October 3, 2025 2:30 am
In Octavo, Marty Neumeier invites readers into a labyrinthine tale that bridges centuries, intertwining a Renaissance murder plot with modern-day billionaire gangsterism. What begins with an anonymous email to a small-time editor quickly escalates into a high-stakes literary and historical mystery involving lost artwork, encrypted emails and lifting the lid on an historical figure of extreme intrigue and mystery. With nods to other historical fiction and to the genre-bending thrillers of Dan Brown, Octavo challenges readers to suspend disbelief and embrace the thrill of historical possibilities.
An editor for a small publisher receives an anonymous email containing an audio file. A woman calling herself Scarlett, using an app to hide her voice, has an offer to make to the editor. She and her accomplice, who they are calling Artie, would like to publish the work they have in their possession. They would like to be paid but do not want any rights. They would prefer for it to remain in public domain.
Their unlikely story is that a couple of American ex-pats recently bought a fifteenth-century workshop in northern Italy, which they set about renovating. Removing some floorboards they discover a cache of artifacts from the Renaissance including paintings and writings.
The discovery comes to the attention of their employer, whom they are calling Mr Dickson. Scarlett is an art-authenticator with a background in science. Artie is an art historian, fluent in romance languages and an authority on the Renaissance. Dickson sends them to catalogue and authenticate the find before he agrees to purchase any items from it.
Leaning against the back are five oil paintings done on wood panels. The largest, the one on the right, is a full-length portrait of a Renaissance notable, beard descending in waves to the middle of his chest, white hair flowing over a brocaded rose tunic. His legs are covered in rich green wool, his feet in finely tooled brown leather. There’s something about his face – a mixture of confidence and curiosity – that makes me think of the word ‘address’. This man, whoever he was, had it.
They determine that this portrait is most likely by Francesco de Melzi, probably begun around 1508. De Melzi’s greatest claim to fame is that he was the last significant pupil of Leonardo da Vinci. It occurs to them both that the man in the portrait may in fact be da Vinci.
They also find a leather-bound portfolio. It contains a letter from de Melzi to Aldus Manutius, publisher of Aldine Press, authorising him to publish the enclosed writings. Written by de Melzi, it is the story of a grim adventure taken by de Melzi and his master, of a diabolical mystery and extraordinary events that took place in Venice, Ferrara and Mantua. He adds that the powerful Borgias and Estes families will not be pleased with the story.
Scarlett and Artie have seen enough to know they do not want this portfolio to fall into Dickson’s hands. Like many other artifacts and artworks, it will likely never be seen by the public if he succeeds in acquiring it. But they are on shaky legal ground and though the small publisher they have contacted is interested in a deal, they are hardly equipped to protect them from Dickson. They can hardly protect themselves as Dickson is not one to allow the law to prevent him getting what he wants. Nor does he have any aversion to using violence.
As Artie begins translating the portfolio, they see de Melzi and da Vinci are in a precarious position themselves. Arriving at Aldine Press in Venice to arrange for some of da Vinci’s work to be published, they find the press in a state of disarray. A dead body has been discovered crucified to the press that morning, the man’s skull crushed.
Aldus does not recognise the man but it is soon discovered that in crushing his head in the press, a passage of writing has been struck into the man’s face. The passage is from Dante’s Inferno a new translation of which Aldus had been printing for his client Bembo. The unique typeface was created by Aldus’ engraver Griffo, who he recently had a falling out with.
De Melzi and his master are soon dragged into a murder mystery which will take all of da Vinci’s genius to solve and places their own lives in danger as it uncovers the involvement of Renaissance Italy’s powerful families.
Great power is like a stone in a river that bends the water around it. The closer the water gets to the stone, the more it bends. In the presence of power, it is difficult to know what is true.”
Octavo is the first novel by Marty Neumeier. Its title comes from the printing format invented during the Renaissance which is still in use today.
If you fold a sheet of paper three times, you get eight leaves, or sixteen pages. You bind those sets of sixteen to make a book. Ever since the Renaissance, almost all books have been printed as octavos.
As you can intuit from the above, the novel follows two plots centuries apart; Leonardo and Francesco trying to solve a murder mystery and Scarlett and Artie tyring to evade a billionaire’s henchmen tracking them down.
The historical mystery may remind some readers of novels like AS Byatt’s Possession or Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose. While the combination with a contemporary conspiracy involving da Vinci might evoke the obvious comparison to Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code.
“Checco, I could no more ignore this riddle than I could ignore the question of how birds fly or why fish bones are found on the tops of mountains. What are philosophical questions but riddles? Every mystery is a twisted knot with a hidden order. Whenever I find a mystery, I am powerless to prevent my mind from trying to untangle it.”
Of these, The Name of the Rose makes a particular connection. As they embark on their investigation, Leonardo and Francesco’s relationship follows that of familiar duo pairings like Holmes and Watson or William and Adso. Also, because, like Adso, it is Francesco’s telling of the story we are reading. It was difficult for me to not hear Sean Connery’s voice when Leonardo was speaking.
First, my dear Aldo, we know it was a crime of warning by the way in which the murder was carried out, and from the message impressed on the victim’s face. Ordinary crimes are not staged as literary spectacles.”
When I was a younger reader, I found reading literature very taxing and would often need to take a break by reaching for something lighter and more entertaining. A Michael Crichton, Stephen King or even the aforementioned Dan Brown. As I have grown older, I have felt this need less and found those genres of writing less satisfying.
This change over time has meant I struggle to let go and just be taken for a ride. To give a minor example, I wouldn’t open an attachment from an anonymous email as the editor does when Scarlett contacts him. But the reader has to let these things go in order to enjoy the adventure the author will take you on.
In Octavo, Leonardo will make use of techniques and ideas far ahead of what we know of Renaissance Italy but for which there is no reason they could not have been invented sooner. The Leonardo of Octavo is not impossible but it will be up to the reader whether they find him plausible.
Mic drop! Leonardo, where have you been all my life? Be observant rather than obedient. Don’t impose your wishes on a situation. Record true facts. Can you imagine having this man as your mentor in 1508? I can hardly wait to see what the science community makes of this. He was doing science before we even knew what to call it.
Stories where the narrative is carried by email correspondence (or previously, by letter, etc) are not new and come with strengths and weaknesses, especially if there is not a narrator in addition. Without a narrator, the characters have to do a lot of explaining in their correspondence. They must include things that are clearly for the reader’s benefit not their correspondent.
It also makes characterisation difficult as the characters have to share or confess their background when it becomes relevant. Whereas a narrator can better pick their moments and show without telling. It allows for characters that are even a little cliché to become realistic as the reader makes the connection between the story and the character by themselves. It is much easier to be subtle with a narrator.
Having a narrator avoids other issues too. A character who knows they are being followed and their correspondence hacked should be careful about what they say. A narrator can fill the blanks for us.
While this is clearly a mystery-thriller book for entertainment, that is not to say it does not touch on larger themes and issues. Sexism is a major one, whether in science, art or publishing. There is the issue of lost art – when art disappears into private collections preventing public enjoyment or academic analysis. The novel even delves into issues those who have the power to manipulate the ‘truth’, of artificial intelligence and a transhumanist future for elites.
The hardcopy of the novel is yet to be released but the story has already received a lot of praise. The novel was serialised in audiobook form and released via Substack in thirty-four episodes. Reading through the comments it sounds like the audiobook was very well received and provided a different experience to what I had from reading the book.
Neumeier, I hear, is already working on a sequel.
I was probably not a good fit for Octavo. But that could also be said of entire genres of writing. I do not doubt there is a ready audience for Octavo. It offers a compelling story premise, blending a contemporary thriller with an historical murder mystery. The present-day characters are engaging and speak to current issues. I am perhaps too unaccommodating a reader for the details, but those more openminded than me will enjoy the ride.
Octavo will be published on October 14 2025. The publicist Books Forward provided an advanced copy in return for an independent review.
Posted by Jason
Categories: Book Reviews, Books, Popular Fiction, Reviews
Tags: Art History, Book Review, Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Leonardo da Vinci, Thriller
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It sounds like a james bond book, if you ask me
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By writerrajamohammedblogsnouveau on October 4, 2025 at 3:22 am
Hi, I’ve no comment on this book. I’ve just read Eric Clapton’s autobiography and had then gone hunting some reviews to compare my thoughts with and came across your review wh7ch was spot on and enjoyable to read. Sent me searching for your website. I look forward to checking out your yearly lists as a source of inspiration for what to maybe read next. Thanks Sharon in Belfast.
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By Anonymous on October 4, 2025 at 4:44 am
Thank you Sharon! You are very kind. I am always finding new reading ideas in new places so I am glad to have been able to do the same for someone else!
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By Jason on October 4, 2025 at 4:32 pm