The Greek House 🇬🇷🏛️

By Dinah Jefferies.

Set in the sun-drenched landscape of 1930s Corfu, The Greek House by Dinah Jefferies delivers a captivating mix of family drama, lost love, and the uncovering of long-held secrets.

The moment Thirza Caruthers steps back onto the island, she is overwhelmed by memories of her childhood home and the disappearance of her brother, Billy, years before.

The book’s opening is richly atmospheric, with Jefferies expertly evoking the sights, sounds and scents of Corfu, immersing the reader in the setting. Thirza’s return to the Greek house, perched high above the sparkling blue waters, is supposed to offer her solace. Instead, it leads her straight into a tangled web of love, betrayal, and the complexities of her family's past.

At the heart of the story lies the haunting mystery of Billy’s disappearance during the panic of the 1923 Italian invasion, a tragedy that changed everything for Thirza and her family.

Thirza, now an adult, seeks to restore the house in hopes of rekindling something from the past, particularly a connection to her mother. Along the way, she finds herself drawn into a passionate but fraught affair with Emilio, a mysterious older Italian man. As Thirza digs deeper into the past, secrets long buried begin to surface, adding more weight to her emotional turmoil.

The author's portrayal of complex, flawed characters, set against the backdrop of a turbulent period in history, is immersive and beautifully executed. The romance, layered with longing and tension, complements the unfolding drama of family, loss, and truth.

The suspense builds steadily as Thirza uncovers the tangled threads of her family’s past, leading to a satisfying yet poignant conclusion.

The pacing takes its time to draw the reader into the depths of Thirza’s emotional journey, and while the eventual revelation may feel somewhat rushed, it is an ending that will resonate long after the final page. Fans of historical fiction, family sagas, and emotional storytelling, this will be a deeply satisfying read.

Thank you so much to the team at Tadem Collective UK for running this read-along, as well as the team at Harper Collins UK for publishing the book. The book is out now and available for purchase.

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