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Like any mother, Hanna would do anything to protect her small daughter, Eva.
When she discovers that her husband, Luciano, is not all he seems and their blissful life on the island of Sicily is threatened, she wastes no time in seeking refuge abroad. But just as they are settling into their new life in North Wales, Eva disappears.
In a race against time, Hanna is forced to return to Sicily and face the dark world of organised crime in a bid to secure her daughter’s safe return. She must also confront the truth about Luciano’s business dealings and their horrific consequences.
But will Hanna succeed in getting Eva back and bring Luciano to justice?
Or are the stakes just too high?
When she discovers that her husband, Luciano, is not all he seems and their blissful life on the island of Sicily is threatened, she wastes no time in seeking refuge abroad. But just as they are settling into their new life in North Wales, Eva disappears.
In a race against time, Hanna is forced to return to Sicily and face the dark world of organised crime in a bid to secure her daughter’s safe return. She must also confront the truth about Luciano’s business dealings and their horrific consequences.
But will Hanna succeed in getting Eva back and bring Luciano to justice?
Or are the stakes just too high?
267 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 12, 2019
67 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
Karen Moore
2 books2 followersKaren Moore is a British writer based in Cheshire. She lived in Italy for ten years and worked as a tour guide in Europe, the USA and Canada, followed by a career in PR and marketing.
Torn is her debut novel, a thriller set in Sicily and North Wales.
Torn is her debut novel, a thriller set in Sicily and North Wales.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
January 2, 2020
A wonderful read - fantastic settings and gripping plot. I’m looking forward to reading more by this author
May 17, 2021
Torn is a suspense-packed dual timeline thriller that opens in Sicily in 2013 where Hanna is working as a tour guide and falls in love with a fascinating local man, Luciano, whose family owns an award winning wine business. So far, so respectable and so romantic. Fast forward four years and Hanna, who has since married Luciano is desperate to escape her husband and her adopted land to protect her young daughter, Eva. Back in the UK, she moves into a cottage in a remote part of rural North Wales where Rhys, the brother of her friend, Ceri helps her settle. Hanna is terrified Luciano will track her down. As the plot unfolds and we gradually discover what happened to make Hanna run away but the danger to Hanna and Eva is just beginning.
It's clear the author knows both North Wales and Sicily well as she brings the starkly contrasting locations to life with descriptive prose. Readers are treated to an immersive sense of taking part in local life (and enjoying the food and wine) in Sicily and we're shown around some of the lesser known tourist spots as if we had our own personal guide. But all the time we know that beneath the picturesque landscape lurks a life-threatening darker side to the sun-drenched island.
The taut personal drama of Hanna and Eva is centre stage and on a human scale but the backdrop of the story is the immense tragedy of the thousands of desperate refugees and migrants attempting to reach Europe. Many of them land in Sicily after dangerous sea crossings in small boats and fall prey to people traffickers. The author exposes this contemporary evil where criminals prey on vulnerable people and shows us what's at stake when vulnerable people are dehumanised and treated as commodities.
It's clear the author knows both North Wales and Sicily well as she brings the starkly contrasting locations to life with descriptive prose. Readers are treated to an immersive sense of taking part in local life (and enjoying the food and wine) in Sicily and we're shown around some of the lesser known tourist spots as if we had our own personal guide. But all the time we know that beneath the picturesque landscape lurks a life-threatening darker side to the sun-drenched island.
The taut personal drama of Hanna and Eva is centre stage and on a human scale but the backdrop of the story is the immense tragedy of the thousands of desperate refugees and migrants attempting to reach Europe. Many of them land in Sicily after dangerous sea crossings in small boats and fall prey to people traffickers. The author exposes this contemporary evil where criminals prey on vulnerable people and shows us what's at stake when vulnerable people are dehumanised and treated as commodities.
September 7, 2020
This is a captivating thriller centred around broken relationships, kidnapping, organised crime and the importance of family ties.
It opens with Hanna fleeing Sicily with her young daughter, Eva. Then the story of why and how is slowly unravelled and, to start with, the plot switches between Sicily (2013) and Wales (2017). We learn how Hanna met her husband, Luciano, in Sicily, and how she gets drawn into his family life, although the signs that Luciano has a darker side are there from the start – her friend Ceri whose partner is a journalist warns her of her misgivings. Luciano, who seems to have a ‘finger in a lot of pies’ keeps himself away from Hanna’s friends, always managing to miss important social events and having to take late night phone calls.
The Sicilian thread of the story is peppered with Italian phrases and full of elegant people wearing bright colours and eating lots of delicious sounding food; pasta alla Norma and cannoli washed down with a glass or two of aperol. Moore gives a wonderful depiction of life within a traditional Sicilian family where whatever Hanna’s mother-in-law says, goes, including choosing where the couple live. The description of their seventeenth century house at the foothills of the Madonian Mountains sounds amazing; I could picture the olive groves and almost smell the eucalyptus and lemons.
Wales provides the contrast and refuge to life in Sicily where Hanna finds herself in a different sort of isolation; in a cottage straight out of a fairy tale with arty neighbours, plenty of animals, cold weather and the handsome Rhys to show her around. I love the scene with little Eva playing in the leaves with Cosmo the cat; Moore captures the capricious mood swings of a toddler perfectly.
But why did Hanna have to flee, and can she be certain she hasn’t been followed to the sleepy hamlet of Heulog? As the reasons for Hanna’s escape become clear, there is a terrible incident which forces her back to Sicily to deal with the fall out; a place which she now realises is still greatly influenced by the mafia. Hanna is torn by knowing she should speak out about the horrible things she has found out about Luciano and his business dealings, but also worries about the consequences for herself and her daughter.
This is a cleverly plotted, fast-paced thriller which tackles some difficult themes – Luciano’s spiel about the plight of migrants is truly chilling. Moore has a great talent for setting a scene and I love how the food she describes mirrors the mood within each chapter. As the story picks up speed, Moore also gives the reader a moral dilemma to tackle: how far would you go to protect your family? Would you stay quiet to keep them safe, even if you know that by failing to speak out your actions will harm others? But as well as all the action, the novel remains an uplifting tale about finding courage, true love and happiness. A brilliant read, although I spent a lot of the book feeling hungry and terribly underdressed.
It opens with Hanna fleeing Sicily with her young daughter, Eva. Then the story of why and how is slowly unravelled and, to start with, the plot switches between Sicily (2013) and Wales (2017). We learn how Hanna met her husband, Luciano, in Sicily, and how she gets drawn into his family life, although the signs that Luciano has a darker side are there from the start – her friend Ceri whose partner is a journalist warns her of her misgivings. Luciano, who seems to have a ‘finger in a lot of pies’ keeps himself away from Hanna’s friends, always managing to miss important social events and having to take late night phone calls.
The Sicilian thread of the story is peppered with Italian phrases and full of elegant people wearing bright colours and eating lots of delicious sounding food; pasta alla Norma and cannoli washed down with a glass or two of aperol. Moore gives a wonderful depiction of life within a traditional Sicilian family where whatever Hanna’s mother-in-law says, goes, including choosing where the couple live. The description of their seventeenth century house at the foothills of the Madonian Mountains sounds amazing; I could picture the olive groves and almost smell the eucalyptus and lemons.
Wales provides the contrast and refuge to life in Sicily where Hanna finds herself in a different sort of isolation; in a cottage straight out of a fairy tale with arty neighbours, plenty of animals, cold weather and the handsome Rhys to show her around. I love the scene with little Eva playing in the leaves with Cosmo the cat; Moore captures the capricious mood swings of a toddler perfectly.
But why did Hanna have to flee, and can she be certain she hasn’t been followed to the sleepy hamlet of Heulog? As the reasons for Hanna’s escape become clear, there is a terrible incident which forces her back to Sicily to deal with the fall out; a place which she now realises is still greatly influenced by the mafia. Hanna is torn by knowing she should speak out about the horrible things she has found out about Luciano and his business dealings, but also worries about the consequences for herself and her daughter.
This is a cleverly plotted, fast-paced thriller which tackles some difficult themes – Luciano’s spiel about the plight of migrants is truly chilling. Moore has a great talent for setting a scene and I love how the food she describes mirrors the mood within each chapter. As the story picks up speed, Moore also gives the reader a moral dilemma to tackle: how far would you go to protect your family? Would you stay quiet to keep them safe, even if you know that by failing to speak out your actions will harm others? But as well as all the action, the novel remains an uplifting tale about finding courage, true love and happiness. A brilliant read, although I spent a lot of the book feeling hungry and terribly underdressed.
April 4, 2021
I had never read any works by Karen Moore, but I had heard a lot about her novel, Torn, and was keen to read it.
The Blurb
Like any mother, Hanna would do anything to protect her small daughter, Eva.
When she discovers that her husband, Luciano, is not all he seems and their blissful life on the island of Sicily is threatened, she wastes no time in seeking refuge abroad. But just as they are settling into their new life in North Wales, Eva disappears.
In a race against time, Hanna is forced to return to Sicily and face the dark world of organised crime in a bid to secure her daughter’s safe return. She must also confront the truth about Luciano’s business dealings and their horrific consequences.
But will Hanna succeed in getting Eva back and bring Luciano to justice?
Or are the stakes just too high?
The Review
Torn is Karen Moore’s debut novel, but it does not read like a debut novel. It is an assured, gripping tale of a young woman who progresses from a carefree job as a tour guide in Sicily to protecting her young child in a Welsh village.
The story builds gradually as the reader is introduced to Hanna, her daughter Eva, best friend Ceri and Ceri’s brother Rhys. The action jumps between Wales and Sicily as the author weaves the tale of Hanna and how she finds herself hiding in the Welsh village seeking safety for herself and Eva.
Hanna’s husband, Eva’s father, is an exciting, handsome man that Hanna falls completely in love with. It is only after Eva’s birth that she begins to discover more about her husband and his family than she knew when they married.
I usually do not enjoy books that jump either in time or place, and this story does both. However, the changes in place and time were so clearly marked in this book that they posed no problem for me.
The story is carefully constructed and layered so cleverly that the tension mounts and the reader is drawn into the problems Hanna encounters. As a result of the character building in this book the reader lives every emotion and struggle that Hanna encounters.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and think it would be an excellent read for a book group as discussions would be wide ranging and varied.
The Author
Karen Moore is passionate about all things noir – crime, mystery, thrillers – and writes in that genre.
She has been writing all her life, mostly for work purposes, and is now delighted to be able to spend more time developing her own creative work.
Her debut novel, Torn, is a dark tale of intrigue and betrayal set in Sicily and North Wales. She is currently working on the sequel.
Karen worked as a tour guide across Europe, North America and Canada, followed by a career in PR and marketing. She has lived in France and Italy and is now based in Cheshire, England.
https://www.facebook.com/karenmooreau...
Val Penny
The Blurb
Like any mother, Hanna would do anything to protect her small daughter, Eva.
When she discovers that her husband, Luciano, is not all he seems and their blissful life on the island of Sicily is threatened, she wastes no time in seeking refuge abroad. But just as they are settling into their new life in North Wales, Eva disappears.
In a race against time, Hanna is forced to return to Sicily and face the dark world of organised crime in a bid to secure her daughter’s safe return. She must also confront the truth about Luciano’s business dealings and their horrific consequences.
But will Hanna succeed in getting Eva back and bring Luciano to justice?
Or are the stakes just too high?
The Review
Torn is Karen Moore’s debut novel, but it does not read like a debut novel. It is an assured, gripping tale of a young woman who progresses from a carefree job as a tour guide in Sicily to protecting her young child in a Welsh village.
The story builds gradually as the reader is introduced to Hanna, her daughter Eva, best friend Ceri and Ceri’s brother Rhys. The action jumps between Wales and Sicily as the author weaves the tale of Hanna and how she finds herself hiding in the Welsh village seeking safety for herself and Eva.
Hanna’s husband, Eva’s father, is an exciting, handsome man that Hanna falls completely in love with. It is only after Eva’s birth that she begins to discover more about her husband and his family than she knew when they married.
I usually do not enjoy books that jump either in time or place, and this story does both. However, the changes in place and time were so clearly marked in this book that they posed no problem for me.
The story is carefully constructed and layered so cleverly that the tension mounts and the reader is drawn into the problems Hanna encounters. As a result of the character building in this book the reader lives every emotion and struggle that Hanna encounters.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and think it would be an excellent read for a book group as discussions would be wide ranging and varied.
The Author
Karen Moore is passionate about all things noir – crime, mystery, thrillers – and writes in that genre.
She has been writing all her life, mostly for work purposes, and is now delighted to be able to spend more time developing her own creative work.
Her debut novel, Torn, is a dark tale of intrigue and betrayal set in Sicily and North Wales. She is currently working on the sequel.
Karen worked as a tour guide across Europe, North America and Canada, followed by a career in PR and marketing. She has lived in France and Italy and is now based in Cheshire, England.
https://www.facebook.com/karenmooreau...
Val Penny
September 27, 2020
We first meet Hanna as she’s making a desperate attempt to escape from her marital home in Sicily, taking Eva, her young daughter with her. With the help of her friend, Ceri, she’s planning a new life in a remote cottage in North Wales.
We learn why Hanna is prepared to abandon her comfortable lifestyle by the clever use of flashbacks - it appears that Luciano is not the respectable business man she’d always thought him to be. Alas, as in all good suspense stories, not everything goes to plan. Hanna is forced to return to Sicily to confront the man she’d once loved to try to put an end to his criminal activities and the threats to her and Eva.
I was hooked by the opening to this story. The author is excellent at creating a sense of place, her descriptions of sun-soaked Sicily and the bleak hillsides of North Wales were spot on. Her skilful use of multiple red herrings meant I was kept guessing about what would happen next and what the denouement would be. If you’re looking for an intricately plotted, suspense-filled story, give this one a go.
We learn why Hanna is prepared to abandon her comfortable lifestyle by the clever use of flashbacks - it appears that Luciano is not the respectable business man she’d always thought him to be. Alas, as in all good suspense stories, not everything goes to plan. Hanna is forced to return to Sicily to confront the man she’d once loved to try to put an end to his criminal activities and the threats to her and Eva.
I was hooked by the opening to this story. The author is excellent at creating a sense of place, her descriptions of sun-soaked Sicily and the bleak hillsides of North Wales were spot on. Her skilful use of multiple red herrings meant I was kept guessing about what would happen next and what the denouement would be. If you’re looking for an intricately plotted, suspense-filled story, give this one a go.
February 28, 2020
In this well-paced and intriguing thriller, Karen Moore deftly weaves together a wintry North Wales with the warmer climes of Sicily (if only in terms of the weather!). But which, if either of them, is a safe haven? Moore has created believable characters and skilfully keeps us guessing as to the motives of some. The main protagonist, Hanna, is an ‘ordinary’ person working as a tour guide, who unwittingly finds herself in a dangerous and desperate situation, leaving me wondering what any of us would do if faced with such a dilemma. It also makes for a gripping conclusion. The author has an easy-to-read writing style and her previous experience of living and working in Italy shines through – especially with regard to the sumptuous-sounding food and gorgeous scenery!
July 18, 2020
Given the rainy circumstances of the current UK summer this book was the perfect piece of escapism for me, into the sunnier climes of Sicily that are rendered with great skill by Moore. The novel unfurls in an increasingly labyrinthine and dark way that draws you deeper and deeper into its heart. But it was Hanna’s relationship with Eva that moved me most, making this both gripping and moving. An excellent novel.
August 11, 2020
My review of Torn by Karen Moore
A good author has the ability to paint pictures in their readers’ minds with their words and Karen Moor has this skill in abundance. One minute I was sitting back enjoying the food and stunning, sun drenched scenery of Italy and the next I was shivering in the equally beautiful, but much chillier, Welsh countryside. A choice of perfect settings for a tense thriller that caught you on page one and didn’t let go until the end.
A good author has the ability to paint pictures in their readers’ minds with their words and Karen Moor has this skill in abundance. One minute I was sitting back enjoying the food and stunning, sun drenched scenery of Italy and the next I was shivering in the equally beautiful, but much chillier, Welsh countryside. A choice of perfect settings for a tense thriller that caught you on page one and didn’t let go until the end.
December 10, 2022
Good read
Definitely good read, hard theme to write/read about, twisty and emotional story. Interesting characters and easy to follow writing style.
Definitely good read, hard theme to write/read about, twisty and emotional story. Interesting characters and easy to follow writing style.
March 30, 2020
Firstly I loved the cover of this book! It is eye-catching and moody and captures the style of this gripping thriller perfectly. Karen Moore has an easy to read style and the switch between settings was enjoyable. I also loved reading about Hanna and the relationship with her small daughter Eva. A book that will keep you turning the pages.
November 29, 2019
Fast paced up to date gentle thriller
Enjoyed the settings and characters. Good grasp of Wales and Sicily. Builds well and became a fast read as I was enjoying turning the pages. Would definitely read further books by this author.
Enjoyed the settings and characters. Good grasp of Wales and Sicily. Builds well and became a fast read as I was enjoying turning the pages. Would definitely read further books by this author.
December 30, 2019
Great read
This book was recommended to me by friend. I believe this is Karen's first published book. I found the story well written and with a great plot that was believable. For a first novel amazing. Look forward to the next one
This book was recommended to me by friend. I believe this is Karen's first published book. I found the story well written and with a great plot that was believable. For a first novel amazing. Look forward to the next one
April 2, 2021
Dramatic
I enjoy any book that mentions food it brings authenticity to the characters. The author builds an informative picture of Sicily and Wales. Lots of drama for anyone who enjoys a good read
I enjoy any book that mentions food it brings authenticity to the characters. The author builds an informative picture of Sicily and Wales. Lots of drama for anyone who enjoys a good read
May 20, 2020
A must read book
If you like good clean books you will love this one , I would recommend this book to any body.
If you like good clean books you will love this one , I would recommend this book to any body.
October 3, 2020
What a page-turner this novel is. I won't spoil it by going into detail, but it kept my heart in my mouth from the beginning to the end. The writing is excellent, too.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
November 14, 2020
Really good
fascinating moves right along. Keeps you guessing! A nice trip yo Italy! Great descriptions on the food and scenery! A twisted ending that I didn't expect!
fascinating moves right along. Keeps you guessing! A nice trip yo Italy! Great descriptions on the food and scenery! A twisted ending that I didn't expect!
March 9, 2025
I like a good thriller but this clearly didn't thrill me.
It's a good debut novel; you can tell everything is overly described, which adds substance but delays the pace of the book.
There are quite a few plot holes, some factual inaccurate scenarios and some parts that should have been corrected in the editing/proofreading
A sublime account of Sicillian life, culture, food and environment; credited to the author's time in Italy.
Kept me intrigued during reading but ultimately petered out to a weak ending
It's a good debut novel; you can tell everything is overly described, which adds substance but delays the pace of the book.
There are quite a few plot holes, some factual inaccurate scenarios and some parts that should have been corrected in the editing/proofreading
A sublime account of Sicillian life, culture, food and environment; credited to the author's time in Italy.
Kept me intrigued during reading but ultimately petered out to a weak ending
May 1, 2021
This novel did not really grip me. There were too many unanswered questions (How did the kidnappers find her in Wales?) It seems to me as if the purpose of this novel was not to tell a gripping story but to show the differences between Wales and Sicily. Too much detail where it's not needed and not enough where it should be told.
May 12, 2023
Disappointed
I found it to be long and wordy. I actually skipped over part with the bratty daughter. The story content was ok but so dragged out. I expected more from a Mafia story! I did enjoy the few words I. Sicilian!,
I was torn to move forward to the end or shelf it.
.
I found it to be long and wordy. I actually skipped over part with the bratty daughter. The story content was ok but so dragged out. I expected more from a Mafia story! I did enjoy the few words I. Sicilian!,
I was torn to move forward to the end or shelf it.
.
January 17, 2025
A really good read, I did feel it could have been shorter however with the build ups getting to the different places they needed to go. Great all the same but too much. Also hanna annoyed me on certain occasions as she should have seen what was happening.
October 25, 2020
Just ok
It's a pretty good debut book but it's missing some explanations. How do the kidnappers get her phone number since it's a brand new phone? Things like that are missing.
It's a pretty good debut book but it's missing some explanations. How do the kidnappers get her phone number since it's a brand new phone? Things like that are missing.
December 6, 2021
Good book
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews