He is godfather to Spiro & Miranda, the twin children of the Castello's housekeeper, Maria. Sir Julian has been visiting Corfu for many years & one of his most cherished theories is that the island is the site of Shakespeare's Tempest. Sir Julian's son, Max, is staying at the Castello while working on a film score but Lucy doesn't expect to see very much of them as their privacy is fiercely guarded by their gardener, Adonis, known as Adoni, who lives up to his name in looks. Sir Julian had suffered some kind of breakdown after the deaths of his wife & daughter in a car crash & had become a recluse. Lucy is intrigued to discover that the Castello is home to Sir Julian Gale, one of the most famous actors of his generation. Phyllida & Lucy are staying at the Villa Forli while the other, Villa Rotha, is rented to Godfrey Manning, a writer & photographer. Phyllida is married to a rich Italian banker whose family own not only the Castello dei Fiori, but also two smaller villas nearby. She's happy to swap dreary London & the demise of the play she was in, for a holiday with her sister, Phyllida, on Corfu. Lucy Waring is an actress whose career has hit a bit of a lull. I was on holidays from work last week - which was meant to be relaxing but didn't turn out that way - so a trip to Corfu, even if it was only in my imagination, was just what I needed. I read all Mary Stewart's novels as a teenager in the 1970s & I bought several of the Hodder reprints a few years ago but have only read a couple of them. Equally rewarding is Miss Stewart's love for the English countryside and for horses which shines through her polished writing.I'm so pleased that Anbolyn's Mary Stewart Reading Week gave me the incentive to reread This Rough Magic. 'The story moves with a fine pace of suspense and holds all the elements of a mystery tale. “Perils await every turning page.” - Washington Post No one writes the damsel-in-distress tale with greater charm or urgency.' - The New York Times Book Review “It’s hard to think of anyone more insistently readable than Mary Stewart The Ivy Tree is as un-put-downable as any of her previous novels. The author's easy narrative style, her vivid descriptions of the Northumberland countryside, the sharp delineation of her characters, and her impeccable good taste guarantee satisfaction to fans of the genre.' - Library Journal 'This involved novel of impersonation and inheritance reads like Daphne Du Maurier. This tale spinner is still supreme.' - Kirkus Reviews 'Throughout the intricacies of plot within plot, Mary Stewart keeps her readers guessing and sustains the suspense.

This Rough Magic (18) by Mary Stewart