The Warsaw Orphan

by Kelly Rimmer Narrated by Nancy Peterson, Charlie Thurston

Overview

Instant New York Times bestseller-for fans of All the Light We Cannot See*and*The Tattooist of Auschwitz!

Inspired by the real-life heroine who saved thousands of Jewish children during WWII, The Warsaw Orphan is Kelly Rimmer's most anticipated novel since her bestselling sensation, The Things We Cannot Say.

“Gripping... This one easily stands on its own.” -Publishers Weekly
“Heart-stopping.” - Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
“A surefire hit.” - Kristin Harmel, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

In the spring of 1942, young Elzbieta Rabinek is aware of the swiftly growing discord just beyond the courtyard of her comfortable Warsaw home. She has no fondness for the Germans who patrol her streets and impose their curfews, but has never given much thought to what goes on behind the walls that contain her Jewish neighbors. She knows all too well about German brutality--and that it's the reason she must conceal her true identity. But in befriending Sara, a nurse who shares her apartment floor, Elzbieta makes a discovery that propels her into a dangerous world of deception and heroism.

Using Sara's*credentials to smuggle children out of the ghetto brings*Elzbieta face-to-face with the reality of the war behind its walls, and to the plight of the Gorka family, who must make the impossible decision to give up their newborn daughter or watch her starve. For Roman Gorka, this final injustice stirs him to rebellion with a zeal not even his newfound love for Elzbieta can suppress. But his recklessness brings unwanted attention to Sara's cause, unwittingly putting Elzbieta and her family in harm's way until one violent act threatens to destroy their chance at freedom forever.*

From Nazi occupation to the threat of a communist regime, The Warsaw Orphan is the unforgettable story of Elzbieta and Roman's perilous attempt to reclaim the love and life they once knew.

Don't miss Kelly Rimmer's newest novel,*The Paris Agent, where a family's innocent search for answers brings a long-forgotten, twenty-five-year-old mystery featuring two female SOE operatives comes to light!
*
For more by Kelly Rimmer, look for:

• Before I Let You Go
• The Things We Cannot Say
• Truths I Never Told You
• The German Wife

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

07/05/2021

Rimmer’s gripping latest (after Truths I Never Told You) captures the harrowing risks faced by two teenagers whose families live on opposite sides of the Warsaw Ghetto wall in Nazi-occupied Poland. In 1942, 16-year-old Roman Gorka has survived almost two years in the ghetto with his parents, younger brother, and three other families crowded into their apartment. His new baby sister, Eleonora, complicates matters, and Roman, who works a factory job, struggles to feed the family. Meanwhile Elzbieta Rabinek, 14, has moved to Warsaw with her adopted parents and uncle to an apartment nearby. Elzbieta soon becomes involved in smuggling Jewish children out of the ghetto and offers to do the same for Eleonora. The family agrees once the Germans begin the daily deportations from the ghetto and rumors circulate of mass slaughter. As the story unfolds, with Roman caught up in the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, he forms a close bond with Elzbieta. Rimmer does a great job of bringing WWII Warsaw to life, particularly the clandestine efforts of nurses to rescue Jewish children. There’s no shortage of novels that travel similar terrain, but this one easily stands on its own. Agent: Amy Tannenbaum, Jane Rotrosen Agency, LLC. (June)

From the Publisher

"Rimmer’s heart-stopping rendering of the war in Nazi occupied Poland—of life, resistance, survival, and love—will captivate readers page-by-page. Elisabeita’s tale offers a carefully-researched portrayal of history’s darkest hours and one orphan’s search for her place in the world." —Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours and The Book of Lost Friends​

"A surefire hit [and] a heartbreaking and hopeful story of family, duty, love, salvation, and resistance. The Warsaw Orphan [is] a thoughtful, beautiful novel." —Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Lost Names

"What a fantastic book! Intensely moving, this story of the horrors of the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II is also a wonderful, ultimately life-affirming love story. Bravo, Kelly Rimmer! I’m going to be recommending this book to everyone I know." —Karen Robards, New York Times bestselling author of The Black Swan of Paris


“Gripping… Rimmer does a great job of bringing WWII Warsaw to life… This one easily stands on its own.” —Publishers Weekly


"Compelling and emotional, and the historical context is well researched." —Booklist

"Illuminating…engrossing [and] harrowing…Rimmer's suspenseful narrative will enthrall and move readers." —Publishers Weekly, starred review of Truths I Never Told You

“The back-and-forth between Beth in the 1990s and Grace’s notes from the 1950s creates momentum, and readers of epistolary novels will nod at Grace’s depiction of the lack of choices for women of that time. Contrasting that with the stigma of getting mental health help, which was still strong in the ‘90s, Rimmer paints a picture of women finding their strength then and now.” –Booklist on Truths I Never Told You

"Best-selling author Rimmer expertly illustrates a heartbreaking portrayal of postpartum depression through multiple perspectives in dual time lines. For fans who appreciate emotionally wrenching reads such as those by Sarah Jio or Kristin Hannah." –Library Journal on Truths I Never Told You

"Everything Kelly Rimmer writes turns to gold." –SheReads

“An intense story of survival, hardship, and heartbreak, The Things We Cannot Say is sure to evoke emotion in even the most cynical reader.” —New York Journal of Books

“Straddling the past and the present, The Things We Cannot Say is a mesmerizing tale of family, memory, forgiveness, and unconditional love, but it is also about retrieving lost stories…a true achievement in World War II fiction.” —Historical Novel Society

"Fans of Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale and Pam Jenoff's The Orphan's Tale will enjoy this absorbing, emotional tale of love, heartbreak, and resilience." —Booklist on The Things We Cannot Say

“Kelly Rimmer has outdone herself. I thought that Before I Let You Go was one of the best novels I had ever read…[but] if you only have time to read one book this year The Things We Cannot Say should be that book. Keep tissues handy.” —Fresh Fiction

"Fans of The Nightingale and Lilac Girls will adore The Things We Cannot Say.” —Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author

“Kelly Rimmer has raised the already high bar with this unforgettable novel. Fans of Jodi Picoult and Kristin Hannah now have a new go-to author.” —Bestselling author Sally Hepworth

"Ripped from the headlines and from the heart, Before I Let You Go is an unforgettable novel that will amaze and startle you with its impact and insight." —Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author

“Kelly Rimmer writes with wisdom and compassion about the relationships between sisters, mother and daughter…. She captures the anguish of addiction, the agonizing conflict between an addict's best and worst selves.” —Luanne Rice, New York Times bestselling author on Before I Let You Go

"Kelly Rimmer's shimmering and poignant new novel [Before I Let You Go] broadens our current national conversation about seeking to combat the deadly yet curable disease of addiction while being ultimately a story of relationships." —Library Journal, Editor's Pick

"Rimmer's timely novel captures the unbreakable bond of two sisters and humanizes the difficult intersection of the opioid epidemic and the justice system." —Publishers Weekly on Before I Let You Go

“Get ready for fireworks in your book club when you read Before I Let You Go! One of the best books for discussion that I’ve read in years.” —Diane Chamberlain, New York Times bestselling author

Product Details

BN ID:	2940176255119
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	06/01/2021
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	451,986

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