''Reincarnation in Venice'' is a

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

mystery Mystery, The Mystery, Mysteries or The Mysteries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters *Mystery, a cat character in ''Emily the Strange'' Films * ''Mystery'' (2012 film), a 2012 Chinese drama film * ''Mystery'' ( ...

book written by

popular fiction Genre fiction, also known as popular fiction, is a term used in the book-trade for fictional works written with the intent of fitting into a specific literary genre, in order to appeal to readers and fans already familiar with that genre. A num ...

author

Max Simon Ehrlich Max Simon Ehrlich (October 10, 1909 – February 11, 1983) was an American writer. He is best known for the novel ''The Reincarnation of Peter Proud'' and the movie of the same name. Biography Early life and education Max Simon Ehrlich was bo ...

and published in 1979 by

Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster () is an American publishing company and a subsidiary of Paramount Global. It was founded in New York City on January 2, 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. As of 2016, Simon & Schuster was the third largest publ ...

in New York. The author begins his story by declaring that on one balmy September morning in 1954 a 25-year-old

Venetian Venetian often means from or related to: * Venice, a city in Italy * Veneto, a region of Italy * Republic of Venice (697–1797), a historical nation in that area Venetian and the like may also refer to: * Venetian language, a Romance language s ...

man steps out of a mansion just off the Grand Canal and into the street: :''He was young, perhaps no more than twenty-five, with a darkly handsome patrician face, and was, like most Venetians of his class, exquisitely tailored. He paused for a moment, in front of the great doors of the palazzo and looked up. His wife was at one of the upper windows. He smiled at her and blew her a kiss. She waved back at him.'' Page 13. Before the day is through, he will have died unceremoniously, and his body thrown into one of the canals. The story picks up again on page 23, apparently decades later in another part of the world when a young and wealthy computer programmer walking down East 50th Street in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, notices in the window of an antique shop an item that catches his eye. :The window was cluttered with a variety of articles for sale - guitars, typewriters, tape recorders, clocks, golf clubs, and a hodgepodge of jewelry, rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. The medallion itself was large in size, about two inches in diameter, and hung on a gold chain. Mixed with the rest of the jewelry in the window, it was rather inconspicuous. Yet, somehow, it had drawn his attention.'' Page 27. and he just ''has'' to have it, even if it is overpriced, and not a legitimate hedge against inflation. Even if it is gold, it is possibly overpriced. But the medallion carries a curious

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...

upon its face, and must have been minted privately by some noble family in

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

. And thus begins a long journey that takes him back to another man's life - and death - in Venice.

See also