In the past, antique dealer turned author Kirsten McKenzie has entertained readers with tales ranging from historical time-slips to dark thrillers and horrors laced with the supernatural. In a way, she brings all those ingredients together in her latest novel, a historical mystery set against apocalyptic floods in Florence, Italy, in the late 1960s.

As the River Arno surges dangerously, the lives of five troubled strangers entwine in a historic city known for its art and still recovering in some ways from the war two decades before. Rhonda is a wife on the run, Helena an art student hoping to recover family treasures, Richard an unwelcome wedding guest, Stefano a janitor at a famous art gallery, and Antonio a jaded local policemen struggling with life let alone criminal investigations.

McKenzie creates plenty of momentum as readers shift perspective from one character to another – as well as the thoughts of the raging river itself as it bears down on Florence. Lies and treachery abound. The characters are the heart of the tale more than the crime, but few if any are likable; coupled with dramatic events, betrayals, and rapid emotional shifts this sometimes gives the story a bit of a soap opera feel.

There’s plenty going on, and McKenzie shines brightest in her rich evocation and vivid detail of time and place.

Reviewed by Craig Sisterson