Murder Under the Tuscan Sun: A gripping classic suspense novel in the tradition of Agatha Christie set in a remote Tuscan castle

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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 would like to thank Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for an advance copy of Murder Under the Tuscan Sun, a stand-alone thriller mostly set in Tuscany in 1927.

In a remove castle high up in the Tuscan hills secrets are simmering among its glamorous English residents: They are often set in a quintessentially English setting, such as the (imagined) chocolate box village of St Mary's Mead where Miss Marple kept a beady eye out for trouble, or the luxury Coopers Chase retirement home of Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club series. 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. 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!Rachel Rhys is in a league of her own, creating compelling, engrossing historical mysteries that grip readers by the throat every single time LISA JEWELL I thoroughly enjoyed Murder Under the Tuscan Sun, which tells a compelling story of life in an unsettling household. It is told from Connie’s point of view so all the events are viewed from her perspective. This is good as the reader gets to understand her mindset as she gets more and more unsure of her own mental state, the way her confidence starts to falter and the creeping sense of dread and fear that slowly overcome her. It is a genuinely unsettling read as her narrative offers no explanations for all the strange events until the denouement. It is cleverly done. The reader can take a more objective view of events and perhaps guess some of it, but probably not the full, glorious plot behind it all. There are surprises throughout the book, many twists, and turns and of course lots of suspects as well as clues or red herrings. The solving of the murder of the host leads you down several paths with numerous suspects, and the final reveal is surprising and unexpected. Rita must be very smart and intuitive to have put it all together! 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. I loved this book and read it in virtually one sitting. It has everything. Interesting characters, a beautiful setting described in perfect detail, intrigue and a giant dog called Solomon. Wonderful!

Rachel Rhys has created a powerful and nuanced character in Connie. She is forty-nine years old, a tall, strong suffragette with nursing experience gained during WW1. It takes time for her to settle into being a paid servant. William North, the art expert she is employed to watch over while he recovers from a cerebral haemorrhage, is younger than she expected. The friendship of his charming niece Evelyn is unreliable, and Evelyn’s handsome husband Roberto is an unsettling influence. Gradually Connie becomes accustomed to their ways, while the warm sunshine and the lush landscape of Tuscany revive her spirit and reawaken her latent sexuality. William North is a respected art connoisseur who has suffered a brain injury and needs assistance. He resides in the castle with his niece Evelyn Manetti, her husband Roberto and Nora, her young daughter from a previous relationship. As Connie settles into her new routine, the setting of the castle and the surrounding countryside come alive. The reader gets a real sense for the food, the climate, the architecture and the artworks. She explores the castle and its grounds but Connie just can’t shake off the feeling that there is a lot left unspoken and that the residents are all hiding something. Connie and William do not get off to a good start.He views her with disdain and I suppose this was because he was suffering but felt he didn’t need someone to look after him rather that he craved the independence that he once had. William is not old and decrepit but in fact is only in his mid 50’s. He has suffered tragedy in his life having lost his wife and son. He is brusque and offhand with Connie and she feels she can’t do anything right but she persists in assisting him through keeping him company, reading to him, writing correspondence and administering medication as recommended by the visiting doctor. We first join the story in 1946, when an unknown character is returning to the castle near Florence. I was immediately drawn into the atmospheric description of the castle, with its crumbling stone dragons, left devastated after occupation by German soldiers. Something terrible obviously happened here, but what? These terms and conditions apply to all competitions (unless and to the extent that) the competition states otherwise.

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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. 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. I have read previous books by Rachel Rhys and “Murder Under the Tuscan Sun”is definitely every bit as good as her earlier novels. I raced through it in a couple of days and recommend it to lovers of atmospheric historical mysteries with beautiful settings.

The winners will be selected at random from all valid entries for this competition received before the Closing Date. Not that Constance has any designs on her wealthy employer. Though after a year as a widow and many more since she had a proper relationship with her late husband, it’s difficult not to be attracted. Even in illness William is an imposing, handsome figure. But Constance has travelled alone to Italy to be his companion and nothing more. The writing is briskly paced and she really does do the unsettling elements very well indeed. So much so that you begin to question Constance’s reliability as a narrator when she cannot seem to remember whether she has been following instructions as they were given or not. was fascinating to watch her relationship with the inhabitants of the castle grow, particularly with William and his niece, Nora. William’s health is failing and it is unclear how long he might have left. It is also clear to see that, at first, he doesn’t welcome Connie being there at all. Nora was a character, who I also felt for, particularly as her mother, Roberto seemed to be far more concerned about Nora’s looks and how they could be improved. I could really sense Nora’s growing attachment to Connie, and I was glad that Connie was there to look out for Nora, whose character really shines in this book. 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.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.