Publisher's Synopsis
From Ann Bennett, bestselling author of The Orphan House, comes The Lake Villa, a spellbinding story of one woman's journey to uncover long-buried secrets in French Indochina.
Perfect for fans of Dinah Jeffries and Victoria Hislop.
Indochina 1939, Colette, a young French woman, falls in love with Henri Bossière the Chief Curator of the mysterious temple, Angkor Wat, in Cambodia. She starts a new life with him in an idyllic villa perched on the edge the great lake of Tonlé Sap. But the second world war intervenes, sweeping away her world and leaving tragedy in its wake.
After the war, Colette attempts to rebuild her life, finding a friend in Luc Gilbert, Henri's former deputy - a man with dark secrets. When Luc is made to leave Cambodia under a cloud, Colette is left to pick up the pieces and discovers his shocking truths.
In 1975 when the Khmer Rouge sweep through Cambodia, Colette is forced to return to France and leave everything behind. Two decades later, as the country is opening up, she returns to find answers to long-buried secrets and to track down two women from her past - Achariya, her Cambodian friend and housekeeper, and Sophia, a young woman with beautiful, restless eyes.
However, is Colette prepared for the unsettling truths she uncovers along the way...
Praise for Ann Bennett
"Brilliant: I loved this book and believed in the characters immediately...Didn't want it to finish and several hours after reading the last line, it's still going round in my head. Great book!" Five Stars Amazon reviewer
"I raced through this book in just over twenty-four hours. I literally could not put it down...' Bibilobeth Goodreads
"Unputdownable: This was an engrossing read. I love how Ann Bennett crafts a story. Highly recommended." Five Stars. Amazon reviewer.
"Fabulous!!!!!! One of the very best books I've read! Really keeps your interests piqued... Absolutely loved, loved, this story!" Five Stars. Goodreads reviewer
