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"The New York Times bestselling author of The Russian Concubine returns with a stunning new novel set in Mussolini's Italy. Isabella Berotti is an architect, helping to create showpieces that will reflect the glory of her country's Fascist leaders. She is not a deeply political sort, but designing these buildings of grandiose beauty helps her forget about the pain she's felt since her husband was murdered years ago. One of her greatest accomplishments is the clock tower in the town of Bellina, outside Rome. But as she is admiring it one day, a woman approaches her, asking her to watch her ten-year-old daughter. Minutes later, to Isabella's horror, the woman leaps to her death from that very clock tower. There are photos of the woman right after the suicide, taken by Roberto Falco. A propaganda photographer for Il Duce, he is expected to show his nation in the most flattering light. But what Roberto and Isabella have seen reflects a more brutal reality, and in a place where everyone is watching and friends turn on friends to save themselves, their decision to take a closer look may be a dangerous mistake"--"Isabella Berotti is an architect, helping to create showpieces that will reflect the glory of her country… (more)
User reviews
I loved this book it had me gripped from start to finish.
Italy, 1932 Mussolini's Italy is growing from strength to strength, but at what cost?
An interesting period of history that i have never touched on before. I immersed myself
Great Book.
Even though this is a fictional account of Mussolini's regime, it is based on factual events. Furnivall's research is thorough and tells a spell-binding story of greed, control, and betrayal. It is both suspenseful and emotional. I was fairly uneducated about Mussolini's reign during the 1930's and was appalled by the similarities to Hitler and his brutality.
Isabella was an impressive woman, working as an architect during a time when women were not valued beyond motherhood in society. Isabella was fiercely loyal to her father, her husband, and to her country. As she realizes the destruction and deception happening in her community she risks everything to get to the bottom of it.
Roberto, the photographer, has a dark past, but becomes Isabella's confidant and partner while they try to find out who is behind the corruption. Other secondary characters are well-developed, offering key insights and adding to the development of the story.
The descriptions of Italy and the architectural designs are vividly described. The plot develops quickly and each chapter adds another layer that will keep you turning the pages. The romance that develops between two characters doesn't dominate the story, but yet enhances it by Furnivall's details. THE ITALIAN WIFE grabs your attention from the start and holds it until the final page is turned.
Favorite Quote: "We all keep secrets. We hide our secrets from each other. From ourselves. But how do we know when the time has come to undo the locks on the secrets?" Page 235