The Garden of Angels

By: David Hewson

Narrated by: Richard Armitage

At his beloved Nonno Paolo's deathbed, 15-year-old Nico receives a gift that will change his life forever: a yellowing manuscript which tells the haunting, twisty tale of what really happened to his grandfather in Nazi-occupied Venice in 1943.

The Palazzo Colombina is home to the Uccello family: three generations of men, trapped together in the dusty palace on Venice's Grand Canal. Awkward 15-year-old Nico. His distant, business-focused father. And his beloved grandfather, Paolo. Paolo is dying. But before he passes, he has secrets he's waited his whole life to share.

When a Jewish classmate is attacked by bullies, Nico just watches - earning him a week's suspension and a typed, yellowing manuscript from his frail Nonno Paolo. A history lesson, his grandfather says. A secret he must keep from his father. A tale of blood and madness....

Nico is transported back to the Venice of 1943, an occupied city seething under its Nazi overlords and to the defining moment of his grandfather's life: when Paolo's support for a murdered Jewish woman brings him into the sights of the city's underground resistance. Hooked and unsettled, Nico can't stop reading - but he soon wonders if he ever knew his beloved grandfather at all.

©2021 David Hewson (P)2021 W. F. Howes

Critic reviews

"Gripping and powerful, The Garden of Angels richly evokes the tension and threat of Nazi-occupied Venice. A moving and important novel.” (Tess Gerritsen, author of The Shape of Night)

"Vivid and compelling. A richly wrought thriller, a love story and a warning that spans decades. I was thinking about this book for days." (Sarah Pinborough, author of Behind Her Eyes)

This was a riveting, wonderfully narrated story, and given what’s happening these days, relevant once again.

Nothing. It was perfect, and the narrator, Richard Armitage, once again, wove his magic to draw one in and tell a great story.

A “story” all should hear

This is one of the best books I have read, ever. While it is a story, at the same time, it is not and it helps to remind us of the history some of us have forgotten or choose not to think about.

Venetian thriller from the Second World War

Author Hewson likes a twist in his tales and this one is no exception. He knows how to evoke the spirit of places, and their historical details. Richard Armitage brings the characters to life as he always does, but I did feel that some parts of the story were too drawn out. Nonetheless this is very entertaining and well worth a listen.

Beautiful!

So well written, so poignant.
A sad story that needs to be shared.
Although a work of fiction, it is based on real historical events.

Wonderful story, perfect narration

Loved every minute. Great ending. As another reviewer said, the phone book would be a terrific read if Richard Armitage was the reader.

Excellent Story, Expert Narration, A Winning Combo!

Give Armitage the phone book and he’d make it a fantastic listen. But give him a great story and then you’ll have a winner.
Bravo Mr. Hewson for bringing to life such a great story during such hard times in human history. And thank you Mr. Armitage for breathing life into it.
A great listen!

A great read

Henson loves playing with what is good, nearly good and outright evil. In this novel you are constantly at a loss as to who is really good or bad. Well written and well read (although the use of accents is a bit jarring at times, it actually works for someone unfamiliar with Italian accents).

Great story with a twist

I chose this audiobook for the narrator, but quickly fell in love with the characters and the story they tell. If you’re a fan of WW2 fiction, I highly recommend this book. If you’re a fan of Richard Armitage and love his English accent, just wait for his Italian accent!!!

Swept away!

Get swept away in this beautiful tale... Descriptions that are so well written of Venice. The gore and horror of war. The love and beauty of life and death. All intertwined with past and present discoveries. Shocking mysteries woven into unforseen love and forgiveness. Definitely a wonderful story....Bravo!

An excellent book!!

The novel is impossible to stop listening to - the twists and turns kept me “on the edge of my chair!” Richard Armitage is just brilliant reading aloud … I so enjoy his work!! Thank you David and Richard!