The Tuscan Child Summary
Rhys Bowen

The Tuscan Child Overview

The Tuscan Child by Rhys Bowen is a historical fiction novel, part of which is set during World War II. Joanna Langley learned only after her father, Hugo Langley, died that he had spent time near the village of San Salvatore in Italy after his plane had been shot down by the Germans. Hugo had fallen in love with Sofia Bartoli, a young woman who cared for him after he was injured. Joanna found a letter that her father sent to Sofia after the war. It had been returned to Hugo. Wanting to find out about this part of her father’s life, Joanna paid a visit to San Salvatore to look for Sofia herself. Themes in the novel include class distinctions, Sofia as a martyr, and the history of World War II.