The Secret Courtesan: A Novel

Mia Harding has paid her dues and is approaching a lifetime assignment that could make her one of the most famous art historians in the world–but, of course, there’s a catch. She’s been charged with determining the authenticity of an uncovered marble statue in Venice. If she rules correctly, her future is set out before her. If she follows her gut and investigates what she believes to be the true history of the art work, she may end up in jail. Such begins Kerry Chaput’s marvelous mystery of The Secret Courtesan.

The novel toggles between two points of view: Mia’s and that of Sofia, the most sought after Italian courtesan in 1609. As Mia tracks the mystery of the statue’s creator, Sofia is traded by the boorish Lord Marco to reclusive artist Lucca Armani. In Armani’s house, Sofia is meant to be his muse and his lover. Her beauty and her body are supposed to inspire him to complete a commission for the first time in several years. His controlling wife grows impatient as her once renowned artist husband retreats further and further into himself.

Mia, aided by a colleague who questions the statue’s origin as she does, hunts for clues that will not only prove her theory but, possibly, prove something about art and the women who create and inspire it, that the male dominated art world has been reluctant to see. The Secret Courtesan is quick, intriguing, and a perfect read for mystery and art fans alike.