The Savage Garden by Mark Mills

 

Adam Bunting is not sure what to do with his summer off from Cambridge.  His tutor suggests that this might be a good time to do the research he will need for his thesis and has a suggestion.  He has an old friend in Italy who wants someone to document the story of her villa's garden which was created in the 1500's by the owner to honor his wife.

Adam agrees and soon he is in Italy and meeting the villa's owner, Madame Docci.  He views the garden full of statues, vales, fountains and benches.  It is fascinating as is the story behind it but Adam feels that he is missing something.  As he studies the garden over the coming days, he starts to see the hidden design behind the one clearly there to see.  He also starts to realize that the Docci family also has hidden secrets and starts to wonder if he was brought there to uncover them as well.

Mark Mills is a British author who writes in the historical and mystery genres.  This book is a mix of the two with items about the ancient secret and the one created during World War II when the villa was taken over by Germans.  Adam starts as a naive boy, crushed by his first heartache, but over his time in Tuscany at the villa, he comes into his own and becomes a man as he has to juggle what he knows and what should happen to his knowledge.  This book is recommended for historical fiction readers.