He offered her a perfect love. She walked into a perfect nightmare. Elena Rossi believes her life is finally beginning. A talented art restorer, weary of heartbreak and the gray skies of Boston, she is utterly seduced by Luca Conti-a devastatingly handsome Italian aristocrat who sweeps her off her feet with whispers of a new life amidst the sun-drenched vineyards of Tuscany. His family's ancient estate, Villa del Cigno Nero, is a breathtaking paradise. His love is all-consuming. His proposal is a fairy tale come true. But from the moment she becomes his wife, the fairy tale begins to curdle. The opulent villa feels more like a gilded cage. The charming locals fall silent at the mention of the Conti name.And Luca's adoration reveals a dark, controlling edge. Isolated and increasingly afraid, Elena uncovers a terrifying secret within the villa's locked east wing: a private gallery of portraits depicting women in states of exquisite terror, including herself. Her discovery leads her to a hidden crypt and the Conti family's sacred legacy: rows of ornate urns, each holding the remains of a young bride, each preserved at the moment of her husband's "utmost love." Luca doesn't just admire beauty-he collects it. He curates it. And when he fears it will change, he preserves it. Forever. Trapped and destined to become his next masterpiece, Elena must use her own intellect as her only weapon. Playing a deadly game of cat and mouse with a man who believes his murderous obsession is the highest form of devotion, she must outsmart a monster who sees her not as a woman, but as his eternal triumph. Meanwhile, an American investigator, drawn to Italy by the disappearance of another woman, begins to pierce the village's wall of silence, uncovering a pattern of horror that stretches back for generations. But is he already too late? A Novel of Seduction, Deception, Obsession, Crimes and Horrors The Crime of Love is a breathtakingly dark and twist-laden thriller that will captivate fans of Lucy Foley, Alex Michaelides, and Gillian Flynn. It is a story that explores the terrifying depths of obsession, the masks of madness, and the fierce, desperate will to survive. Perfect for book clubs and anyone who loves a psychological thriller set against a glamorous, international backdrop, this novel will hold you in its grip from the first page to its heart-stopping conclusion. You thought you knew what love was. You were wrong.