Twelve characters, twelve stories, a year in the life of a small Italian town. What will happen to Pia, the young Greek barista, who is in love with the son of the town’s leading fascist? And how is her fate connected to the sisters who run the shoe shop – Olimpia and Marina? They’ve shared the same bed since they were children, but they have secrets. Clara, the midwife, knows everyone’s secrets, but not the fate of her absent son. Living alone, she extends her hospitality to illegal migrants and refugees. Times are hard in Italy. Among the buskers and tourists that crowd the piazza, the residents work hard to make a precarious living. In the pizzeria on the corner, Franco is trying to save his marriage and his business. Rose Umber, a young Canadian sculptor, is desperate to remain in Italy when her visa runs out, but that might depend on a decision taken by the elegant Milanese woman, Anastasia, who walks her badly-behaved dog, Fidel, through the piazza every day. Separate but connected, their lives – like their stories – are intertwined within the walls of this historic town. 'Kathleen Jones really understands the art of story and how it works.' Goodreads 'Poet and biographer Katheen Jones's move into fiction should be celebrated by readers and writers alike.' Wendy Robertson 'A compelling narrative of a writer's passion for her work' Helen Dunmore, [Katherine Mansfield: The Storyteller] 'What a wonderful story it is.' Margaret Forster [A Passionate Sisterhood] ' . . reading it becomes a gripping, almost addictive experience.' Angela Leighton, Times Literary Supplement, [A Passionate Sisterhood] 'I read it with huge enjoyment - I think it's by far the best biography yet.' Dame Jacqueline Wilson, [Katherine Mansfield: The Storyteller] 'I found the Sun's Companion an engrossing read, hard to put down. If you like to "disappear" into the world of a book you'll find this a satisfying read.' Linda Gillard, author of 'Cauldstane' and 'House of Silence' 'Kathleen Jones (no relation) is such a good writer and never more so than when she is writing about people engaged in the creative process - sculptors and painters as well as writers.' Julia Jones [Three and Other Stories] Utterly gripping and I didn't want it to end.' Debbie Bennett [The Sun's Companion] 'A perceptive, beautiful, and ultimately inspirational novel.' Mari Biella [The Centauress] 'This is such a bravura exercise in biography, I would suggest Kathleen Jones not only wins her case but should be awarded costs.' Charlotte Cory, Times Literary Supplement, [Catherine Cookson]