PICCADILLY PICKS

THE ITALIAN DAUGHTER

Soraya Lane

Little, Brown Book Group, $37 Soraya tells a story of mystery, love and family set in Italy. Lily is a viticulturist who has been working in a vineyard in New Zealand and is in London on her way to work in a vineyard in Italy. In London she receives a letter to an appointment at a lawyers. Here she learns from the lawyer that her grandmother Estee was an unmarried mother who left behind a box with clues as to Lily’s family history.

Lily travels to Italy to work in the vineyard and with the help of the owners and the owner’s son, Antonio, traces the clues left in the box. This leads to finding out about Estee as a young girl and her childhood friend Felix.

The novel flashes back to Estee and her life to help reveal the history and mystery.

I enjoyed the story and learning about the characters. I wanted to read to the end to see what the outcome was, to see if Lily would find out about her grandmother and whether she would be able to follow her love once she found the truth. An enjoyable light read of intrigue and story of love encompassing generations.

- Robyn Joplin

THE TRAITOR OF COLDITZ

Robert Verkaik Welbeck Publishing, $40 Colditz Castle became the German prison in which some of the most “difficult” allied officer prisoners of war were held during WWII. Post-war histories, biographies and movies have recorded and illustrated the remarkable escape attempts made. So, as a prison largely run under the terms of the Geneva Convention, it is one of the most renowned internment camps not directly connected to the monstrous Nazi system of extermination.

Here, Robert Verkaik has – after extensive research into archives in England, France and Germany and interviews with surviving participants – given new insight into the espionage, counter-espionage, acts of great bravery, loyalty and disloyalty. The cast of characters is huge, inside and outside Colditz.

- Neville Templeton