Wolves in the Woods (Canterbury Tales, 4)

rockpaperscribbles 17 stories

Summary

[Book 4 of the Canterbury Tales] After events of the last month, Albert Altham, Lord Canterbury, and his family have decided to take a well-deserved vacation to Italy. However, they have not even been there a week before Canterbury is approached by none other than the reigning World Champion of chess, José Raúl Capablanca, to investigate the murder of a fellow player, Russian Grandmaster Mikhail Yaroslav. Canterbury, although knowing very little about chess, takes on the case anyway. But there is more than meets the eye at the Venice tournament, where the players are competing. Chess becomes merely a metaphor for the true fight going on behind the scenes, between the organized crime families from numerous nations: the United States, Russia, and Italy among them. Canterbury finds himself coming into contact with members of an underworld he never previously knew existed. He must keep all his wits about him to survive, and to ensure the survival of those he truly cares about. **Content Warning: Violence.** **Note: Once again, this was completed before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Any mention of Russia or its allies does not reflect the author's opinions.** **Additional Note: This is a work of FICTION. Any relation to persons living or dead is entirely coincidental, and if they are real, have been used in a fictitious context.**