Scarpia by Piers Paul Read (Bloomsbury, £8.99). In this characteristically bold and stylish novel, Read re-imagines Puccini’s grand opera Tosca, focusing on its villain, the young Sicilian noble Vitellio Scarpia. After finding himself destitute, Scarpia joins the papal army and falls in love with a countess. From Rome he is sent to Venice on a special mission for a cardinal. From here the novel steps into higher gear as love, treachery and art intermingle in a heady stew. Read is great at evoking 18th-century Rome and even better on the inner machinations of the Vatican.
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scarpia by piers paul read (bloomsbury, £8.99) . in this characteristically bold and stylish novel, read re-imagines puccini’s grand opera t...
Staff writers
3 min read
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