When young, penniless Bellarion finds himself thrust into a murderous intrigue, his sharp wit and scholarly background allow him to see things invisible to others.

Set in 15th century Italy, and cast with a rogues' gallery of colorful villains, Bellarion adroitly navigates the complicated world of dukes, counts, and countesses to rise to unusual prominence and serve a purpose all his own.

Rafael Sabatini (1875 – 1950) was an Italian-English novelist and a short story writer. He produced over thirty novels, six nonfiction books, eight collections of short stories and various uncollected short stories.