1944, Poland. 'Take this message, keep it hidden.' Shaking, I tuck the torn slip of paper in between the loaves of bread. I pray I can make it through the bombed-out streets and into the tunnels beneath this broken city without being caught. If this secret falls into the wrong hands, my sisters' lives are at stake...
This heart-wrenching and unforgettable World War Two novel is inspired by the incredible true stories of the brave women who fought in the Warsaw Uprising.
Hana's home has gone up in flames; the little bakery at the heart of the city is no more. Smoke curls into the sky and the buildings around her burn. But Hana has already lost far more - her blue-eyed fiancé was wrenched from her arms at the start of the war and her brave father was murdered by the Nazis. She's determined to protect her younger sisters but every day more people are being killed...
Hana realises that one person alone won't win the war and she has to accept her sisters are playing their own part in the resistance. Fiery Zuzi is working as part of a secret all-female combat unit while gentle Orla is a nurse in the underground hospital. As the women of Warsaw plan to rise up against the enemy, Hana risks her life to navigate the dangerous streets. The torn piece of paper she clutches in her hand has the potential to save her precious family.
It's time to fight back. But when the moment they've been waiting for comes, will Hana and her sisters finally win back their freedom? Or will they lose their own lives as they fight for their futures...?
An emotional and gripping WW2 story of incredible courage against all odds and of the power of love and hope in the darkest of times. Perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Orphan Train and The Nightingale.
What readers are saying about The Secret Message:
'Absolute cracker... Rollercoaster of a ride, I laughed, I cried, I actually sat on the edge of my seat... I had every bit of emotion wrung out of me and just absolutely adored the characters... Absolutely heart-wrenching.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Gripping... Excellent... Heartbreaking and heart-warming... It leaves you shattered, it throws a punch in the stomach but it's so, so good. I urge everyone to read this.' bookedmybook, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Hooked from start to finish... A real page-turner that will tug at your heartstrings... Gripping.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Wow!... Had me desperate to read just one more chapter... Gripping... Everything I want from a book!' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Gut-wrenching... Captured my heart... Wonderful... Exceptional.' Cindy L. Spear, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Gripping... Deeply moving... Stays with you long after the final page... Unforgettable.' Novel Nerd Blog, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Gripping... Heart-warming... Incredible... Will absolutely capture your heart... A must-read!' shivar_anne, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
