The Tuscan Child - Rhys Bowen- A Very Fine WWII Mystery - Pre Order Now

Thanks to both NetGalley and Lake Union publishing for this ARC, which I award 4.5 stars and thoroughly enjoyed. A different genre than I usually choose, from mystery author Rhys Bowen, but delightful to read.

It was a very fine stand-alone read about WWII, told with two time lines. In 1944 a British warplane was shot down over Tuscany and Hugo Langley ( Sir Hugo actually), the pilot, although wounded parachutes to safety. The story is told alternately between winter 1944 and Hugo's tale a and Joanna his daughter in the 1970s ( born in 1945). In Italy, in the same time shifts are Sofia a lovely Italian young woman with a young son. 

Joanna in 1973 goes to San Salvatore to try to put closure after her father's death and meets Sofia's son.There is an interesting dual love story going on, as well as a very good mystery. 

I know little about how the war progressed in Italy or about the privations that people endured so that part held my attention also.

Perhaps the characters might reappear under different circumstances? I loved it and Rhys Bowen has a way of drawing one into the environment she describes. An exciting and fun Christmas read which I am recommending to mystery fans.