The Italian Wife

October 15, 2015
In 1932, some 10 years after her husband was shot and killed in front of her, Isabella Berotti has rebuilt her life. Now an architect on the team building Bellina, a new city for the glory of Mussolini, she is unaware that her life is about to change again. A woman approaches her in a cafe and begs her to watch her daughter, Rosa, for just a moment, then shockingly commits suicide. Isabella is horrified for Rosa, and the encounter raises questions about her own past as well. The town's leaders warn Isabella not to interfere, but a desire to know the truth and a fear for Rosa's safety spur her to a level of insubordination that is not likely to go unpunished in a fascist state. Aided by Bellina's handsome and rebellious official photographer, Isabella goes in search of answers but uncovers more than she bargained for. In this tense romantic thriller, Furnivall clearly intimates the atmosphere of fear and distrust that characterized fascist Italy while painting a picture of the beautiful countryside and ancient past.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)