Author: Hannah Mary McKinnon
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Date Published: June 16, 2022
Il Mandrino is an exclusive vacation spot conceptualized by Leah’s brother-in-law, and nestled on the shores of Lake Garda, Italy. It’s also the place where her niece, Amy, met her untimely death, taking a boat out on the lake at night. Everyone said it was an accident.
Was it?
Leah proceeds to ruffle many feathers when she attempts to find out the truth. There are many things that don’t add up, and the closer to the truth she gets, the more in danger she is. Why does everyone, including her other niece, Olivia, refuse to talk about Amy’s death? What happened to the bartender who might have been privy to Amy’s last moments? Why does she feel threatened by her brother-in-law and what’s up with her sister, who seems to be isolating herself with migraines?
In a parallel story, we have Joanna, who is in England, and recovering from a breakup. When she meets the friendly and good-looking Nate, she feels seen. But after he’s involved in an accident, she feels sorry for him and impulsively offers to look after him at her place…. not stopping to consider that she barely knows him!
Helen Cooper deftly ties the two narratives together to create a beautifully written and suspenseful book about the consequences of family loyalty, misperceptions, and secrets.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for a reader’s copy for review.
Book Cravings 