The Tuscan Contessa - by Dinah Jefferies (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

ONE WAR. TWO WOMEN. WILL THEY BE ABLE TO SAVE THE ONES THEY LOVE?

A sweeping new novel from the number one Sunday Times bestselling author of The Tea Planter's Wife

In 1943, Contessa Sofia de' Corsi's peaceful Tuscan villa among the olive groves is upturned by the sudden arrival of German soldiers. Desperate to fight back, she agrees to shelter a wounded British radio engineer in her home, keeping him hidden from her husband Lorenzo - knowing that she is putting all of their lives at risk.

When Maxine, an Italian-American working for the resistance, arrives on Sofia's doorstep, the pair forge an uneasy alliance. Feisty, independent Maxine promised herself never to fall in love. But when she meets a handsome partisan named Marco, she realizes it's a promise she can't keep...

Before long, the two women find themselves entangled in a dangerous game with the Nazis. Will they be discovered? And will they both be able to save the ones they love?

'Dinah Jefferies has a remarkable gift for conjuring up another time and place with lush descriptions, full of power and intensity' Kate Furnivall

Review Quotes

Praise for the Tea Planter's Wife:

"Love, suspense, guilt, and hidden secrets with an underlying theme of race relations seamlessly blend together in a timeless story of an innocent young Englishwoman struggling to find her place in colonial Ceylon against unexpected circumstances and facing cruel choices."--New York Journal of Books"[A] dramatic tale of jealousy, deceit, secrets and heartbreak. The intrigue and suspense, add a Gothic flair to Jeffries fast-moving plot and the evocative atmosphere along with the realistic characters will captivate readers."--Romance Times Book Review"Spellbinding . . . effortlessly elegant, lushly descriptive . . . Combine this with the vivid, evocative manner in which Jefferies describes the beauty of Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, and the captivating cast of characters she has created, and you have a superbly written novel that readers of historical fiction as well as women's fiction will treasure."--Booklist (starred review)"An engrossing tale of mystery, manners, and prejudice set against the backdrop of Ceylon (current-day Sri Lanka)...Jeffries shows that she can weave a suspenseful tale in which characters' complex motivations converge in surprising ways."--Publishers Weekly"My ideal read; mystery, love heartbreak and joy--I couldn't put it down."--Santa Montefiore, author of The Beekeeper's Daughter "Beautifully written and heartrending, this has a magical setting with a real sense of period."--Katie Fforde, bestselling author of A French Affair "A terrific emotional and atmospheric read."--Elizabeth Buchan, author of Separate Beds "Dinah Jefferies has once again created a gloriously atmospheric and tension-filled novel. Immensely enjoyable, poignant, and compelling."--Isabel Wolff, author of Shadows Over Paradise "I was spellbound from beginning to end."--Deborah Rodriguez, author of A Cup of Friendship "A wonderful book, deeply touching, and an unforgettable read that swept me away. I loved it."--Kate Furnivall, author of The Italian Wife "Vibrant and compelling--Dinah Jefferies perfectly captures the flavour of colonial Ceylon."--Rosanna Ley, author of The Villa "Dark secrets lie at every turn, hidden beneath layers of 1920s racism and the fearfulness of a crumbling colonial power, making for a thoroughly gripping tale."--Liz Trenow, author of The Forgotten

About the Author

Dinah Jefferies was born in Malaysia and moved to England at the age of nine. Her idyllic childhood always held a special place in her imagination, and when she began writing novels in her 60s, she was able to return there - first in her fiction and then on annual research trips for each new novel. Dinah Jefferies is the author of novels, The Separation, The Tea Planter's Wife - a Number One Sunday Times bestseller, The Silk Merchant's Daughter, Before the Rains and The Missing Sister. She lives in Gloucestershire.