Review: His Last Duchess
Author: Gabrielle Kimm
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark - division of Sourcebooks Inc
Source: ARC from Sourcebooks
Aisle B Rating 
Prologue
He can see no breath. No movement. No life.
It is done
Pushing his hand beneath the rucked linen of her shift, his fingers touch one small breast: already chill, veined a delicate blue like malleable marble. She is no more than a soft statue. Her cold curves slide comfortably under the warmth of his cupped palm as he runs his hand over her skin, and he wonders at its exquisite unresponsiveness.
Excerpt from His Last Duchess page unmarked
Castello Estense Ferrara -Italy 16th Century
My name is Lucrezia de’Medici and this is my story.
I remember when I first saw Alfonso d‘Este, I felt a chill in my heart. My parents chose this man to be my husband at sixteen - uniting his title Duke of Ferrara to our name. A blessed union is what I wished but life had other plans.
Alfonso’s mind frightens me despite all my hopes to win his passion, it dies and withers when he approaches. I can feel his torment and his mind screams at me - how can it be? Why do I render him impotent while he rides his mistress Francesca with no issue. My heart bleeds while this union exist.
My only consolation is the love I feel for the artist. I tread a dangerous path but I can not unbound the passion he evokes. Pray that Alfonso may never know. Pray that I will live to escape this nightmare. My path is decided - love or death is the route where my story will take me.
Pray that life will still breath into my heart whilst I awaken this passion that will not die within me.
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Gabrielle Kimm’s His Last Duchess is a journey into 16th Century Renaissance Italy. What a seductive journey into the Italian artistic culture and history. I absolutely LOVED this book. This actual story was inspired by Robert Browning poem My Last Duches- her inspiration churned out this fascinating tale that captivated me completely.
The Prologue grabbed me from the onset and I could not tear myself away until I plunged into the very last breath of this book. Fantastic - chilling - diabolical insanity and a heart thumping climatic moment that had me ready to jump out of my skin.
Kimm’s Lucrezia is not without her faults - at times her choices make you cringe but her circumstances dictate the follies of love. Alfonso will mark your heart with fear as you delve into his madness - you are terrorized at his tenacity to wreck carnage with his dark thoughts. His demeanor will make you cringe and his anguish is furthered by a fury that he can no longer contain within a sound mind.
His Last Duchess will grab you and be prepared for the twisted moments artfully crafted by Gabrielle Kimm. Trust me you don’t want to miss this chilling tale from Renaissance Italy. The strokes of darkness and love combined make this a MUST READ!
I’m going to search for Kimm’s second book The Courtesan’s Lover quickly since it reveals Francesca’s tale- (Alfonso’s mistress) next. Wish me luck!
