Shadow of Madness

**Longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger 2026

Trapped with a killer in a remote asylum, investigator Cesare Aldo must face his fears in Shadow of Madness, an atmospheric historical thriller by D. V. Bishop, set in Renaissance Italy.**

Tuscany. Winter, 1540.

Travelling north into the hills above Florence, investigator Cesare Aldo seeks answers about his past. The trail leads him to Ospedale de’ Pazzi, a secure institution for the criminally insane.

Soon after arriving a blizzard engulfs the area, trapping Aldo and his companion, Doctor Saul Orvieto. Even more alarming, their cart driver is found dead. It looks like he fell over a nearby cliff in the whiteout – but Aldo suspects foul play. When a brutal slaying occurs in the central courtyard, it becomes clear a killer lurks among them.

With the snowstorm sealing everyone in and a murderer hunting fresh victims, Aldo’s search for the truth proves deadlier than he could ever have imagined . . .

Shadow of Madness is the sixth Cesare Aldo mystery by D. V. Bishop, preceded by Carnival of Lies, A Divine Fury, City of Vengeance, The Darkest Sin and Ritual of Fire.

**Praise for D. V. Bishop:

‘It’s hard to think of a better guide than D. V. Bishop to the brutality and glamour of Renaissance Florence’ – Andrew Taylor, author of A Schooling in Murder

‘A brilliant series’ –Anna Mazzola, author of The Book of Secrets

‘Aldo is a magnificent creation’ – Vaseem Khan, author of The Edge of Darkness**