Paperback: 339 pages
Genre: Historical Romantic Fiction
Publisher: HQ, Harper Collins. 2022
Source: Lent to me by a friend.
First Sentence: It would only take the crack of a twig to give Marguerite away as she crept through the park in the dead of night.
Review Quote: Truly gripping… I loved it.’ Jill Mansell, Sunday Times bestseller
My Opinion:
Essentially a love story ‘ The Secrets We Keep’ is an exciting debut from Theresa Howes. Her inspiration for this touching story is her love of art combined with visits to the Cote d’Azur. The latter prompting her to imagine what life must have been like under occupation for the locals.
Marguerite, the protagonist is an artist, though English she has moved to France to escape an unhappy past and live quietly in the countryside. The war has meant that she feels honour bound to help in any way she can, in the fight against the enemy. Into her life in an unexpected way comes Etienne, who as a priest finds himself, out of a duty to God, having to be agreeable to the occupying soldiers.
The story is an engaging one and is written in an appealing descriptive style. Recommended to fans of the genre.
Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:
A heartbreakingly beautiful novel which captures the endurance and strength of ordinary people in the darkest of times, and the courage of one woman who put her life on the line to join the resistance. Perfect for fans of The Nightingale and The Secret Messenger . 1944, the Cote d’Azur.
Artist Marguerite Segal is recruited by British Intelligence into befriending Etienne Valade, a local priest. Her mission is to persuade him to pass on information from the high-ranking German officers who attend his evidence of their war crimes. Connected by a passion for art, Marguerite and Etienne soon fall in love, but their association increasingly puts her at danger of violent reprisals. With his church frequented by Nazis, Etienne is a suspected collaborator, and distrust is high. And Marguerite is keeping her own secret too. Like the Jews whose identity cards she forges to hide them from the Third Reich, she is hiding behind a false name, her true identity and past known only to her closest friend. Marguerite must get hold of the documents that will condemn the German officers but, in a world where everything is at stake, can she truly trust anyone – even the man she loves?
Author Profile
Theresa Howes grew up in Shropshire and has a background as an actor. Her historical fiction has been long-listed for the Mslexia Novel Award, The Bath Novel Award, The Caledonia Novel Award and the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize.
She lives in London with her husband and Claude, a larger than average cat. When she isn’t writing or reading, she enjoys seeing how many more plants she can cram into her tiny London garden, walking, and putting the world to rights over a gin and tonic.
Her debut novel, The Secrets We Keep was published in November 2022. This will be followed by a second novel, The Honey Trap in October 2023
Photo and words courtesy of Amazon
Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:
Authors Official Website. Amazon Author Profile Goodreads Author Profile
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