". . ... reflections on personal psychological growth as Nico moves through Italian society are what gives The Advisor such an extraordinary blend of history, atmospheric re-creation of the times, and social insight. ... The Advisor holds just the right blend of social inspection, psychological insight, and historical references to keep the story inviting, absorbing, and understandable from beginning to end. By its physical and mental journeys and its ability to recreate Renaissance Italy's ambiance, there's much to love in a story that propels Nico into yet another level of growth and experience. - Diane Donovan, Senior Editor Midwest Book Review
We are in Renaissance Italy. Young Nico Argenti is eager to begin his law career, but his plan is delayed when he learns of a small mountain town threatened by the tyrannical ruler of a nearby province. Nico's family convince him to use his legal training and investigative skills to help the town win its claim of independence: "Their only hope is to get the advice of a brilliant young lawyer."
To succeed Nico must outwit a vindictive knight who has little respect for the law. His search for information takes him to a village in Chianti to interview refugees displaced by the despot. Then on to Lucca where he uncovers documents from the papal archives which he uses as crucial evidence at a tribunal in Umbria. Ultimately, in the small mountain town Nico directly confronts soldiers led by the rogue knight.