Marty Neumeier

This edition is BEAUTIFUL. The cover, the weight of the paper, the fonts- it's a work of art. Don't judge a book by its cover? Not this book!

The story is engaging from the very first page, and I raced through the story. Two women, an art historian and a scientist, are called in to authenticate a painting found in an old Italian home. As they start their process, they find a manuscript that, upon translation, contains details of Leonardo's DaVinci's life, previously undocumented. But they show more aren't the only ones interested in the manuscript, and they contact an indie publisher to make a deal to get it into the world, rather than buried in a private collection.

Scarlett and Artie, our main characters, are so different in age, background, personality and presentation, but the adventure they embarked on together bonds them profoundly. While half the story is about Leonardi and his apprentice, S and A are what brings life to the book. The research that went into this novel is obvious, as it feels like stepping into history. The transcendence of humanity, science, art and love ties these storylines together across five centuries. show less

What a clever romp this is! I'm not quite sure in what genre I would place it but let's call it avant-historic philoso-mystery with a dash of suspense and horror thrown in! Octavo is a great read.

The book is structured as a dialog via email and audio files between an editor in New York and a couple of art authenticators, Scarlet and Artie, working for a sleazy collector in Italy. They have found a manuscript of vast cultural significance, absconded with it and are on the run and looking for show more a publisher. Their goal is to share their find with the world rather than have it locked away in some oligarch’s offshore art cave. They’re being chased around Italy by the collector’s goons and everything is beginning to look pretty hairy.

The historic part of this adventure is contained in the 16th century manuscript peppered throughout the book. Purportedly written by Francesco de Melzi, a student and assistant in the workshop of Leonardo da Vinci. It is a comi-tragic masterpiece with murder, revenge, sabotage and ingenious detective work by Leonardo himself! Step aside Sherlock!

Marty Neumeier, a writer and lecturer on design and creativity, has had a long career in branding and design for many A-list clients and that background is on display in the beautiful presentation of Octavo. Highly recommended! show less

Scarlett, a biophysics expert, and Artie, a retired professor of art history, have been hired to authenticate a cache of paintings, unearthed literally under the floorboards of a house in Italy undergoing renovations. They discovered a full-length portrait of Leonardo da Vinci, painted by his protégé. But even more exciting, they found a manuscript penned by da Vinci’s last pupil. It recounts a murder and its solution, as derived by da Vinci himself. Scarlett and Artie are afraid that show more their client will again hide the manuscript, depriving the world of another look at da Vinci’s genius. So they do the only thing they can do: they steal the manuscript and take off on a not-so-merry chase across Italy, being pursued by some bad guys who also want the manuscript. Meanwhile, they contact a publisher, wanting him to publish their find. The centuries-old murder may not be the only one connected to this manuscript, for now Scarlett and Artie have put a target on their backs. This most unusual tale is only rivaled by the unusual manner in which it was written. It vacillates between Scarlett and Artie emailing their publisher and excerpts from the manuscript itself. Peter then answers their emails with his own queries. The fonts in the book are different for the various people, and even the binding of the actual book itself, designed by the author, is unusual. Suspense builds not only because Scarlett and Artie gradually reveal to Peter what the manuscript says, but also because they are running for their lives. It is a masterfully penned tale about a masterful painter. The characters, both past and present, are well developed. It is not usual for stories with dual time periods to have equally compelling storylines, but this author has most assuredly managed to do just that. show less

Just a few paragraphs in and I was hooked. Especially listening to the multi-cast audiobook. Art, history, mystery, murder, suspense, violence, lost paintings, lost documents. It’s a thrill ride start to finish.

Authenticators Scarlett and Artie are so different – in career, approach, personality; every possible way. They dislike each other instantly, but their love of history and art and preservation draw them together, especially as they unite to prevent the wealthy collector who hired show more them to bury the finds.

The method they choose to do this, however, is not traditional. In fact, it’s possibly, probably, unethical and illegal. It’s definitely risky, dangerous, unorthodox, resulting in them being on the run, changing their appearance and voices, using extreme methods of communication.

Respected author Marty Neumeier does a masterful job of combining art with a mystery with a techno-thriller. And who doesn’t want to have Leonardo Da Vinci as the central character? I received an advance audio copy of Octavo from Home Cooked Books. It was a challenging, startling, immersive, exciting listen with an amazing multi-cast of narrators that keep you on the edge of your seat. I recommend Octavo without hesitation. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own. show less