The Enigma of David's Toe

Renaissance art, past life experiences, and art terrorism lead to murder and suicide in modern-day Florence. David Rinaldo hears voices in his head that tell him to commit acts of vandalism. When he takes a hammer to Michelangelo's "David" in the Galleria dell Accademia, he tells police that the woman in Paolo Veronese's painting, "Allegory of Wisdom and Strength" told him to do it. He is no sooner out of jail when his "voices" compel him to destroy the plaque that commemorates the site of Father Girolamo Savonarola's execution (by fire) in 1498, but as he does that, he feels the flames again and hears the voices saying, "But you're not dead? I'm not dead." Each person who gazes at Veronese's painting experiences visions of their past life during the Renaissance. Dr. Lola Peligi's dissertation for her work on her patented "Peligi Syndrome" will make her famous; however, she does not realize that her subordinate, Dr. Phillipe Lazardo, has other plans for her new study patient, David Rinaldo. Those plans are thwarted when a young American, Ed Rinaldo, decides to pay a visit to his distant relative whom he's never met. Ed inadvertently becomes embroiled in a conspiracy involving Dr. Lazardo, an Italian art terrorist, an Italian interpreter with her own mental issues, and an MI6 agent who uses his conspiracy blog to gather evidence. Michelangelo, Veronese, and members of the Medici family make "cameo" appearances? in this suspenseful story of Renaissance-era political intrigue and 21st century murder and insanity.

Vincent Cannata hails from Long Island, N.Y. After graduating with a Communications degree in 1988, Cannata moved to Washington, D.C. where he pursued dual careers in acting and music. In 1992, he and his wife relocated to New Orleans where they operated NIMROD Hair Gallery for five years before moving on to Las Vegas. There he performed 'stand-up' and 'improv' comedy before embarking on a writing career.