The Last English Village

by James Ignizio

On 22 December 1943 the Susan Rae, an American B17 Flying Fortress, is lost. The aircraft is reported to have crashed into the English Channel. There are no survivors and no bodies are recovered. Records of the incident mysteriously go missing. The Susan Rae and its crew vanish, committed to the dustbin of history. On the day the Susan Rae disappears, the English village of Lower Friththingden is the scene of several remarkable events. Two Rolls-Royces are seen parked near the village church. The entourage has paused to listen to the sound of the village children’s choir. Overhead a German parachute mine floats down, heading directly toward the church. Inside are most of the village inhabitants, including a young girl rumored to be the illegitimate child of Winston Churchill. More than a half-century later two men, an embittered American and a reclusive Englishman, have their lives altered as a consequence of the disappearance of the Susan Rae. Vince Collesano, ill, depressed, and alone, travels to England to satisfy his wife’s final request. Seconds before her death she had pointed to a painting of an English churchyard and asked to have her ashes buried there – in the country where she had been born and raised. Unfortunately, Vince has no idea as to just where in England that particular churchyard is located. The promise cannot be kept without the help of his late wife’s cousin, Albert “Bertie” Ambrose, a sad little man who hasn’t ventured outside of London for more than thirty years. Despite Vince’s intense dislike of Bertie, and all things English, the pair team up for what Vince believes to be a search for his wife’s final resting place.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction

230 pages, Paperback

First published April 4, 2012

Reviews

[Tamera Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes in life we are stuck doing things we’d rather not. As in the case of American Vince Collesano, who has the challenge of his wife’s final request to have her ashes buried at a church in England. Stomaching the inevitable, Vince teams up with his wife’s English cousin, Bertie, a somewhat strange fellow, who at times is a bit secretive and drives a 1949 relic. Thus begins a journey across the English country side to find a church that no one even knows if exists.
THE LAST ENGLISH VILLAGE by James Ignizio is a delightful tale of two opposing men who face the challenge of being stuck together for a common cause. Bernie is a delightful English chap, who loves his country and is proud of his heritage. Vince goes through the motions but his illness and depression at times is overwhelming. But the blossoming friendship emerges and a surprising twist as the mystery of the Susan Rae comes to life.
I really loved this story, the mystery of the Susan Rae and the charming characters. The English country side was stunningly brought to life. Vince’s battle with illness was heartfelt, painful to imagine. One couldn’t help but pull for him. THE LAST ENGLISH VILLAGE was a wonderful read by a talented author.

[Marie Shirley Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a lovely, wonderful story

As an American who actually loves her English friends, their lovely country, and Yorkshire pudding, this book hits home.

It's like spending a rainy day watching the best PBS Masterpiece Mystery could offer. Don't miss out on it, be you American or English.

[Jeff Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vince is American, ill, depressed and trying to fulfill his wife’s dying wish to be buried in an anonymous, and perhaps non-existent, churchyard in England. Bertie is English, alone, haunted by his stolen past and struggling to solve a mystery concerning the crew of a missing American WWII aircraft. Neither can succeed without the other’s help and in time their individual agendas become a common goal.
THE LAST ENGLISH VILLAGE, by James Ignizio, is a warm story of a rocky alliance that evolves into one of mutual respect and self-fulfillment. It is also an intriguing mystery with enough clues and red-herrings to keep the inquisitive reader engaged and with a surprising twist at the end. The authentic dialog and detailed descriptions help immerse the reader into the timeframe and locale, such that one can almost visualize the tranquil countryside and taste the marmite. This is a delightful, well-written book that, to use a term befitting the story’s setting, is simply brilliant.

[Felicity Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book sure creeps up on you until you simply can’t put it down. Ignizio has made the post-war mystery of what happened to the American crew of a B17 bomber that crash landed next to an English village during the Second World War into a gripping slow burner that casts you in its spell. Well written, and a decidedly good yarn, The Last English Village is told from the point of view of Vince, who has come over from the States to fulfil his English-born wife’s last wishes to be buried in an English village that looks like the one in a painting she has always cherished. Initially hating England, its food and most of its people, Vince embarks on a journey with his cousin Bertie that reconciles him to the country and its cuisine, while learning a lot more than he expected about himself and his own past. Well done, James Ignizio, I look forward to more fiction from you in future.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this. I wasn't sure about it when I first started, but it got better and better. Thank you Karen for recommending it. I didn't read it in a day. I'm just behind with updating goodreads.com!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this book....I would give it 10 stars. One of the best I have read in a long time