Once Night Falls
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Amazon Publishing
Published:1st Dec '19
Should be back in stock very soon
A harrowing historical novel of the extraordinary acts of ordinary people in Nazi-occupied Italy.
Italy, 1943. Luca Benedetto has joined the partisans in their fight against the German troops ravaging the shores of his town on Lake Como. While risking his life to free his country, Luca is also struggling to protect Sarah, his Jewish lover who’s hiding in a mountain cabin. As the violent Nazi occupation intensifies, Luca and Sarah fear for more than their own lives.
In the heart of their village, their mothers have also found themselves vulnerable to the encroaching Nazis. But Luca’s mother, undeterred, is devising her own revenge on the occupiers. With Mussolini deposed and Allied armies fighting their way up the peninsula, the fate of Italy hangs in the balance, and the people of Lake Como must decide how much they’re prepared to sacrifice for family, friends, and the country they love.
The most trying of times will create the most unexpected heroes and incredible acts of courage in this stirring narrative as seen through the eyes of those devastated by war-torn Italy.
“A gripping story conveyed through brief yet deeply personal vignettes that shine like the facets of a gem. Merullo’s prose is beautifully refined; the characters interweave in complex and surprising ways. This is one of the most original and fascinating historical novels I’ve read in a long time.” —Olivia Hawker, bestselling author of The Ragged Edge of Night
“Merullo’s colorful characters are believable, sympathetic, and well developed. The short chapters rotate quickly between characters and scenes and are so tense it’s impossible not to keep reading, whilst leaving an ending that begs a sequel. Kudos to Mr. Merullo for writing this fine book.” —Flora J. Solomon, bestselling author of A Pledge of Silence and Along the Broken Bay
“Chock-full of characters that leap off the page, and laced with intrigue, Once Night Falls is a hard book to put down. Set in wartime Italy, it depicts how the war affected everyone, from the peasants trying to get by to the partisans resisting the cruel Nazi regime, to the leader of the Italian fascists—Il Duce himself.” —Eoin Dempsey, bestselling author of White Rose, Black Forest
“History is woven creatively into a story about oppression, disruption, and perseverance in northern Italy during WWII. Highly recommended to gain understanding of these times through absorbing characters and their plight, as well as insight into those obsessed with power.” —Gemma Liviero, historical fiction author
ISBN: 9781542007429
Dimensions: 213mm x 137mm x 25mm
Weight: 363g
366 pages