The Secret History of Audrey James is a riveting story about a woman who is a talented pianist living in Berlin as WWII looms. The choices and decisions she makes over the course of her life reverberate for years to come.

This novel unfolds in both 2010, as Kate Mercer moves from London to work for Audrey James at an inn near the Scottish border and in 1938 as Audrey was living with the Kaplan family in Berlin while she attended a prominent music school. The events depicted in the novel are inspired by real women and those involved in the German resistance. The novel showcases how decisions made can impact generations to come. It also showed how important friendship, sacrifice and healing are.

I am not normally a huge fan of historical fiction, but I was intrigued by this novel from the outset. The way the story was told going back and forth between Audrey and Kate really helped to move the story along and kept me as the reader engaged. It gave me a much greater understanding for how courageous many women were during this time in history and the fact the book was rooted in true events made this an even more interesting read to me.

I would highly recommend this novel!

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

In 2010 Kate escapes her old life after a tragic accident and the unraveling of her marriage. She goes to an old guesthouse in northern Scotland where her parents spent their honeymoon and gets a job and establishes a relationship with the elderly and strange owner, Audrey James. Audrey was a concert pianist who lived in Germany during to the war to protect her best friend, who was Jewish and became part of the resistance. Both women harbor secrets from their past and together they learn that through sharing, they can begin to heal.

What’s ironic is while reading this I said “I didn’t mean to read another WWII book” and then the author’s note says “I didn’t actually set out to write a WWII novel” - so we were on the same page. However I ended up becoming totally engrossed in the story of Audrey, Ilse, and SS Soldier Friedrich and their life of resistance in Nazi Germany. The story was set in 2010 and WWII and switched back and forth throughout the novel using Audrey and Kate’s POVs. The audiobook was wonderful and I think I read half and listened to half. Sometimes when you listen to an audiobook with two time periods it gets confusing, but because of the two POVs (one narrator who did a great job switching back and forth) I was never confused as to whose story I was listening to or what time period I was supposed to be in. I picked this one up because I enjoyed the last book I read by the author, Call Me Jane and even though it was about WWII I’m glad I read this one and spent time with the characters.

4.25 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books

A taut and harrowing dual time line novel of WWII Berlin and present day UK. Kate, mourning her parents, travels to the hotel where they spent their honeymoon in hopes of learning more about them and ends up finding more than she ever expected as she stays with Audrey, the 90-something owner. Audrey's story starts in Berlin, where she stayed behind after her British father left so that she could complete her piano studies and because she did not want to leave Ilse, her best friend. And then she and Ilse are trapped, especially after high ranking Nazi officers move into Ilse's family home, forcing her up into the attic. These officers are part of a network who hope to remove Hitler and Audrey finds herself pulled into their work. This has many twists and deserves to be read without spoilers. The dual time line works because Audrey tells her story to Kate. It's a real page turner, and deeply emotional (although the ending was a little too easy). Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. An excellent read- and don't miss the afterword.

In 1938 Audrey James is weeks away from graduating from a prestigious music school in Berlin when the Jewish family friends she is staying with disappear with the rising of persecution by the Nazis. Soon German soldiers arrive to occupy the house. Audrey volunteers to be their housekeeper to help her friend and keep an eye on things. But things aren't what they seem!
In 2010, Kate flees London to northern England after a personal tragedy. Trying to get closer to her parents' past she agrees to help run a guest house. There she meets the elderly owner, Audrey. As the truth about her own tragedy unfolds we also learn about all Audrey had to endure to survive the war.
I am a fan of WWII historical fiction stories, and enjoy when there is a different twist than is typically found in these stories, which this one does have, but I can't spoil it. I did struggle a good bit with the modern timeline. I felt all the mystery and slow drawn out reveal of Kate's story was a bit much. I found myself wanting to quickly get through that part to get back to Audrey's main story. I also felt the love interest in 2010 felt forced, and the ending a bit far fetched. 🤷🏻‍♀️ But those were just my feelings. It was still overall a good story and one to add to your TBR if you are a historical fiction fan.
Thank you to @netgalley for providing me a free advanced copy in exchange for my review!
#NetGalley #TheSecretHistoryOfAudreyJames

I enjoyed this book so much I immediately ordered her first book, Looking for Jane from the library.
The book begins with a woman saved by Canadian soldiers in the Netherlands near the end of WWII. We learn that this is Audrey James, a woman with a British father and German mother who is in Germany studying piano in 1939. Her father begs her to come home, but she refuses to leave her Jewish friend Ilse, who must hide in the house after Kristallnacht

We then come to 2010 when a woman, Kate, who is divorcing finds a picture of her parents at an inn near the Scottish border on their honeymoon. She discovers an an advertisement for a job there and applies on the spur of a moment. Accepted, she and her dog drive up. The owner is 91 year old Audrey.
They make a connection and Audrey tells Kate her story of being in the Resistance and how she hid Ilse. It is a harrowing story that is broken by the 2010 stories and how Kate was dealing with the trauma of her parents death.
There is a plot twist I wasn't expecting at all.
Even if you are tired of WWII stories, this book shows another side of the people and the many attempts on Hitler's life.
There are still stories to tell.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the EARC. This honest review is mine alone. I highly recommend this book.

The secret history Aubrey James is exactly the type of historical fiction I just love. The story goes between the story of Aubrey James, a young pianist in Germany, that’s living with her Jewish best friend and her family while she studies. When things take a horrible turn Aubrey is forced to do things to try to protect her best friend and try to help take down Hitler. The other part of the story is about Kate, a young women living in London after her divorce that is desperate for a change. When she sees an ad for a caretaker at an inn her own parents went to she decides to take a chance and takes the job. The story tells of sacrifice, love, and perseverance.

The story was so well written and was a very enjoyable read. I loved the characters and how the author wove in aspects of not only real people but her very own family into this story.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publishers for allowing me to read this advanced copy in exchange of my honest opinion.

Heather Marshall is steadily becoming a popular author of compelling historical fiction books about remarkable women. Her debut novel, Looking for Jane, garnered numerous five star reviews, and I believe that this one will be well received also. This is a beautifully woven story. Even though this book contains a lot of the same themes that can be found in many WWII historical fiction novels, such as resistance, fear, hiding a Jewish friend, and the loss of loved ones, this story is made fresh by the depth of the characters and accounts of their bravery while danger lurked around every corner every day, as well as demonstrating how hope can keep people alive even in the most dire situations.

This story contains a good deal of suspense, and the author did a fabulous job of building tension into Part 3 of the story. I could feel my heart racing as I read some of the scenes. I ended up caring deeply for some of the characters and cried more than a few tears by the end of the book. Sometimes it is the unassuming people who are unknown to us who are the true heroes of the war and the women who inspired this novel are some of those people.

I highly recommend this book to fans of WWII historical fiction and believe that this would also be a good selection for book clubs. My sincere thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Amy Jackson and Vanessa Duque at Random House Publishing and Ballantine Books for giving me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this moving story. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Secret History of Audrey James by Heather Marshall is a dual timeline story from World War II Germany and Northern England decades later. After a tragic accident has left her floundering, Kate Mercer leaves London to work at an old guest house near the Scottish border. After she arrives, she begins to unravel her past and she discovers her new boss also has secrets from the past of her own. In 1938 Berlin, Audrey James has been living with her best friend, Ilse Kaplan and her family, while she studies at a local prestigious music school. When Ilse’s family disappears and Nazis take over the house, Audrey is forced to become their housekeeper as Ilse hides in the attic. She soon finds herself in an anti-Hitler movement. Can she protect those she loves or must she sacrifice everything to do her part to end the war?
The Secret History Audrey James was inspired by the true stories of courageous women who did their part in the German resistance during World War II. Audrey’s story could have been a standalone story and been captivating and the tie-in with Kate was a bit unnecessary. Unfortunately, World War II resistance stories, while interesting, are starting to blur together that I feel like I’ve read this before. However, I read this story for “the unbreakable bonds of friendship, the sacrifices we make for those we love, and the healing that comes from human connection.” The Secret History of Audrey James delivers on that; however, there was so much going on that the story started to get bogged down and I was getting bored. Overall, the story started off well; but did not end there. If you enjoy World War II resistance stories, I recommend The Secret History of Audrey James.

The Secret History of Audrey James will be available on February 25, 2025
In paperback, eBook and audiobook.

4 stars! The Secret History of Audrey James is unputdownable! I highly recommend this novel, particularly to those who enjoy World War II historical fiction. The dual storyline between Nazi Germany and almost present-day Scotland easy to follow and seriously, once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. This book is about devoted love and unrequited love, defiance and resistance, discovery and forgiveness. It would make a really good book club book!

I found this story very emotional and I as I kept reading I was wondering who would survive., I kept thinking of all those people who didn't make it and how horrible humans can be to each other. I dread WWII stories because of all the horrors that happened, but this story is a little more hopeful in that the characters are fighting against the bad things that are happening and are trying save others and alter history.
I like how the story is told to Kate and unbeknownst to the them both they have a connection. I also like how the story slowly evolves so that you don't get all the bad at once. I like how strong Audrey's character is and how much she is was willing to give up to save her friend. I like that there was another side to some of the people in this tragic war, and that they didn't agree with the leaders of the war. I also like that the story is based on a real person and that the author shows how strong the real person was. I love the added benefit of dogs in this story who support their human companions and make dealing with life hardships better.
The best part of the story is how the story is told, it is very engaging and powerful and it doesn't let up until the end. There are many parts of this story that show how events can change a persons life and save someone at the same time and yet still break your heart, but in the end the characters in this story still find some peace and love amongst all the tragedy. What a terrific story.

I want to thank Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an advance copy of this powerful story about friendship during a horrible period of human history.

I hadn't read this authors previous book but you can bet I put it in my TBR now. I read a lot of historical fiction about WWII and the Holocaust. This story brings us a different and unique angle that I really appreciated-the resistance. Things that are happening on the world stage and currently in our country had me reading this with a completely different mindset than I would have reahad I read this 4 years ago. Knowing where the author came up with the storyline (from her notes) made this even more interesting. Dual timelines from two POVs bring us a great introspective on loss, pain, strength and absolute love.

The Secret History of Audrey James - Heather Marshall
Genre: Historical Fiction, WW2

I am pleased to have been able to read The Secret History of Audrey James. This novel relates the stories of Audrey James and of Kate Mercer and how their lives intersect in surprising ways as they are a generation or so apart. Kate is recovering from a tragic accident and a broken marriage and accepts a job in a guest house - sight unseen where she hopes to recover some equanimity in her life. Audrey is the owner here and she begins to relate her World War II experiences in Berlin, Germany to her new young manager. Through flashbacks we relive all of these horrific moments with her. Once a promising piano virtuoso, Audrey becomes a housemaid and stays in the unsafe city to protect her Jewish friend Ilse - who has lost her entire family to the Nazis. She sees her father shot in the street and her mom and brother hauled away.
I am always drawn to WWII novels. I always learn something new, and I learned so much from this one. And I am always amazed at the resilience and strength of the folks who endured this war especially on the European Front. Audrey stands alongside her dear friend Ilse after they witness the brutal murder of Ilse’s father in broad daylight in the street while on a shopping trip. Ilse’s mother and brother are herded away. Soon after, the Kaplan home is taken over by Nazi officers. Audrey must think fast and becomes their cook and maid so that Ilse can remain safely hidden in the attic. From the moment Audrey makes that choice, she must pivot again and again as the circumstances change. Her resilience is stunning as she is forced to mature very quickly. Her devotion to Ilse has a strength that I can barely imagine. Kate also gains strength over the course of the novel. She finds her own strength and resilience both in her growing relationship with Audrey, and in making independent choices for her new life. I always value books that give me strong female protagonists and Marshall does just that. I learned much about the resistance, but must resist talking about it. No spoilers. But the suspense level here is just excellent. I stayed up later than I should rather than putting it down. Marshall
I had to really sit with this book for a while after I finished reading. The story and the threads of this book that tangle in a surprising way, really captured me. I am often so saddened by how lightly we take war. We allow people to pretend that evil events never happened, and we allow people to talk flippantly about going to war over the smallest of things. Maybe it is primarily the women who catalog and hold onto the tragedy that war brings. Somebody needs to, and I am grateful for Heather Marshall’s meticulously researched The Secret History of Audrey James. Read it and look for more novels by her. I did. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This WW2. historical novel has such a different story than any other that I've read and I loved it!
This book has two POVs, Audrey , set in Germany, late 1930s and Kate in northern England in 2010. At first, I was curious as to why the 'contemporary' timeline was over ten years ago, but eventually that becomes clear.
The story begins in Berlin with Audrey studying music while staying with the family of her friend, Ilse. Their families used to be neighbors, but Audrey's father returned to England a few years back. Ilse's family is Jewish, while Audrey's is not. As war is nearing, Ilse's family is torn apart, their home taken over and their lives changed forever. The story continues with Audrey and Ilse living secret lives among in Berlin.
In England,Kate , in the midst of divorce, moves to the northern countryside to take a job as a manager of an inn. The owner of the inn, Audrey, is a 90+ year old woman, who is hesitant at the beginning to accept the help of Kate. As the story continues, Audrey becomes more comfortable with Kate and that's how we learn of her time in Berlin.
The relationship between these two women was deep, emotional, wonderful and caustic all at the same time. This story marks all the wins for relationships, family. heartache , love, courage, and bravery.
This is the second book by Heather Marshall. Her debut, Looking for Jane, was just as compelling! Will be looking forward to Marshall's next book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this advanced copy in return for my review.
Publication 2/25/2025

Yes, this is a tale about two women during the Nazi rise in Berlin. Yes, I one is Jewish and the other not. Yes,, one hid in the attic and the other in plain sight. And Yes, it captured my interest. The author wove the past with the present beautifully. The lives of Ilse and Audrey are followed as they are young women through the present of old age. Audrey recounts her life as an aspiring pianist studying in Berlin, living with a Jewish family through the present to a young lady trying to find solace after the death of her parents.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.

This novel follows the stories of Audrey and Kate, two women who navigate exceedingly tough hardships as they struggle for their own survival — Audrey in 1938 and Kate in 2010. Told in dual timelines, the novel focuses more on Audrey, pre-WWII Berlin and the resistance, yet incorporating Kate’s story (and Kate has lots of emotional baggage with which to deal) and her connection to Audrey makes this a really interesting read.

Audrey and Kate are two women who have both suffered unbearable trauma. Audrey during World War II and Kate in an accident that killed her parents. They meet at the inn where Kate gets a job. In sharing their stories they find some healing in their situations.

This is an excellent historical fiction book. It will grip you from the beginning and you will be there to the surprising end. You will want to know the full story for each of the women. It is one of the best historical fiction books I have read. I highly recommend reading this book. It would also make an excellent film.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #HeatherMarshall, and #SimonSchuster for a copy of this book.
#TheSecretHistoryofAudreyJames

I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

OUTSTANDING HISTORICAL FICTION!!! This is a story of love, perseverance, injustices, heartbreak, and coming of age. Audrey James, a German, wanted to study at a famous music school in Berlin. So, reluctantly, her father allows her to stay with her friend Ilse and Ilse's family in Germany, and he moves to England. Tragically the two ladies see Ilse's father murdered in the street and her brother and mother taken away by Nazi soldiers. Living in the home of Ilse and her family, when the soldiers come to stay in the home, Ilse hides in the attic and prays for the best.

This book follows dual timelines: Audrey's and Kate's. Fast-forward to 2010, and we introduce Kate, a soon-to-be divorcee attempting to start over. As luck would have it, she is hired to care for an elderly hotel manager who just so happens to be Audrey.

This story unfolds beautifully, uncovering secrets, healing old wounds, finding new love, and revealing an extremely surprising treasure at the end. I was gripped by it from the very beginning. I really enjoyed how headstrong Audrey was, both in her old age and throughout her younger years. I shed tears in some areas, so that is an automatic five-star rating from me.

Heather, thank you for making these characters so real and relatable and for describing the era's narrative so well. I felt like I was in the dress shop with Ilse and Audrey, watching Ilse's family be abused and taken away.

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books, and Heather Marshall for the ARC of The Secret History of Audrey James.

This story gave me goose bumps. I am still thinking about it. It has two timelines. One in 1938 where there is Audrey and Ilse are best friends. Ilse's family is Jewish and Audrey is studying music and piano in Germany. The other time is 2010 and centers around Kate. Kate is on the verge of divorce. Her parents died in an horrific auto accident and she is still recovering from that. She decides to answer an ad for an administrative assistant at Oakwood Inn in Alnwick. She gets the job and her and her dog Oz move there. She was hired by a housekeeper named Sue and has never met the owner of Oakwood. She is interested because she realizes her parents went there on their honeymoon. Kate feels if she goes there she may feel closer to her beloved parents that she is still grieving. She meets Audrey James. Then the story gets so very interesting. Audrey wants to tell her story of her time in Germany in 1938. The Jews were starting to get rounded out by Hitler's commands. She has to protect her friend Ilse, who she realizes is the love of her life. She is involved with the resistance and has to do things that she isn't proud of and to this day is still feeling guilty. This story is so beautiful. The friendship between Audrey and Ilse and then Audrey and Kate is just so heartwarming if not sad on some level. There are some twists in the story that will leave you breathless. Heather Marshall does her research and has centered Audrey around a real true courageous woman. She has based this book and her last one on women's issues, friendships, family and what you would do for love. I highly recommend this book.
Thanks to #netgalley, #ballentinebooks and @heathermarshallauthor for an ARC of this beautiful book. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to Ballantine Books for an advanced copy of The Secret History of Audrey James by Heather Marshall which comes out in the US this week.

Inspired by stories of women and the German resistance during WWII, this book is about the bonds of friendship and the sacrifices we makes along with human connection. This is a dual timeline historical fiction that starts in 1938 Germany and throughout the war and then in 2010s England.


While this does have a little bit of a unique aspect to the World War II Historical Fiction genre, overall I didn't feel like it was anything special. I've read a lot of WWII historical fiction and I only read this because I loved Looking for Jane, but I won't remember this book. I did like the author's note about the women who she was inspired by when writing this book, I would have preferred if this book was just a historical fiction, we didn't need the modern storyline.

Loss has a way of challenging one's beliefs

In 2010 two women's lives intersect at a guesthouse in northern England. Kate is at a crossroads in her life, still recovering from a tragic car accident that took the lives of both of her parents and left her with scars both physical and emotional. It also was the catalyst that resulted in the breakup of her marriage. Struggling with survivor's guilt and in need of a fresh start, she is packing her belongings when she comes across a collection of photos of her parents on their honeymoon. Tucked in with them is one of the couple in front of a sign for The Oakwood Inn which, when she Googles the name, is not only still in business but is also seeking an assistant administrator. Kate takes it as an omen, calls the contact person and in short order has been offered the job and is headed to Alnwick. When she arrives she discovers that the inn's owner, Audrey James, had no idea that a position had been posted and the two women get off to a rocky start. Audrey discovers that Kate is struggling with the effects of traumatic events, and those struggles strikes a chord with her. Audrey begins sharing her own life story with Kate, one filled with loss and darkness. Audrey was born to an English father and a German mother who met during the first World War and settled in Germany after the war ended. When her mother died during childbirth, her father remained in Germany to honor his promise to his late wife to care for his mother-in-law, As a result, Audrey grows up in Germany and considers it her home country. She is a talented pianist and wants to live an independent life performing before crowds, and even after her father returns them to England she finds a way to go back to Germany to further her studies. She moves in with the family of her best friend Ilse, a Jewish family who lived next door to her and her father when they lived in Berlin. Even as the country becomes increasingly anti-Semitic and Ilse's family becomes more and more fearful of the future, Audrey is determined to stay the remaining weeks before her graduation from the conservatory where she studies. Too late it becomes clear that Audrey, Ilse and her family should have left when they were able, and their lives are ripped apart. When the family is dragged away, with Ilse and Audrey able to avoid the authorities it is Audrey who will act to protect Ilse, summoning courage she didn't know that she had and willingly putting her life on the line to do the right thing as war rages around them.
Weaving together the two timelines, the novel features two women who in the face of tragedy find the will to carry on. Each survives when those they loved did not, and end up helping one another to find peace within themselves. Audrey's life provides the drama, set in Germany in the late 1930's and early 1940's as war is waged and a genocide commences. She evolves from a naive young woman of privilege who chafes against the role to which she as a woman is relegated, using her intelligence and the skills developed performing on stage to deceive those against whom the resistance group she joins is fighting. Kate's journey is more introspective as she mourns the loss of her parents and suffers from nightmares in which she relives the stormy night of the car accident. The narrative is engaging, and I found myself drawn into each woman's tale. There were a few elements that I found either unnecessary or contrived....Audrey's professed feelings for Ilse, Kate's connection to the inn...but all in all I found it an interesting and well-crafted story that I found difficult to put down. Fans of Kate Quinn, Janet Skeslien Charles and Helen Simonson as well as readers of historical fiction (especially of the WWII era) will not be sorry if they give this a try. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for allowing me early access to this poignant tale of love, loss, loyalty and survival.