The Italian Wife

Title: The Italian Wife

Author: Kate Furnivall

Genre: Historical fiction

Setting: Italy 1932

The Italian Wife is set in 1932 in the midst of Mussolini’s hunger for a new Fascist Italy. In a fictional town named Bellina, an addition to the five cities Il Deuce built after draining Italy’s Pontine Marshes in the 1930s. It was an engineering feat that actually employed 124,000 men in 1933. In this intriguing tale, a woman Isabella Berotti is one of the famed architects, the only female. She focuses all her attention on her work relishing the transformation of the town built on the once mosquito infested marshland. She was married to one of Mussolini’s infamous soldiers, the Blackshirts.

Ten years ago her husband Luigi was shot and killed in front of her, she was shot in the back and lost the child she was carrying. This story starts with this horrific event. Isabella was changed forever by the attack and not just physically. She was left with physical and emotional scars as well as nightmares that won’t leave her.

Ten years after her life was changed again, this time by a young girl. A woman with wild hair comes up to her as Isabella is relaxing at a café in front of her triumph in architect, a magnificent clock tower. The lady tells her she knows she is a good person and would want her to watch her young daughter Rosa for a few moments. As the lady leaves, she says something to Isabella that changes everything. She hints at knowledge of Luigi’s killers. When the woman climbs the clock tower and jumps to her death, everything changes. Also witnessing this tragedy is photographer Roberto Falco, who is documenting the works of the local Fascists.

Isabella is now left with Rosa who the authorities believe to be holding vital information and thus was taken from her and locked away in a convent. Not knowing who to trust in the Fascist ruled Italy, Isabella is torn in-between; she was obsessed with finding out who shot her husband and herself, she was also determined to fight many battles to help the little girl that was left in her care. She becomes drawn to the photographer, Robert Falco who has a mysterious past.

These two people, Isabella and Roberto are drawn into a mystery that is not only dangerous, but could be the end of them. Author Kate Furnivall pulls the reader in with these imperfect and brave characters. The research she has done is amazing. The scenes come to life in her colorful writing. Twists and turns and things all tied in together take the reader on a wild ride. All of the characters and scenes are written so descriptively and full of intensity. The plot is not only strong, but immensely action packed.

I enjoyed every bit of this book. The Italian Wife is a wonderfully written novel of love, romance, suspense, mystery and intrigue. This book would appeal to readers of romance, mystery and historical fiction. I loved the insight this author gave into the demons of Mussolini’s men and the way they controlled so much even in everyday life. The twists and turns were surprising, but fell in place perfectly. This is an entertaining and well written novel that keeps the reader drawn in and never lets go. The extra information the author has into her research is also very interesting. A fabulous read for anyone.