A Look at WWII Italy in Bohjalian's New Thriller

Chris Bohjalian is quite the prolific author.  Not only does he churn out a new book every year like clockwork, he also writes on a variety of topics.  I first encountered him when I read The Night Strangers, which is about a family moving to New Hampshire and encountering "herbalists" who slowly take control of their lives.  This was followed by The Sandcastle Girls, set in Syria during the first World War.  These two books alone show how versatile Bohjalian can be, so just imagine going through all fifteen of his titles.

His latest, The Light in the Ruins, is set to be released later this month.  I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy and devoured it in a single day.  This one is set in Italy and takes place during two different years.

1943: The Rosatis, a noble Italian family, hide away in their villa in the hope that it will protect them from the war going on near their home.  Christina, the youngest daughter, falls in love with a young German lieutenant, though finds herself in a tough spot once other Nazi soldiers take over the villa.

1955:  Serafina Bettini, a Florence detective, investigates the murders of multiple members of the Rosatis family.  She must also face her own demons as she is a former soldier who made her way through Italy a dozen years earlier.

This one has a little bit of everything: romance, mystery, thriller, history, and even some art history.  I could not put it down as each chapter set in the past set up what would happen twelve years later.  I have to admit, I did not know much about the effects of WWII on Italy, but this book gave me plenty of reason to do some research.

Pick this one up soon and you won't regret it.

Chris May- Manager of Adult Services