I don't know who Gregory Dowling is but he's easily thrilled and must have little to do. Fake news has now expanded to include fake reviews. The book isn't bad, if you like shallow entertainment. It's fine for that. A Christmas read while the mince pie etc. digests. But it is hardly thrilling. The first-person protagonist has no psychological depth, nor does a Brit living in Italy provide us with any sociological depth. Something one might expect when a book is 'exotically' located. Venice feels real but the characters do not. The plot is, well, silly. On a positive note - I loved the cover! But you know what they say about books and covers...