an exquisite silk bracelet hidden in Rachael’s old writing desk. Intrigued, she begins to unravel the extraordinary story of her grandmother’s past - and a secret that has the power to change everything…
The Photograph is an utterly beautiful and compelling story of love, loss and a family secret spanning generations.
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The Silk Weaver’s Wife
An Italian daughter and an English journalist. Their unforgettable stories cross centuries as past and present weave together in this beautifully moving summer read.
1704
Anastasia is desperate to escape her controlling and volatile father and plans to marry in secret. But instead of the life she has dreamed of, she finds herself trapped in Venice, the unwilling wife of a silk weaver.
Despite her circumstances, Anastasia is determined to change her fate…
2017
Millie wants more from her relationship and more from her life. So when her boss Max abruptly ends their affair, she takes the opportunity to write a feature in Italy.
Staying in a gorgeous villa, Millie unexpectedly falls in love with the owner, Lorenzo. Together they begin to unravel an incredible story, threaded through generations of silk weavers.
And Millie finds herself compelled to discover the identity of a mysterious woman in a portrait…
A gorgeously written, richly evocative story, The Silk Weaver’s Wife is perfect for readers who love Kate Morton and Gill Paul.
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Daughters of the Silk Road
A beautiful and epic novel of family, love and the secrets of a Ming Vase.
She crossed over to the shelf where her father kept the dragon vase. He had placed it there when they first arrived in Venice. She took it down carefully, feeling it cool and comforting under her shaking fingers.’
Venice 1441: Maria and her brother Daniele arrive in the birthplace of their father, Niccolo dei Conti. An Italian merchant who has travelled far and wide, Niccolo has brought spices from India, lengths of silk and damask from the lands east of India and porcelain; a vase of pure white, its surface decorated with a cobalt blue dragon, the Chinese symbol of good fortune.
Maria settles in her new home, watching the magnificent and bustling city come to life each morning from her bedroom window. But while her father is away travelling, she soon finds herself and Daniele in terrible danger. She must protect her brother at whatever cost, and she must guard the delicate vase.
London 2015: Single mother Miranda is struggling to make ends meet and build a new life for her and daughter Georgie. When Miranda meets the charming but mysterious Charles, she is intrigued. Could he be her second chance at love? And why is he so fascinated by the old vase sitting on her hall table…
A stunning and richly evocative story following the journey of a precious family treasure passed down from one generation to another. Perfect for fans of Dinah Jefferies and Kate Morton.
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The Girl with Emerald Eyes
A richly drawn and absorbing novel of passion and power, love and redemption that will captivate fans of Victoria Hislop, Tracy Chevalier and Kate Furnivall.
Two women, centuries apart, bound together by the secrets of one of the most iconic buildings ever created.
Pisa, 1999: Sam Campbell sits by her husband’s hospital bed. Far from home and her children, she must care for Michael who is recovering from a stroke. A man she loves deeply. A man who has been unfaithful to her.
Alone and in need of distraction, Sam decides to pick up Michael’s research into the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Immersing herself in the ancient city, she begins to piece together the mystery behind the creation of the tower, and discovers the woman that history forgot…
Pisa, 1171: Berta di Bernardo, the wife of a rich merchant, sits in her chamber, dressing for a dinner party. A gathering that will change the course of her life and that of a young master mason, Gerardo, forever.
A strong, intelligent woman, Berta’s passion for architecture draws her to Gerardo. As she embarks on a love affair, her maid Aurelia also becomes spellbound by the same man. Yet for Berta, her heart’s desire is to see the Tower built, and her determination knows no bounds…
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Acknowledgements
I am grateful to the following people for their support:
My editor, Cara Chimirri, and the whole team at Bookouture who have provided unwavering support and enthusiasm for this project.
My family, who put up with me locking myself away for months on end to research and write; my husband Tony Edwards, who translated Maria Denis’ book Il Gioco della Verità into English, and assisted with the historical research; and my daughter, Charlotte Edwards, who has used her skills as a photographer and social media expert to help with publicity.
Finally, my sincere thanks to Vanessa Nicholson for her generous introduction to her remarkable mother who had been a young partisan in Florence during WW2, and partly inspired this book.
I am indebted to the following authors for their invaluable research material:
The Other Italy: The Italian Resistance in World War II, by Maria de Blasio Wilhelm. W.W. Norton & Co., 1988
Mussolini’s Enemies: The Italian Anti-Fascist Resistance, by Charles F. Delzell. Princeton University Press, 1961
Il Gioco della Verità, by Maria Denis. Baldini & Castoldi, 1997
The Battle for Rome, September 1943–June 1944, by Robert Katz. Simon & Schuster, 2003
‘Partisan Diary’: A Woman’s Life in the Italian Resistance, by Ada Gobetti, translated and edited by Jomarie Alano. Oxford University Press, 2014
Mussolini’s Dream Factory: Film Stardom in Fascist Italy, by Stephen Gundle. Berghahn Books, 2013
The War Diaries of Count Galeazzo Ciano 1939–1943, by Galeazzo Ciano. Fonhill, 2015
Forgotten Blitzes, by Claudia Baldoli and Andrew Knapp. Continuum, 2012
I am grateful too for the fascinating insights I received during my various research trips to:
Museo Storico della Liberazione, Rome – this building in Via Tasso was one of the two Fascist torture centres in Rome. It chronicles the history of the period and the terrible sufferings of the brave men and women who attempted to defy Fascism in the country’s capital city.
Ardeatine Caves – the site just outside Rome of one of the worst atrocities committed by the Germans in Italy – the murder of three hundred and thirty-five Italian men, in retribution for the death of thirty-three German soldiers in a bomb attack by Roman partisans.
Cinecittà – the famous Roman film studios were founded by Mussolini, and some of its 1930s buildings still survive. Tourists can enjoy guided tours of its permanent modern film-sets.
Acquasanta Golf Club – this golf club on the outskirts of Rome is as beautiful today as it was back in the 1940s.
The very fine cities of Rome and Florence!
Published by Bookouture in 2020
An imprint of Storyfire Ltd.
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Copyright © Debbie Rix, 2020
Debbie Rix has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers.
eBook ISBN: 978-1-83888-203-7
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events other than those clearly in the public domain, are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.