The Venice Sketchbook by Rhys Bowen

Set in two time lines a few decades apart the story of Juliet and now her grand niece Caroline is a beautiful one. Caroline is just discovering that her marriage has fallen apart, and above all her husband in New York has no intentions it seems of sending her son back to her. On top of it all, her grand aunt Juliet dies, and on her deathbed mutters a most cryptic message for her. Knowing that she has to follow up on this beloved Aunt's instructions, Caroline sets off on a mission to throw her Aunt's ashes in the canals of Venice and armed with three keys and no idea at all to what they belong. The story set in 1938 Venice, just before the Nazi invasion of Europe shows the prim and proper Julet that Caroline knew to be someone else totally. Unravelling a story of passion, a child born out of wedlock, work for the British Resistance and incarceration in a Nazi camp reveal a part of Juliet that no one knew or could ever imagine. An intensely private person in England no one could ever imagine such a varied and interesting life had been spent in Europe as a young woman. Caroline is left to follow very vague clues and this she does and finds peace for herself as well. WWII background once again, stunning characterization, descriptive of Venice (you want to go there asap) and a lot of history very well told. A winner all around. Sent by Lake Union Publishing for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.