--- product_id: 41811826 title: "Beneath a Scarlet Sky: A Novel" price: "£20.56" currency: GBP in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/41811826-beneath-a-scarlet-sky-a-novel store_origin: GB region: United Kingdom --- # Beneath a Scarlet Sky: A Novel **Price:** £20.56 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Beneath a Scarlet Sky: A Novel - **How much does it cost?** £20.56 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.uk](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/41811826-beneath-a-scarlet-sky-a-novel) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Based on the true story of a forgotten hero, the USA Today and #1 desertcart Charts bestseller Beneath a Scarlet Sky is the triumphant, epic tale of one young man’s incredible courage and resilience during one of history’s darkest hours. Pino Lella wants nothing to do with the war or the Nazis. He’s a normal Italian teenager―obsessed with music, food, and girls―but his days of innocence are numbered. When his family home in Milan is destroyed by Allied bombs, Pino joins an underground railroad helping Jews escape over the Alps, and falls for Anna, a beautiful widow six years his senior. In an attempt to protect him, Pino’s parents force him to enlist as a German soldier―a move they think will keep him out of combat. But after Pino is injured, he is recruited at the tender age of eighteen to become the personal driver for Adolf Hitler’s left hand in Italy, General Hans Leyers, one of the Third Reich’s most mysterious and powerful commanders. Now, with the opportunity to spy for the Allies inside the German High Command, Pino endures the horrors of the war and the Nazi occupation by fighting in secret, his courage bolstered by his love for Anna and for the life he dreams they will one day share. Fans of All the Light We Cannot See , The Nightingale , and Unbroken will enjoy this riveting saga of history, suspense, and love. Review: ~~Action/Courage/Resilience - set in Italy during WW II~~ - A Kindle First selection that is masterfully written with complex characters and heart-pounding scenes. It takes place in Italy -'the forgotten front'- during WW II and the reader is drawn into a web of intrigue. Pino Lello, 17 years of age, is wise beyond his years and intelligent, as well. It is a gripping story of resilience, the indomitable spirit of a young man that knew no boundaries and courage that sustained him during dark hours. When reading the first portion, I was wondering if (and how) this intense pace would continue. The climbing scenes through the mountains gave me a real shot of adrenaline. I felt as though I was one of the climbers and not a reader. This is also when the echoes of 'Nessun Dorma' were played with such passion. For me, this is one of the underlying themes in the story - 'none shall sleep'. And, Pino Lello has taken that to heart for the remainder of this story. The action intensified throughout the remainder of the book, and one is allowed a rare glimpse into the mind of Il Duce - Benito Mussolini - plus the inner workings of the German High Command. Becoming a driver for Major General Hans Leyer allows Pino access to a man that is two steps from the Fuhrer. Pino Lello witnesses atrocities he wishes he could forget but keeps soldiering on...wisely... Just a gripping and harrowing Kindle First selection which I feel is the best one I have read. Full of action and suspense which will keep you on the edge of your seat for the duration. Most highly recommended. Please note that this is my Kindle First selection for April 2017. Review: A marvelous tale of adventure, love, and the final portion of WWII. Read it!!! 6 stars if I could give it. - For some (illogical) reason I thought this book wouldn't be great, since it was priced at $1.99. and I've read lots of Nazi/WWII books this year, but the author's background comments prompted me to download it, and boy am I glad I did. This is a whale of a book, one you will get hooked on and read it well until the night until you're finished. It is a fantastic book in so many ways. One, you will learn about WWII in Italy, which not many historical novels cover. Second, you will be treated to a magnificent story based on the true life experiences of "Pino" Lella, who until this book was written was an unknown hero, and follow his amazing story throughout the latter part of the war, when Germany "occupied" Italy (the Italy fascist leadership, led by Mussolini, was aligned with Hitler). Pino is a nondescript 17 year old, son of upper middle class parents, whose primary focus in life (as most 17 year old young men) was to have a good time with his friends and begin to enjoy the companionship of young women. As events unfold, Pino is nearing the point when he must take part in the war (enlist or get drafted/conscripted). If he joins the Nazi's, he will be sent to the Russian front where the survival rate is about 50%, so his parents encourage him to join the "Organization Todt", where Italian men stayed in Italy supporting the German war effort in building trucks, weapons, ammunition, and other supplies to aid the Nazis. Pino is vehemently opposed to helping the Nazis, whom he despises, but his father convinces him by telling him he can do more good as an "observer" (spy), passing inside information back to the Italian partisans resisting the German army. As it turns out, he has acquired expert driving skills, and through serendipitous events he is assigned as the "driver" for German General Hans Leyer, the #2 Nazi leader in Italy, with close ties to Hitler. Much of the book details his travels and service for General Leyer, and he is able to pass valuable intelligence back to the partisans. General Leyer has lodgings in Milan, and Pino meets and falls in love with the General's Italian maid, Anna. That story line, their romance, is well written as well. As it begins to become clear that the Allies are making significant progress, General Leyer realizes that Germany will be defeated, and he begins to put in place records that will portray him as an American sympathizer, while still dutifully supplying needed equipment and food to the Nazi war effort. No spoilers here, but the end game in the book is extremely well-written, and through both tragedy and the joy of finally freeing Italy of the Nazis we have an eyewitness account of how the retreating Nazis, their fascist collaborators, and the partisans ultimately play significant roles in the final months and days of the war. The author is a true master (while relatively unknown, he is a frequent collaborator with James Patterson on many of his bestseller books). You will not laugh, but you may smile, and you will certainly be saddened. This is an epic saga that is movie worthy, and I just found out prior to writing this review that the movie has already been cast and will be released (most likely) in 2018. I loved this book. It was educational while also being a moving and compelling story. You will enjoy it on many levels, as I did, and I highly recommend you add it to your reading list. Again, one of the best books I've read this year, and in this genre, one of the best books, period. ## Features - Soon to be a major motion picture from Pascal Pictures, starring Tom Holland. Based on the true story of a forgotten hero, the #1 desertcart Charts bestseller Beneath a Scarlet Sky is the triumphant, epic tale of one young man’s incredible courage and resilience during one of history’s darkest hours. - Pino Lella wants nothing to do with the war or the Nazis. He’s a normal Italian teenager—obsessed with music, food, and girls—but his days of innocence are numbered. When his family home in Milan is destroyed by Allied bombs, Pino joins an underground railroad helping Jews escape over the Alps, and falls for Anna, a beautiful widow six years his senior. - In an attempt to protect him, Pino’s parents force him to enlist as a German soldier—a move they think will keep him out of combat. But after Pino is injured, he is recruited at the tender age of eighteen to become the personal driver for Adolf Hitler’s left hand in Italy, General Hans Leyers, one of the Third Reich’s most mysterious and powerful commanders. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #2,155 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #8 in World War II Historical Fiction #21 in Historical World War II & Holocaust Fiction #54 in Literary Fiction (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 243,009 Reviews | ## Images ![Beneath a Scarlet Sky: A Novel - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61PH8dX1GYL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ~~Action/Courage/Resilience - set in Italy during WW II~~ *by S***. on April 1, 2017* A Kindle First selection that is masterfully written with complex characters and heart-pounding scenes. It takes place in Italy -'the forgotten front'- during WW II and the reader is drawn into a web of intrigue. Pino Lello, 17 years of age, is wise beyond his years and intelligent, as well. It is a gripping story of resilience, the indomitable spirit of a young man that knew no boundaries and courage that sustained him during dark hours. When reading the first portion, I was wondering if (and how) this intense pace would continue. The climbing scenes through the mountains gave me a real shot of adrenaline. I felt as though I was one of the climbers and not a reader. This is also when the echoes of 'Nessun Dorma' were played with such passion. For me, this is one of the underlying themes in the story - 'none shall sleep'. And, Pino Lello has taken that to heart for the remainder of this story. The action intensified throughout the remainder of the book, and one is allowed a rare glimpse into the mind of Il Duce - Benito Mussolini - plus the inner workings of the German High Command. Becoming a driver for Major General Hans Leyer allows Pino access to a man that is two steps from the Fuhrer. Pino Lello witnesses atrocities he wishes he could forget but keeps soldiering on...wisely... Just a gripping and harrowing Kindle First selection which I feel is the best one I have read. Full of action and suspense which will keep you on the edge of your seat for the duration. Most highly recommended. Please note that this is my Kindle First selection for April 2017. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A marvelous tale of adventure, love, and the final portion of WWII. Read it!!! 6 stars if I could give it. *by C***E on September 3, 2017* For some (illogical) reason I thought this book wouldn't be great, since it was priced at $1.99. and I've read lots of Nazi/WWII books this year, but the author's background comments prompted me to download it, and boy am I glad I did. This is a whale of a book, one you will get hooked on and read it well until the night until you're finished. It is a fantastic book in so many ways. One, you will learn about WWII in Italy, which not many historical novels cover. Second, you will be treated to a magnificent story based on the true life experiences of "Pino" Lella, who until this book was written was an unknown hero, and follow his amazing story throughout the latter part of the war, when Germany "occupied" Italy (the Italy fascist leadership, led by Mussolini, was aligned with Hitler). Pino is a nondescript 17 year old, son of upper middle class parents, whose primary focus in life (as most 17 year old young men) was to have a good time with his friends and begin to enjoy the companionship of young women. As events unfold, Pino is nearing the point when he must take part in the war (enlist or get drafted/conscripted). If he joins the Nazi's, he will be sent to the Russian front where the survival rate is about 50%, so his parents encourage him to join the "Organization Todt", where Italian men stayed in Italy supporting the German war effort in building trucks, weapons, ammunition, and other supplies to aid the Nazis. Pino is vehemently opposed to helping the Nazis, whom he despises, but his father convinces him by telling him he can do more good as an "observer" (spy), passing inside information back to the Italian partisans resisting the German army. As it turns out, he has acquired expert driving skills, and through serendipitous events he is assigned as the "driver" for German General Hans Leyer, the #2 Nazi leader in Italy, with close ties to Hitler. Much of the book details his travels and service for General Leyer, and he is able to pass valuable intelligence back to the partisans. General Leyer has lodgings in Milan, and Pino meets and falls in love with the General's Italian maid, Anna. That story line, their romance, is well written as well. As it begins to become clear that the Allies are making significant progress, General Leyer realizes that Germany will be defeated, and he begins to put in place records that will portray him as an American sympathizer, while still dutifully supplying needed equipment and food to the Nazi war effort. No spoilers here, but the end game in the book is extremely well-written, and through both tragedy and the joy of finally freeing Italy of the Nazis we have an eyewitness account of how the retreating Nazis, their fascist collaborators, and the partisans ultimately play significant roles in the final months and days of the war. The author is a true master (while relatively unknown, he is a frequent collaborator with James Patterson on many of his bestseller books). You will not laugh, but you may smile, and you will certainly be saddened. This is an epic saga that is movie worthy, and I just found out prior to writing this review that the movie has already been cast and will be released (most likely) in 2018. I loved this book. It was educational while also being a moving and compelling story. You will enjoy it on many levels, as I did, and I highly recommend you add it to your reading list. Again, one of the best books I've read this year, and in this genre, one of the best books, period. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Facet of WWII most have never read about, but should! *by J***R on June 14, 2017* By far this was the best Kindle First offering yet! I enjoyed this book almost as much as the best-selling Unbroken. Thank you Amazon Prime! If you like WWII stories of courage, loss, and how common people do remarkable things under duress, this will be a rewarding read. The story is a true one, but not one most are familiar with, since the war's impact on Milan is not as well-known as stories about the Resistance in Paris. There was a resistance in Milan, and many people found themselves having to choose sides, at great cost no matter the choice. Saving Jews from the Nazis is so heroic that any story about it is worthy of reading. The hero of this historical novel was a real person who did amazing things he never dreamed would be required of him. The writing is very good, and aside from a very few unnecessary profanities that seemed thrown in just for effect, bordered on excellent prose. There aren't many, only a handful. Having traveled extensively in Italy I loved the descriptions of towns and street names and landmarks that evoked fond memories for me. There were many heroic Italians in WWII and you will meet several key figures in the pages of this historical novel that takes a true story and presents it like a spy/action novel, entertaining, sobering, and uplifting. Humans endure a lot in war time, but our humanity emerges brightly when there is a need for service and sacrifice. Pino Lella was a common man who became a hero that few in the world knew was one. After finishing the final chapter recounting his post-war life, he might get my vote for World's Most Interesting Man, more substantive than the guy in the TV commercials. I had never heard of Pino before this book, but I'm glad I learned of him and what he experienced as a witness to history and as a maker of it. ## Frequently Bought Together - Beneath a Scarlet Sky: A Novel - The Last Green Valley: A Novel - The Frozen River: A GMA Book Club Pick: A Novel --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/41811826-beneath-a-scarlet-sky-a-novel](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/41811826-beneath-a-scarlet-sky-a-novel) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Kingdom* *Store origin: GB* *Last updated: 2026-05-19*