Sunflower Publishing Book Reviews

    Walking  Italy (A Guide for Tourists and Armchair Travellers) By Rachael Martin   SUMMARY: Whether it’s setting off on a long walk or going walking for the day, it doesn’t get much better than doing it in Italy. Italy has it all: mountains, hilltop towns, medieval squares, olive groves, vineyards, Renaissance art, and routes which speak the stories of people and places. This is a book about walking that’s not necessarily for walkers. It’s for those who love walking and go regularly, but it’s also aimed at beginners, those of us who enjoy a walk followed by lunch or dinner in a medieval square and a night at a cosy B&B. Maybe you’ll never actually go on any of the walks. This is also the book for you. It’s full of the history and stories of routes and places, so you can go on your own journey from the comfort of your living room. It gives you all the relevant links you’ll need, such as up-to-date maps, detailed routes, GPS navigation, updates, furt...

    Abruzzo Intrigue By Bluette Matthey SUMMARY Hardy Durkin, owner of Durkin Tours brings a group of American middle-aged hikers to Abruzzo for a ten-day tour where they experience the unique culture, food and history of the region. Some of the characters are who they seem to be, but some are not. One member of the group, a grieving widow, plans to steal a precious religious relic from a church in Lanciano. The book is a collision of values and traditions while hiking through the often-overlooked beauty of ancient Abruzzo.   MY REVIEW: This book is a fusion of an Agatha Christie detective novel with a unique travel guide. A murder or two, a robbery, drama and colourful suspects. Even Guiseppe, the minibus driver behaves in a furtive way. It is quite a complex plot, twisting and turning to heighten the intrigue. The backdrop is the ‘green heart’ of Europe, the region of Abruzzo so there are many references to many places which the reader would find familiar....