Constance finds herself in that strange position of not being a servant but not on par with the family who owns this huge castle and her interactions with the family highlight this. Then when strange events cause Constance to begin to question her sanity she starts to question what is going on around her! If you are looking for an easy read with a twist, then Murder Under The Tuscan Sun won't disappoint. Set in a remote castle in the lovely Tuscan hills at the time Mussolini was introducing Fascism and was starting to get a hold on Italy's disgruntled workers, this cosy mystery gives both a little escapism to the warm Mediterranean climate, so different from the cold English weather and claustrophobic house that Constance has left behind, and an insight into a diverse range of characters that Rachel has created. Klovers has written a well-rounded mystery with an amateur detective using her skills to try and ensnare a smuggler and killer. The story includes interpersonal relationship challenges due to unexpected circumstances, disagreements about the origin of ancient Etruscans, scheming and devious behaviors, family squabbles, hidden agendas, digging of Etruscan artifacts, and preparations of mouth-watering food and drink.

As the novel progresses your liking, and disliking, of the the individuals changes along with the subtle shifts as to who was causing Constance to feel she was losing her mind, whilst doing her best to protect those in her care. Lastly the settings. I loved it being in Italy. The description of the scenery was excellent, it made me want to visit again! I luxuriated in this story of repressed love, villains and vixens in such a glamorous and decadent setting overshadowed by the rise of fascism. Utterly absorbing, intriguing and entertaining, I loved it. LIV NUGENT Without giving away too much of the plot - a plot I thought was cleverly managed and one that kept me reading avidly - I think it's worth noting that the novel's title isn't the most enlightening. Anyone coming to this expecting an Agatha Christie-style country house (Italian castle?) murder maybe isn't getting what they thought. I don't think anyone would be disappointed, but it's best to come to the book without preconceptions of genre and be pleasantly surprised. Evelyn is mercurial; at one moment all smiles and happiness, lavishing affection on Constance and at another, questioning everything Constance does. William is a taciturn charge who puts up with her ministering to him but seems wary of everyone around him.The author does a brilliant job of creating a haunting atmosphere where neither Constance nor the reader are sure what is happening and who is behind it. Evelyn and Roberto seem welcoming but are completely wrapped up in each other leaving Evelyn’s daughter Nora to occupy herself for most of the time. William was making good progress after his illness but then mysteriously begins to worsen and Constance appears to be responsible for this. Evelyn starts to develop a relationship with William as she cares for him but then a strange atmosphere develops in the castle and after a while William’s health declines further despite an initial improvement. When the villa’s owner is found dead in an ancient Etruscan tomb, Rita begins to wonder if something even more sinister is afoot. Plunging into an investigation filled with star-crossed lovers, bitter professional rivalries, long-buried secrets, and fabulous food, Rita finds that Italy never loses its ability to amaze.

The winner is responsible for ensuring they are able to accept the prize as set out and in accordance with these terms and conditions, in the event they are unable to do so then the Promoter reserves the right to redraw the prize. This was an enjoyable and compelling read with some interesting characters giving the reader a lot to ponder when thinking about motivation.There seems to be some sort of darkness hanging over the household and Connie is both drawn to them as well as feeling repelled by what is happening in the castle. She fears that she is losing her mind but gets little help from her employers who seem completely obsessed with each other and the local expat community. A wonderful, atmospheric thriller with a cast of glamorous villains. I love Rachel Rhys and this is her best yet VERONICA HENRY The book is set in 1927, with the growth of Fascism in Italy. When Connie gets to the castle, she finds an odd setup. The niece of the ailing man by marriage is the one who is in charge of the daily running of the household. She is charming, as is her chauvinist husband (when he wants to be). There is a neglected young girl wandering the castle, and the housekeeper has her own history with the place. Amidst all this, Connie is trying to build a new life. She keeps having a see-saw of highs and lows with regard to how she feels about everything around her.

So the title is misleading, this is not a thriller, not a crime novel. More a mystery suspense story in the vein of Mary Stewart or Daphne du Maurier. A strong sense of unease permeates the castle, something is not quite right – is Constance ill, vulnerable, suffering from exhaustion, or is there evil at work.What dawned on me as I was reading Murder Under the Tuscan Sun was that it reminded me of an Agatha Christie thriller, both in plot and the characters. There is the older Uncle, rich, an art expert, widowed and currently unwell. Then there is his niece Evelyn, young, beautiful, a social butterfly and newly married to the handsome Roberto. Evelyn’s eight year old daughter, who is awkward and neglected by her mother and Alina, the housekeeper who seems to have the weight of the world on her shoulders. Into this disfunctional family comes Constance Bowen, employed as a companion to William North, the Uncle. Consance is looking to spread her wings after the death of her husband and daughter but instead of flourishing under the Tuscan sun she seems to loose sight of herself, hearing noises, seeing things and starts to question her own sanity. This wonderful and eclectic cast of characters are not who they first seem. The community of locals and ex-pats is populated with a collection of likeable and objectionable characters. When spooky things start to happen – mysterious music at night, the vision of a disappearing child dressed in white – which only Constance witnesses, I wanted to shout ‘leave now.’ The story is told in its entirety from Constance’s point of view. Her confusion at what she sees and experiences, and her inability or unwillingness to challenge anyone, becomes repetitive until her son James arrives and asks difficult questions of his mother. I enjoyed the time period that it was written in. It's not a time or a country that I have read much about, so it was interesting from that point of view (although I must note here that the story was focused on a character working in another country and so there was only a little political detail). Written as a first person narrative, the story is told by Constance Bowen, a woman whose husband has recently died. A woman with nursing experience during the war, and with suffragette sympathies, Constance’s marriage was not a loving one and the loss of her daughter, leaving her with only her son James, now in his early 20’s, has left her looking for something to do with her life. This was my first Rita Calabrese story and I have to say it won't be my last. I love her descriptions of cooking the food and the recipes at the end are definitely something I want to try! And the explanation of the Italian words was a great start to help me and other readers understand what some of the characters were talking about without a full English explanation to slow down the story.

In a remove castle high up in the Tuscan hills secrets are simmering among its glamorous English residents: With a second honeymoon and upcoming nuptials as a setting, relationships prove the key to this fifth Rita Calabrese Mystery. The lengths people go to to keep a family together, secrets kept and revealed, and the decisions that cement relationships, for good or bad, all play a part. By entering, any subsequent prize winners agree to allow the free use of their names, photographs and general locations for publicity and news purposes during this and future promotions by the Promoter or any associated or subsidiary company of News Corp UK & Ireland Limited.

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It is not a difficult read, but it is very well done, be it the descriptions of the landscape and weather or the odd events that keep happening, with great pacing and the mounting sense of something amiss. It held my attention from start to finish. There is a dark side to life at the Castello. Evelyn’s neglect of her young daughter Nora horrifies Connie. Women and girls accused of witchcraft were murdered at a nearby beauty spot, so when she hears unearthly music in the dead of night she fears supernatural influences. When William’s recovery goes into reverse, Connie begins to doubt herself. Has she suffered lapses of memory? Will she be accused of trying to murder the man she has learned to care for? Connie lives in Pinner with her adult son , James; grieving the loss of her daughter and recently widowed, she decides to apply for a job in Tuscany caring for invalid, William, who has suffered a cerebral haemorrhage. From the outset, the welcome she receives and the interactions with the castle’s occupants are deeply unsettling. Things happen which cannot be explained and Constance finds that though she knows perfectly well that she is competent, nevertheless she begins to lose any confidence she has as strange occurrences, disappearances and odd happenings all seem to undermine her judgement. The writing was good. It was descriptive and gave you a well rounded picture of what was going on. There were lots of different ways that the story could have gone and so the ending for me was a surprise!