Island of Secrets: The perfect holiday read of love, loss and family
Mar 2017 · Bonnier Publishing Fiction Ltd.
4.7star
10 reviewsreport
Ebook
400
Pages
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About this ebook
If you love Karen Swan and Elizabeth Edmondson, you will love this perfect escapist read.
'The story started at dawn on the fourteenth of September, 1943 . . .'
All her life, London-born Angelika has been intrigued by her mother's secret past. Now planning her wedding, she feels she must visit the remote Crete village her mother grew up in.
Angie's estranged elderly grandmother, Maria, is dying. She welcomes Angie with open arms - it's time to unburden herself, and tell the story she'll otherwise take to her grave.
It's the story of the Nazi occupation of Crete during the Second World War, of horror, of courage and of the lengths to which a mother will go to protect her children. And it's the story of bitter secrets that broke a family apart, and of three enchanting women who come together to heal wounds that have damaged two generations.
What readers are saying about Island of Secrets:
'Island of Secrets is a book full of raw emotions, family vendettas, hidden secrets and three very strong women. It's a book I enjoyed very much and one which fans of Victoria Hislop and Debbie Rix are sure to enjoy' (NetGalley Reviewer)
'So well written and utterly heartbreaking . . . a story that needs to be told' (NetGalley Reviewer)
'Page-turning, enthralling and heartbreaking by turns'
'Made me laugh and cry, just couldn't put this book down'
'The story started at dawn on the fourteenth of September, 1943 . . .'
All her life, London-born Angelika has been intrigued by her mother's secret past. Now planning her wedding, she feels she must visit the remote Crete village her mother grew up in.
Angie's estranged elderly grandmother, Maria, is dying. She welcomes Angie with open arms - it's time to unburden herself, and tell the story she'll otherwise take to her grave.
It's the story of the Nazi occupation of Crete during the Second World War, of horror, of courage and of the lengths to which a mother will go to protect her children. And it's the story of bitter secrets that broke a family apart, and of three enchanting women who come together to heal wounds that have damaged two generations.
What readers are saying about Island of Secrets:
'Island of Secrets is a book full of raw emotions, family vendettas, hidden secrets and three very strong women. It's a book I enjoyed very much and one which fans of Victoria Hislop and Debbie Rix are sure to enjoy' (NetGalley Reviewer)
'So well written and utterly heartbreaking . . . a story that needs to be told' (NetGalley Reviewer)
'Page-turning, enthralling and heartbreaking by turns'
'Made me laugh and cry, just couldn't put this book down'
Ratings and reviews
4.7
10 reviews
Doreen Ward
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November 2, 2017
This was not my usual genre of reading but was drawn to this gripping story when I saw the reviews.It had that many twists and turns it kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Sad and distressing at times to read of such horrors these village people had to endure. As a regular visitor to Crete I will certainly spend more time in future reflecting on what the past meant for so many.
1 person found this review helpful
liz sweeting
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June 12, 2019
not a book for the beach, as theblurb implies. it covers a very serious crime in Crete few of us know about. a heavy read - for lovers of history, strong women.
1 person found this review helpful
Kaz Lehnert
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January 29, 2018
Fantastic ....funny in places, hearbreakingly sad , an amazing read . Brilliant debut novel.
1 person found this review helpful
About the author
Patricia lived in the village of Amiras in Crete where the book is set. She was inspired to write when she unearthed a machine gun in her garden - one used in the events that unfolded in September 1943, and much of the novel is based on real stories told to her by the oldest women of Amiras. Women who've never spoken of their experiences before. Patricia still spends much of her time in Greece. This is her debut novel.
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