First published 2002
Benito Mussolini faces his end as Allied forces close in and his thousand-year Reich collapses. The former Duce, once master of Italy, now finds himself trapped between German handlers and Italian partisans who want him dead. His mistress Clara Petacci remains by his side as they flee north toward Switzerland. The roads fill with refugees and deserting soldiers. Mussolini's grandiose dreams have turned to ash, but he still believes he can negotiate his way out. Meanwhile, partisan fighters track his movements through the Lake Como region. The dictator who once commanded millions now depends on a handful of loyal followers. As April 1945 unfolds, Mussolini confronts the gap between his self-image and reality. The man who promised to restore Roman glory must reckon with what his regime has cost Italy and himself.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, war, political-thriller
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fall-from-grace
Setting: Italy, Lake Como, Switzerland
Period: 1945
240 pages · Paperback · GALLIMARD
Content warnings: death, violence