The Four Deadly Seasons

Venetian Mysteries, Book 3

By: David Hewson

Narrated by: Richard Armitage

A centuries-old score. A city built on secrets. A melody that kills.

When a celebrated music impresario is found dead in Venice—his body slumped in the hot house of a remote palazzo, a cryptic musical interval in his hand—rumours swirl around a rediscovered manuscript: the original score for The Four Seasons, penned in Vivaldi's own hand.

But is it a masterpiece lost to time or a masterful forgery?

Arnold Clover, a reclusive British archivist seeking peace in the city on the lagoon, is reluctantly drawn into the mystery. Hired to authenticate the deadly manuscript, Arnold finds himself at the centre of a chilling conspiracy that spirals through shadowy music chambers, forgotten archives, and bloodstained Venetian alleyways.

As the seasons change, so does the tempo of the killings. With each movement of Vivaldi's immortal concerto, another victim falls.

To stop the music, Arnold must unravel a trail of coded messages, heretical symbols, and the unholy legend of the diabolus in musica, a sound once believed to summon the Devil himself.

A taut, elegant thriller steeped in music, myth, and murder, The Four Deadly Seasons is perfect for fans of Dan Brown, Robert Harris, and Donna Leon.

"Arnold Clover is back in his finest adventure yet. A rollicking, operatic read from a writer who both loves and understands the city." - Philip Gwynne Jones

©2025 Richard Armitage (P)2025 W.F. Howes Ltd.

Arnold Clover thriller set in Venice

I enjoyed this David Hewson audiobook, due to the superb narration by Richard Armitage, and the many references to Italian food. It has lots of intriguing characters, plenty of action, and a gondola-load of plot twists and surprises.

The best of this series so far!

I think this is the best book in the series so far. This installment includes more action, mystery, and deceit, with Arnold facing many dire situations, which makes the book more exciting than the previous ones. Furthermore, the long-winded exposition of historical events seen in the earlier books is more concise here, making the plot more focused. One weakness is the predictable romance arc, which I find a bit trite; nevertheless, it does serve a purpose in the story.

Richard Armitage’s narration is impeccable as always. I started, and continue, to listen to this series because of his narration; otherwise, I would’ve quit after the first audiobook due to all the overly complicated and detailed recounting of historical events. But I’m glad the content of this third novel finally matches Armitage’s brilliant performance.

A vivid adventure in Venice, with an intriguing story centering on Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.

David Hewson has done it again. His descriptions of Venice make you feel like you’re there. The story keeps you guessing until the very end. Are the musical manuscripts and memoir truly the original creations of Vivaldi? Richard Armitage’s narration pulls you into the experience of Arnold Clover, the protagonist. An engaging listening experience!

Perfect narration

Armitage is the perfect orchestra for hewson’s prose and vivaldi’s score, it grabbed me from the start.

A wonderful audible production

I was captivated by this book in its audible form. I think I might have found it difficult to read in the traditional sense with all the musical references, the Italian phrases. The narration by Richard Armitage made it come alive for me. Highly recommend!