A gripping murder mystery set in the glittering heart of New York City.

Catriona Benedict, a struggling actress, is desperate for a breakthrough. When the enigmatic and charismatic Miles Kingston offers her a lucrative proposition—to pose as his wife to secure a vast inheritance—she reluctantly agrees. But the arrangement quickly turns deadly when a shocking murder occurs during their celebratory toast.

Pulled into the intrigue of the wealthy Kingston family, Catriona discovers a web of secrets and lies behind their gilded façade. As she navigates the glamorous yet treacherous world of elite Manhattan society, she must untangle the truth to clear her name and outwit a cunning killer. The stakes rise with every twist and turn, leading to a heart-stopping finale.

For fans of classic whodunits and contemporary thrillers, The Two Masks of Vendetta is a stylish and suspenseful page-turner that will keep you guessing until the very last page. Perfect for anyone seeking a thrilling holiday read.

The Two Masks of Vendetta is one of two recently published novels by Tony Lee Moral featuring Catriona Beckett and Mario Montefiore. The other being The Passion of the Cross, which was published simultaneously. I say “recent” but according to Moral’s Wikipedia page he published a novel in 2014 called Playing Mrs Kingston which had a similar storyline so Two Masks could be a re-work.

Moral is a UK born documentary film maker who has also lived and worked in California. In addition to a handful of novels he has also written books about some of Alfred Hitchcock’s films.

I cannot recall any dates mentioned in the text of Two Masks but the setting is post World War Two, probably during the 1950s. The action switches between Catriona and Mario’s modest lives and the high society lifestyle of the Kingston family with their wealth and glamour. I really enjoyed Moral’s descriptions of the nightlife which included champagne parties, opera, jazz and a seedy sadomasochistic dive.

The atmosphere and the character of Catriona caught my interest from page one but the initial storyline seemed familiar and predictable. However, just when I thought I knew how the plot would run everything changed in a dramatic moment.

I have to say that at times I found Catriona frustrating. On many occasions it was obvious that her actions were unwise and I couldn’t work out why she risked life and limb for her love interest.

If an author is struggling to sum up and resolve their plot, one of the simplest solutions is to make the culprit confess. That is exactly what Tony Lee Moral has done, giving one of his characters a confession as long as any I have read. The only question is; will you work out which character makes it? Following that, another, at times more interesting, storyline takes over before it all ends in a slightly cheesy way with promise of more stories to come.

The synopsis suggests The Two Masks of Vendetta as a holiday read and I think that sums it up well. Don’t take it too seriously, enjoy the feel and go with the flow. I have awarded it four stars.

Tony Lee Moral is an author and mystery and suspense writer who has written four books on Alfred Hitchcock: Alfred Hitchcock Storyboards (2024) published by Titan Books; The Young Alfred Hitchcock’s Movie Making Masterclass (2022) published by Sabana/MWP books; The Making of Hitchcock’s The Birds (2013) published by Kamera Books and Hitchcock and the Making of Marnie Revised Edition (2013) published by Rowman and Littlefield/Bloomsbury.

He is also the author of four novels; The Two Masks of Vendetta (2024) and its sequel The Passion of the Cross (2024) published by The Book Guild; The Cat That Changed America (2022) and Ghost Maven: The Haunting of Alice May (2019)