The Italian Party

A Novel

By: Christina Lynch

Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini

The Italian Party by Christina Lynch is a delicious and sharply funny audiobook about “innocent” Americans abroad in 1950s Siena.

Newly married, Scottie and Michael are seduced by Tuscany's famous beauty. But the secrets they are keeping from each other force them beneath the splendid surface to a more complex view of ltaly, America, and each other.

When Scottie’s Italian teacher - a teenager with secrets of his own - disappears, her search for him leads her to discover other, darker truths about herself, her husband, and her country. Michael’s dedication to saving the world from communism crumbles as he begins to see that he is a pawn in a much different game. Driven apart by lies, Michael and Scottie must find their way through a maze of history, memory, hate, and love to a new kind of complicated truth.

Half glamorous fun, half an examination of America's role in the world, and filled with sun-dappled pasta lunches, prosecco, charming spies, and horse racing, The Italian Party is a smart pleasure to listen to.

©2018 Christina Lynch (P)2018 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"Tremendous fun! Wives with big secrets, husbands with bigger ones, swirling around a 1950s Siena teeming with seduction and spycraft." (Chris Pavone, New York Times best-selling author of The Travelers and The Expats)

"The story plays like a confectionery Hollywood romance with some deeper notes reminiscent of John le Carré and Henry James. Scottie is a resilient main character who might have been played by Grace Kelly or Audrey Hepburn in a 1950s movie adaptation of this entertainingly subversive take on that seemingly innocent period." (Publishers Weekly)

“Set in Siena in 1956, this debut novel is a spy thriller, comedy of manners, and valentine to Italy, spiked with forbidden sex and political skulduggery [...] The ending is unexpected, with the author displaying a sophisticated, nuanced view of love and marriage that feels very modern. Or maybe it's just Italian.” (Kirkus Reviews)

A look at gray areas of some values, norms, and behavior (with great food)

I loved everything about this book. The Sienna setting, Italian food, and 1956 fashion was enough but the storyline captured my attention and I sped through it. The characters were complex. Books that cause you to reflect on accepted norms are good for your brain and soul. Narrator was excellent.

Have to suspend belief

Would you consider the audio edition of The Italian Party to be better than the print version?

Did not read so can't tell. The reader was very good.

Would you recommend The Italian Party to your friends? Why or why not?

I saw the author and she is very engaging. On that basis I bought the Audiobook. It was not good enough on its own for a recommendation. That said, it is a great beach read for this summer.

Which scene was your favorite?

The seduction.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Neither laugh or cry. But so many sub plots made it sort of silly. One or two of the twists would have done and then delve into the culture or characters a bit more.

Any additional comments?

THe tone of the 50s is spot on.

Open minded and truthful Scottie

My favorite was Scottie and her openness to admit her own failures to then accept others no matter the pain. She was an inspiration for many reasons.
Story line was good and enjoyed history of Siena, government warfare, etc.
Balanced in the story line.
Look forward to reading more of her books!

Narrator Comfortable with Italian

Lots of insider information about Sienna in this lively tale. Unwinding of the characters’ secrets was particularly compelling. As one who often cringes about mispronunciation, this was a good reader comfortable with a story with multiple points of view.

Cold War intrigue

The start of the story had style, humor, and intrigue, but unfortunately that didn't carry through the rest of the book. The emphasis seemed to be on the covert operations of the CIA in Italy to halt the spread of Communism in the late 1950's. Just not my kind of intrigue. Great narration, though.