Publisher's summary

Marvellously atmospheric tale of strangers summoned to a grand but neglected villa on the Italian coast. Each of them has been named in a will, but nobody knows their benefactress....

Four very different people are named in a will. Delia, an opera singer robbed of her voice by illness; George, an idealistic scientist who cannot face what his skills have created; Marjorie, desperately poor and unable to dislodge her writer’s block; and Lucius, ostensibly in control but whose personal life is in chaos. All are summoned to the Villa Dante, home of the late Beatrice Malaspina. But who was she?

While they wait to find out, the villa begins to work its seductive magic. With its faded frescoes, overgrown garden, and magnificent mediaeval tower, it is unlike anywhere they have been before.

Slowly four characters who have gone to great lengths to hide their troubles find that change - and even hope - is possible after all. But the mysterious Beatrice has a devastating secret to reveal that will affect them all....

A beautiful evocation of Italy in the aftermath of World War Two and the personal consequences of living through such a time and a celebration of humankind’s ability to heal and learn to love again, this most absorbing novel will win Elizabeth Edmondson a host of new fans.

©2006 Elizabeth Edmondson (P)2015 Audible, Ltd

What listeners say about Villa in Italy

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Story
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A gentle mystery.

I was having a bad week. I listened to this book and, as corny as it sounds, it lifted my spirits. This book is not what I'd consider 'high art' or a classic but it's wonderfully evocative and a good escape. If I had to pick one word it would be 'soothing' and I'll be listening to it again.

This is a slow building story with the first 2/3 of the book fleshing out the characters, their backstories and the villa itself. The main characters are very likable, even the often irritating Marjorie, and you really get a sense of their burdens and how the villa and its inhabitants help them 'come alive' again. The visitors are mostly unlikable and come off as shallow and selfish, which is a nice contrast to the main players. However, on getting to know them a little better as the story unfolds they're actually OK (Theo & Felicity)... except Richie; he's a jerk. The last 1/3 has the reveals coming thick and fast (but it's not hard to guess them). Relationships are revealed, mended, ended and cemented and everything is wrapped up nicely. I came away from this book feeling a lighter and happier.

Excellent narration. With so many characters, it would be easy for the listener to become confused but Nicolette McKenzie has given them each a unique voice. I think I'll try one of the other Elizabeth Edmondson books she's narrated, maybe Villa on the Riviera.

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81 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Disappointed

What disappointed you about Villa in Italy?

The mystery was unique and intriguing but, I didn't appreciate the over-emphasis on sex and sexual relations with in the story.

What about Nicolette McKenzie’s performance did you like?

Nicolette did a fantastic job reading this story.

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52 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Everything I look for in a book

I loved everything about this book: plot, characters, setting, time period, and references. It was completely engrossing and a wonderful mystery that kept me guessing through most of the book. I listened to half of it in the car and then my trip was over, so I bought the Kindle version and read the rest of it because I couldn't "put it down."

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38 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A rewarding confection

What did you love best about Villa in Italy?

It was a very sweet, positive story that felt like a relaxing escape. Be warned, it doesn't introduce the reader to many Italian characters or settings-most of the story take place at the titular Italian Villa with a cast of English characters, so don't expect a trot through Italian culture. But the characters were engaging (at first I found them generic, but a few chapters in they begin to deepen until, by the end, I hated to leave them) and the premise of spending unhampered days at a villa exploring its secret spaces and getting to know the interesting strangers unfolds very pleasantly. A the center is a light mystery that drives the characters together and toward some important realizations. There are definitely some unrealistic plot contrivances in here, but they helped keep the story moving and uplifting (no bogging down in real life obstacles). A nice, classier-than normal beach read!

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31 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Ditched it three hours in

I will stubbornly hang onto the worst audio books but I just could not finish this one. Beyond boring and the narration is awful. It took me a bit to understand that Jessica and Delia were actually women in their 20's as the narrator reads them like old women. Would have been hard to distinguish which character was speaking had it not been followed by phrases such "Delia said" or "Marjorie exclaimed" as they all sounded alike. While I love a languid, slow story that gently unfolds this is just unbearably tedious beyond words. At least I wasted only a half credit (one of those buy two for one credit sales)

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25 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved this book!

Great suspenseful story! I loved all the references to Dante, mythology, operas and quotes from literature and the descriptions of the art.
I could imagine being there!
My only complaint was that most of the characters were young and the narrator had an "old" voice.

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21 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Confusion at the Villa!

I was disappointed in the story content. Too many characters and not a believable plot. The narrators were ok,however, it was too lengthy to keep them all straight. Sorry☹️

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Narration was THE MOST ANNOYING EVER

The characters were young but the narrator sounded as if she either had just gotten over a severe case of bronchitis or was a scotch swilling, cigarette smoking old lady. Could have been my ex mother in law. Was really hard to make myself listen to her licking her lips half way through a sentence. I will not buy an audiobook that she narrates. Bleghhhhhh Made an otherwise nice little book most unbearable

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Very slow

Not riveting. I found The first 6 hours quite boring with no significant plot to speak of. The mystery unravels in the last hour; soap-operesque. Good if you'd like a stress-less , non-violent mystery that won't get your heart pulsating before bed

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Love this author!

Great story. Captivating plot and characters. Deftly told, detail revealed in tantalizing method. Interesting story construction.

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10 people found this helpful