An unforgettable story of love and betrayal across the decades from the author of The Porcelain Maker – perfect for fans of Christy Lefteri and Victoria Hislop.

'A richly detailed and finely written story of art and passion, concealment and appearances, set against a vividly imagined occupied Rome' Claire Fuller, author of Bitter Orange

‘This luminous and sensual novel paints a vivid picture of wartime Italy and contemporary London, shining with the light and shade, the love and loss of life and the timeless beauty of art’

Kate Lord Brown, The Golden Hour

Rome 1939

Arriving in Rome to work for the wealthy Montefalco family, Maddalena is homesick and alone. She finds solace – and love – in the beauty of the city, but as the war in Nazi-occupied Italy rages, she must make a devastating choice.

London, 1997

After her mother Maddalena’s death, Beatrice Fremont discovers a fragment of a painting and a letter that sends her on a hunt to Rome. Helping her is art dealer Jude Adler, who’s convinced they are looking for a lost Caravaggio. For Jude, this could be the find of a lifetime; but for Beatrice their search uncovers a shocking secret and the answer to a mystery kept hidden for years.

Praise for The Porcelain Maker:

‘A page-turning journey to uncover a past of heroism, betrayal, love, and loss’ Heather Morris, bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz

'So compelling' Sunday Times

'A gorgeous debut' Heat