Hudson College Professor Rose Asher’s focus is renaissance poetry so when one of her students, Robin Weiss, tells her of a discovery of a sonnet that could uncover the truth behind Shakespeare’s Dark Lady she is intrigued. Rose plans to meet with Robin to discuss this but before she can do so Robin has fallen to his death from a balcony. Was he pushed? Was it suicide?
There were many who saw Robin fall, including Rose’s lover and college president, Mark Abrams, but while Rose feels a complete sense of loss it seems that everyone else just wants the hush up what happened and move on to La Civetta, a villa in Tuscany where filming is about to start based on Robin’s play.
Rose decides to go to La Civetta where she once studied 20 years ago. She is hesitant to revisit it but she feels like must learn the truth behind the poems for Robin’s sake. La Civetta seems like a faraway place in the Italian countryside. Boasting lush gardens and colorful tapestries La Civetta would seem like the perfect retreat from the world but for Rose it brings back memories of her doomed affair with Bruno Brunelli, whom she will encounter once again.
La Civetta is hardly a peaceful place as all the characters seem to have hidden agendas and no one is free from suspicion. There has been a gross abuse of power in the villa’s history and Rose will uncover secrets from the past that will have grave consequences on all of those around her.
Carol Goodman has a wonderful sense for description and I’ve found her previous works to be equally atmospheric and moody, taking the reader to faraway places. With The Sonnet Lover she seems to going more in the direction of romantic suspense. I thought the mystery angle itself was a bit weak but I still enjoyed reading this book and no doubt I will be in line for her next book.
Added 07/07