Book Synopsis:
Sisters. Traitors. Spies.
When a British RAF Whitley plane comes under fire over the French coast and is forced to drop their cargo, a spy messenger pigeon finds its way into unlikely hands…
The occupation has taken much from the Cotillard sisters, and as the Germans increase their forces in the seaside town of Boulogne-sur-Mer, Gabriella, Martine and Simone can’t escape the feeling that the walls are closing in.
Yet, just as they should be trying to stay under the radar, Martine’s discovery of a British messenger pigeon leads them down a new and dangerous path. Gaby would do anything to protect her sisters but when the pianist is forced to teach the step-daughter of a German Commandant, and the town accuses the Cotillards of becoming ‘Bad French’ and in allegiance with the enemy, she realizes they have to take the opportunity to fight back that has been handed to them.
Now, as the sisters’ secrets wing their way to an unknown contact in London, Gaby, Martine and Simone have to wonder – have they opened a lifeline, or sealed their fate?
My Review:
The Secret Pianist is a gripping and absorbing read from a new author for me.
Firstly I thought the author did a great job setting the scene for this book and I loved her vivid descriptions of occupied France. It must have been such a difficult time to live through with no one trusting each other and everyone feeling they were being watched. The sense of fear emulating from the page was almost palpable at times as I watched the sisters, and the villagers, going about their everyday lives.
The sisters were fantastic creations who I really enjoyed following throughout the book. They are such realistic characters and I loved how different each sister was, with everyone bringing something different to the table. I warmed to them instantly and found I had to keep reading to see what would happen to them.
I thought the book had a great pace to it and there always seemed to be something happening to keep me glued to the page. The use of carrier pigeons during the war was a new concept for me and I enjoyed learning more about how they were used by the resistance to pass messages. There were lots of twists or revelations that kept me guessing and my heart was in my mouth at times as I watched things unfold. This was the first book I’ve read by this author and I’ll definitely be reading more in the future.
Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me onto the blog tour and to One More Chapter for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
USA Today bestseller
Publisher’s Weekly bestseller
Amazon Kindle top 5 bestseller
Andie Newton is a bestselling author of historical fiction. Her titles include A Child for the Reich, The Girls from the Beach, The Girl from Vichy, and The Girl I Left Behind.
She writes gritty and emotional war stories about strong women. Andie holds a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s in teaching. She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, her two boys, and one very lazy cat.
You can find book club discussion questions on andienewton.com.
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