Portrait of a Lady
Leonardo da Vinci mystery #2
The legendary Renaissance man and amateur sleuth is back in this exciting follow-up to The Queen’s Gambit.
As court engineer to the Duke of Milan, Leonardo da Vinci turns his superior mind to a variety of pursuits—from painting to solving the occasional murder. After the deaths of two female servants, Leonardo asks his apprentice, Dino, to go undercover disguised as a woman in the service of the Duke’s ward, Contessa Caterina. This should be easy enough, given that “Dino” is in reality Delfina, a young woman masquerading as a boy to serve as Leonardo’s apprentice. Delfina is soon torn between her loyalty to Leonardo and her growing feelings for Gregorio, the handsome captain of the Duke’s guard. But if what the Contessa’s tarot cards foretold is correct, Delfina might be destined to lose her heart…and perhaps her life.
(90,000 words; available as ebook and print)
“Stuckart’s delightful second series historical plays it for all it’s worth. Highly recommended.” —Jo Ann Vicarel, Library Journal (starred review)
“Stuckart convincingly captures the flavor of 15th-century Italy.” —Publishers Weekly
“Works to perfection… the mystery is as engaging as the characters.” (4 stars) —Barb Anderson, Romantic Times Magazine
