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I couldn't help but feel sad for all the parties involved in this mystery, from Irene to Enzo to Maddie to Donatella and her family. Whatever happened - it wasn't anybody's fault, per se. Just two sad people who thought they could lead a happy life but didn't expect the surprises that life had in store for them. As time counts down to Milo Conti’s exposé, he whips up the locals by dropping hints of his evidence on TV. This has a huge impact as they take action. Such a tense and alienating time for the family!
A brilliantly written, gripping, clever, compelling story, that I struggled to put down. The vivid descriptions, the evocative plot and the intrigue that Louise created, which had me constantly asking questions, made it a highly enjoyable, absolute treasure of a read.’ Kim Nash on The Scarlet Dress There are HUGE surprises in 2003 that we later find out more about in Irene’s narration. Halfway through, my jaw was hanging open and I’m thinking wow, this changes EVERYTHING!
On the whole, it is a simple story with well-written characters and an interesting plotline. I would recommend this more to people who are new to the genre and would appreciate the work more than I did. I will continue to recommend and read the author's works. As I was reading through, it felt like a movie playing in my head. The claustrophobic atmosphere at Villa Alba, Donatella's controlling nature, Enzo's refusal to speak about the incident that occurred 35 years ago, mafia meetings, grief, infidelity, and unconditional love - totally engrossing story from start to finish!
I thoroughly enjoyed this dual timelined story and was there in Sicily with them all!. I loved playing detective to try and decide if Enzo had murdered Irene or whether it was someone else in the family. There were lots of clues, but also lots of red herrings designed to throw you off the scent!!. The story would flow between 1968 with Irene telling her experiences, and the present time of 2003, with April telling us about the present. April finds a challenging situation. She pursues various leads and fights to save a man who’d been kind to her when she was so much younger and Maddie’s best friend.Will the mystery of Villa Alba ever be solved? Will the world ever find out what really happened to Irene Borgata? Or should some things have stayed dead and buried? Definitely recommend the book. Loved the characters, writing style and story. Look forward to reading more books by the author. As well as the mystery, Louise Douglas drew me in to the Sicilian way of life and the landscape. The setting is stunning. Villa Alba in its decline felt authentic with whispers of its past echoing around the rooms. Enzo’s daughter, Maddalena, enlists the help of an estranged best friend, April Cobain, to help find out what happened to Irene all those years ago and to clear her father’s name. He is being ‘accused’ publicly of Irene’s murder by a true crime TV presenter and the stress is making him ill. April is a retired DI and although she fell out with Maddalena, she was always fond of Enzo. With mention of Mafia connections to the family, April has many avenues to follow. An excellent read that challenges all preconceptions of guilt and innocence, with a startling conclusion.
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