By: Michelle Gable
ISBN: 978-1525811555
Publisher: Graydon House
Publication Date: 08/17/2021
Format: Other
My Rating: 5 Stars
ARISTOCRAT, AUTHOR, BOOKSELLER, WWII SPY—A THRILLING NOVEL ABOUT REAL-LIFE LITERARY ICON NANCY MITFORD
In 1942, London, Nancy Mitford is worried about more than air raids and German spies. Still recovering from a devastating loss, the once sparkling Bright Young Thing is estranged from her husband, her allowance has been cut, and she’s given up her writing career. On top of this, her five beautiful but infamous sisters continue making headlines with their controversial politics.
Eager for distraction and desperate for income, Nancy jumps at the chance to manage the Heywood Hill bookshop while the owner is away at war. Between the shop’s brisk business and the literary salons she hosts for her eccentric friends, Nancy’s life seems on the upswing. But when a mysterious French officer insists that she has a story to tell, Nancy must decide if picking up the pen again and revealing all is worth the price she might be forced to pay.
Eighty years later, Heywood Hill is abuzz with the hunt for a lost wartime manuscript written by Nancy Mitford. For one woman desperately in need of a change, the search will reveal not only a new side to Nancy, but an even more surprising link between the past and present…
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Praise
“The Bookseller's Secret is a delight from start to finish, a literary feast any booklover will savor!”
—Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Rose Code
“With a vivid cast of unforgettable characters, Gable expertly and cleverly delivers wit, humor, and intrigue on every page. What a delightful escape.”
—Susan Meissner, bestselling author of The Nature of Fragile Things
“A triumphant tale that highlights the magic of bookshops and literature to carry people through even the darkest days of war.”
—Kristina McMorris, New York Times bestselling author of Sold on a Monday
“Gable’s ingenious story connects two struggling authors, eighty years apart, and is an ode to fans of Nancy Mitford and book lovers everywhere. Filled with crisp dialogue and populated with delightful, intriguing characters, the novel sings with wit and wisdom.”
—Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue
“The Bookseller’s Secret is a captivating story about the inimitable Nancy Mitford while she was working in a bookshop in wartime London, and an American author who visits the city in the present day and becomes immersed in the search for a lost manuscript. Michelle Gable has a gift for describing complex, charming characters, and her Nancy steps out of the pages in all her witty, irreverent glory. This is an engrossing page-turner about books and war, and finding love in unexpected places.”
—Gill Paul, bestselling author of Jackie and Maria and The Collector’s Daughter
“Gable’s witty narrative effortlessly moves between two time periods and is enriched with cameos by historical figures and authentic, memorable characters. Historical fiction fans will be riveted from the first page.” —Publishers Weekly (STARRED REVIEW)
About the Author
I’m the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of A PARIS APARTMENT, I’LL SEE YOU IN PARIS, THE BOOK OF SUMMER, THE SUMMER I MET JACK, and THE BOOKSELLER’S SECRET. I have numerous other never-to-be-seen books that will forever remain stored in my childhood bedroom.
I grew up in sunny San Diego and began writing in fourth grade after my parents gave me a book called Someday You’ll Write. I started with short stories and eventually elevated to terrible high school novels in which people sported “white pumps” and the protagonist said things like “His name was Justin. He was tall, almost 5’2.” According to lifelong friends, I turned every playdate and slumber party into a writing group.
Authorial aspirations in mind, I attended The College of William & Mary and majored in…accounting. As one does. After graduation, I pursued a career in finance, first at the now-defunct Arthur Andersen, later moving to private equity, followed by investment banking, then back to private equity, ultimately landing at software giant Ellie Mae as head of Investor Relations. I left that job in May 2016, thereby ending my 20-year career in finance. In early-2017, I ended my lifelong career of rooting for the Chargers, when they moved to L.A.
From age 10 and ever since, I wrote. Nearly every day. I wrote at five o’clock in the morning, or eleven o’clock at night, or while my children assembled their own school lunches. I’ll See You in Paris was written almost entirely by hand, sitting behind softball dugouts or in the car while my daughters warmed up pitching and catching. That, my friends, is my #1 tip for becoming a published author. You write. No matter what.
I live in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California with my husband, two teenaged daughters, one lazy cat, and a Thai street dog rescued from the dog meat trade.
Though certain world events have thrown a wrench into touring, check the “appearances” section of my website for the occasional event (online or in person). I love to meet readers out on the road or on Zoom and would be thrilled to see you there! WEBSITE
