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The Venice Sketchbook: A Novel Paperback – April 13, 2021
Rhys Bowen (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
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“Rhys Bowen crafts a propulsive, unexpected plot with characters who come vibrantly alive on the page.” ―Mark Sullivan, author of Beneath a Scarlet Sky
Love and secrets collide in Venice during WWII in an enthralling novel of brief encounters and lasting romance by the New York Times bestselling author of The Tuscan Child and Above the Bay of Angels.
Caroline Grant is struggling to accept the end of her marriage when she receives an unexpected bequest. Her beloved great-aunt Lettie leaves her a sketchbook, three keys, and a final whisper…Venice. Caroline’s quest: to scatter Juliet “Lettie” Browning’s ashes in the city she loved and to unlock the mysteries stored away for more than sixty years.
It’s 1938 when art teacher Juliet Browning arrives in romantic Venice. For her students, it’s a wealth of history, art, and beauty. For Juliet, it’s poignant memories and a chance to reconnect with Leonardo Da Rossi, the man she loves whose future is already determined by his noble family. However star-crossed, nothing can come between them. Until the threat of war closes in on Venice and they’re forced to fight, survive, and protect a secret that will bind them forever.
Key by key, Lettie’s life of impossible love, loss, and courage unfolds. It’s one that Caroline can now make right again as her own journey of self-discovery begins.
- Print length411 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateApril 13, 2021
- Dimensions5.5 x 1 x 8.25 inches
- ISBN-10154202711X
- ISBN-13978-1542027113
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Bowen’s vivid storytelling style holds readers enrapt…Bowen has written a tender, poignant story balancing dark and light.” ―Historical Novel Society
“The Venice Sketchbook is that rare book, both epic and personal, and utterly compelling. Two women, decades apart, escape to Venice, each forced to grapple with the influence of world events on her own life. This is a tale brimming with secrets, romance, and possibilities, cast against the colorful setting of irresistible Venice. I was utterly captured.” ―Barbara O’Neal, bestselling author of When We Believed in Mermaids and The Lost Girls of Devon
About the Author
Rhys Bowen is the New York Times bestselling author of more than forty novels, including Above the Bay of Angels, The Victory Garden, The Tuscan Child, and the World War II–based In Farleigh Field, the winner of the Macavity and Left Coast Crime Awards for Best Historical Mystery Novel and the Agatha Award for Best Historical Mystery. Bowen’s work has won twenty honors to date, including multiple Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Awards. Her books have been translated into many languages, and she has fans around the world. A transplanted Brit, Bowen divides her time between California and Arizona. To learn more about the author, visit www.rhysbowen.com.
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Product details
- Publisher : Lake Union Publishing (April 13, 2021)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 411 pages
- ISBN-10 : 154202711X
- ISBN-13 : 978-1542027113
- Item Weight : 14.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.5 x 1 x 8.25 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #3,355 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #81 in World War II Historical Fiction (Books)
- #105 in Women's Divorce Fiction
- #192 in Cozy Mysteries (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Rhys Bowen is the New York Times bestselling author of two historical mystery series as well as the #1Kindle bestseller In Farleigh Field, the international bestseller The Tuscan Child. and three other historical novels--including the newly released THE VENICE SKETCHBOOK. This story takes a young woman to Venice to discover her great aunt's secret life.
In Farleigh Field was nominated for the Edgar Award, won the Agatha award for best historical mystery as well as the MacAvity and Bruce Alexander Memorial Awards.
Rhys was born in Bath, England and educated at London University but now divides her time between California and Arizona. Her books have been nominated for every major mystery award and she has won twenty of them to date, including four Agathas.
She currently writes two historical mystery series, each very different in tone. The Molly Murphy mysteries feature an Irish immigrant woman in turn-of-the-century New York City. These books are multi-layered, complex stories with a strong sense of time and place and have won many awards including Agatha and Anthony. There are 17 books so far in this series plus three Kindle stories, The Amersham Rubies, Through the Window and The Face in the Mirror--a great way to introduce new readers to Molly's spunky personality.
Then there is Lady Georgie, Rhys's latest,and very popular, heroine. She's 35th in line to the throne of England, but she's flat broke and struggling to survive in the Great Depression. These books are lighter and funnier than Molly's adventures. They poke gentle fun at the British class system--about which Rhys knows a lot, having married into an upper class family rather like Georgie's, with cousins with silly nicknames, family ghosts and stately homes. The thirteenth book in the series, Love and Death Among the Cheetahs, was published August 2019. Two books in the series have won the Agatha award for best historical mystery.
The series received the Readers Choice Award for favorite mystery series and Rhys was nominated for career achievement. It was also voted one of Goodreads top 10 cozy mysteries. The books have been translated into many languages and brought Rhys fans from around the world.
Her most recent achievement has been the big World War 2 stand-alone novels, In Farleigh Field and The Tuscan Child as well as The Victory Garden, a novel of WWi and Above the Bay of Angels--a young woman becomes a chef for Queen Victoria. They have enjoyed impressive sales world-wide and brought Rhys many new readers.
As a child Rhys spent time with relatives in Wales. Those childhood experiences colored her first mystery series, about Constable Evans in the mountains of Snowdonia. 10 books including the Edgar nominee Evan's Gate. She has lived in Austria, Germany and Australia, but has called California her home for many years. She now escapes to her home in Arizona during those cold California winters. When she's not writing she loves to travel, sing, hike, paint and play the Celtic harp--and hear from her readers!
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Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2021
Top reviews from the United States
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Rhys Bowen is one of my favorite authors and usually a 5 star read. “The Venice Sketchbook” is a very good cozy, historical mystery but I did have a few issues. There are 2 heroines - Lettie, who’s living in the WW2 time period and Caroline who’s living at the turn of the 21st century. These two women are related, (Lettie is Caroline’s aunt), and both are about the same age with some major life issues in common, unbeknownst to Caroline. Others are sure to regurgitate the storyline so I won’t but know that for the bulk of the book, the two women are the same age, with Caroline seeking to fill in the blanks surrounding the younger years of her beloved aunt’s younger life.
Much of the action takes place in Venice, no surprise there, most during the time of the Great War and some in early 2001+ Bowen’s writing is glorious and atmospheric. I spent 5 days there almost 35 years ago and was ready to sell my house and change jobs; the place is magical! Her descriptive prose will have your senses fully engaged and longing for the days of easy, free international travel.
Emotionally is where I had another issue. Usually Bowen’s characters are well developed and remind me of people I know or are someone I want to know and that’s the case with most of these, with one key exception. For much of this story, in both timelines, I found the character of Caroline to be weak and desperately in need of an infusion of maternal instinct. It was annoying, aggravating and really diminished my reading enjoyment and that made me angry! It segued into an unsatisfying ending and now I’m just sad that one of my favorite authors left me in this mood after waiting a long time anticipating this book.
It’s not a bad book but it’s not Rhys at her best. I’m glad to have read it and had a visit to Venice but IMO, Caroline needs a swift literary kick in the keyster📚
April History Fact or Fiction 2021 #8
This could have been such great book but it's not. If you're expecting a riveting can't put down type of book this is not for you. If you're expecting WWII Resistance story this is not for you. If you are expecting well developed characters and a tug at your heart strings love story this is not for you. If you want slow this is the book. If you want a sudden ending coming out of no where this is the book for you.
I could go on but I won't I just think IMHO that you should skip this book unless you're at the beach and are just looking for something to kill your time.
I do suggest Dragonfly by Leila Meacham or A Fire Sparkling by Julianne Maclean if you're looking for books that you can't put down.
Top reviews from other countries


I deducted one star because of the very abrupt ending. I was leftso disappointed with so many threads left unanswered itseemed to me that another chapter or two would have rounded off the story properly. Such a shame. I hate to be left wondering if the trip to America was successful and a visit back to England was left unexplained



It's a gripping story told at the time of the second world war. Which then flips to present day. The time lines are clear so there are no confusing moments where you're not sure when it is and all the characters have a part to play in the story, good or bad.
Well written and engrossing, this story is one you will fall in love with and will want to read more than once!!.