An astonishing historical novel of one woman's dangerous journey through WWII Germany and her life-changing friendship with a young writer decades later—from the #1 international bestselling author of Looking for Jane.
Northern England, 2010. After a tragic accident upends her life, writer 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 harboring 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. Families like the Kaplans are being targeted, and rumors swirl about Jews being apprehended in the street and shipped off to work camps. When Ilse’s parents and brother suddenly disappear, two Nazi officers occupy the Kaplans’ upscale home, believing it to be empty. In a desperate attempt to keep Ilse safe, Audrey becomes housekeeper while Ilse is forced into hiding in the attic—a prisoner in her own home.
As war in Europe threatens, it isn't long before Audrey becomes embroiled in the anti-Hitler movement: clusters of resisters working to bring down the Nazis from within Germany itself. But resistance comes with risk, and before the war is over, Audrey must decide what matters most: saving herself and her friend, or sacrificing everything to try and kill Hitler himself.
Inspired by true stories of courageous women and the resistance during World War II, The Secret History of Audrey James 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.
