Jewish Margarete is still living as Annegret Huber, running her estate and factory within the rules of the Reich. However, she continues to attempt to protect her Jewish workers and family. Orders arrive to deport all Jewish people in the area and an SS officer begins to show a romantic interest in Margarete. Can she save herself and others?
The Girl in the Shadows is the third book to feature Margarete and I have previouly reviewed A Light in the Window and From the Dark We Rise. I think this would work as a stand alone novel but believe that Margarete’s journey and character development is so gripping and tense that the books should be read as a series.
Margarete has now been impersonating Annegret for two years but is still not confident in her role and fears discovery. She outwardly conforms to the Nazi regime and her factory makes weapons for the war effort, yet she provides extra food and supplies for the Jewish prisoners. New orders threaten the security of her Jewish workers and she decides a more dangerous resistance is needed to save as many as possible from the extermination camps.
Meanwhile SS officer Thomas Kallfass returns to the area, intent on furthering his career and marrying Annegret. I found the chapters showing his perspective quite chilling as he revels in Nazi doctrine. Danger and cruelty are never far away and Margarete does not get a moment’s peace as she is constantly in fear for her life.
I was completely immersed in the plot from the very first page. The fear and brutality caused by the Nazi regime was so realistically described that it can be upsetting to read. However, this tone is lightened through the bravery and humanity of many of the characters.
The Girl in the Shadows is a gripping historical novel.
1943, Germany: Two years ago, fate gave a beautiful young Jewish woman named Margarete Rosenbaum the chance to survive the Nazis, by pretending to be one of them, hiding in plain sight. Now she must make a terrifying decision…
Margarete lives as Annegret Huber would have, in a beautiful rural mansion by a forest in northern Germany. She is the heiress to the entire Huber fortune—one which she has devastatingly discovered includes a factory and Nazi prison camp. Margarete has done everything she can to help improve conditions there, and to reduce suffering for the prisoners who remind her so much of her own lost family and friends.
However, as the war rages on and the Nazi party becomes more brutal in its treatment of Jews, she realizes she must do more. She has to help the prisoners escape to real safety, because they will never be safe in Hitler’s Germany.
She’s heard of a route to freedom through Sweden. Although that means secretly reaching out to the resistance. With the risk of betrayal at every turn, her enquiries lead her to a man named Stefan, who she instantly feels a powerful connection to. But she fears he will never trust her… unless she reveals the secret that keeps her safe.
At the same time, a Nazi officer begins to show romantic interest in her, making it harder to keep her identity a secret. His loyalty to the party is beyond question, so if he finds her out, not only will her plan be at risk, but also her life and those of everyone she cares for.
But can she let that fear stop her from saving others? Because she knows she herself could so easily be one of the faces on the other side of the fence. And that, in the darkest times, sometimes the only person who can rise up is the girl in the shadows…
The powerful third novel in Marion Kummerow’s bestselling Margarete’s Journey series is an unforgettable and devastating story, perfect for fans of The Nightingale, The Lilac Girls, and All the Light We Cannot See.
Author Bio:
Marion Kummerow was born and raised in Germany, before she set out to “discover the world” and lived in various countries. In 1999 she returned to Germany and settled down in Munich where she’s now living with her family.
Inspired by the true story about her grandparents, who belonged to the German resistance and fought against the Nazi regime, she started writing historical fiction, set during World War II. Her books are filled with raw emotions, fierce loyalty and resilience. She loves to put her characters through the mangle, making them reach deep within to find the strength to face moral dilemma, take difficult decisions or fight for what is right. And she never forgets to include humor and undying love in her books, because ultimately love is what makes the world go round.
Paris in the 1860s: Mimi is poor but full of ambition. She gave up her illegitimate daughter to the girl’s father but is desperate to be reunited with her. She joins a circus to make her fortune but a terrible accident changes her life again. Mimi becomes the muse for artist Manet but could the situation with her daughter pull them apart?
The Painter’s Girl is an historical novel set in Paris in the 1860s.
Mimi is bold and determined. She has faced the injustice of being poor with an alcoholic mother and was adamant that her daughter would escape the slums. But her heart has never fully healed and she is anxious to find Colette again and be a proper mother.
There is plenty of drama and significant changes for Mimi as the book’s plot develops. I really liked Mimi’s drive and passion as she aspires to more for herself and her child. This gave me an emotional connection to her story.
The world of Paris in the 1860s was vividly and vibrantly described. The characters also seemed realistic and alive, champing against the social, class and gender conventions of the period. I enjoyed the blending of the fictional characters with the real historical figures, and feel that the auhtor had thoroughly researched the era.
The Painter’s Girl is an entertaining historical novel with an engaging and easy to like lead character.
I have previously reviewed The French House by Helen Fripp.
MEDIA PACK
The Painter’s Girl: Absolutely heartbreaking historical romance set in Paris by Helen Fripp
‘I want to paint you,’ he whispers. In his high-ceilinged studio filled with golden light she takes in the canvases propped against every wall, the paints like jewels. She thinks of the pictures she longs to paint, of her lost little girl playing in sunlit gardens. Will she ever see her daughter again?
Paris, 1860s. For Mimi Bisset, survival is everything on the cobbled streets of the Paris slums. She tries to forget the pain of losing her daughter Colette: born out of wedlock and forcibly given away to a rich family. But Mimi’s world turns upside down after a chance encounter with handsome artist Édouard Manet. Boldly posing for portraits on Manet’s chaise longue, Mimi feels a wild freedom – and as Manet teaches her how to layer the vivid paints on canvas herself, a passion grows between them that breaks all the rules…
At Manet’s side, Mimi is caught up in his world. They dance all night at Paris’s new can-can clubs and drink absinthe at masked balls. But one day, strolling by the Seine on her lover’s arm, Mimi catches a glimpse of familiar green eyes… it’s Colette, with a family who Manet knew all along.
Although she’s reeling that the man she loved kept such a secret from her, Mimi is filled with hope she’ll finally get her daughter back. But when a terrible rumour begins to circulate about Mimi, the only place she has to go is back to the slums. Destitute, hungry and alone, can Mimi clear her name? Or will her heart shatter all over again when she loses her daughter for a second, final time?
A completely gripping and heartbreaking read that will whisk you away to 19th-century Paris. Perfect for anyone who loves Marie Benedict, Chocolat and Dinah Jefferies.
Buy links
About the author
I love delving into the past and uncovering new stories, and in my writing, the tiniest historical detail can spark an idea for a whole chapter. My female characters rail against the social constraints to which they are subject and often achieve great success, but they are of course flawed and human, like the rest of us. It’s the motivations, flaws, loves and every-day lives of my characters that I love to bring life, against sweeping historical backdrops – and I will find any excuse to take off and research a captivating location or person for my next story.
My first novel is set in the Champagne region in France, and I’m currently working on my next one, set in late eighteenth century Paris. I spent a lot of time in France as a child, have lived in Paris and spent a year with my family in a fishing village in South West France, so that’s where my books have ended up being set so far. Who knows where next!
Author social media
Charlene is devastated and traumatised by the death of her husband three years ago. She is plagued by guilt and refuses to leave her home. Therapy encourages her to start living her life again. She befriends Samuel on Facebook and they share a passion for art that tempts her to leave her home and meet up. Is he really so perfect or is he hiding something…?
The Perfect Suitor is a psychological thriller set in America.
The opening part of the book is so sad with Charlene struggling with her grief. She also has unhappiness due to her family circumstances and I felt so sorry for her, completely understanding why she wanted to protect herself physically and emotionally from the rest of the world. Her character felt very authentic; her reactions and vulnerability made her more human.
Samuel seems too good to be true and I wanted to plead with her not to trust him. Things start off well and he seems ever more perfect in person that he did online and on the phone. But gradually Charlene begins to notice things that make her suspicious. I enjoyed the way the author builds the tension and slowly reveals the truth about Samuel.
The Perfect Suitor is an engaging and emotive psychological thriller due to our investment in the lead character.
Book Blurb
Will he mend her broken heart? Or does he have a darker plan?
Three years after the tragic death of her wonderful husband, Charlene continues to mourn.
As she struggles to pick up the pieces of her shattered life, she meets Samuel. Handsome and educated, this charming man is the perfect suitor, and Charlene slowly lets her guard down and opens her heart to him.
But Samuel is not the man he appears to be. He has a dark compulsion. And an even darker secret.
When he begins acting strangely, Charlene suspects something is wrong. Her fears only grow when she notices she is being followed. Unsure whether she can really trust Samuel, Charlene takes matters into her own hands and starts to investigate.
What she finds is beyond her worst nightmares.
Will Charlene find the strength to confront the shocking truth before her life is shattered all over again?
The Perfect Suitor – the stunning psychological thriller perfect for fans of Mark Edwards, Cathryn Grant, Daniel Hurst.
Buy Links
Author Bio
Cole Baxter loves writing psychological suspense thrillers. It’s all about that last reveal that he loves shocking readers with.
He grew up in New York, where there crime was all around. He decided to turn that into something positive with his fiction.
His stories will have you reading through the night—they are very addictive!
The Perfect Suitor is his first psychological thriller with Inkubator Books.
Nora and her daughters go on holiday to France with their families. But Nora has been keeping a secret and this is the perfect opportunity to reveal the truth. Are they all brave enough to deal with the consequences….?
The Villa is a family drama novel based in a French villa.
Nora has some devastating news as well as secrets from the past but is determined to finally tell her daughters Libby and Emma the truth. The relationships between the women is explored intensely. Things have been strained between them for a long time but the love is never in doubt. The daughters’ husbands throw another dynamic into the drama and adds to the tension.
The pace of the book is quite slow especially at the beginning. The book is written from multiple perspectives and this shows their reactions to the plot developments as well as showing us angles that other characters are not aware of. Nora backtracks and tells her daughters different things so each needs to unravel the truth.
Each of the three women has different vulnerabilities and their personalities are clearly defined through the multiple perspectives. Their unhappiness is portrayed realistically and there is plenty of emotion as the plot progresses. There are twists but these are sad rather than surprising. Nora’s first person perspective is achingly vulnerable and raw.
The Villa is an enjoyable but emotional novel about love within a family and all the dramas that lead from those relationships.
MEDIA PACK
Book: THE VILLA
Author: CLARE BOYD
Pub Day: March 17th 2020
Buy Links:
About the Book:
One perfect family. Two weeks in the sun. A secret that will tear them apart.
Nora just wanted some time with her daughters, away from everything, in the stunning stone villa under the heat of the French sun. Lazy days by the pool, freckles appearing on tanned cheeks, laughter over cocktails on the terrace. She’s so proud of her girls. They might have their differences, but they’ve grown into confident, independent young women, with their own way of seeing things.
But when Nora gathers everyone around the table on that first night, she realises it’s time to tell them. And as she tops up her wine, her hand shakes. She knows nothing could have prepared them for what she’s about to say. But what she doesn’t know, is that hers is not the only secret…
A heartbreaking and totally addictive page-turner about motherhood at its best, and its worst, and the lies we tell to protect the ones we love. Anyone who adores Liane Moriarty, Jodi Picoult and Kerry Fisher will stay up all night reading.
Author Bio
Clare lives with her husband and their two daughters in Surrey, where her little green shed at the bottom of the garden provides a haven for her writing life. Before becoming a writer, she enjoyed a career in television, as a researcher in documentaries and then as a script editor in drama at the BBC and Channel Four, where her love of storytelling took hold.
Social Media
Flora Steele heads to Cornwall with author Jack Carrington to help him explore the county to gain ideas for his latest book. Before they depart, they receive a note warning them not to go. Then shortly after arrival, their landlord is found dead in the orchard and the pair find themselves embroiled in another murder case…
Murder at Primrose Cottage is the third book to feature Flora and Jack. There are mentions of events from the first two books (The Bookshop Murder and Murder on the Pier) but no spoilers so they could be read out of sequence.
The pair discover a wartime link that is very secretive and their late landlord had shown an interest in it. However, his brother also has a motive for murder. Flora and Jack seems to be targeted by someone who doesn’t want them in Cornwall and a series of accidents put them in danger. Is there a connection between the two plot strands?
I was quite surprised at unmarried friends Flora and Jack holidaying together as I felt this jarred with the 1950s setting. The geographical setting was brought to life and I can’t wait to visit some of the places when we go on holiday. I was also interested in the history which provided a backdrop to the plot. The local characters are vividly portrayed especially housekeeper Jessie and local ‘witch’ Mercy.
Murder at Primrose Cottage is an enjoyable murder mystery.
Join Flora Steele – bookshop owner, bicycle-rider, daydreamer and amateur detective – in her quest to solve a brand-new murder mystery!
Cornwall, 1956: When Flora Steele sets off for a peaceful vacation with crime writer Jack Carrington in his little red Austin, the last thing she expects to find is a body at their pretty rental cottage!
Shocked by the discovery, inquisitive Flora joins forces with handsome Jack to find out how the poor man came to such an untimely end in the overgrown orchard of Primrose Cottage. They discover Roger Gifford was a man with plenty of friends and the villagers seem devastated by his sudden death…
So why was he murdered? And who has blood on their hands – his estranged wife Beatrice, his wayward younger brother Lionel, or the suspicious newcomer Mercy Dearlove?
The baffling case gets even more complicated when a second man is found dead and a set of puzzling clues lead them to an intriguing wartime mystery connected to Jack’s estranged father.
As old secrets emerge and Jack receives an unsettling letter, it seems the crime writer is in danger of a fate befitting his fictional characters. Will Flora be able to crack the case and save Jack? Or will this be one murder too many for Flora Steele?
Author Bio:
Merryn taught university literature for many years, and it took a while to pluck up the courage to begin writing herself. Bringing the past to life is a passion and her historical fiction includes Regency romances, wartime sagas and timeslip novels, all of which have a mystery at their heart. As the books have grown darker, it was only a matter of time before she plunged into crime with a cosy crime series set in rural Sussex against the fascinating backdrop of the 1950s.
Merryn lives in a beautiful old town in Sussex with her husband. When she’s not writing, she tries to keep fit with adult ballet classes and plenty of walking.
Buy Link:
