Each novel from Peter Crawley is more ambitious in scope than the previous. His latest encompasses more than a century in the lives of interlinked families and those who come up against them in and around Messina on the north-east coast of Sicily. It starts with the 1908 earthquake which largely destroys the city and the harrowing descriptions of the death and destruction are not for the faint-hearted. This sets in motion a series of events taking in 1943 where Italy, in an increasingly fractious alliance with its German allies endures the American invasion and finally 2019 where descendants of the original sundered families interact to bring about a very satisfying conclusion. Throughout the lives of local people are closely examined and Crawley manages to sketch in fascinating historical and cultural details without clunky exposition and as well as making you sympathetic to the characters makes you want to find out more about this fascinating part of Italy - about which I knew next to nothing. The style is fluid and assured, but not flowery and Chapter 6 of Book 2 detailing a meeting between a determined cafe owner seeking supplies and a self important sentry is a masterpiece of serio-comic writing. Thoroughly recommended.

Constant Tides is a beautifully written book .You are taken to the shores of Messina by the author in such a way that you believe that you have actually visited and experienced life there over the last 100 years . A truly wonderful read from start to finish !