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The Medici Legacy
International thriller. When thirty-something Deputy Inspector Antonio Ferrara of the Italian Polizia di Stato discovers that the seemingly random victims of a Tuscan serial killer may all be illegitimate descendants of one Giovanni di Cosimo de Medici, a 15th century Florentine banker, his superior scoffs at his theory, the Italian military police caution him to leave this closed case alone, and even his father uses the occasion to hector him to leave police work and return to the family art business. Undeterred, Antonio enlists the aid of Rachel Fuller, an American Fulbright scholar working on her Medici dissertation in Florence, and together they travel to America to unlock a secret that spans three continents. (279 pages, 88,250 words, 52 chapters)
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 26, 2011
15 people want to read
About the author
Greg Ahlgren
6 booksBest selling author Greg Ahlgren is a criminal defense lawyer in Manchester, New Hampshire. He received his B.A. degree from Syracuse University and his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law. He has been a criminal justice professor, a state legislator, and a political activist, and has appeared as a frequent guest on both national and local television and radio shows on true crime and historical issues. His books include the alternative history time-travel novel "Prologue" and the international thriller "The Medici Legacy," and together with Stephen Monier he co-authored the true crime book "Crime of the Century: The Lindbergh Kidnapping Hoax."
Prior to "Crime of the Century's" publication in 1993, most commentators on America's most famous crime had questioned Hauptmann's guilt, but had been unable to offer a cogent alternative hypothesis. Combining their respective expertise as a criminal defense lawyer and a seasoned police investigator, Ahlgren and Monier were the first to theorize that perhaps there had been no stranger abduction and that the "kidnapping" had been hastily concocted to mask a domestic tragedy. Controversial at the time of the book's original publication, this theory has now gained widespread acceptance as a plausible explanation of the Crime of the Century.
In his 2006 novel "Prologue," Ahlgren inverted the usual time-travel plot line. Instead of creating protagonists intent on preserving a recognized time line from attack by those seeking to change history, Ahlgren devised an alternative future, and then, set against the backdrop of the JFK assassination, presented his protagonists with the challenge of creating a better today.
His 2011 novel "The Medici Legacy" employed a plot convention rare in an American thriller when Ahlgren created a non-American chief protagonist, Deputy Inspector Antonio Ferrara of the Italian Polizia di Stato.
Ahlgren's Civil War novel "Fort Fisher: The Battle for the Gibraltar of the South" details the four-day pivotal battle for Fort Fisher, North Carolina in the conflict's waning days. Told from the point of view of enlisted personnel on both sides, as well as a local civilian, "Fort Fisher" was the first American novel to focus on the role of the Union Navy and the life of a Union sailor.
In an interview, when asked to name two fiction writers, one past, one present, who have influenced his writing, Ahlgren named Daphne duMaurier and Tim Green.
In a pretentious law school alumni questionnaire, when asked to list his greatest achievement since graduation, he reportedly scribbled, "never, ever having voted Republican."
Recreationally, Ahlgren has been a licensed private pilot, an avid sailor, and a not-so-avid skier. To the pilot in the cockpit of that American Airlines 727 trying to land at Albany directly behind him on a beautiful summer afternoon in 1976, he wants you to know that your eyes did not deceive you.
If you enjoyed his books you are invited to share your thoughts at any Internet review website, including Amazon's. If you did not, he wants you to know that the First Amendment, in certain circumstances, does protect prevarication and under the Fifth, you don't have to say anything.
Those seeking more information about Greg Ahlgren's writing are invited to visit his website at www.GregAhlgren.com. Greg Ahlgren can be contacted at Greg@GregAhlgren.com. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Prior to "Crime of the Century's" publication in 1993, most commentators on America's most famous crime had questioned Hauptmann's guilt, but had been unable to offer a cogent alternative hypothesis. Combining their respective expertise as a criminal defense lawyer and a seasoned police investigator, Ahlgren and Monier were the first to theorize that perhaps there had been no stranger abduction and that the "kidnapping" had been hastily concocted to mask a domestic tragedy. Controversial at the time of the book's original publication, this theory has now gained widespread acceptance as a plausible explanation of the Crime of the Century.
In his 2006 novel "Prologue," Ahlgren inverted the usual time-travel plot line. Instead of creating protagonists intent on preserving a recognized time line from attack by those seeking to change history, Ahlgren devised an alternative future, and then, set against the backdrop of the JFK assassination, presented his protagonists with the challenge of creating a better today.
His 2011 novel "The Medici Legacy" employed a plot convention rare in an American thriller when Ahlgren created a non-American chief protagonist, Deputy Inspector Antonio Ferrara of the Italian Polizia di Stato.
Ahlgren's Civil War novel "Fort Fisher: The Battle for the Gibraltar of the South" details the four-day pivotal battle for Fort Fisher, North Carolina in the conflict's waning days. Told from the point of view of enlisted personnel on both sides, as well as a local civilian, "Fort Fisher" was the first American novel to focus on the role of the Union Navy and the life of a Union sailor.
In an interview, when asked to name two fiction writers, one past, one present, who have influenced his writing, Ahlgren named Daphne duMaurier and Tim Green.
In a pretentious law school alumni questionnaire, when asked to list his greatest achievement since graduation, he reportedly scribbled, "never, ever having voted Republican."
Recreationally, Ahlgren has been a licensed private pilot, an avid sailor, and a not-so-avid skier. To the pilot in the cockpit of that American Airlines 727 trying to land at Albany directly behind him on a beautiful summer afternoon in 1976, he wants you to know that your eyes did not deceive you.
If you enjoyed his books you are invited to share your thoughts at any Internet review website, including Amazon's. If you did not, he wants you to know that the First Amendment, in certain circumstances, does protect prevarication and under the Fifth, you don't have to say anything.
Those seeking more information about Greg Ahlgren's writing are invited to visit his website at www.GregAhlgren.com. Greg Ahlgren can be contacted at Greg@GregAhlgren.com. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 30, 2019
A little slow getting started, but a fun international detective story with couple of historical twists.
Too bad nobody seems to believe in copy editors anymore. A lot of hyphens where dashes were indicated; a sentence or two that just didn't make sense, and at one point an apostrophe inserted in "her's"!
Too bad nobody seems to believe in copy editors anymore. A lot of hyphens where dashes were indicated; a sentence or two that just didn't make sense, and at one point an apostrophe inserted in "her's"!
October 16, 2012
(Review by Matt Schiariti for Word Vagabond: Supporting Independent and Small Press Authors)
When a small coffee shop owner reports a property dispute in Florence, Italy, Deputy Inspector Antonio Ferrara and his partner Giancarlo Cordone are tasked with the case. The plot thickens when the shop owner mentions that he’s seen strange people entering and exiting the abandoned building across the street at all hours. When Antonio and Giancarlo go to investigate, they find a dead body. The dead body just happens to be the victim of a missing persons’ case that was investigated by Ferrara, one that he never solved, and which continued to haunt him. As it turns out, she’s only the latest victim in a series of several other mysterious disappearances that have been occurring in Florence for several years. Are they related? When a surviving relative mentions something about a Medici family curse, Ferrara’s interest is piqued. Little does he know that his quest to redeem a somewhat lackluster career will lead him into a deep-rooted mystery that has ties to the middle-ages as well as the Second World War.
The Medici Legacy is a well-written and nicely plotted thriller. The story flows nicely (for the most part—more on that later) and it’s filled with very well-drawn and interesting characters. First is the main protagonist, Antonio. He’s the son of an affluent art dealer and he’s got a gift for art appraisal (and, much like Sherlock Holmes, he does his best thinking when playing music, only Antonio uses a Bass guitar rather than a violin). But that’s not where his heart lies. While he deals with familiar pressure to take up the reins of the family business, he enjoys the challenge of police work, even though he’s never had a major case to make his name by. Opposite Ferrara’s old world and gallant demeanor is the sassy, smart and spunky Rachael Fuller. She’s a Medici scholar and ends up helping him on the case. She’s beautiful and plays up the comic relief to the somewhat straight-laced and old fashioned Ferrara. The interplay between the two comes off genuine and nice to read, especially as far as the romantic tension is concerned. The antagonists of the story (whom I won’t name—no spoilers here!) are also filled with their own believable motivations. The supporting characters—Antonio’s partner Giancarlo and his computer-hacking intern Mario) are also well-drawn and fun to read.
Along with some nice twists and turns that take Antonio from Italy to the United States, the story is filled with very good dialogue that features unique voices for each character, consistent decision making and good doses of comic relief, not the least of which are Antonio’s foreign observations of America.
That’s not to say the novel is perfect. No novel’s perfect, but there are a few issues that kept me from giving this a higher rating.
There are a few pacing issues that I found both early and late in the telling. It takes a while to get into the meat of the story, for one thing. Not that it’s not good reading, but the Medici angle doesn’t go into full force until well after a third of the book is through. Additionally, there is a three or four chapter span towards the end that doesn’t do much other than chronicle Antonio’s travel up the Eastern Seaboard while investigating in America.
One other thing that ‘bothered’ me was the use of multiple people having dialogue in the same paragraph. For example: “What truck?” Antonio asked evenly. “What kind?” The shopkeeper shrugged. “A big silver one. With no writing on the side. Who delivers anything in Florence without advertising on the side of their truck?” This example isn’t so bad but there are some longer passages where there’s dialogue between two people in the same paragraph that goes back and forth for several sentences. Without paragraph separation, it can get confusing.
Issues aside, I found the Medici Legacy very enjoyable and Gregory Ahlgren is now on my radar! If you like a fun and fast thriller, you should check this one out.
When a small coffee shop owner reports a property dispute in Florence, Italy, Deputy Inspector Antonio Ferrara and his partner Giancarlo Cordone are tasked with the case. The plot thickens when the shop owner mentions that he’s seen strange people entering and exiting the abandoned building across the street at all hours. When Antonio and Giancarlo go to investigate, they find a dead body. The dead body just happens to be the victim of a missing persons’ case that was investigated by Ferrara, one that he never solved, and which continued to haunt him. As it turns out, she’s only the latest victim in a series of several other mysterious disappearances that have been occurring in Florence for several years. Are they related? When a surviving relative mentions something about a Medici family curse, Ferrara’s interest is piqued. Little does he know that his quest to redeem a somewhat lackluster career will lead him into a deep-rooted mystery that has ties to the middle-ages as well as the Second World War.
The Medici Legacy is a well-written and nicely plotted thriller. The story flows nicely (for the most part—more on that later) and it’s filled with very well-drawn and interesting characters. First is the main protagonist, Antonio. He’s the son of an affluent art dealer and he’s got a gift for art appraisal (and, much like Sherlock Holmes, he does his best thinking when playing music, only Antonio uses a Bass guitar rather than a violin). But that’s not where his heart lies. While he deals with familiar pressure to take up the reins of the family business, he enjoys the challenge of police work, even though he’s never had a major case to make his name by. Opposite Ferrara’s old world and gallant demeanor is the sassy, smart and spunky Rachael Fuller. She’s a Medici scholar and ends up helping him on the case. She’s beautiful and plays up the comic relief to the somewhat straight-laced and old fashioned Ferrara. The interplay between the two comes off genuine and nice to read, especially as far as the romantic tension is concerned. The antagonists of the story (whom I won’t name—no spoilers here!) are also filled with their own believable motivations. The supporting characters—Antonio’s partner Giancarlo and his computer-hacking intern Mario) are also well-drawn and fun to read.
Along with some nice twists and turns that take Antonio from Italy to the United States, the story is filled with very good dialogue that features unique voices for each character, consistent decision making and good doses of comic relief, not the least of which are Antonio’s foreign observations of America.
That’s not to say the novel is perfect. No novel’s perfect, but there are a few issues that kept me from giving this a higher rating.
There are a few pacing issues that I found both early and late in the telling. It takes a while to get into the meat of the story, for one thing. Not that it’s not good reading, but the Medici angle doesn’t go into full force until well after a third of the book is through. Additionally, there is a three or four chapter span towards the end that doesn’t do much other than chronicle Antonio’s travel up the Eastern Seaboard while investigating in America.
One other thing that ‘bothered’ me was the use of multiple people having dialogue in the same paragraph. For example: “What truck?” Antonio asked evenly. “What kind?” The shopkeeper shrugged. “A big silver one. With no writing on the side. Who delivers anything in Florence without advertising on the side of their truck?” This example isn’t so bad but there are some longer passages where there’s dialogue between two people in the same paragraph that goes back and forth for several sentences. Without paragraph separation, it can get confusing.
Issues aside, I found the Medici Legacy very enjoyable and Gregory Ahlgren is now on my radar! If you like a fun and fast thriller, you should check this one out.
November 15, 2012
When a small coffee shop owner reports a property dispute in Florence Italy, Deputy Inspector Antonio Ferrara and his partner Giancarlo Cordone are tasked with the case. The plot thickens when the shop owner mentions that he's seen strange people entering and exiting the abandoned building across the street at all hours. When Antonio and Giancarlo go to investigate they find a dead body. The dead body just happens to be the victim of a missing person's case that was investigated by Ferrara, one that he never solved and continued to haunt him. As it turns out, she's only the latest victim in a series of several other mysterious disappearances that have been occurring in Florence for several years. Are they related? When a surviving relative mentions something about a Medici family curse, Ferrara's interest is piqued. Little does he know that his quest to redeem a somewhat lackluster career will lead him into a deep rooted mystery that has ties to the middle-ages as well as the Second World War.
The Medici Legacy is a well written and nicely plotted thriller. The story flows nicely (for the most part--more on that later) and it's filled with very well drawn and interesting characters. First is the main protagonist, Antonio. He's the son of an affluent art dealer and he's got a gift for art appraisal (and, much like Sherlock Holmes, he does his best thinking when playing music, only Antonio uses a Bass guitar rather than a violin). But that's not where his heart lies. While he deals with familiar pressure to take up the reins of the family business, he enjoys the challenge of police work, even though he's never had a major case to make his name by. Opposite Ferrara's old world and gallant demeanor is the sassy, smart and spunky Rachael Fuller. She's a Medici Scholar and ends up helping him on the case. She's beautiful and plays up the comic relief to the somewhat straight laced and old fashioned Ferrara. The interplay between the two comes of genuinely and nice to read, especially as far as the romantic tension is involved. The antagonists of the story (which I won't name--no spoilers here!) are also filled with their own believable motivations. The supporting characters--Antonio's partner Giancarlo and his computer hacking intern Mario) are also well drawn and fun to read.
Along with some nice twists and turns that takes Antonio from Italy to the United States, the story is filled with very good dialogue that features unique voices for each character, consistent decision making and good doses of comic relief, not the least of which are Antonio's foreign observations of America.
That's not to say the novel is perfect. No novel's perfect but there are a few issues that kept me from giving this a higher rating.
There are a few pacing issues that I found both early and late in the telling. It takes a while to get into the meat of the story for one thing. Not that it's not good reading, but the Medici angle doesn't go into full force until well after a third of the book is through. Additionally, there is a three or four chapter span towards the end that doesn't do much other than chronicle Antonio's travel up the eastern seaboard while investigating in America.
Issues aside, I found the Medici Legacy very enjoyable and Gregory Ahlgren is now on my radar! If you like a fun and fast thriller, you should check this one out.
The Medici Legacy is a well written and nicely plotted thriller. The story flows nicely (for the most part--more on that later) and it's filled with very well drawn and interesting characters. First is the main protagonist, Antonio. He's the son of an affluent art dealer and he's got a gift for art appraisal (and, much like Sherlock Holmes, he does his best thinking when playing music, only Antonio uses a Bass guitar rather than a violin). But that's not where his heart lies. While he deals with familiar pressure to take up the reins of the family business, he enjoys the challenge of police work, even though he's never had a major case to make his name by. Opposite Ferrara's old world and gallant demeanor is the sassy, smart and spunky Rachael Fuller. She's a Medici Scholar and ends up helping him on the case. She's beautiful and plays up the comic relief to the somewhat straight laced and old fashioned Ferrara. The interplay between the two comes of genuinely and nice to read, especially as far as the romantic tension is involved. The antagonists of the story (which I won't name--no spoilers here!) are also filled with their own believable motivations. The supporting characters--Antonio's partner Giancarlo and his computer hacking intern Mario) are also well drawn and fun to read.
Along with some nice twists and turns that takes Antonio from Italy to the United States, the story is filled with very good dialogue that features unique voices for each character, consistent decision making and good doses of comic relief, not the least of which are Antonio's foreign observations of America.
That's not to say the novel is perfect. No novel's perfect but there are a few issues that kept me from giving this a higher rating.
There are a few pacing issues that I found both early and late in the telling. It takes a while to get into the meat of the story for one thing. Not that it's not good reading, but the Medici angle doesn't go into full force until well after a third of the book is through. Additionally, there is a three or four chapter span towards the end that doesn't do much other than chronicle Antonio's travel up the eastern seaboard while investigating in America.
Issues aside, I found the Medici Legacy very enjoyable and Gregory Ahlgren is now on my radar! If you like a fun and fast thriller, you should check this one out.
August 3, 2016
MEDIUM SWEET
The opening chapter of THE MEDICI LEGACY reads like a lesson in how to grab the reader – it cranks the story up mercilessly while skilfully dropping in key elements of setting, atmosphere and character (physical description, background, mannerisms/foibles and the like). Like rain falling on a speeding train, these details cover the story, but don’t slow it down.
After the intriguing eighteenth-century prologue we are introduced immediately to Deputy Inspector Antonio Ferrara, a Florentine investigator who, from the off, is thrust into a series of Italian investigations where apparently unconnected victims are being kidnapped by a mysterious Asian gang.
Troubled by an old case that he feels he didn’t try hard enough to solve, Ferrara angers his superiors with his unshakeable dedication to doing the right thing by the victims that pitch up in his in-tray, and soon finds himself alone in the investigation as he uncovers connecting theories no one else is able or willing to see.
Ferrara is a compelling protagonist – he is sensitive, intelligent and boyishly naïve in the ways of romance. He is also young and idealistic, and his occasional lapses of confidence are equally endearing – when the going gets really tough he asks himself what his grizzly elder partner would do if faced with similar.
The first third of the book is gripping reading, with the historical elements finely drawn and the Florentine flavours alive on the page. [I had already drawn comparisons to Dan Brown’s THE DA VINCI CODE by the time the author himself name-checked Mr Brown on the page – no doubt with a wry smile – and I guess it depends on how you view DB’s books as to whether this is a fair comparison or not.]
Unfortunately, from about the halfway point onwards, the story starts to lose its way. The research into historic cases that may help Ferrara find the baddies becomes confusing and protracted and seems to have no real significance to the main plot, while the POV hopping between Ferrara and the gang themselves becomes laboured after a while. By the time the chase takes Ferrara across the globe, I had lost my way with it, and the ease with which Ferrara finally tracks and corners the kidnappers – and the way the loose ends of the chaos Antonio has left in his wake are tied up – left a bit of a sour taste in the mouth.
I desperately wanted to give THE MEDICI LEGACY more than three stars, but in the end, it unfortunately falls disappointingly short of the ripping historical thriller it promised to be.
The opening chapter of THE MEDICI LEGACY reads like a lesson in how to grab the reader – it cranks the story up mercilessly while skilfully dropping in key elements of setting, atmosphere and character (physical description, background, mannerisms/foibles and the like). Like rain falling on a speeding train, these details cover the story, but don’t slow it down.
After the intriguing eighteenth-century prologue we are introduced immediately to Deputy Inspector Antonio Ferrara, a Florentine investigator who, from the off, is thrust into a series of Italian investigations where apparently unconnected victims are being kidnapped by a mysterious Asian gang.
Troubled by an old case that he feels he didn’t try hard enough to solve, Ferrara angers his superiors with his unshakeable dedication to doing the right thing by the victims that pitch up in his in-tray, and soon finds himself alone in the investigation as he uncovers connecting theories no one else is able or willing to see.
Ferrara is a compelling protagonist – he is sensitive, intelligent and boyishly naïve in the ways of romance. He is also young and idealistic, and his occasional lapses of confidence are equally endearing – when the going gets really tough he asks himself what his grizzly elder partner would do if faced with similar.
The first third of the book is gripping reading, with the historical elements finely drawn and the Florentine flavours alive on the page. [I had already drawn comparisons to Dan Brown’s THE DA VINCI CODE by the time the author himself name-checked Mr Brown on the page – no doubt with a wry smile – and I guess it depends on how you view DB’s books as to whether this is a fair comparison or not.]
Unfortunately, from about the halfway point onwards, the story starts to lose its way. The research into historic cases that may help Ferrara find the baddies becomes confusing and protracted and seems to have no real significance to the main plot, while the POV hopping between Ferrara and the gang themselves becomes laboured after a while. By the time the chase takes Ferrara across the globe, I had lost my way with it, and the ease with which Ferrara finally tracks and corners the kidnappers – and the way the loose ends of the chaos Antonio has left in his wake are tied up – left a bit of a sour taste in the mouth.
I desperately wanted to give THE MEDICI LEGACY more than three stars, but in the end, it unfortunately falls disappointingly short of the ripping historical thriller it promised to be.
March 21, 2012
About the book:
Antonio and his partner Giancarlo are answering a property complaint from a small time coffee shop owner. Just when they believe this is a simple complaint something the shop owner says gets their interest up. Could it be something more is afoot than that the owner across the street has failed to complete his renovation? Especially when there are people going in and out without seeming to get any work on the property done?
What Antonio and Giancarlo discover send Antonio on a manhunt to not only find out who is making people disappear but also why. The people have nothing in common; not age, work, sex, or status. Eleven people have been disappeared in two years from this corner of Italy and nothing can connect the dots between these people, yet they all seem targeted.
Then, as with the coffee shop owner, a small slip about the Medici curse from a close relative of one of the missing, stirs Antonio to investigate further. And the investigation will carry him across the sea into America as he unravels the mystery behind the missing persons. With the help of his partner Giancarlo, his assistant computer genius Mario and a foreign historian Rachel, Antonio strives to clear up the mystery and save another life or two.
My take:
The story effortlessly told itself. The characters are well defined and distinctive in their actions and emotions, making this not only a good read but a smooth all the way down read. How can you not love a character who plays a bass so his mind can relax and work out the problems?
This is not a deeply complexed story such as, say, The Hunt for Red October, but it is intertwined with the right number of elements to make it full-bodied and meaty.
The blooming romance is natural, understandable, and does not eat up the reader's attention. The other elements and side plots weave together in a final package that is interesting and satisfying.
I loved this book and would highly recommend this to anyone who likes a good intrigue with hidden clues and just a touch of romance. I so enjoyed this book that I am telling those closest to me they should read it.
Antonio and his partner Giancarlo are answering a property complaint from a small time coffee shop owner. Just when they believe this is a simple complaint something the shop owner says gets their interest up. Could it be something more is afoot than that the owner across the street has failed to complete his renovation? Especially when there are people going in and out without seeming to get any work on the property done?
What Antonio and Giancarlo discover send Antonio on a manhunt to not only find out who is making people disappear but also why. The people have nothing in common; not age, work, sex, or status. Eleven people have been disappeared in two years from this corner of Italy and nothing can connect the dots between these people, yet they all seem targeted.
Then, as with the coffee shop owner, a small slip about the Medici curse from a close relative of one of the missing, stirs Antonio to investigate further. And the investigation will carry him across the sea into America as he unravels the mystery behind the missing persons. With the help of his partner Giancarlo, his assistant computer genius Mario and a foreign historian Rachel, Antonio strives to clear up the mystery and save another life or two.
My take:
The story effortlessly told itself. The characters are well defined and distinctive in their actions and emotions, making this not only a good read but a smooth all the way down read. How can you not love a character who plays a bass so his mind can relax and work out the problems?
This is not a deeply complexed story such as, say, The Hunt for Red October, but it is intertwined with the right number of elements to make it full-bodied and meaty.
The blooming romance is natural, understandable, and does not eat up the reader's attention. The other elements and side plots weave together in a final package that is interesting and satisfying.
I loved this book and would highly recommend this to anyone who likes a good intrigue with hidden clues and just a touch of romance. I so enjoyed this book that I am telling those closest to me they should read it.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews