Sliding the coded message in between the crisp pages of the hardback novel, bookstore owner Laurence slips out into the cold night to meet her resistance contact, pulling her woollen beret down further over her face. The silence of the night is suddenly shattered by an Allied plane rushing overhead, its tail aflame, heading down towards the forest. Her every nerve stands on end. She must try to rescue the pilot.
But straying from her mission isn’t part of the plan, and if she is discovered it won’t only be her life at risk…
America, years later: when Jeanne uncovers a dusty old box in her father’s garage, her world as she knows it is turned upside down. She has inherited a bookstore in a tiny French village just outside of Paris from a mysterious woman named Laurence.
Travelling to France to search for answers about the woman her father has kept a secret for years, Jeanne
finds the store tucked away in a corner of the cobbled main square. Boarded up, it is in complete disrepair. Inside, she finds a tiny silver pendant hidden beneath the blackened, scorched floorboards.
As Jeanne pieces together Laurence’s incredible story, she discovers a woman whose bravery knew no bounds. But will the truth about who Laurence really is shatter Jeanne’s heart, or change her future?
Inspired by true events, an epic and emotional novel about one woman’s strength to survive in the most difficult circumstances and the power of love in the face of darkness. Fans of The Alice Network, The Nightingale and The Lost Girls of Paris will be completely gripped from the very first page.
Author Bio:
Siobhan Curham is an award-winning author, ghost writer, editor and writing coach. She has also written for many newspapers, magazines and websites, including The Guardian, Breathe magazine, Cosmopolitan, Writers’ Forum, DatingAdvice.com, and Spirit & Destiny. Siobhan has been a guest on various radio and TV shows, including Woman’s Hour, BBC News, GMTV and BBC Breakfast. And she has spoken at businesses, schools, universities and literary festivals around the world, including the BBC, Hay Festival, Cheltenham Festival, Bath Festival, Ilkley Festival, London Book Fair and Sharjah Reading Festival.
https://www.facebook.com/Siobhan-Curham-Author-398343120181969
Buy Link:
Amazon: https://geni.us/B09NDWYHWMsocial
Audio:
Listen to a sample here:
My Review
I've read a few books over the years about the French resistance. It's one of those inspiring time that just manages to hold us completely gripped as we try and contemplate both the horror of the war that surrounded them in occupied France and the strength and character of those who had the bravery to stand up and resist the Germans. The Paris Network tells such a story, set both during the war with the story of Laurence and in the '90s when Jeanne discovers who her mother was and what happened to her.
I particularly liked the idea of a book shop owner being part of the resistance, using the books to help encourage her friends and neighbors, to pass messages, and to also undertake an act of defiance. Setting out to read those books that were banned by the nazis.
This was a great read and one that I really enjoyed. I don't think I've read anything by Siobhan Curham before, but I'll certainly be checking out her other titles in the future.
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