I am delighted to welcome
Mary Rensten
author of
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| Corazon Books June 2015 |
The perfect summer holiday read.
When Jane Thornfield finds an envelope hidden in her
mother's bedroom drawer it heralds the beginning of a journey of discovery.
Long buried family secrets are unearthed and Jane is forced to question her
very identity.
Jane's search for the truth takes her to Malta, where she
learns about the harsh realities of life during the Siege of Malta in the
Second World War. But her attempts to unlock a fifty-year-old secret are met
with suspicion and a wall of silence.
Letters from Malta is about a woman's quest to make sense of
her present and her past. The setting of Malta is brought vividly to life in
this moving, perceptive tale of love and loss.
"The story sweeps you along and the characters are so
real." Suzannah Dunn, best-selling historical novelist (The Sixth Wife,
The May Bride)
"I couldn't put this down. I couldn't wait to find out
what had happened in Malta 60 years ago." Meg Alexander, romantic novelist
"It has just the right combination of drama, humour,
romance and intrigue to make it perfect reading at home or on holiday."
TAR Entertainment
1. The George Cross was awarded to Malta in 1942 by King George
VI, to ‘bear witness to the heroism and devotion of its people’ during the
Great Siege in WWII, when the population came close to starvation, but did not
surrender. You can see the Cross and the King’s message in the War Museum in
Valletta, as my character Ken in Letters from Malta did. ‘You can’t come to
Malta, and not see the George Cross,’ he said.
2. Wine has been produced in Malta for over 2000 years … and
today’s wines are very good; I know, I’ve tasted them! In Letters from Malta, Jane and Carmela drink
some at lunch in the hotel, and Jane learns that Maltese wines have just won
prizes in an international competition.
3. Joseph Calleja, known as ‘The Maltese Tenor’, is one of the
world’s top tenors. His Rodolfo in ‘La Boheme’ is stunning. What a voice … and
he’s good-looking, too! He was born in Attard, which is not far from Mdina, in
1978; at 19 he made his operatic debut in Malta’s sister island Gozo.
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Joseph Calleja by Paul Zammit Cutajar © viewingmalta.com
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4.The Maltese language, called Malti in Maltese, is descended
from an Arabic dialect that developed in Sicily. It is one of the official
languages of the European Union. Jane has little chance of trying out her few
words of Maltese, because nearly everyone in Malta speaks English, but she does
manage to say one word: Sahha, which can mean ‘Goodbye’ or ‘Cheers!’
5.The Knights of St. John ruled Malta from the 16th century
until the island was conquered by Napoleon in 1798. The Knights, whose name and
emblem, the Maltese Cross, are known to us today through the wonderful
St.John’s Ambulance Brigade, made Malta an important centre of learning and
art. Their main Hospital had schools of Anatomy, Surgery and Pharmacy; they
established a Public Library and a school of Mathematics.
6.The 2004 blockbuster, Troy, starring Brad Pitt and Orlando
Bloom, was shot here and parts of the film were set in Mellieha. Tom Hanks’
2013 movie, Captain Phillips, was filmed here, and the same year the BBC also
used the waters around Malta to shoot The Whale, which tells the story behind Moby
Dick.
7.Until a few years ago, the tiny island of Comino, between
Malta and Gozo – you may know it; it has a posh hotel! – produced some of the
finest bacon in the world. (I ate some in 1995 … as did characters in my book!)
I think the pig farm there may have closed now, but Maltese bacon is still very
good!
8.If you’re keen on archaeology, Malta will have you in
heaven! Ancient cart tracks, Neolithic remains, caves, temple ruins, statues of
goddesses … it has them all, in situ and in museums.
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Hagar Qim by Mario Galea © viewingmalta.com
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9..Malta has few trees … of the kind for making coffins, so
during WWII, when wood could not be imported, many of them were made of tin,
recycled oil drums and large NAAFI biscuit tins from the air bases. They
creaked scarily when they were carried!
10.In 1608 the artist Caravaggio painted his largest
altar-piece here; it hangs in St.John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta, where
Caravaggio, known also for his wild life-style, was a knight.
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Caravaggio altarpiece, Beheading of John the Baptist by
Clive Vella © viewingmalta.com
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