(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Italy, 1945: as British and American troops attempt to bring order to the devastated cities, its population fights each other to survive. Caterina Lombardi is desperate – her mother has abandoned them already and her brother is being drawn into the mafia. Early one morning, among the ruins of the bombed Naples streets, she is forced to go to extreme lengths to protect her family and in doing so forges a future very different to the one she expected. But will the secrets of her family’s past be her downfall?

*4.5 stars*

What is it that makes a great historical fiction novel? Sure, we need a strong plot, a story that will take you through the whole book (in this case, over 550 pages worth); you need characters that you will pull to you, that you want to be a part of their lives and experience what they did (especially for those of us too young to have seen WW2); you want a time period and/or location that is instantly recognisable to most people so the reader can immerse themselves without having to worry too much about trying to familiarise themselves with a whole new time and place.

This book does all of those things splendidly. Of course it did: Kate Furnivall has been writing brilliant historical fiction for a number of years now. No real surprises there...

What this book did do, brilliantly I might add, is the combination of mystery, action, romance - and keep within the bounds of a historical background. Weaving the story of stolen artefacts, trying to clear her family name, and the history and cultural background of Italy was a magnificent feat. I was impressed with the fact that, at no stage, was I ever bored by the unfolding story as every page brought me something new to enjoy!

Easily recommended - no questions asked!


Paul
ARH