At the heart of the Italian Renaissance lies the city of Florence and the dominant force of the city's life are the trade guilds. When Lorenzo has the good fortune of securing an apprenticeship in a lucrative guild, his destiny is imperiled by the factious rivalries of a city as dangerous as it is beautiful. The Dead Florentines is the story of a young man's Dantesque journey through hell and back in which he is drawn to a love that is unattainable and protected by a guide who must battle his own demons. When dark secrets from the past and his love for a powerful guild master's daughter threaten Lorenzo's life, his hope for salvation lies with an unconventional Catholic priest. In his debut novel, Andrew Serra brings the colorful historical figures and daily bustle of sixteenth-century Florence to life in vivid detail.