The Bead Merchant

A swashbuckling romance of the high seas, stuffed with intrigue, suspense and passion, set in the ruthless bead markets of Murano at the twilight of the Venetian Republic.
When the Lady Francesca De Rossi is widowed, she knows there would be trouble, but she didn't imagine it would follow her across the sea to her new home in Split – the very place her late husband had planned to set up a factory and thus break the stranglehold Venice had on the lucrative glass bead market.
But the Mercato of the Venetian Republic – the cartel of bead makers on the island of Murano – takes no prisoners, particularly when their livelihood is at stake. Now she is running for her life, and the only man who can save her is a mysterious bead merchant whose cargo threatens the security of the Republic itself.
The Turks are at the border. Assassins lie round every corner. And love is in the air...