The fifth installment in the Marco Fontana Mysteries:
The Vermilion Pursuit
When Luciano Sforza comes to town, Marco Fontana is thrilled to spend time with his seldom-seen uncle. Their reunion, however, turns deadly. Luciano is in a tough position as chair of a contentious committee which will decide the authenticity of a purported Botticelli. Battle lines are drawn and tempers flare. When one of Luciano’s assistants is the victim of a hit and run, Marco suspects it was no accident. A day later, Luciano is discovered standing over the body of Morgan Cooper, his old enemy and committee rival.
The police intend to arrest Luciano. So, it’s up to Marco to prove his uncle’s innocence, but the answers are complex and wrapped in closely guarded secrets. Could something informally called the Vermilion Competition be a factor? Or could the murder involve the contest for the directorship of Philadelphia’s newest museum? Finding the killer seems impossible.
At the same time, Marco contends with knotty personal issues including those of his friends and members of his male stripper troupe. It seems the mysteries of relationships are the hardest of all for Marco to solve. Aided by friends Luke, Nina, his inimitable secretary Olga, and his cousin Vinnie—angling to become his PI partner—Marco juggles everything in his own way. But will he be able to save his uncle before he’s arrested or will The Vermilion Pursuit claim another victim?