The Mask

By Patricia Bernard

Fourteen-year-old Rob Vian thought Venice's Carnevale meant gelato, gondolas and glittering masks--until a plague-doctor mask tried to drown him.
Now the Australian teen is stalked through shadowy alleys by the self-styled "Spirit of Death". With every narrow escape the masked figure grows bolder, snatching Rob's photograph, threatening his friends and kidnapping famed violinist Signora Gina.

Rob's only allies are quick-witted Luca Gambergini and her exuberant Venetian crew. Together they race from flooded basements to crumbling palazzi, following clues that point to a hidden family legacy--and to a ruthless heir who will kill to keep it.

If Rob can't unmask the villain before the final night of Carnevale, the ancient city--and his own life--will sink beneath dark waters forever.

A pulse-pounding middle-grade thriller packed with Venetian history, runaway gondolas and edge-of-the-seat suspense.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FHNX7QVX
• ISBN13: 9798231780723
• Release Date: June 2025
• Publisher: Writers Exchange E-Publishing
• Length: 178 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.0" x 8.0"