As a recent widower, Charles Latterly decides to take a vacation to Italy where he plans to spend 3 relaxing weeks walking and thinking. This is not exactly what happens. He is staying in a hotel at the volcanic island of Stromboli, where a group of other British people is also gathered. The innkeeper, Stefano, assures them all that the volcano will not erupt. He says it merely rumbles and sputters a bit from time to time. He is totally proved wrong.

The story focuses heavily on the relationships between the guests, although there is no explanation as to why they are visiting the island. If they are previously connected remains a mystery throughout only to be revealed at the very end.

Charles becomes friendly with the lively 14 year old girl, Candace Finbar. She stays at the hotel with her slightly old and ailing uncle, Roger Finbar. They just seem to “be there” without any explanation or view into their thoughts before taking the trip. Why Stromboli? Why this particular inn? This is also lacking for all the different guests, save for Charles himself. What seems strange is that Roger persuades Charles, a perfect stranger he has just met, to take care of Candace if something should happen to him. It’s like he expects to be dying soon and seems quite desperate to find someone to care for her. As he seems such a nice and caring man, it seems strange that he would put his nice in a vulnerable circumstance? The story doesn’t seem consider that she might not be safe.

Wealthy Isla Bailey is there with her husband Walker-Bailey. Theirs is a difficult marriage. He is unkind, insensitive and cruel to her. She is frustrated and angry about his heavy handedness, but finds some support in Colonel Bretherton, who admires her. That just makes Walker-Bailey even more angry and cruel. He is generally negative to the other guests who dislike him and spends his time walking in the area on his own.

Percival Quinn is a writer with some success. He has written a bestseller but suffers writer’s block as he is trying to write book number two. Walker-Bailey seems to be intensely jealous of him and Quinn doesn’t like Walker-Bailey much either.

Main character, Charles Latterly, takes on a bit of an observer role in this story. After the volcano has erupted and a body is found, he takes charge of leading the group to safety a few hours walk down to the coast.

The famous, rumbling volcano seems to be a character in itself contributing to the sense of danger. It represents the backdrop which drives the plot, and maybe it also adds a distraction to avoid finding out what really happens. They are too focused on staying safe to consider what happened to the victim. The story seems to be focusing on the main characters. The supporting characters of the group seem less developed.

I felt there was little explanation as to what had happened to the victim, just some brief facts.
The person suspected of the murder was sprung out on me towards the end of the story. I had not noticed a buildup of clues along the way, so it surprised me. I suspected some fishiness about the murderer, but had not foreseen exactly how it all panned out. I had not picked up on this person having a motive. It was explained briefly towards the end but the whole thing felt a bit unfulfilled.

There were very little of the Christmas theme in this story, only a few lines at the end. I have read quite a few of Anne Perry’s Christmas novels before, and she usually manages to create Victorian Christmas cheer mixed up with the crime element. Not so much this time. I realize it would be difficult to add a Christmas vibe to this plot, but I can’t help feeling a bit disappointed.

Overall the story felt a tad rushed, but I realize there are only 150 pages to do elaborations. I’m sure there would have been strict priorities as to what to emphasize and what to leave out.. Fans of Anne Perry’s work would find this an ok read.
My rating 3 stars /5
(all opinions are my own)

Anne Perry Christmas Novels