Italy, 1605: For the ruling Borghese family, Rome is a place of
grand palazzos and frescoed cathedrals. For the lowly artist
Caravaggio, it is a place of rough bars, knife fights, and grubby
whores. Until he is commissioned to paint the Pope...
Soon, Caravaggio has gained entry into the Borgia family's inner
circle, and becomes the most celebrated artist in Rome. But when he
falls for Lena, a low-born fruit-seller, and paints her into his
Madonna series as a simple peasant woman, Italian society is
outraged. Discredited as an artist, but unwilling to retract his
vision of the woman he loves, Caravaggio is forced into a duel - and
murders a nobleman.
Even his powerful patrons cannot protect him from a death sentence.
So Caravaggio flees to Malta, where, before he can be pardoned, he
must undergo the rigorous training of the Knights of Malta. His
paintings continue to speak of his love for Lena. But before he can
return to her, as a Knight and a noble, Caravaggio, the most famous
artist in Italy - simply disappears...
Matt Rees was born in Wales and read English at Oxford before
moving to the Middle East to become a journalist. He is also the
author of the award-winning Omar Yussef series, which follows a
detective in Palestine, and is now published in twenty-two countries.