The Venetian Sanctuary

San Francesco del Deserto is an island in the north of the Venetian lagoon. The monastery there, it is said, was founded by St Francis himself in the 13th century, following his return from the fifth crusade. Just five monks now remain. Popular with those seeking to escape the crowds of Venice itself, the island also offers itself as a place of retreat.

Summer 2020. Honorary Counsel Nathan Sutherland receives a phone call from Vanni, his friend in the Venetian police force. There’s been an incident on the island. The details are unclear but an Englishman on retreat appears to have died during the night. There are two other Englishmen in his party, everybody is having difficulty communicating due to the language barrier, and so could Nathan come out to the island with him?

The dead man was found strangled in front of the altar in the main chapel. Neither of his companions has any record of violent crime, nor any motive for murder. Nothing appears to have been stolen or removed. Indeed, there are no great artworks or treasures that might be worth stealing. And so, together with Vanni, Nathan tries to answer the question: what past events could drive someone to murder in an ancient monastery in the middle of a lagoon?