Blog tour: The Venice Secret

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Welcome to the blog tour for The Venice Secret by Anita Chapman!

More about the book…

In 2019, Rachel is stuck in a rut when she discovers what appears to be a Canaletto painting in her grandmother's loft along with a note addressed to Philippa in 1782. With help from Jake at the local art gallery, Rachel endeavours to find out if the painting is an original and uncovers a secret from the past.

In 1780, governess at Chipford Hall, Philippa is offered the role of mistress by Earl Rupert. She escapes to Venice as companion to bluestocking, Lady Cordelia who reveals a secret that changes both their lives. They do their best to keep the secret from Lady Cordelia's social circle, but their nemesis is determined to reveal all and ruin them.

More about the author…

Anita Chapman enjoyed writing stories from a young age, and won a local writing competition when she was nine years old. Encouraged by this, she typed up a series of stories about a mouse on her mum’s typewriter and sent them to Ladybird. She received a polite rejection letter, her first.

Many of Anita’s summers growing up were spent with her family driving to Italy, and she went on to study French and Italian at university. As part of her degree, Anita lived in Siena for several months where she studied and au paired, and she spent a lot of time travelling around Italy in her twenties.

Anita likes to read journals and diaries from the past, and one of her favourite pastimes is visiting art galleries and country houses. Her first published novel, The Venice Secret is inspired by her mother taking her to see the Canalettos at The National Gallery in London as a child.

Since 2015, Anita has worked as a social media manager, training authors on social media, and helping to promote their books. She’s run several courses in London and York, and has worked as a tutor at Richmond and Hillcroft Adult Community College.

My impressions…

As a lover of Venice and art, this novel intrigued me from the very beginning and I’m so happy I had the chance to read it before publication. The dual timeline is executed very well, with both narratives holding my interest and coming to a satisfyingly tidy ending. Rachel and Philippa are two strong, female characters, who I found fascinating and eager to follow as their stories evolved. A great example of historical fiction!

Three words to describe it. Fascinating. Mysterious. Evocative.

Do I like the cover? Yes, it immediately captured my attention.

Have I read any other books by the same author? No, this is a debut novel. Hopefully, the first of many!

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