025

2025 MacMillan UK

Ebook ARC; 400 Pages

ISBN: 978-1035041947

ASIN: B0DH4KR1Z9

Audiobook: B0DH99DVH2

Genre: Fiction / Historical / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

4 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

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 which follows leads to bodies, bloodshed – and something far more dangerous.

Those behind the plot 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, or face banishment from the city and everyone he loves. 

The trail leads him towards the one place Aldo has sworn to never return, a city 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 . . .

 

My Thoughts

Carnival of Lies is the fifth entry in the Cesare Aldo historical mystery series, and while this was a great read, I don't think it was my favourite of the series to this point. It's not that it wasn't good as it definitely was, but that it seemed to lack the tension that existed in the previous books where I didn't know what was going to happen to Aldo and worried about him constantly. In this one, I just felt like he wasn't in the same amount of danger. Maybe it was the way it was written, but for the first time I found the twists and turns to be more predictable than usual and easily figured out what was happening.

 

I must start by saying that this book is somewhat different than the previous four installments in that Aldo was sort of inadvertently caught in the middle of something between Florence and Venice due to some intrigue that happened in the previous book. This intrigue carried into this book and while it was definitely a separate plot and very satisfying on its own, it was not Aldo simply investigating a murder or series of murders. A lot of the political stuff that was building in previous books has now reared its ugly head and Aldo can't escape its claws. There are twists and turns aplenty, a lot of intrigue, a female spy to deal with, and even the return of an old lover in Aldo's life. While there was a murder, it was a very insignificant part of the book while the author focused on the bigger political issues happening during this time period. I did find all of this very intriguing as I love politics and I love history having taught it for thirty plus years, but I did feel that it did diminish the overall tension to the plot as I never really felt like Aldo was in danger and could easily figure out the plot twists. This tension and second-guessing had always been a highlight in previous books however, and I was left feeling like something was missing from this book. Furthermore, I felt like the reason why Aldo went to Venice was a bit slim as I don't think Cosimo de Medici would have done such a thing as what he did in this book as that would have put so many people in danger and he was a careful, careful man. As usual though, the author is brilliant at bringing this time period to life and I really appreciated the descriptions of both Florence and Venice.

 

Just when I thought Aldo's character couldn't be developed anymore however, the author threw a new twist into this book and proved me wrong. I loved the return of one of Aldo's former lovers and the discussions surrounding that little happenstance as it was fascinating. All I will say about that is I'm glad Aldo finally got closure about that part of his life. 

 

Now, the contessa. One of my new favourite characters. Love it when a female character develops beautifully, is empowered, and has quite a character arc. She's charismatic, charming, beautiful, wealthy, connected, but deadly as a snake. And honestly, it's that deadly side that I love. I don't know how the author does it, but to make me feel sympathy and empathy for such a person just goes to show how brilliant the writing is. No, she can't be trusted, but she is a lot of fun to read about. 

 

Verdict

Carnival of Lies was a different entry to this series, but still fun to read. While I did have issues with some of the pacing and the tension in the story, it was still fast-paced with plenty of action and plenty of twists and turns. And the author has a way of transporting you to the time period so you feel like you are there. While not necessary, I do recommend you read the earlier entries in the series to get a better understanding of the recurring characters, some of the continuing storylines, and how they all connect. There were things that happened in this book that you would only have understood having read the earlier books and I think readers who only read this book will miss the nuances because they don't understand them. Highly recommend this series if you are looking for a good historical mystery with great description.