Castello di Porciano. An ancient tower rising above the Tuscan hills; a place where fireflies dance in the twilight, and no one speaks of the terrible betrayal from the darkest days of the war…
Amelia is shattered from an unimaginable loss when she seizes a chance to escape to a remote Italian village. But shortly after arriving at the sun-drenched castello, Amelia discovers a trunk hidden in the basement, and beneath tissue-wrapped evening gowns that still carry the scent of violets, she finds a set of leather-bound diaries and charcoal sketches belonging to a woman called Flavia.
Through every haunting page, Amelia is drawn deeper into Flavia's world as the Nazi occupation and her passionate love for a farmer's son upend her life forever. But when Flavia joins the resistance and faces a devastating betrayal from someone close to her, the diary goes silent – the final pages torn out.
Desperate to learn Flavia's fate, Amelia ventures into the cobblestoned village at the foot of the castello, where she meets an old woman who weeps at the sound of Flavia's name, and her stern son, who shuts down any mention of the past. But as Amelia keeps searching for the truth, she begins to uncover a connection to Flavia she never expected – one that could shatter everything she believed about the past, and perhaps, show her a path to the future…
Inspired by true events in the Tuscan mountains, Valley of the Fireflies is an emotional, heartbreaking story of love and sacrifice carried across generations. Perfect for readers who loved The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, The Rose Code by Kate Quinn, and The Tuscan Child by Rhys Bowen.
Readers love Emma Fraser's historical novels:
'I couldn't put this book down, the emotions, the intensity, the mystery was so intriguing I had to know what happened next… All I can do is sit and think about the characters, how alive and vivid they felt… Highly recommend.' Reader review, 5 stars
'I literally hugged the book with happiness because of how much I enjoyed it… Will stay with me for quite some time. Highly recommended.' Reader review, 5 stars
'Phenomenally good … So well written it was playing out in my head as though watching a film and I know that those images will haunt my dreams tonight… I now have a new favourite author ' Reader review, 5 stars
'LOVED this book! Would give it more stars if possible!' Reader review, 5 stars
'An exhilarating, emotional journey and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute I spent reading this fantastic, remarkable book.' Reader review, 5 stars
'Once you start reading you won't want to put it down.' Reader review, 5 stars
