Review – The Secret History of Audrey James by Heather Marshall
Synopsis
An astonishing historical novel of one woman’s dangerous journey through World War II Germany and her life-changing friendship with a young woman decades later—from the #1 international bestselling author of Looking for Jane
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 that the mysterious elderly proprietor is harboring secrets of her own.
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 war looms, Ilse’s family disappears and high-ranking Nazi officers confiscate the house. In desperation, Audrey becomes their housekeeper while Ilse is forced into hiding in the attic. When a shocking turn of events embroils Audrey in the anti-Hitler movement, she must decide what matters most: protecting those she loves, or sacrificing everything for the greater good.
Inspired by true stories of courageous women and the German 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.
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Review
A novel about doing the right thing and fighting for what you believe in.
This novel has a dual timeline set during WWII (and right before) and 2010. It is the story of Audrey, a young woman who can’t leave her friend in Germany because she is Jewish and wouldn’t survive. It is her story, and the more present-day is her recounting those events. While we have all heard about what happened to those of Jewish faith in Germany, what about those who tried to help save them? What about the resistance in Germany fighting against Hitler? While this story is fiction, it has elements of truth, as you will learn from the author’s notes.
Audrey lived a hard life, and it is by chance that Kate comes to the B&B Audrey owns to work there. All because of a photo she found of her parents at that B&B. But there is a lot more to that story that makes for an interesting twist in the novel.
Audrey and Kate are both strong and likeable characters. I found myself rooting for them as they navigated their destiny, Audrey during WWII, and Kate in the present. They both have demons to battle and overcome tragedy. Ultimately, they find they have more in common than they realize.
While I thought I had read enough WWII stories, this one endeared me to the characters and the period. If you feel you have worn out this era, try this one. It will surprise you.
We give this book 5 paws up.
About the Author
Heather Marshall lives near Toronto with her family and their giant golden retriever. She worked in politics and communications before finally turning her attention to her true passion: storytelling.
Heather’s debut novel, Looking for Jane, was an instant #1 bestseller and dominated the Toronto Star and Globe and Mail bestseller charts for half a year, including 5 weeks at #1. It continues to appear on the charts three years after its initial release.
Selected as one of Indigo’s Top 10 Best Books of 2022, the Globe and Mail‘s Top 100 Books of 2022, and CBC’s Best Canadian Fiction of 2022, Looking for Jane was also chosen as STYLE Canada’s Book of the Month, a CityLine Book Club pick, an Indie Next pick, and was a finalist for the 2023 Goodreads Choice Awards in both the debut and historical fiction categories. It has been published in 17 languages in 21 territories worldwide and was optioned for development into a television series.
