Lady of Monza

Advance Reader Copy

Genres

Italian, Women's Fiction, Based on a True Story, European, Biographical Fiction, Religious Fiction, Suspense Thriller, Novels, and Historical

Trigger Warnings

Rape, Violence, and Death

Type of Ending

Series

Not part of a series

Author Prefers A Review On

Goodreads or Amazon

Reader Spots Remaining

Number of days to read

Publication Date

Apr 1, 2026

Page Length

725 pages

Available Formats

ePub and PDF

Lady of Monza

Advance Reader Copy

Blurb

A True Story of Forbidden Love, Murder, and Betrayal

Renaissance Italy in the 16th century. Behind the iron gates of the Convent of Santa Margherita, Virginia Maria de Leyva—daughter of Spanish nobility, cloistered against her will—is not praying.

When Gian Paolo Osio scales the convent wall in darkness, their forbidden affair ignites a chain of sins that will scandalize Renaissance Italy: passion, betrayal, murder. As ecclesiastical corruption festers and bodies disappear into unmarked graves, Virginia becomes both conspirator and victim in a web of deception that threatens to destroy everyone she has ever trusted.

But when the Cardinal's inquisitors arrive, Virginia must decide: confess the truth and face immurement, or blame sorcery and witchcraft for desires she chose freely.

Based on the true 17th-century scandal that inspired Manzoni's The Betrothed, this biographical historical fiction unveils the untold story of the Nun of Monza—a woman who defied her vows, murdered to protect her secrets, and paid the ultimate price for choosing love over salvation.

Details

Genres

Italian, Women's Fiction, Based on a True Story, European, Biographical Fiction, Religious Fiction, Suspense Thriller, Novels, and Historical

Trigger Warnings

Rape, Violence, and Death

Type of Ending

Series

Not part of a series

Author Prefers A Review On

Goodreads or Amazon

Reader Spots Remaining

Number of days to read

Publication Date

Apr 1, 2026

Page Length

725 pages

Available Formats

ePub and PDF

Author

First generation Italian-Canadian, Mirella Patzer is passionate about writing and reading novels set in historical eras. Her passions, apart from writing, are blogging about women in history, travelling, discovering and testing historical recipes (especially Italian ones), researching, and spending time with her family. She loves taking an old classic from the public domain and reimagining, rewriting, and bringing it back to life with current language and different setting. She currently lives in Calgary, Alberta.