All That Is Left of Life
Italy

All That Is Left of Life

by Roberta Rossella Recchia

Family & Heritage Historical Fiction Fiction Family Saga 2026

Summary

Three generations of the Ansaldo family grapple with the aftermath of a tragic murder in this sweeping, cinematic debut set in 1980s Rome, for fans of Elena Ferrante and Liz Moore.

It’s a sultry August night when sixteen-year-old Betta Ansaldo convinces her cousin Miriam to sneak out to the local beach for a party. Only Miriam returns. Traumatized by the violence she’s witnessed, she remains silent. The small community is riven with grief, none more so than the Ansaldos, who search for answers they cannot find. Who did Betta cross paths with on that fateful night? What was she doing there? And how could such a horrific crime happen in such a peaceful place?

As the years pass, and Betta’s murder goes unsolved, the Ansaldo family fractures under the weight of their loss. When Miriam meets Leo, a sweet-natured young man with a dark past, their romance seems to turn her life around. But when Leo starts to pull loose the threads of Betta’s story, determined to find out what really happened, his search for the truth risks unraveling everything.

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Country
Italy
Europe
About the author
Roberta Rossella Recchia
Roberta Rossella Recchia

Roberta Rossella Recchia is an Italian novelist born in Rome in 1972. She spent part of her life in Lille, France, where she earned a master’s degree in international relations and cultures. After working for ten years at a large company, she decided to leave office life and pursue a career in education. She now teaches English at a high school in Rome. Passionate about literature and cinema, particularly Russian and French literature, Recchia brings a cinematic sensibility and strong psychological insight to her storytelling. Her debut novel, All That Is Left of Life (Tutta la vita che resta), was published in Italy in 2024 and became a major commercial success, selling more than 200,000 copies. The novel combines elements of family saga, psychological drama, romance, and mystery to explore grief, violence, and the possibility of healing after profound loss. With its vivid characters and emotionally layered narrative, Recchia’s debut established her as a notable new voice in contemporary Italian fiction. She lives in a small town on the coast of Lazio, Italy.

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Details
Published
2026
Author
Roberta Rossella Recchia