Deadly Rivalries, Guest Post by Ken Tentarelli

A tragic death at a betrothal ceremony embroils Nico Argenti in the precarious world of Renaissance Florence’s elite.

Guests are gathered at a villa in the Tuscan countryside to celebrate a betrothal that would unite two powerful Florentine families. The joyful atmosphere is shattered when the groom-to-be is discovered murdered.

Nico Argenti, a member of the Florentine Security Commission and himself a guest at the villa, is charged with finding the killer. He enlists the help of his colleagues: Massimo, a decorated army officer with a knack for charming women, and Vittorio, an experienced no-nonsense police investigator. The team benefits from the aid of two resolute women who reject the limitations of Florentine society.

While everyone claims the victim had no enemies, his father had created many adversaries while building his thriving sugar importing business. Questioning of the invited guests and members of the villa staff reveals the jealous motives of guests and a chain of interconnected crimes. Each discovery, ranging from bribery and theft to tax fraud and assault, adds complexity and threatens to lead Nico’s team astray.

Deadly Rivalries is a mystery in the classic Agatha Christie style, with twists and turns that challenge both the reader and Nico to uncover the killer. And ultimately, there’s the question: Is simply identifying the killer enough to guarantee that he will face the consequences?

Deadly Rivalries is the sixth book in the award-winning historical fiction mystery series set in the Italian Renaissance. Protagonist Nico Argenti earned his law degree two years ago (in 1464) at the world’s foremost law school, the University of Bologna. Shortly after returning home to Florence, he was recruited into the newly formed Florentine Security Commission with the mission of protecting the Republic of Florence from external threats.

Deadly Rivalries is available for pre-order now and may be read standalone.

Exceptional Women

Despite the cultural and intellectual advancements made during the Renaissance, restrictions placed on women reflected the deeply entrenched gender inequality of the time. Women had no political rights. They could not participate in public affairs and, unless they were part of the privileged class, they received little or no formal education. With few exceptions, women couldn’t own property, make financial decisions, or enter into legal contracts. In family records, women were listed as “bocche (mouths to be fed.)**

Women were dominated by their fathers until they married and became legally subject to their husbands. Women were expected to marry, often in arranged unions, to expand their families’ social and political connections. They had little to no say in choosing their spouse. Their primary role was to be a wife and mother, managing the household and bearing children. The only respectable alternative for those who didn’t marry was entry into the convent.

In cities like Florence, lower and middle class women worked in long hours in shops or mills and then returned home to carry out their domestic chores. Social entertaining was the primary activity of upper-class women. Many filled their days playing cards with friends and attending parties while others were stifled by lives of constant leisure. Even the most influential women were limited. Nannina de’Medici, sister of Lorenzo de’Medici, expressed her frustration in a letter, writing, “Don’t be born a woman if you want your own way.”* Few women could overcome the severe social restrictions.

In the art world, Women faced many restrictions, making female artists uncommon. They were not allowed to be in apprenticeships and were often taught only by their fathers. Artemisia Gentileschi was one woman who overcame the challenges and forged a successful career as a painter. Italian art historian Robert Longhi called her “the only woman in Italy who ever understood what painting was, both colors, impasto, and other essentials.” She was the first woman invited to join Florence’s artist guild, the Academy of Design.

In Deadly Rivalries, two exceptional women whom Nico met in the first book of the Nico Argenti series continue to shape his actions. Bianca Cellini is the woman who makes Nico’s heart beat faster. He was smitten when he first saw her. Their relationship grew in each book in the series and takes another step forward in this latest book. As a single woman, Bianca can’t rent the loft where she operates her dress-making business. Fortunately, her supportive father helps her circumvent that barrier by renting the loft and the room where she lives.

Bianca creates elegant garments and sells them directly to private clients, but, as a woman, she isn’t allowed to join a guild and therefore can’t open a shop. Here business grows by word-of-mouth praise of her satisfied customers. She was even asked to create a dress for Princess Joanna of Castile. Bianca’s loft is in Siena, and whenever she travels to Florence to meet with clients, she is accompanied by her uncle, as it is not proper for an unmarried woman to travel alone.

Francesca Pitti, another remarkable woman in Deadly Rivalries, has consistently influenced Nico since the first book of the series. Francesca is the daughter of wealthy banker Luca Pitti. If you’ve visited Florence, Italy, you may have toured her home, Palazzo Pitti.

In one scene, Nico’s friend Massimo compliments Francesca’s skill as an archer saying she would do well in competitions. Always aware of the limitations imposed on women, she responds with an icy glance and the retort, “Women are never allowed a place in competitions; we’re only permitted to watch and applaud the men.” In a conversation about betrothals, she states her firm position. “My father knows I would flee to a convent or a brothel, were he to pledge me to a man other than one of my choosing.”

* from David Alan Brown, Virtue and Beauty, National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C

** https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/hidden-half-women-italian-renaissance-grande-experiences

Deadly Rivalries is available at a pre-order discount price at

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D1MSWFV2

Other retailers: https://books2read.com/u/bagzg8

Meet Ken Tentarelli

Ken was born into an Italian-American family, so, as you might expect, his first introduction to anything Italian was food. As a youngster, food was the only tangible connection to his Italian heritage.

Many years later Ken and his wife Liz made their first trip to Italy as part of a tour. Standing in the Roman Forum and seeing the magnificent sculptures and art in Florence triggered his interest in Italian history and culture. They returned to Italy many times visiting all regions of the country from the Alps to the southern coast of Sicily. They studied Italian culture and language in Rome and Perugia. Those travels and study led to the writing of his first novel, ‘The Laureate.’

When not traveling, Ken and his wife live in New Hampshire, a very conducive environment for writing. He is a strong advocate for his local library and has taught courses in Italian history spanning time from the Etruscans to the Renaissance.

Ken has self-published a series of five historical thrillers set in the Italian Renaissance that have earned an Elit Silver Book Award, the Indie Reader Discovery Award, a Book Excellence Award finalist, a Publishers Weekly starred review, the 2023 Next Generation Indie Book Award mystery winner, and the 2024 Independent Press Award favorite.