Dark Heart
Silvia Avallone
Translated by Lucy Rand
Paperback
Pre-order now
18 June 2026Imprint: Manilla Press
Synopsis
'You can't love someone without knowing their whole story . . .'
Fleeing a pitch-dark past, Emilia Innocenti arrives in a tiny village deep in the mountains of Piedmont, Northern Italy, with one aim; to hide away from the world. Surrounded only by a handful of inhabitants, the looming Alps and the weight of her own terrible crime, Emilia is determined to let isolation be her punishment.
Equally intent on cutting himself off from the world is Bruno, one of her only neighbours. In the wake of a devastating loss, living in complete solitude seems like the perfect complement to the pain in his heart. But when Emilia and Bruno meet, the two realise they can't be alone forever - and maybe, they no longer want to be.
As Emilia's dark secret threatens to break the surface, both will question everything they thought they knew about each other - and themselves . . .
From bestselling Italian literary sensation Silvia Avallone, Dark Heart is the shocking, deeply moving story of trauma, love and forgiveness, set against an unforgettable mountainous backdrop.
Readers LOVE Dark Heart (originally published as Cuoro Nero):
'One of the most beautiful and intense books I've ever read'
'This story is a precious gift'
'If you love stories that capture your heart and leave an indelible mark, this is the book for you'
'An extraordinary novel. Unputdownable'
'It captivated me from the first page to the last'
'Undoubtedly one of the best books I've read this year'
Fleeing a pitch-dark past, Emilia Innocenti arrives in a tiny village deep in the mountains of Piedmont, Northern Italy, with one aim; to hide away from the world. Surrounded only by a handful of inhabitants, the looming Alps and the weight of her own terrible crime, Emilia is determined to let isolation be her punishment.
Equally intent on cutting himself off from the world is Bruno, one of her only neighbours. In the wake of a devastating loss, living in complete solitude seems like the perfect complement to the pain in his heart. But when Emilia and Bruno meet, the two realise they can't be alone forever - and maybe, they no longer want to be.
As Emilia's dark secret threatens to break the surface, both will question everything they thought they knew about each other - and themselves . . .
From bestselling Italian literary sensation Silvia Avallone, Dark Heart is the shocking, deeply moving story of trauma, love and forgiveness, set against an unforgettable mountainous backdrop.
Readers LOVE Dark Heart (originally published as Cuoro Nero):
'One of the most beautiful and intense books I've ever read'
'This story is a precious gift'
'If you love stories that capture your heart and leave an indelible mark, this is the book for you'
'An extraordinary novel. Unputdownable'
'It captivated me from the first page to the last'
'Undoubtedly one of the best books I've read this year'
Details
18 June 2026
9781786584717Imprint: Manilla Press
Reviews
At once devastating and uplifting, Dark Heart is an intense, beautiful story of resilience and hope.
Silvia Avallone is an enchantress. She shows you a forest, a house, a girl, then a man. And she asks you to give her your hand and follow her. If you do, she won't let it go until the end. This is the spell of writing.
A story of strong narrative and moral tension: it explores the search for love, friendship and forgiveness
Two protagonists with difficult but opposite pasts: she is a perpetrator, he is a victim. Their love is unexpected: but what happens when the truth comes to the surface?
