Medici Hawks

In this third novel in a three-volume historical adventure series, artist/inventor Leonardo da Vinci performs wonders as the ‘James Bond’ of Renaissance Italy. In The Medici Hawks, the multi-talented artist employs his famed ingenuity against Florence’s most dangerous foe yet—an invasion fleet commanded by the Turk, Sultan Mohammed II out to topple the ruling Medicis. Assisting his Medici patrons, Leonardo employs his remarkable submarine invention, and other warfare innovations, to send the Turk’s fleet to the bottom, save the Florentine city-state and win the love of his consort, Bianca Visconti. One day during the war, seeing hawks flying overhead, Leonardo imagines human flight to save the day! History and art lovers, Renaissance buffs and adventure aficionados will love the drama and fast-pace of The Medici Hawks. And don’t miss the first and second books of this exciting three-part series, The Medici Guns and The Medici Emerald.
• ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ROBERT ROSS
Before turning to writing novels, Robert Ross was a creative director at the Leo Burnett advertising agency. When he retired to Montserrat in the West Indies, he became fascinated with Leonardo da Vinci and learned everything he could about this brilliant inventor and artist and his era. On the island, he met Martin Woodhouse, creator of The Avengers television series, and they teamed up as co-authors to pen three adventure novels: The Medici Guns, The Medici Emerald and The Medici Hawks. Each historical novel is set in Renaissance Italy with Leonardo da Vinci cast as a kind of James Bond, utilizing one or more of his actual devices, from cannons and flying machines to submarines and other innovations, to solve a host of swashbuckling challenges and romantic escapades. His last novel, ''A French Finish,'' won the Edgar Allan Poe Award for the best first mystery by a new writer in 1978.

• ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MARTIN WOODHOUSE
Martin Woodhouse is best known as the creator of the popular television series, The Avengers, but he was also a pilot, poet, parachutist, and the designer of the one of the world’s first pure logic computers. When Woodhouse moved to the Caribbean island of Montserrat, he met Robert Ross, a former ad man who shared a life-long fascination with Leonardo da Vinci. They soon teamed up as co-authors to write three historical adventure novels: The Medici Guns, The Medici Emerald and The Medici Hawks. Woodhouse was also author of Tree Frog, Bush Baby, Phil & Me, Mama Doll, and Blue Bone. An ex-R.A.F. officer, he earned degrees in medicine and experimental psychology. He conducted research into the relationship between human cognition and computer architecture.