The Prisoner of Paradise

The Paradise Series Book 1

by Rob Samborn

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Pub Date Nov 30 2021 | Archive Date Nov 17 2021

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Historical Fiction | Mystery & Thrillers

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Description

A man on the brink of insanity traverses present-day and Renaissance Venice to save his soul mate from eternal purgatory.

The world's largest oil painting. A 400-year-old murder. A disembodied whisper: "Amore mio." My love.

Nick and Julia O'Connor's dream trip to Venice collapses when a haunting voice reaches out to Nick from Tintoretto's Paradise, a monumental depiction of Heaven. Convinced his delusions are the result of a concussion, Julia insists her husband see a doctor, though Nick is adamant the voice was real.

Blacking out in the museum, Nick flashes back to a life as a 16th century Venetian peasant swordsman. He recalls precisely who the voice belongs to: Isabella Scalfini, a married aristocrat he was tasked to seduce but with whom he instead found true love. A love stolen from them hundreds of years prior.

She implores Nick to liberate her from a powerful order of religious vigilantes who judge and sentence souls to the canvas for eternity. Releasing Isabella also means unleashing thousands of other imprisoned souls, all of which the order claims are evil.

As infatuation with a possible hallucination clouds his commitment to a present-day wife, Nick's past self takes over. Wracked with guilt, he can no longer allow Isabella to remain tormented, despite the consequences. He must right an age-old wrong - destroy the painting and free his soul mate. But the order will eradicate anyone who threatens their ethereal prison and their control over Venice.

A man on the brink of insanity traverses present-day and Renaissance Venice to save his soul mate from eternal purgatory.

The world's largest oil painting. A 400-year-old murder. A disembodied...

Advance Praise

"""Samborn writes vivid, cinematic prose, deftly penning scenes of Venice that feel so alive you might start speaking Italian while sipping espresso. This spectacular thriller will capture you - heart and soul!""

- Avanti Centrae, international bestselling author of the VANOPS thriller series

""Wildly imaginative and richly detailed, THE PRISONER OF PARADISE is a spellbinding debut. It's an alchemy of mystery and intrigue that reaches deep inside the human heart and emerges with a propulsive story that manages to span centuries while leaving the reader breathless. Rob Samborn is an author to watch!""

- Ellen Meister, author of THE ROOFTOP PARTY, THE OTHER LIFE, and FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER

""Rob Samborn's THE PRISONER OF PARADISE is an immersive, otherworldly tale of forbidden love, a dangerous brotherhood, and a most unusual purgatory. Spanning four centuries from Renaissance Venice to modern-day, Samborn invites his readers to unravel a vast conspiracy of secrets, murder, and trapped souls, in this rousing and thought-provoking thriller perfect for fans of Dan Brown.""

- Shanessa Gluhm, author of ENEMIES OF DOVES

""A tale of ill-fated lovers that transcends time, THE PRISONER OF PARADISE never fails to impress. The intriguing mix of history, scheming cults, and the high art of Venice blend together, creating a gripping story that will leave readers hungry for more.""

- D.W. Gillespie, author of ONE BY ONE and THE TOY THIEF

""An engrossing tale that spans centuries of Venetian history, art, and social mores, Rob Samborn's The Prisoner of Paradise is full of intrigue and angst, focusing on the heroic choices we strive to make, the sins we feel compelled to pursue, and the gray area of right and wrong that bridges all of our crucial decisions about life and love.""

- Kathryn Brown Ramsperger, author of THE SHORES OF OUR SOULS and A THOUSAND FLYING THINGS

""Rob Samborn's imaginative thriller, THE PRISONER OF PARADISE, masterfully immerses the reader in Venice's classical art world, from a high-society black-tie gala in the Doge's Palace to a fascinating artist's studio. I breathlessly followed the young American couple as they discovered that, as in Tintoretto's monumental painting ""Paradise,"" political power, spirituality and beauty are not constrained by Earthly boundaries, not even by time.""

- Ed Protzel, author of THE ANTIQUITIES DEALER and THE DARKHORSE TRILOGY

""Not to be out shadowed by the historical and conspiracy thriller writing luminaries of our time, Rob Samborn shines as a brilliant debut novelist to watch for. Immediately catapulted out of 1589 Renaissance Venice in The Prisoner of Paradise, you hit the ground running with Nick O'Connor as he navigates both present and past with orders to release imprisoned souls, including his own soul mate.""

- Ruthie Marlenée, Author of AGAVE BLUES (releasing Feb. 2022)"

"""Samborn writes vivid, cinematic prose, deftly penning scenes of Venice that feel so alive you might start speaking Italian while sipping espresso. This spectacular thriller will capture you -...