“Vengeance in Venice” by Philip Gwynne Jones

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

I have never read anything by Philip Gwynne Jones before, but this book was suggested to me because the events take place during the Venice Biennale.  “And what events are those,” you may ask?  Why, a murder, of course!

Vengeance in Venice is the second book in the author’s Venice Series and it focuses on a horrific murder that takes place in the midst of one of the art world’s biggest events.  The main character, Nathan Sutherland, is roped into helping solve this mystery when art historical images on post cards start popping up around Venice suggesting a serial killer on the loose!

This is definitely not scholarly material and not exactly the most well-written novel, but it was still pretty fun to read.  One might consider this a “beach read” or something to read to pass the time on the next flight to Italy.  In my head, it felt like it was begging to be turned into a darkly comedic British murder mystery miniseries.  If I were the casting agent I would start with Martin Freeman as Nathan Sutherland, Timothee Chalamet as artist Paul Considine and Eric Bana as the artist’s agent, Lewis Fitzgerald.

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I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.