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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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. I love Rachel Rhys and this is her best yet ― VERONICA HENRY --This text refers to the paperback edition. Life has already been tough so she isn't going to shrink at Fascists, gold-diggers, a cantankerous charge, unpleasant social situations or the eerie music that fills the corridors of the castle at night.

The setting was stunning and gave me wanderlust for the beautiful city of Florence, the heat and the architecture.But there are secrets just below the surface in the castle… Is Constance losing her mind, or is there real danger in the idyllic Tuscan hills? Instead, Rachel Rhys has woven a wonderful tapestry of a mystery with such subtle incidents occurring that bit by bit a twisted story starts to emerge. I knew that Rhys was excellent at writing complex and interesting characters plus simmering tension, but 'Murder under the Tuscan Sun' proved to be even more nuanced, compelling and moving than I'd hoped.

As Connie settles into her new routine, the setting of the castle and the surrounding countryside come alive. The central portion of the novel builds up the suspense as Constance is wracked with self-doubt but this is interleaved with rich descriptions of life in the Tuscan countryside, together with the opulent and slightly decadent parties of the rich. The heart of the novel though is set in the spring and summer of 1927, with Europe still reeling from a war that ended only nine years ago, a Britain that had just the previous year had a general strike and an Italy dividend between those with communist sympathies and a rising Black shirts fascist movement. As a fan of mysteries set in the past, think Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh this definitely appealed to me. Written as a first person narrative, the story is told by Constance Bowen, a woman whose husband has recently died.Murder Under the Tuscan Sun’ by Rachel Rhys is set in an exquisitely beautiful place and the change of scenery is exactly what Constance believes she needs. I never guessed as to who was the culprit and the reasons for it and I found myself racing through the final few chapters as things came to a head. I devoured this book in a few sittings and it strongly reminded me of the golden age crime from the period.

Also living in the castle is Nora, Evelyn's child by her first husband - who seems to be mainly an inconvenience to her mother now Evelyn is caught up with her new man. 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. Against her son’s wishes, widow Constance Bowen travels to Tuscany to take a job as companion to an ill English gentleman in the Castello di Roccia Nera just outside Florence. Rachel's latest novel, Murder Under the Tuscan Sun is once again superb historical suspense crime, this time with an irresistible Italian 1920s setting. It's a beguiling mix of so many fabulous ingredients - not least the fascinating historical moment, sumptuous travel writing, a strong female lead, buckets of tension and trickery, plus a hint of the supernatural.

Rachel Rhys conjures up a time of immense change and yet still captures the timeless beauty of Tuscany, and particularly Florence. I never thought Connie was losing her mind but rather that there were sinister forces at work and this led to a feeling of mistrust regarding every character. Constance is enjoying looking after William and Nora Evelyn's lonely young daughter but as William's health starts to get decidedly worse and the strange things happening take a more sinister turn Constance starts to get suspicious about whatever is going on. Those who have read the book will understand when I say that I also loved Alina's story, the glamorous parties and the fabulous ending of the novel. 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.

When she notices an advertisement for an ‘invalid’s companion’ in an English household near Florence, she applies ‘on a whim’. The city of Florence is also described with such authenticity and colour that I could imagine I was walking the streets along with Connie. The castle is deliciously creepy with noises in the night, ghosts and strange goings on along with a not so dippy spoilt Evelyn and her Fascist husband Roberto who seem intent on spending all of William's money. With strong characterization throughout, I found myself rooting for Connie and felt for her as her mental state deteriorated as events unfolded. The story focuses on Connie Bowen, an English widow who - against her son's wishes - seizes the opportunity to travel to Tuscany to be a companion for William North, an ailing man living in an art-filled castle.Rhys creates a vivid set of characters in and around this castle with some pretty loathsome characters, some pretty gruesome expat behaviour and a decidedly off kilter existence that overshadows everything that happens in this Tuscan idyll.