50 Must-Read 50 Beta
← The Must-Read 50
Cover of The Venice Sketchbook by Rhys BowenThe Venice Sketchbook
New · Fiction, War

The Venice Sketchbook

by Rhys Bowen
2021 · 412 pages · Fiction
Critics' pick
≈ 10 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

A recently divorced woman inherits her beloved great-aunt's sketchbook and uncovers the mysteries of her great-aunt's star-crossed romance with a nobleman in World War II Venice.

Why it's worth reading

It was an Edgar Award finalist. Rhys Bowen writes absorbing, atmospheric historical fiction.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

It alternates between the present and wartime Venice.

By the numbers

65.7Must-Read Score
  • Readers58 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics21 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller2 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Buzz26 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Shortlisted
Edgar Award finalist (2022)

Reads as

Epic

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

If you like this, read next

Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →

Quick answers

Is The Venice Sketchbook worth reading?

Yes. It was an Edgar Award finalist. It ranks #1,793 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 65.7 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is The Venice Sketchbook about?

A recently divorced woman inherits her beloved great-aunt's sketchbook and uncovers the mysteries of her great-aunt's star-crossed romance with a nobleman in World War II Venice.

How long does it take to read The Venice Sketchbook?

About 10 hours (412 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after The Venice Sketchbook?

If you liked it, try The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton, The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah or Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly.