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The Way Things Fall
When Rachel, a successful art critic, attends an exhibition by an up-and-coming artist, she is unsettled by the eerie familiarity of his paintings. They bring to mind a tragic event from the past and a cowardly decision she made. As her relationship with the artist develops, she searches for a way to come to terms with this and is drawn back to a man she loved and worked with many years ago in Cairo. This man had warned her that, one day, fate may find a way to punish her.
As the story unfolds in three different countries over fifteen years, the tension and conflict between Rachel's relationship with two different men and two different worlds accelerates. Eventually, she must pay a steep price to fully atone for what she did.
As the story unfolds in three different countries over fifteen years, the tension and conflict between Rachel's relationship with two different men and two different worlds accelerates. Eventually, she must pay a steep price to fully atone for what she did.
256 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2020
2 people are currently reading
1216 people want to read
About the author
Liz Torlée
4 books10 followersLiz Torlée lived and worked in England and Germany before emigrating to Canada in her twenties. She built a long career in both advertising and market research but is now devoted to her real passion: writing fiction.
Since she was a child, Liz has loved watching and learning about the stars and exploring the mythology of the night sky. She has always been intrigued by the whole notion of fate and how, through “coincidence” and other mysterious means, it makes our lives intersect in strange and far-reaching ways. The cunning tactics of fate have fueled the central ideas and themes in her work.
Along with her husband, Liz is an avid traveller, particularly enjoying any country with a desert! She is fascinated by the vast, ever-changing beauty of the desert landscape, and this has inspired many of the settings for her novels.
A Long Walk With Fate (2025), published by Blue Denim Press, is Liz’s third novel. The previous two, also from Blue Denim Press, are The Way Things Fall (2020) and In Love With The Night (2022). She had two short stories published in 2024: Flight, in the anthology Will There Be A Sunset? (Chicken House Press), and Narrowing the Field, in the Hill Spirits VI anthology Change, (Blue Denim Press.) Her story Orion Winked (2025), was one of four chosen to be engraved on a picnic table, as part of the town of Cobourg’s Picnic on Poetry initiative.
Since she was a child, Liz has loved watching and learning about the stars and exploring the mythology of the night sky. She has always been intrigued by the whole notion of fate and how, through “coincidence” and other mysterious means, it makes our lives intersect in strange and far-reaching ways. The cunning tactics of fate have fueled the central ideas and themes in her work.
Along with her husband, Liz is an avid traveller, particularly enjoying any country with a desert! She is fascinated by the vast, ever-changing beauty of the desert landscape, and this has inspired many of the settings for her novels.
A Long Walk With Fate (2025), published by Blue Denim Press, is Liz’s third novel. The previous two, also from Blue Denim Press, are The Way Things Fall (2020) and In Love With The Night (2022). She had two short stories published in 2024: Flight, in the anthology Will There Be A Sunset? (Chicken House Press), and Narrowing the Field, in the Hill Spirits VI anthology Change, (Blue Denim Press.) Her story Orion Winked (2025), was one of four chosen to be engraved on a picnic table, as part of the town of Cobourg’s Picnic on Poetry initiative.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 22, 2021
I have always been been fascinated with astronomy and enjoy having some fun with it's spiritual side "astrology".
Why am I having a difficult time writing a review of this book.
It was a fluid fun read, but it has now been three hours and I can't capture the verbiage to print.
This is a book of fiction but includes general facts we were taught about in astronomy and
my memory had the recall of science, stars with many of their Greek myths.
Have you ever had anyone read you using a chart beginning with your astrological sign, day and time of birth. That information gives the descriptions of your personality, traits, and future based on the positions at that moment when stars, moons and collide according to the teachers.
If you are a skeptic, you will question what is or isn't guiding Rachel to act and react as she does.
This book and story is a current one, but it is not one about "the gods" .
Part mystery and intrigue, with a little romance, this book is the many decisions and judgement calls a young girl makes about herself, friends, and family.
Beginning in Cairo, Rachel is there to do short term research in the arts to become the renown art critic she has has always dreamed of being.
Shortly after arriving, she will meet a man who would change her life forever.
From Canada to Cairo, to Tuscany, the decades of time mirror questions of her destiny.
She must recognize that as either her actions of fate, or those disguised as red flags we often hear about. Rachel will find out years later those answers but will it be too late.
Do you as a reader believe there are no accidents or coincidences in life?
Had I not stumbled over this book, I would never have sought it out. I was thrilled this book was as accurate as it's synopsis, as is the nonconventional clever storyline.
I bought the kindle format on Amazon, but when entering it today, GR's shows there was no kindle format for some strange reason the first time I pulled it up.
Why am I having a difficult time writing a review of this book.
It was a fluid fun read, but it has now been three hours and I can't capture the verbiage to print.
This is a book of fiction but includes general facts we were taught about in astronomy and
my memory had the recall of science, stars with many of their Greek myths.
Have you ever had anyone read you using a chart beginning with your astrological sign, day and time of birth. That information gives the descriptions of your personality, traits, and future based on the positions at that moment when stars, moons and collide according to the teachers.
If you are a skeptic, you will question what is or isn't guiding Rachel to act and react as she does.
This book and story is a current one, but it is not one about "the gods" .
Part mystery and intrigue, with a little romance, this book is the many decisions and judgement calls a young girl makes about herself, friends, and family.
Beginning in Cairo, Rachel is there to do short term research in the arts to become the renown art critic she has has always dreamed of being.
Shortly after arriving, she will meet a man who would change her life forever.
From Canada to Cairo, to Tuscany, the decades of time mirror questions of her destiny.
She must recognize that as either her actions of fate, or those disguised as red flags we often hear about. Rachel will find out years later those answers but will it be too late.
Do you as a reader believe there are no accidents or coincidences in life?
Had I not stumbled over this book, I would never have sought it out. I was thrilled this book was as accurate as it's synopsis, as is the nonconventional clever storyline.
I bought the kindle format on Amazon, but when entering it today, GR's shows there was no kindle format for some strange reason the first time I pulled it up.
January 29, 2021
The writing in this is impeccable!
She draws you in with beautiful descriptions in the very first chapter.
The story gets a bit bizarre and I was uncertain how it would all tie in.
If you can submit yourself to not understanding all the bits straight away, it's a lovely way to get lost.
I look forward to seeing anything else Ms. Torlée decides to write.
***Signed copy received from the author via Goodreads giveaway.***
She draws you in with beautiful descriptions in the very first chapter.
The story gets a bit bizarre and I was uncertain how it would all tie in.
If you can submit yourself to not understanding all the bits straight away, it's a lovely way to get lost.
I look forward to seeing anything else Ms. Torlée decides to write.
***Signed copy received from the author via Goodreads giveaway.***
Read
December 13, 2020A great book that I had the pleasure of editing. I will leave other readers to write a review of this book, but I was intrigued by the premise, the characters, the weaving of the worldly with the other-worldly, the romantic and mysterious settings of Tuscany and Cairo, and the strong writing.
October 4, 2020
At a time when travelling is severely curtailed, what better escape from Zoom and our four walls than reading a novel set in Cairo’s labyrinthine streets and Tuscany’s vast vistas?
Rachel Covelli is fresh out of university and lands an assignment from a Canadian museum that takes her to Egypt. Following a tip from an older, well-meaning friend, she knocks on Herr Karl Gustav’s door and unwittingly triggers a chain reaction that leads her on a wild and wonderful voyage of discovery, expands her horizons then shrinks them as abruptly as a COVID shutdown.
Time marches on and Rachel is now a moderately successful arts critic in Toronto. An exhibition’s opening night brings her face-to-face with an image from a frightening event in her past. How could the artist, Steven Farrow, capture with such “photographic intensity” the stag that jumped in front of her car all those years ago? Is this fate’s doing, as Karl would believe, or merely a coincidence?
With a plot that moves along at just the right speed, and descriptions as evocative as Alix E. Harrow's in The Ten Thousand Doors of January, I enjoyed The Way Things Fall immensely and have no hesitation in recommending it most highly. I know I will re-read it with tremendous enjoyment in the very near future.
Rachel Covelli is fresh out of university and lands an assignment from a Canadian museum that takes her to Egypt. Following a tip from an older, well-meaning friend, she knocks on Herr Karl Gustav’s door and unwittingly triggers a chain reaction that leads her on a wild and wonderful voyage of discovery, expands her horizons then shrinks them as abruptly as a COVID shutdown.
Time marches on and Rachel is now a moderately successful arts critic in Toronto. An exhibition’s opening night brings her face-to-face with an image from a frightening event in her past. How could the artist, Steven Farrow, capture with such “photographic intensity” the stag that jumped in front of her car all those years ago? Is this fate’s doing, as Karl would believe, or merely a coincidence?
With a plot that moves along at just the right speed, and descriptions as evocative as Alix E. Harrow's in The Ten Thousand Doors of January, I enjoyed The Way Things Fall immensely and have no hesitation in recommending it most highly. I know I will re-read it with tremendous enjoyment in the very near future.
October 15, 2020
There are many elements that make this book about a woman called Rachel hard to put down - the vivid tapestries painted of Rachel's time in Cairo, the desert under the night sky and Italy, the intriguing mystique of the astrological story line that is woven into the recurring theme of fate and destiny, the well-defined characters, the love story, the constant tension as Rachel is tormented by the discoveries and decisions she makes. But what makes this book particularly worthwhile is the author's ability to make you feel every emotion and every sensation experienced by Rachel throughout this classic tragic tale. You feel you are there with her, sometimes envious of her, sometimes quivering with her and, every so often, thanking your own lucky stars that you are not her! Worth a read.
September 25, 2020
This is an excellent book that I had the pleasure of reading in an advance copy. The characters are well developed with interesting backgrounds weaving an intriguing story with many surprises along the way. The reader will undoubtedly, like myself, tap into the underlying reality that life and the people we meet along the way are all somehow tied together in impossible ways. Highly recommended for a good winter read beside a warm fireplace.
December 5, 2020
Is there such a thing as coincidence or is everything that happens in our life driven by fate? And do our actions have consequences that irrevocably shape our fate? Liz Torlée explores these fundamental questions in “The Way Things Fall”.
Rachel Covilli, a successful art critic with an interest in Egyptology, travels to Cairo early in her career on a freelance project for a museum. There she meets and falls under the spell of astronomer Karl Gustav who introduces her to the ancient beliefs of the Egyptians, cosmology and the belief that we are both physically and spiritually connected to the universe. A great love affair blossoms between them.
But along the way Rachel makes a terrible mistake that will haunt her for years to come. Fate (or coincidence?) forces her to confront the consequences of this act and atone for it.
The novel plays out in Canada, Egypt and Italy. Torlée calls on her years spent in these countries to bring their cultures and landscapes vividly to life. We are transported to exotic locales that fire our imagination.
“The Way Things Fall” explores fate and karma, love and desire, and the sometimes stony roads our lives take us on as we grow and mature into the people we are meant to be. An engaging debut novel which I readily recommend to fans of literary fiction.
Rachel Covilli, a successful art critic with an interest in Egyptology, travels to Cairo early in her career on a freelance project for a museum. There she meets and falls under the spell of astronomer Karl Gustav who introduces her to the ancient beliefs of the Egyptians, cosmology and the belief that we are both physically and spiritually connected to the universe. A great love affair blossoms between them.
But along the way Rachel makes a terrible mistake that will haunt her for years to come. Fate (or coincidence?) forces her to confront the consequences of this act and atone for it.
The novel plays out in Canada, Egypt and Italy. Torlée calls on her years spent in these countries to bring their cultures and landscapes vividly to life. We are transported to exotic locales that fire our imagination.
“The Way Things Fall” explores fate and karma, love and desire, and the sometimes stony roads our lives take us on as we grow and mature into the people we are meant to be. An engaging debut novel which I readily recommend to fans of literary fiction.
November 22, 2020
The Way Things Fall is one of the most enjoyable novels I have ever read (and that's coming from someone who has been reading novels for the last sixty years). It begins with a sense of foreboding that never lets up until the end. A real page turner! This novel has everything: mystery, mysticism, a powerful love triangle, exotic locales, and a riveting plot line. The three main characters, from three very different walks of life, are exceedingly well drawn--complicated yet magnetic. And the conclusion--wow--unexpected and totally satisfying. It's the kind of book that you would keep on your shelf to read again in order to delve further into the mystery at its core. Very accessible writing style. Loved it. Hoping for a second book by this author.
December 6, 2022
This is the perfect book for these times. By immersing yourself in it, you can travel to different places and find yourself in Cairo or in Tuscany or in Toronto. You can learn so much about art criticism, ancient astronomy, and the ways of the Egyptians. You can also contemplate whether there is such a thing as coincidence and the role of fate in our lives. All this is woven together with realistic characters with whom you can easily identify. Enjoy!
January 9, 2021
The Way Things Fall by Liz Torlee c2020 as reviewed by Gail M. Murray
Torlee has crafted a contemporary novel that invites more questions than answers. Her fluid style carries the reader along as the drama unfolds mingling love, art, astrology and the mystical.
Shakespeare’s Hamlet says “There’s a divinity/destiny that shapes our ends/Rough-hew them as we will.” Torlee’s constant theme throughout asks is fate at play? What happens if we don’t pay attention? Should we embrace our fate? And what happens if we don’t? Her plot and characters underscore this theme yet are so well developed as to appear flesh and blood. I found myself reacting emotionally to their ‘choices’ especially Rachel.
Twenty-four year old Rachel Covelli, with a fine arts degree and a few courses in Egyptology, sets off for Egypt to research a museum assignment. Following a lead, she traverses the narrow backstreets of Cairo to interview Karl von Randow, a Swiss astronomer and former lecturer at the University of Alexandria, hoping his expertise will lend her writing assignment an intriguing perspective. She gets more than she bargained for.
Karl,in his early thirties, is cold, dismissive, condescending. Though fearful and uneasy, she is drawn to him. Under the brilliant desert night sky, fueled by Diviner’s Sage (a blend of salvia divinorum and blue lotus leaves extract) from his silver flask and his intense personality, we are privy to their passionate, provocative love making. I am reminded of Ralph Fienne’s character Laslo de Almasy in The English Patient. I can see Alexander Skarsgard in the part with his blonde hair and piercing eyes.
Torlee envelops us in Cairo with its children’s laughter, scents of cinnamon, and tastes of pungent pastel Turkish cigarettes and strong jasmine tea. “Cairo wrapped itself around her and she gave herself up to its embrace.”(p62) The woman who loves art and writing also gives herself up to the euphoria she experiences with Karl.
“Was this a healthy kind of love…..she didn’t care, couldn’t stop…..she had never felt so vital, so energized, and almost omnipotent. And what about him, the inner voice would persist, his possessiveness, his intense need to control.” (p82)
I never understood why Rachel returned to Canada to take the art critic course. Was her time with Karl too unreal, otherworldly? While taking the course which leads to her new career, she has a tragic accident that haunts her.
Again, while on assignment to review up and coming painter, Steven Farrow; she becomes involved. Rachel has a startling reaction to his canvases especially the one of the stag leaping across the road. Later in the novel we understand why.
The two men Rachel becomes involved with are complete opposites, both demanding in their own way, and both begin on a negative footing. With Steven, Rachel feels powerless by her own admission. After their initial conflict “they had slipped into a gentle companionship, a quiet kind of love.” (p147)
As the story unfolds in three different countries over fifteen years (2000-2015), the tension and conflict between Rachel's relationship with two different men and two different worlds accelerates. Torlee’s attention to detail and poetic sensibility draw the reader in, make us reflect, wonder and journey from dark to light. The ending took me by surprise and I loved it. A most captivating read.
December 20, 2020
As a copious reader I have had the opportunity to delve into a variety of genres from many authors , rarely has a novel transported me into the story as completely as this novel from Liz Torlee. The quality of the narrative and the vivid descriptions of the exotic locales are a rare treat. Things in this novel are not what they seem , and the twists and turns will make you quick to turn each page . A wonderful first novel , is there a sequel coming, I hope so.
November 29, 2020
Carefully Crafted, Unique in Plot, Deep in Character. In this debut novel, Liz Torlee paints a wonderful mosaic of challenged characters and conflicting cultures. For me, The Way Things Fall was a carefully constructed journey into a world of spiritual unfamiliarity. Delighted to have joined her on this journey.
December 4, 2020
Filled with beautiful detail and elegant writing about worldly and otherworldly matters. Ms. Torlee leads you on a fascinating journey and keeps you engaged throughout. Hoping for more from her.
February 2, 2021
The influence of karma and atonement and how it may affect our lives is an intriguing concept and woven into a very thought provoking story. The author's description of the sights, sounds and even the smell of the countries in the narrative are wonderfully vivid and evocative. Even if you only have a passing interest in Egyptian mythology and astrology you will find this book a thoroughly enjoyable read which I highly recommend.
January 29, 2021
The Way Things Fall
Liz Torlée really brings the landscapes and customs of the locations (Egypt, Tuscany, and Canada) visited in this novel to life. The reader also learns holistically, through the author’s well-developed characters, of the mysterious role of astrology and astronomy in Egyptian mythology.
I especially resonated with the vivid descriptions of life in the Italian countryside and the artistic struggles of the painter Steven. I particularly enjoyed the way Steven used his daily walks with his two dogs through the Italian hills to work out his painterly aspirations.
The life of an artist is wonderfully conveyed in this novel!
I highly recommend this book!
Liz Torlée really brings the landscapes and customs of the locations (Egypt, Tuscany, and Canada) visited in this novel to life. The reader also learns holistically, through the author’s well-developed characters, of the mysterious role of astrology and astronomy in Egyptian mythology.
I especially resonated with the vivid descriptions of life in the Italian countryside and the artistic struggles of the painter Steven. I particularly enjoyed the way Steven used his daily walks with his two dogs through the Italian hills to work out his painterly aspirations.
The life of an artist is wonderfully conveyed in this novel!
I highly recommend this book!
January 18, 2021
Fabulous book. Can’t wait for the sequel. This is the authors first book and she got it right. I loved the characters from the get go and the worlds of mysticism and art
Intertwined in an unusual way.
Won’t spoil the unraveling. Just read it.
Intertwined in an unusual way.
Won’t spoil the unraveling. Just read it.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews