The Secret History of Audrey James

Heather Marshall's debut Looking For Jane is one of my all-time favourite books. It is that good. Needless to say, when I heard she had a new book coming out and the publisher sent me an advanced copy, I lost my book nerd mind. 

Set in two different timelines, The Secret History of Audrey James takes readers into the lives of two women - Kate in 2010 in the UK who is piecing together her upturned life when she takes a job near the Scottish border and meets her new boss, an elderly woman who has secrets of her own. The other POV is Audrey, a young woman living in pre-WWII Berlin. Audrey's character is based on the real life of Mona Parsons, a Canadian Nazi resistor, and the only Canadian female civilian victim to be imprisoned by the Nazis and one of the very few women who were tried by Nazi military tribunals after the war. 

Through Audrey's storyline we witness the building of Nazi power and oppression as Hitler gains strength and rumours of death camps become fact. Hitler's hold on Germany impacts Audrey's best friend, Ilse who is forced to hide in her own attic while Nazi officers take over her home.

The book has some tense scenes as readers are pulled into Audrey's world when she joins the Red Orchestra Resistance. There was a serendipitous connection between the timelines, but I enjoyed that I didn't figure out the twist and how the connection involved a different character. I enjoyed both POVs but as with many dual timeline books, I often prefer the older timeline and that was the case here. 

This is a compelling and poignant story of loss and love, resistance and sacrifice, the courage of women in war and a bit of mystery that will keep readers eagerly turning the page. I encourage readers to read the author's note at the back of the book. Marshall leaves a wee tease about the subject of her next book for readers who will, no doubt, be clamoring to grab a copy when it releases. 

Author Event: I had the pleasure of meeting Heather Marshall at an author event last week and enjoyed learning more about her writing process, research and digging deeper into her characters and inspiration for this book.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the publisher for the complimentary digital advanced copy which was provided in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Author: Heather Marshall

Genre: Historical Fiction (WWII)

Type and Source: ebook from publisher via NetGalley & personal copy

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada

First Published: June 4, 2024

Book Description from GoodReads: The #1 bestselling author of Looking for Jane returns with a poignant, gripping novel about a pianist in Berlin on the cusp of WWII and a choice she makes that echoes across generations.

Sometimes the best place to hide is the last place anyone would look.
 
Northern England, 2010 - After a tragic accident upends her life, Kate Mercer leaves London to work at an old guest house near the Scottish border, where she hopes to find a fresh start and heal from her loss. When she arrives, she begins to unravel the truth about her past, but discovers the mysterious elderly proprietor is harbouring her own secrets…

Berlin, 1938 - Audrey James is weeks away from graduating from a prestigious music school in Berlin, where she’s been living with her best friend, Ilse Kaplan. As she prepares to finish her piano studies, Audrey dreads the thought of returning to her father in England and leaving Ilse behind. Families like the Kaplans are being targeted as war in Europe threatens.

When Ilse’s parents and brother suddenly disappear, two high-ranking Nazi party members confiscate the Kaplans’ upscale home, believing it to be empty. In a desperate attempt to keep Ilse safe, Audrey becomes housekeeper for the officers while Ilse is forced into hiding in the attic—a prisoner in her own home. Tensions rise in the house and the chance of survival diminishes by the day. When a shocking turn of events pushes Audrey to become embroiled in cell of the anti-Hitler movement - clusters of resisters working to bring down the Nazis from within Germany itself - Audrey must decide what matters most: saving herself, protecting her friend, or sacrificing everything for the greater good.

Inspired by true stories of courageous women and the German resistance during WWII, this is a captivating novel about the unbreakable bonds of friendship, the sacrifices we make for those we love, and the healing that comes from human connection.