Mystery and Aura

Mystery and Aura is a common theme in the city of Venice. The city of Venice is a maze of backdoor alleyways and streets. At night, it seems almost sinister, especially during the months of Carnival. Mystery further surrounds Venice in determining the cause of the Fenice fire. Originally deemed an accident, the cause of the fire is later listed as arson, giving the fire a sense of mystery. Berendt is bewildered when, four months after the investigation is closed, the ruling on the fire is changed.

Mystery surrounds the cause of the fire in the beginning of the novel as well. During the investigation, many suspects were considered as the prosecution struggled to identify the negligent persons behind the incident. Keys were given out to anyone and never kept track of, the custodian on duty miraculously disappeared, and two men were seen running from the...