Review: All That's Left Unsaid by Rowena Holloway

Set against the luscious backdrop of Italy, All That's Left Unsaid is a rich and detailed account of a young Australian woman who finds love and some surprising truths when she travels abroad to solve a mystery on behalf of her ailing mother. Harriet 'Harrie' Taylor is not in the happiest of circumstances--she's lost her job, and her lover, and now her mother, whom she has never gotten along with wants her to travel to a small Italian town to discover if some recently discovered remains are those of a friend from many, many years ago, who her mother has never once mentioned. But things--and people--are not always as they seem in this small town, but getting to the truth might just be the thing that helps heal the rift between Harrie and her mother. 

All That's Left Unsaid is a thoughtfully written mystery with a cast of intriguing characters and secrets. This is a book with a lot of depth and demands slow and careful reading--which is perfect for readers like me who prefer something original over manufactured, mass market thrills. Like Adelaide author Rowena Holloway's first novel, family secrets lie at the absolute heart and soul of this novel, and are as surprising as they are believable.

Highly recommended.

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