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The Midwinter Martyr: A Giordano Bruno Novella

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The Midwinter Martyr: A Giordano Bruno Novella by S. J. Parris

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By S. J. Parris

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A thrilling new historical crime novella from #1 bestseller S. J. Parris, perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and Hilary Mantel
Venice, 1576.
Giordano Bruno, heretic, philosopher and spy, is on the run from the Inquisition. He flees to Venice, but the beautiful city proves no safe haven.

The killing of an aristocrat and the arrest of his wife and secretary for murder are causing unrest. When an anonymous letter, written in code, proclaims the woman’s innocence, the city’s chief of intelligence employs Bruno to find the writer. But the death is mired in a tangle of dangerous secrets, and Bruno soon learns there are some very powerful people who will stop at nothing to suppress the truth… READERS LOVE S. J. PARRIS… ‘Top class historical crime’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Another fantastic historical thriller from master of the Elizabethan mystery’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘A straight 5* for me! A very compelling novel I highly recommend’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘I loved the characters. The only bad thing I have to say about this book is that it kept me reading way past midnight’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘The richly detailed Elizabethan setting and clever twists kept me hooked from start to finish’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘The murder mystery is layered with political intrigue, keeping you second-guessing every revelation’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Excellently researched, great plot, beautiful execution. I love the combination of historical menace and a thriller’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘SJ Parris does it again’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘I didn’t know who to trust or who to believe the whole way along’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Another glorious dive into the murky world of Elizabethan spies and lies’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ S. J. Parris’s book ‘Traitor’s Legacy’ was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2025-05-12.

Reviews

14 Feb 2026

Oundle Crime

This novella is set in the year 1576 in Venice. Giordano Bruno has arrived in the city having fled Naples and the Inquisition, only to find that Venice is not the safe haven he’d been hoping for. The killing of an aristocrat and the arrest of his wife and secretary for the murder is causing unrest; and when an anonymous letter arrives, proclaiming the woman’s innocence, Bruno is asked by the city’s chief of intelligence to find the writer. This was a great story, combining history and intrigue, and painting a fascinating picture of Venice at that time. In fact, I would have liked the book to have been longer so I could have found out more! Having never read anything by this author before, or known anything about this series, I'm now planning to read the books in the correct order from Book 1 (this is Book 8). Yes, I enjoyed this that much!
Review by: Mo, Oundle Crime

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