October audio book of the month - The Secret Pianist by Andie Newton, narrated by Mary Galloway

 

The Secret Pianist 

By Andie Newton

Narrated by Mary Galloway

Sisters. Traitors. Spies.

When a British RAF Whitley plane comes under fire over the French coast and is forced to drop their cargo, a spy messenger pigeon finds its way into unlikely hands…

The occupation has taken much from the Cotillard sisters, and as the Germans increase their forces in the seaside town of Boulogne-sur-Mer, Gabriella, Martine and Simone can’t escape the feeling that the walls are closing in.

Yet, just as they should be trying to stay under the radar, Martine’s discovery of a British messenger pigeon leads them down a new and dangerous path. Gaby would do anything to protect her sisters but when the pianist is forced to teach the step-daughter of a German Commandant, and the town accuses the Cotillards of becoming ‘Bad French’ and in allegiance with the enemy, she realizes they have to take the opportunity to fight back that has been handed to them.

Now, as the sisters’ secrets wing their way to an unknown contact in London, Gaby, Martine and Simone have to wonder – have they opened a lifeline, or sealed their fate?

Firstly, let’s talk about the narrator, Afterall, I did listen to this book on audio. Mary Galloway is the perfect choice, her voice is utterly mesmerising, and I thought she really brought the characters and the story to life. I shall certainly be looking out for more books narrated by this actor.

Now, for the writing. The story follows the lives of the three Cotillard sisters. They are trying their best to keep their noses clean and stay out of trouble, but fate has other ideas for them.

This story is incredibly fast paced, and an awful lot happens in this novel. Some of the characters sent shivers down my spine and there are a few hair-raising moments when the sisters are on the brink of discovery, but their bravery and love for each other carries them forward. 

Now, I must talk about the pigeons. It is sad to think that pigeons are now considered vermin when they did so much for the war effort. These birds are so important in this story as it is through their instinct to fly home that messages can be sent from occupied France back to England. 

I thought the plot was very appealing and the characters were interesting. There are a few characters who I certainly did not like, but there were also some surprises at the end of the novel that made me rethink my initial first impressions.

If you love world war II historical fiction, then this book will certainly be right up your street. I thought it was fabulous, and I will certainly be reading more books by this author.

This book is well worth the read, or listen to. You can find your copy over on Amazon.

Andie Newton

Andie Newton is the USA Today bestselling author of The Secret Pianist, A Child for the Reich, The Girls from the Beach, The Girl from Vichy, and The Girl I Left Behind. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Washington State University and a master’s in teaching. When she’s not writing gritty war stories about women, you can usually find her trail running in the desert and stopping to pet every Yellow Lab or Golden Retriever that crosses her path. She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her family.