Beneath a Scarlet Sky: A Novel Audible Audiobook – Unabridged Mark Sullivan (Author), Will Damron (Narrator), Brilliance Audio (Publisher) (Brilliance Audio)

Set in Italy during the last two years of the second World War, this story follows the life of a remarkable young man, Pino Lella, who finds himself assigned as the driver of one of the most powerful Nazi officials in Italy. He accompanies this General throughout northern Italy as the war deteriorates and comes to a violent and tragic end.

The scenes of brutality on all sides are shocking and depressing, not only on the part of the Nazis towards their captives and slaves, but also on the part of Italians who at the end of the war let their anger erupt against the dictator Mussolini and others. There are many scenes of heroism and bravery as well, and the story of Lella makes it all very personal throughout. His own tragedies are particularly painful and sad as the war ends.

This is an extraordinary life in all respects, not only his wartime accomplishments but his life afterwards which is recounted at the end of the novel. His encounters with various famous people throughout his life are fascinating.
Based on the true story of a forgotten hero, 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.

A very worthwhile story that author Mark Sullivan was lucky enough to learn of, then putting several years of research into piecing together as many of the details as he could. He presents it as a biographical / historical novel but inasmuch as it is based upon the true story of Pino Lella I take it as fundamentally a true story. Remarkable to read, both sad and inspiring.