Gosh, this is an absolute treat of a debut novel, so different, so compelling, so fabulously readable! Circling a past that isn’t actually that long ago, the Cold War battle between the USA and USSR intertwines with the background tale to the novel that became Doctor Zhivago. The prologue wonderfully and thoroughly sets the scene. The story spins and spins again, and as several tales are told from different perspectives, we hear from an unknown voice in the typing pool, from a muse, from a carrier… Women take centre stage, even when in a supportive role. Lara Prescott kept my attention as taut as razor wire throughout, the words ganging up to give my thoughts little shoves. I have been left with a thirst for more information about the history of this time, yet thoroughly satisfied by the tale on offer. The Secrets We Kept is many things, spy story, love story, cold war story, it is also an eloquent, surprising read and highly recommended.
________________________ 'Utterly compelling... I absolutely loved it' Sarah Winman 'Tantalising' Sunday Times 'Thoroughly enjoyable' Guardian ________________________ No one looks twice at the women in the typing pool. No one knows that two of them are trading secrets. The secret is a book, the size of the one in your hands, and within its pages, a love story that could change the world. But where there is love there is pain. And where there is deception, formidable danger... ________________________ 'Mixing Mad Men and John le Carré ... addictive' i paper 'Irresistibly charged' Mail on Sunday