--- product_id: 285943022 title: "HarperCollins The Villa in Italy: Escape to the Italian Sun with This Captivating, Page-Turning Mystery" price: "870615₫" currency: VND in_stock: true reviews_count: 5 url: https://www.desertcart.vn/products/285943022-harpercollins-the-villa-in-italy-escape-to-the-italian-sun store_origin: VN region: Vietnam --- # HarperCollins The Villa in Italy: Escape to the Italian Sun with This Captivating, Page-Turning Mystery **Price:** 870615₫ **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** HarperCollins The Villa in Italy: Escape to the Italian Sun with This Captivating, Page-Turning Mystery - **How much does it cost?** 870615₫ with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vn](https://www.desertcart.vn/products/285943022-harpercollins-the-villa-in-italy-escape-to-the-italian-sun) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Buy HarperCollins The Villa in Italy: Escape to the Italian Sun with This Captivating, Page-Turning Mystery by Edmondson, Elizabeth online on desertcart.ae at best prices. ✓ Fast and free shipping ✓ free returns ✓ cash on delivery available on eligible purchase. Review: uno dei più bei libri che abbia letto negli ultimi anni, non riuscivo a metterlo giù Review: Set in the 1950s ‘The Villa in Italy’ focuses on four main protagonists: Delia, a professional opera singer who is having doubts about her career; Lucius, an American banker who’d rather be an artist; George, a scientist, part of a team that created the atom bomb and now suffering from intense guilt about his involvement after the destruction caused by its use; and Marjorie, a writer of murder mystery stories who is suffering from writer’s block - all four of whom do not know each other and all four of whom have been summoned to the Villa Dante at the request of the late Beatrice Malaspina , a very wealthy and rather mysterious woman, unknown to any of them. Aware that it would be in their interests to comply with Beatrice’s request, the four of them arrive in Italy and take up residence at the Villa Dante, Beatrice's beautiful house overlooking the sea, where they are informed by Beatrice’s solicitor that they will each receive a bequest providing they find the codicil to her will within thirty days. Why there should be a codicil and why the four have to discover it for themselves is not revealed to our legatees, but during the following days and weeks - in which each of them undergo some sort of catharsis - they learn why Beatrice chose to act in this unusual manner. An easy and pleasant story with some interesting characters and some interesting dilemmas for them to solve, but I have to say that although there were some darker aspects to this story, I didn't feel the author looked at these deeply enough; I also felt that parts of the story - especially towards the end where a surprising number of unexpected characters arrive at the villa and reveal all sorts of secrets and previously unknown information - rather unconvincing and almost comically overdone in places. That said, if not taken too seriously, there is quite a lot to enjoy here - especially the author’s descriptions of the villa with its medieval tower and its fountains and frescoes, and for an undemanding summertime read this worked rather well; I read it during the current heatwave in the garden under an umbrella - which, apart from being in Italy itself, was just the place to read it. 3 Stars. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Customer reviews | 4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars (107) | | Dimensions | 12.9 x 2.77 x 19.71 cm | | Edition | Reprint | | ISBN-10 | 0007223773 | | ISBN-13 | 978-0007223770 | | Item weight | 294 g | | Language | English | | Print length | 432 pages | | Publication date | 4 December 2006 | | Publisher | HarperCollins Publishers Ltd | ## Images ![HarperCollins The Villa in Italy: Escape to the Italian Sun with This Captivating, Page-Turning Mystery - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/916YQODu1wL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review *by S***Y on 23 September 2022* uno dei più bei libri che abbia letto negli ultimi anni, non riuscivo a metterlo giù ### ⭐⭐⭐ Review *by S***B on 13 August 2020* Set in the 1950s ‘The Villa in Italy’ focuses on four main protagonists: Delia, a professional opera singer who is having doubts about her career; Lucius, an American banker who’d rather be an artist; George, a scientist, part of a team that created the atom bomb and now suffering from intense guilt about his involvement after the destruction caused by its use; and Marjorie, a writer of murder mystery stories who is suffering from writer’s block - all four of whom do not know each other and all four of whom have been summoned to the Villa Dante at the request of the late Beatrice Malaspina , a very wealthy and rather mysterious woman, unknown to any of them. Aware that it would be in their interests to comply with Beatrice’s request, the four of them arrive in Italy and take up residence at the Villa Dante, Beatrice's beautiful house overlooking the sea, where they are informed by Beatrice’s solicitor that they will each receive a bequest providing they find the codicil to her will within thirty days. Why there should be a codicil and why the four have to discover it for themselves is not revealed to our legatees, but during the following days and weeks - in which each of them undergo some sort of catharsis - they learn why Beatrice chose to act in this unusual manner. An easy and pleasant story with some interesting characters and some interesting dilemmas for them to solve, but I have to say that although there were some darker aspects to this story, I didn't feel the author looked at these deeply enough; I also felt that parts of the story - especially towards the end where a surprising number of unexpected characters arrive at the villa and reveal all sorts of secrets and previously unknown information - rather unconvincing and almost comically overdone in places. That said, if not taken too seriously, there is quite a lot to enjoy here - especially the author’s descriptions of the villa with its medieval tower and its fountains and frescoes, and for an undemanding summertime read this worked rather well; I read it during the current heatwave in the garden under an umbrella - which, apart from being in Italy itself, was just the place to read it. 3 Stars. ### ⭐⭐⭐ Review *by S***E on 8 September 2008* The magical effect on four strangers brought together for a month in Italy is a theme previously explored by Elizabeth von Arnim in `The Enchanted April'. The reasons for their being in Italy differ, but the spell cast, and the effect on troubled lives, is similar. In `The Villa in Italy', the contrast with post-war austerity makes the month in the villa all the more magical. Whilst I first read `The Enchanted April' many years ago and have since re-read it, I would not bother to re-read `The Villa in Italy'. Even so, it is not without merit. It is an intriguing puzzle that revolves around the will of the late Beatrice Malaspina who, strong-minded while living, dominates the story even from the grave. The legatees hail from disparate backgrounds. They had never met their benefactress and had no idea why they were named in her will. Apart from loose hints and a tenuous link with George, an atomic physicist who knew Beatrice Malaspina's daughter, there are few clues as to why they have been selected or how the old lady knew so much about them. Then all is revealed in a rush in the final pages. At times the story felt far-fetched and unreal, but what spoilt it for me was the style. Much of the dialogue seemed unnatural (it would sound worse, no doubt, if read aloud), and elsewhere the text was awkward and stilted. The language needed tightening to remove superfluous words and unnecessary adjectives. For all that, it's a pleasant enough read if you fancy something light and unchallenging, but you're not missing much if you give it a miss. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vn/products/285943022-harpercollins-the-villa-in-italy-escape-to-the-italian-sun](https://www.desertcart.vn/products/285943022-harpercollins-the-villa-in-italy-escape-to-the-italian-sun) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vietnam* *Store origin: VN* *Last updated: 2026-06-04*