Last Train from Liguria

A sweeping tale of consequences spanning the 1930s to the 1990s, moving between fascist Italy and modern Ireland In 1933, Bella Stuart leaves her quiet London life to move to Italy to tutor the child of a beautiful Jewish heiress and an elderly Italian aristocrat. Living at the family's summer home, Bella's reserve softens as she comes to love her young charge, and find friendship with Maestro Edward, his enigmatic music teacher. But as the decade draws to an end and fascism tightens its grip on Europe, the fact that Alec is Jewish places his life in grave danger. Bella and Edward take the boy on a terrifying train journey out of Italy--one they have no reason to believe any of them will survive.

Christine Dwyer Hickey is the author of Tatty, which was longlisted for the Orange Prize and shortlisted for the Hughes & Hughes Irish Novel of the Year. She was also a prize-winner in the Observer/Penguin short story competition.