The Secret History of Audrey James is historical fiction at its’ best. It is a dual timeline story that alternates between 2010 England and 1938 Berlin. In 2010, Kate Mercer has suffered several losses and is looking to start over. When she discovers that the guest house where her late parents honeymooned is advertising for an office assistant it seems to be the perfect solution. Audrey James, the owner, never placed an ad. It was placed by the woman who currently assists her. Audrey is a cantankerous senior who insists that she does not need help, but she hires Kate for a trial period. The two women tiptoe around each other at first. Audrey, who recognizes someone who has suffered loss, gradually begins to open up to her. As a young girl in 1938 Berlin Audrey was close to completing her studies at music school. She lived with the Jewish Kaplan family and was Ilse Kaplan’s best friend. With Hitler’s rise to power the girls witnessed the murder of Ilse’s father and her remaining family was later taken away. The Kaplan home is confiscated to house a couple of Nazi officers. Audrey hides Ilse in the attic and persuades the officers to allow her to remain as their housekeeper so that she can protect her friend. The officers are involved with a group to assassinate Hitler and Audrey becomes involved with their plans. Ilse’s presence is discovered and she marries one of the SS officers to keep her safe. Audrey is arrested when their plot to kill Hitler goes wrong. She survives the war and returns to find Ilse, who was the love of her life. Ilse is dying and entrusts her son to Audrey, who arranges his adoption by a Jewish family. Audrey has never told the story of her activities and losses during the war. It is Kate who encourages her to tell her story and records it so that it will not be lost when Audrey is gone.

The recent loss of Kate’s parents still plagues her. She feels responsible for the accident that took them. While she encourages Audrey to let go of the guilt that she carries over her survival, she suffers from her own losses and the destruction of her marriage. She is in the process of a divorce from a husband who could not handle what she was going through. Now she has found herself drawn to the son of Audrey’s friend, who is almost like a son to her. If she wants the relationship to succeed she will have to forgive herself and be honest with him. Heather Marshall’s story smoothly transitions from the past to the present. While Audrey is initially rather cranky, it is difficult not to love this character as you get to see what she survived and she becomes like family to Kate. Marshall keeps her biggest surprise for the conclusion when Audrey discovers that there is a real connection to Kate. This was a story that was difficult to put down with characters that came alive as I read and it is highly recommended. I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for providing this book.

This was one of the best WW2 historical fiction stories I have read. This is a dual timeline with two stories and they come full circle. Kate Mercer is putting her life back together after a life altering accident and a divorce from her husband. She take a job working for Audrey James at a bed and breakfast in Scotland. Audrey slowly reveals her life story. I could not put this book down. Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read this amazing book.

The core story in this book is a plot to assassinate Hitler in 1938. Audrey James is a young Englishwoman studying in Berlin who is drawn into the conspiracy while sheltering her Jewish friend, Ilse. The plot almost succeeds, and there is a lot of collateral damage.

The story is told as a dual time-stream narrative in the familiar pattern of a woman researching the life of another woman at an earlier time in history and drawing courage and inspiration from her subject’s experience. In this case Kate takes a job at the guest house owned by the now aging Audrey at Alnwick in Northumberland and persuades her employer to let her record her secret history before she dies. The story is intertwined with Kate’s own complicated love life.

The author has is a captivating novel about the unbreakable bonds of friendship, the sacrifices we make for those we love. This novel is engaging. The writing was well-researched. It’s a book that will stay with me.

I really enjoyed Heather Marshall's first novel, Looking for Jane, and was so excited for her latest release. She takes a pivot into WWII historical fiction, and alternates between present-day Kate who is starting over working at a Scottish inn and Audrey, a young pianist in Berlin at the brink of war trying to hide her Jewish best friend. The story is compelling, and while some of the twists were a bit predictable and the final third felt a bit rushed, I really enjoyed it.

Just when you think you've read every World War II historical fiction novel, that all the stories to be told have been told, along comes a new novel with a new perspective not previously considered.

The Secret History of Audrey James (which just came out in paperback this year) tells the story of a German woman who joins a resistance group led by Nazi soldiers in order to protect her Jewish friend. I received a free e-ARC to review.

Heather Marshall's story takes us back and forth between Nazi Germany and present-day England. Audrey lives in Germany with her friend Ilse's family (who are Jewish) while being trained as a concert pianist. Her father wishes for her to return to England where he lives, but Audrey wants to finish her training. Unfortunately, her father's fears for Germany come true - and right at Audrey's doorstep. Without a way to leave Germany together, Audrey remains in Isle's family home while Ilse hides in the attic. And when the home is taken over by two Nazis, Audrey convinces them to hire her as a housekeeper so that she can continue living there and keep an eye on Ilse. Soon the soldiers learn that Audrey is not who she says she is, but neither are the soldiers - they are actually trying to take down Hitler from the inside.

The book is inspired by real stories, including that of a Canadian woman who was sentenced to death and imprisoned by the Nazis for joining the Dutch resistance, a Jewish woman who really did hide in her own attic after the Nazis moved in downstairs, and real German resistance groups who openly decried the Nazi regime - and even tried to kill Hitler. (You can read more about these historical ties at the end of the book.)

If you're a fan of historical fiction, particularly WWII novels, and you enjoy reading about strong and brave women, then you will enjoy learning about Audrey's "secret history".

The Secret History of Audrey James is published by Ballantine Books and is on bookstore shelves now. I received a free review copy.

The Secret History of Audrey James by Heather Marshall

5 stars
464 Pages
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books
Release Date: February 25, 2025

Fiction, Historical Fiction, Women’s Fiction, WWII, 1940s

Audrey James (AKA Ada Jakobs) lived in Berlin Germany. Her father was English, and her mother was German living in Germany. She died in childbirth having Audrey. Her father loved her mother greatly and was distant with Audrey since she was a daily reminder of what he lost in her mother. Her father moved back to England, but Audrey stayed with the Kaplan family to complete her studies at a music conservatory. Tensions are rising and antisemitism are causing families to sell their homes and businesses and flee. The Kaplans believed they were safe and stayed. While out shopping for a dress to wear to her final recital, the Kaplans are assaulted in the street. This is the action that changes life for everyone.

The story of Audrey James is loosely based on the true-life story of Mona Parsons. Although this story is fiction, the Red Orchestra was a real organization and a part of the resistance. The story is well written in the third person point of view. The way the author weaves Audrey's story through Kate in the present is brilliant. If you like stories about strong women in wartime, you will enjoy this story.

This was a really well written dual timeline historical fiction with twist and turns that had me flying through the pages. This book follows Audrey in both timelines the modern day timeline is Audrey coming to the end of her days and we follow as she befriends Kate a new administrator of her estate and tells her, her story of surviving the holocaust, in the modern timeline we follow Kate’s POV. In the past we follow Audrey in the times up to Hitler coming into power and after the war. The story was very emotional and sad but was written beautifully. The ending really did well at bringing everything together. This is my first book by this author but look forward to reading more from her in the future. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. Was not expecting the twist toward the end. Glad that the book turned out the way it did.

The secret is out, this is my favorite book so far this year. The dual-linear timelines weaves masterly together while the stories remain poignant on their own. Without giving anything away, Audrey and Kate's stories intertwine in 2010 while their families connected years prior.

I've always been fascinated by the WWII era and the bravery displayed by ordinary people. Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition of #TheSecretHistoryofAudreyJames in exchange for an honest review. Readers will fall in love with Audrey and Isle's stories and Kate's inclusion in the post WWII chapter.

A deeply moving, tragic, yet wonderful dual-timeline of two women's experiences of finding family, friendship, and love even through the worst of times. Audrey James' experiences in Nazi Germany are relived in her retelling of her story to Kate, a young woman who comes to help out at Audrey's bed and breakfast as she's facing her own personal tragedies. The Secret Life of Audrey James brings the two together in ways you'd never expect, and brings to light some aspects of history that may not have been known to most before. A highly recommended read!

Title: The Secret History of Audrey James
By: Heather Marshall
Pub. Day: February .25, 2025

Genre:
Fiction, Historical, WWII

Trigger Warnings:
Violence, Loss, Persecution

Summary/Review:
1938: Audrey and IIse are friends forced into a life of secrets, lies and classified information as their home is requisitioned by the Nazi’s.

2010: Kate Mercer is ready to start over, so she takes on a new role at an Airbnb working for an elderly woman as an assistant administrator. As the two connect over the challenges of life, Kate begins to write Audrey’s story.

This is my first novel by Heather Marshall and I was immediately drawn into the storyline. Dual timeline novels can be trickier to compose, and Marshall did it effortlessly. I appreciated the new perspectives of WWII events, and the relationship of the real Mona Parsons to the character of Audrey. Marshall masterfully created the real historical facts into an engaging narrative, adding just the right amount of historical fiction to keep the story interesting.

Thank you to Heather Marshall, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity of an Advanced Readers Copy. I am voluntarily leaving my review.

#TheSecretHistoryofAudreyJames
#HeatherMarshall
#reluctantreaderreads
#advancedreadercopies
#RandomHousePublishingGroup
#NetGalley

In 2010, after a tragic accident upends her life, Kate Mercer leaves London to work at an old guest house near the Scottish border, where she hopes to find a fresh start and heal from her loss. When she arrives, she begins to unravel the truth about her past, but discovers that the mysterious elderly proprietor is harboring secrets of her own. In 1938 Berlin, Audrey James is weeks away from graduating from a prestigious music school in Berlin, where she’s been living with her best friend, Ilse Kaplan. As war looms, Ilse’s family disappears and high-ranking Nazi officers confiscate the house. In desperation, Audrey becomes their housekeeper while Ilse is forced into hiding in the attic. Then, events embroils Audrey in the anti-Hitler movement, she must decide what matters most: protecting those she loves, or sacrificing everything for the greater good.

Inspired by true stories of courageous women and the German resistance during World War II, The Secret History of Audrey James 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. Heather Marshall takes fairly unknown events and writes amazing stories around them and this is no exception. Anyone who likes to read WWII stories will like this story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for offering another book by an excellent author in my favorite genre.

Kate Mercer, on the verge of signing divorce papers is looking for a home. She answers an ad to be an administrator in a historic hotel in northern England. Kate accepts the position and makes the journey with her dog. She finds resistance to her presence in the form of the 90-plus-year-old owner of the hotel, who it seems did not know about the ad. The two form an unlikely relationship and as they begin to share information and thier very deep scars from the past, the story of both women unfolds. Audrey James is a survivor of Berlin in WWII. Kate survived a fatal car crash. Both women had hopes and dreams dashed in tragedy and they both question their own survival. This is a touching, well-written novel of a journey of finding one's self, and life's purpose. The novel is well-researched, the characters appealing, and the story that is told is engaging and historical. It is one of the best of the year. Thanks to #NetGalley#TheSecretHistoryofAudreyJames#HeatherMarshall.

I enjoyed this historical fiction book and all but didn't feel fully connected and invested. It might just be my reading mood at the time but will be recommending it for others.

Thank you @prhaudio for sharing the audiobook with me! This was one of my most anticipated books of 2025 and I loved having both the digital and audio copies.

Summary: Northern England, 2010. After a tragic accident upends her life, Kate Mercer leaves London to work at an old guest house near the Scottish border, where she hopes to find a fresh start. When she arrives, she begins to unravel the truth about her past, but discovers that the mysterious elderly proprietor is harboring secrets of her own.

Berlin, 1938. Audrey James is weeks away from graduating from a prestigious music school in Berlin, where she’s been living with her best friend, Ilse Kaplan. As war looms, Ilse’s family disappears and high-ranking Nazi officers confiscate the house. In desperation, Audrey becomes their housekeeper while Ilse is forced into hiding in the attic. When a shocking turn of events embroils Audrey in the anti-Hitler movement, she must decide what matters most: protecting those she loves, or sacrificing everything for the greater good.

Review: This is another emotional, well-researched historical fiction novel from Heather Marshall, who became an auto-buy author for me after her debut novel, Looking for Jane. The dual timelines told from the perspectives of courageous female characters, made this one hard to put down. I’ve read a lot of WWII novels, but this story of friendship, love and sacrifice, set itself apart, and will definitely be one of my favorites of the year.

This book takes us to Germany during WWII and the United Kingdom in 2010. I liked that some of the historical details were based upon true occurrences, and the character depth was enough that I cared about and liked the main protagonists. The story focuses on ordinary women living through extortionary times which forces them to rely upon each other, their wits, and resilience.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Secret History of Audrey James is a historical fiction novel set in dual timelines - Berlin in 1938 and northern England in 2010. Audrey, on the cusp of becoming a professional pianist, is caught in the crossfire of the Jewish family she lives with and loves and the Nazi regime which is gaining power in pre WWII Berlin. Meanwhile, in 2010, Kate finds a picture of her parents at an inn in Northern England. Recently divorced, Kate takes a job at the inn and moves there. Eventually, Audrey and Kate discover they have a deeper connection and there is a race against time to connect all the pieces. This novel explores trauma and its effects on later generations; but is also heartwarming as secrets are uncovered and explained. This has been one of my greatest reads of 2025. I highly recommend it for lovers of historical fiction. Thank you #NetGalley and Ballentine Publishers for an advance copy of this book.

THE SECRET HISTORY OF AUDREY JAMES is from a new-to-me author Heather Marshall and is filled with two storylines that will take the reader from 2010 to 1938 Germany at the start of World War II. The author does an amazing job in capturing the reader's imagination right from the first page. I was drawn into Kate's heartbreak and loss as well as her hope of a new beginning as she traveled too the border of Scotland. Audrey is a complex and intriguing character that held her own secrets that drew not just Kate in but also myself. It was an interesting way to capture the reader's attention and the way the author delves into Kate and Audrey's past was masterful in how it was entwined in the contemporary setting as well as the past. The story flowed swiftly and the author does an amazing job capturing the characters as well as the setting wonderfully within the pages of THE SECRET HISTORY OF AUDREY JAMES.

We meet Kate Mercer when she is dealing with loss and more at the beginning of the book. Her heartbreak comes over the first few pages so eloquently and you can't help but feel for her. When we meet Audrey James, she's a cranky old woman who doesn't want anyone there with ehr but you get a sense she needs kate just as much as Kate needs her as they settle in and get familiar with one another. I particularly enjoyed how these two women, young and old, adapt and eventually become friends. I found the characters very well written, complex and intriguing. The secondary characters are just as enjoyable and I loved the intersecting past storyline of Audrey as it connects to Kate's present day. The author knows how to weave a spell around her readers in this contemporary/historical fiction that will capture your heart and not let go.


The story doesn't get bogged down by details and the author does a great job in capturing both Audrey in her past self and her present self perfectly. I enjoyed seeing how the two storylines meded together in a cohesive storyline that kept me riveted till the very end of the book. If you enjoy dual storylines that have intriguing characters, historical ramifications and more, then don't hesitate to grab THE SECRET HISTORY OF AUDREY JAMES by Heather Marshall today. I am looking forward to seeing where the author goes next in their next book.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement.

WWIi What would you do to keep your friend safe from Nazi’s? Audrey works as a housekeeper and hides her friend upstairs in her own home.. As her friends family has disappeared , Audrey must make so e hard choices.

Years later, in 2010, Kate moves to Scotland to escape her losses and try for a fresh start. But, who is this mysterious elderly proprietor and what does she know?

Loved the dual timeline and the bit of mystery surrounding Kate.

The Secret History of Audrey James
by Heather Marshall
The problems of world war 2 affects the people in Berlin, 1938. The Greif and consequence of war for the people that were exploited by the German army, people, and their society. The laws and restrictions made it difficult for people to leave before the war. Causing hard choices, and difficult circumstances. Hiding her friend is the greatest risk that Audrey can do, but she has little choice, her discovery not only endangers her life, but all their lives. A dark look at a world where perception and redirect costs more than humanity.