The Florence Sisters
Published on 24. April 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
368 pages
978-0-00-864052-1 (ISBN)
Description
'Beautiful...Tessa Harris has made me appreciate historical novels in a way that I haven't in quite some time' ?????
'Oh my goodness...this book was so unputdownable...will never be forgotten' ?????
'A suspenseful novel of bravery and determination...highly recommended' ?????
***
A war-torn city. A stolen masterpiece. Two lives in the balance...
Italy, 1940. With Florence on the cusp of war, Il Scorpione, the no-nonsense Englishwomen of the city, find their genteel livelihoods under grave threat by the approach of the Nazis. Tea rooms and bookshops are closed by the Fascists, and the women are forced to join the war effort.
Desperate to help in any way that she can, Angelina Leone, expert art-historian and the half-Italian niece of Il Scorpione's founder makes a deal with the devil. To guarantee her beloved Aunt Agatha, the only family she has, safe passage across the city, Lina must authenticate the art ruthlessly stolen from Jewish families. But when she comes across a priceless portrait - one that she cannot bear to see seized by the Germans - Lina declares the masterpiece a fake. But in doing so, will she set off a chain of events with consequences more deadly than she could ever imagine ...
Readers have been swept away by Tessa Harris:
'Richly told ... a must for all fans of WW2 fiction' MANDY ROBOTHAM
'A really well researched novel with a dramatic ending' ?????
'An absolute masterpiece' ?????
'A thrilling chase across war-torn Florence' SARAH STEELE
'An amazing and sentimental look at one Englishwoman's war in Italy' ?????
'A thrilling story, full of heart in mouth moments' THERESA HOWES
'Oh my goodness...this book was so unputdownable...will never be forgotten' ?????
'A suspenseful novel of bravery and determination...highly recommended' ?????
***
A war-torn city. A stolen masterpiece. Two lives in the balance...
Italy, 1940. With Florence on the cusp of war, Il Scorpione, the no-nonsense Englishwomen of the city, find their genteel livelihoods under grave threat by the approach of the Nazis. Tea rooms and bookshops are closed by the Fascists, and the women are forced to join the war effort.
Desperate to help in any way that she can, Angelina Leone, expert art-historian and the half-Italian niece of Il Scorpione's founder makes a deal with the devil. To guarantee her beloved Aunt Agatha, the only family she has, safe passage across the city, Lina must authenticate the art ruthlessly stolen from Jewish families. But when she comes across a priceless portrait - one that she cannot bear to see seized by the Germans - Lina declares the masterpiece a fake. But in doing so, will she set off a chain of events with consequences more deadly than she could ever imagine ...
Readers have been swept away by Tessa Harris:
'Richly told ... a must for all fans of WW2 fiction' MANDY ROBOTHAM
'A really well researched novel with a dramatic ending' ?????
'An absolute masterpiece' ?????
'A thrilling chase across war-torn Florence' SARAH STEELE
'An amazing and sentimental look at one Englishwoman's war in Italy' ?????
'A thrilling story, full of heart in mouth moments' THERESA HOWES
Reviews / Votes
Praise for The Florence Sisters:'A riveting read, with a wonderful cast of characters. Tessa depicts wartime Florence with such loving detail, I felt as if I was actually there. The story of those who risked everything to save the artworks is absolutely gripping, while the thwarted romance had me rooting for the lovers at every turn. It's a thrilling story, full of heart in mouth moments' THERESA HOWES
'This slick, sophisticated unforgettable love story, set in Florence, had me completely gripped. I couldn't put it down. Fast paced, moving and brilliantly researched. You are drawn immediately into the sinister world of Italy on the cusp of war. Five star read' CAROLINE MONTAGUE
'A Room with a View meets The Monument Men in this thrilling chase across war-torn Florence' SARAH STEELE
'Based on real events, this is a suspenseful novel of bravery and determination in the face of Nazi greed. Tessa Harris gives us a world of heightened passions - the beauty of art, a constant sense of danger, and a desperate romance that simmers beneath it all. Highly recommended' DEBORAH SWIFT
'Intrigue and drama on every page - just when you think the stakes can't get any higher or the action more intense, they do! Fabulous' KATHLEEN McGURL
'A heart-pounding and unforgettable tale...not to be missed!' YORKSHIRE EVENING POST
Praise for Tessa Harris:
'I was swept away by this heart-rending, gripping page-turner set in beautiful Tuscany. A must-read for fans of World War Two fiction' ANNIE LYONS
'The beauty of the Italian countryside is a stunning backdrop for an ugly war of betrayal, cruelty and love, richly told here by Tessa Harris. A must for all fans of WW2 fiction' MANDY ROBOTHAM
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
HarperCollins Publishers
Product notice
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 199 mm
Width: 132 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight
254 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-00-864052-1 (9780008640521)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
TESSA HARRIS read History at Oxford University and has been a journalist, writing for several national newspapers and magazines for more than thirty years. She is the author of nine published historical novels. Her debut, The Anatomist's Apprentice, won the Romantic Times First Best Mystery Award 2012 in the US. She lectures in creative writing at Hawkwood College, Stroud and is married with two children. She lives in the Cotswolds.
Facebook: Tessa Harris Author
Twitter:@harris_tessa
www.tessaharrisauthor.com
Facebook: Tessa Harris Author
Twitter:@harris_tessa
www.tessaharrisauthor.com