
The Last Letters from Villa Clara
A moving and sweeping story of love, betrayal and sacrifice
Sarah Steele(Author)
Headline Review (Publisher)
Published on 13. March 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
432 pages
978-1-0354-1302-7 (ISBN)
Description
'A well-written and fascinating narrative about love and loss, courage and betrayal, the past and secrets, art and reproductions' Reader review, ? ? ? ? ?
'This is certainly a wow of a read . . . interesting, insightful, suspenseful' Reader review, ? ? ? ? ?
CAN THE SEARCH FOR A WARTIME SECRET UNLOCK HER FUTURE?
1939. Europe is on the brink of change and in the fear and chaos of pre-war Italy, a painting disappears and is never seen again.
1963. London is on the cusp of change in the swinging 60s. Nightclubs and exclusive parties are in their heyday, as are the art thieves of the East End underworld. But when a lowly boarding-house landlady attempts to take on the upper-crust establishment, and is accused of spying for the Russians, she can save only one thing - her reputation, or the love of her life.
1989. Phoebe Cato is on the verge of losing everything she cares about: her labour of love, the struggling Cato Museum that houses Bruce Cato's collection of masterful reproductions, and worse than that, her beloved uncle Bruce himself. With only months to live, Phoebe may not be able to save Bruce's life, but little does she know that he had planned on saving hers all along.
Following Bruce's final trail of clues, hidden in a series of paintings, Phoebe embarks on a journey to uncover a long-held family secret and a sweeping love story that encompassed the decades . . .
The moving and captivating new novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Schoolteacher of Saint Michel sweeps us from an Italy simmering on the brink of war through to 1960s London at a time of shadows and Russian spies, taking us on an extraordinary journey of love, courage and betrayal. Perfect for fans of Natasha Lester, Fiona Valpy and Santa Montefiore.
'This is certainly a wow of a read . . . interesting, insightful, suspenseful' Reader review, ? ? ? ? ?
CAN THE SEARCH FOR A WARTIME SECRET UNLOCK HER FUTURE?
1939. Europe is on the brink of change and in the fear and chaos of pre-war Italy, a painting disappears and is never seen again.
1963. London is on the cusp of change in the swinging 60s. Nightclubs and exclusive parties are in their heyday, as are the art thieves of the East End underworld. But when a lowly boarding-house landlady attempts to take on the upper-crust establishment, and is accused of spying for the Russians, she can save only one thing - her reputation, or the love of her life.
1989. Phoebe Cato is on the verge of losing everything she cares about: her labour of love, the struggling Cato Museum that houses Bruce Cato's collection of masterful reproductions, and worse than that, her beloved uncle Bruce himself. With only months to live, Phoebe may not be able to save Bruce's life, but little does she know that he had planned on saving hers all along.
Following Bruce's final trail of clues, hidden in a series of paintings, Phoebe embarks on a journey to uncover a long-held family secret and a sweeping love story that encompassed the decades . . .
The moving and captivating new novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Schoolteacher of Saint Michel sweeps us from an Italy simmering on the brink of war through to 1960s London at a time of shadows and Russian spies, taking us on an extraordinary journey of love, courage and betrayal. Perfect for fans of Natasha Lester, Fiona Valpy and Santa Montefiore.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Headline Publishing Group
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 129 mm
Width: 198 mm
Thickness: 30 mm
Weight
298 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-0354-1302-7 (9781035413027)
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

Sarah Steele
The Last Letters from Villa Clara
A moving and sweeping story of love, betrayal and sacrifice
E-Book
12/2024
Review
€2.99
Available for download
Person
Sarah Steele trained as a classical pianist and violinist before joining the world of publishing as an editorial assistant at Hodder and Stoughton. She was for many years a freelance editor, and now lives in the vibrant Gloucestershire town of Stroud.