The Keeper of Hidden Books: A Novel

Madeline Martin

Aug 2023 · Sold by Harlequin

About this ebook

A NATIONAL BESTSELLER—for fans of All the Light We Cannot See and The Tattooist of Auschwitz!

A BookBub Pick for Best Historical Fiction of Summer 2023

A heartwarming story about the power of books to bring us together, inspired by the true story of the underground library in WWII Warsaw, by the New York Times bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London.

All her life, Zofia has found comfort in two things during times of hardship: books and her best friend, Janina. But no one could have imagined the horrors of the Nazi occupation in Warsaw. As the bombs rain down and Hitler’s forces loot and destroy the city, Zofia finds that now books are also in need of saving.

With the death count rising and persecution intensifying, Zofia jumps to action to save her friend and salvage whatever books she can from the wreckage, hiding them away, and even starting a clandestine book club. She and her dearest friend never surrender their love of reading, even when Janina is forced into the newly formed ghetto.

But the closer Warsaw creeps toward liberation, the more dangerous life becomes for the women and their families – and escape may not be possible for everyone. As the destruction rages around them, Zofia must fight to save her friend and preserve her culture and community using the only weapon they have left - literature.

“Readers will be on the edge of their seats as they are transported…with Madeline Martin's vivid and inspiring characters.” —Kelly Rimmer, author of The Warsaw Orphan

"Madeline Martin immerses us in the expertly rendered and fascinating worlds.” —Natasha Lester, author of The Riviera House

Don't miss Madeline Martin's next heartwarming historical novel, The Booklover's Library!

Also by Madeline Martin:

• The Librarian Spy
• The Last Bookshop in London

Ratings and reviews

The Keeper of Hidden Books tells the story of a young woman who is living during the Nazi occupation of Warsaw, Poland in World War II. Beautifully written, this book has a powerful message of love and survival in a truly horrific time in Poland’s history. I couldn’t put it down. The author spins a sweeping tale that carried me away for hours.“The world also needs to remember to never take for granted what has been gifted to us through the sacrifice of others

Zofia is a Polish woman who risks everything to save the ones she loves.This novel is about Warsaw, Poland during the German occupation where Hitler bans books and a group of librarians do everthing to keep them hidden and save the precious novels. Yet they are putting themselves at risk. If caught they could be executed! Another Madeline Martin book not to missed with her phenomenal research that readers will love!

Prepare to be transported back to a time in history that was horrific for so many. But with the losses, there was also those who worked with their lives to save history and brought their own special successes. Fiction and history meet in the form of Zofia who is determined to save books that are being banned by the Nazi occupation. But she also saves more than literature.. A story of heartbreak but also the strong human perseverance that will leave a lasting impression you will not soon forget

About the author

Madeline Martin is a New York Times, USA TODAY, and international bestselling author of historical fiction and historical romance with books that have been translated into over twenty different languages.