By Diane Gillis
On Thursday May 8th, 2025, 12 members attended the last regular meeting of the Book Club until September 2025. Diane Gillis of the Pageturners led the discussion on the book “Secret History of Audrey James” by Heather Marshall (2024).
Inspired by true stories of courageous women and the German resistance during World War II, this is a captivating novel about the unbreakable bonds of friendship, the sacrifices we make for those we love, and the healing that comes from human connection.
In this dual plot story, the setting shifts between 2010 in a guest house located near the Scottish border in northern England, and life in Berlin in 1938. The two main female characters have survived tragic events in both of their lives. Kate Mercer upends her life after a tragic accident for which she feels responsible. Audrey James survives life in Nazi Germany where she saves her Jewish friend by hiding her in an attic while their home is occupied by high-ranking Nazi officers. Audrey becomes involved in the anti-Hitler movement and is prepared to sacrifice her life for the greater good.
“The Secret History of Audrey James “is an astonishing historical novel of one woman’s dangerous journey through World War II Germany, and her life-changing friendship with a young woman decades later.
To listen to a 10 minute Google audio Play Book preview of The Secret History of Audrey James (covering the Prologue and Part 1), click on the video link below:
Probus Club of Kingsway-Islington 