Historical Novels
Her Secret Soldier
Historical Fiction
Published by Bookouture, 12 September 2024
Now available on Amazon
September 1940: 18-year-old Rose longs for her life to begin, but even though Europe is at war, nothing much happens in her sleepy corner of England. Then, one night, she witnesses a parachute drop through the sky and into the ancient woodland behind her home. On impulse, Rose follows… and discovers a German spy, injured and helpless.
19-year-old Walter claims he feels no loyalty towards Nazi Germany and always intended to give himself up to the British authorities. He has a story to support his claim – but should Rose believe it? Britain’s new Treachery Act means a death sentence for enemy agents, and Rose cannot bear to be the cause of his death. Swayed by compassion, she hides Walter in an abandoned cottage in the forest.
As Walter slowly recovers, their mutual affection deepens into love. But then Rose discovers Walter has been lying to her, and could be involved in a sabotage mission that will claim hundreds of lives. She must make a heart wrenching choice: betray her country, or the man she loves.
June 1990: Emma, a Canadian journalist, inherits a tract of ancient woodland in England. Behind an abandoned cabin in the depths of the woods she discovers a human skeleton wrapped in parachute silk. Emma begins to probe the mystery of her Great Aunt Rose, who disappeared half a century ago, and the truths she uncovers force her to confront critical problems in her own life – her relationships, her values and her identity.
Her Secret Soldier is inspired by Operation Lena, a botched Nazi mission which saw an unknown number of spies parachuted into England in autumn 1940.
Her Secret Soldier is now available in paperback, for Kindle and as an audio book with Audible.com!
Reviews of Her Secret Soldier:
‘One of the best historical fiction novels of the year… beautiful… will have you turning the pages furiously trying to find out what will happen next. You will not predict the ending before it arrives. I loved it.’ Rebeccaklove, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘One of the most beautiful novels I have read!‘ Christian Novel Review, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘The very epitome of page-turner… kept me guessing… heart-racing… STUNNER.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘Beautiful… heartbreaking and heartwarming.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘Absolutely loved this heartwarming story.‘ Stamperlady50, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
See also HerSecretSoldier.com
The Promise She Made
Historical Fiction
To be published by Bookouture, 12 Feb 2025
Now available for kindle pre-order on Amazon
In September 1940, as England braces for a possible Nazi invasion, Ruby takes her little sister Eliza to Canada aboard the SS City of Benares. She promised her dying mother that she would keep her sister safe, and she means to do so. But the Benares is torpedoed by the Germans in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, leading to a catastrophic loss of life.
Ruby watches eight-year-old Eliza sink beneath the waves and disappear.
Tortured by grief and a crippling sense of remorse, Ruby struggles to move past the horrors of that night. She trains as a spy with the SOE, determined to fight back against the Nazis who attacked a ship full of children. She even reconnects with her childhood sweetheart. But her every effort to rebuild her life is thwarted by an irrational voice inside her head that insists Eliza is out there somewhere, waiting to be found.
Then, on the night of the York Blitz, Ruby returns to her family home. Bombs are raining down on the city, and among the ruins of her lost life, she uncovers a mysterious note.
Eliza is alive. I’ve seen her. You must find her…
The Promise She Made is now available for Kindle pre-order!
