Italian gambit

A gripping historical detective story set in Prague during the reign of Emperor Rudolf II.

Prague in 1597 is a dangerous and cruel city. The impoverished knight Jakub Jelínek of Hiršberg knows this all too well. He lives in a house that isn't his, and he watches every penny. So when the henchman Matěj Sádlo appears with a job offer from none other than the Vice-Chancellor of the Kingdom of Bohemia, Kryštof Želinský, he can't afford to refuse.
But the seemingly simple task of escorting the mysterious Italian nobleman Domenico to the capital soon turns into a fight for survival, in which a mysterious girl unexpectedly comes to Jakub's aid. And when prosecutor David Rydl is shot dead in the street by Italian bandits, it becomes clear to Jakub that there must be a connection between the two attacks.
With the help of Matěj Sádlo, he begins to investigate among the Italians of Prague and soon discovers that they have become embroiled not only in a dispute between powerful magnates, but also in the long-running war between Catholics and Protestants. To solve the mystery, Jakub must decide who he is willing to risk his neck for—and play a dangerous gambit that could lead him all the way to the executioner's block.
A historical detective story from golden Prague, a city of intrigue, crime, and vice.