Tuesday, 25 June 2019

The Tuscan Secret


THE TUSCAN SECRET by Angela Petch














Il Mulino. An old crumbling mill, by a winding river, nestled in the Tuscan mountains.

 An empty home that holds memories of homemade pasta and Nonna’s stories by the fire, 
and later: the Nazi invasion, and a family torn apart by a heartbreaking betrayal.

Anna is distraught when her beloved mother, Ines, passes away. She inherits a box of papers,

 handwritten in Italian and yellowed with age, and a tantalising promise that the truth about what 
happened during the war lies within.

The diaries lead Anna to the small village of Rofelle, where she slowly starts to heal as she 

explores sun-kissed olive groves, and pieces together her mother’s past: happy days spent 
herding sheep across Tuscan meadows cruelly interrupted when World War Two erupted and
 the Nazis arrived; fleeing her home to join the Resistenza; and risking everything to protect an 
injured British soldier who captured her heart. But Anna is no closer to learning the truth: what 
sent Ines running from her adored homeland?

When she meets an elderly Italian gentleman living in a deserted hamlet, who flinches at her 

mother’s name and refuses to speak English, Anna is sure he knows more about the devastating
 secret that tore apart her mother’s family. 
But in this small Tuscan community, some wartime secrets were never meant to be 
uncovered…

A stunning tale, inspired by true events, about how the tragic consequences of war can 

echo throughgenerations, and how love can guide us through the darkest times. 
Fans of Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale and The Letter by Kathryn Hughes will be 
captivated.

This book was previously published as Tuscan Roots.





About me by Angela Petch

















I’m an award winning writer of fiction – and the occasional poem
Every summer I move to Tuscany for six months where my husband and I own a renovated
watermill which we let out. When not exploring our unspoilt corner of the Apennines, I
disappear to my writing desk at the top of our converted stable.
In my Italian handbag or hiking rucksack I always make sure to store notebook and pen
to jot down ideas.
The winter months are spent in Sussex where most of our family live. When I’m not helping
out with grandchildren, I catch up with writer friends.




My Review
There are a lot of books around at the moment detailing this period of Anglo-Italian history. This book stands out though, not only for the beautiful way in which the story is told but also because it's a wonderful story with an ending that is unpredictable. It started in a familiar way with Anne being left a box of letters from her Italian mother Ines. From then on, when Anna goes to Italy to find out more, I was completely captivated. As you might expect, dealing with this historical period, the book is quite heartbreaking in parts. Nonetheless, it is sensitively told and a great read.


1 comment:

  1. Thank you so, so much for taking the time to write this lovely review. You've started my publication day off with gifting me a wide smile. Mille grazie. The story has a lot of personal, family history included and so I felt I needed to get it right.

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