My Review:

A great read. Dives into wartime and present day with a flash back and forward. Told from Nadia and Sophie’s perspective. Its all about the gold.

Nadia leaves everything to Sophie, which leaves Sophie to unpick the puzzle left behind.

It becomes clear she isnt safe during this task.

War had taken a lot from Nadia and she had a lot to leave behind.

Along the way Sophie is left grieving her fiancé.

Its in Cairo where she connects with Josh and David, this is where the story picks up and threads start aligning.

Its easy to get into and follow. The author has a nice writing style. There’s guns and wounds,  secrets, lies and spies that carry over time and link the past with the present. Recommended.

Book Description:

The grand painted arches and turquoise tiles in front of me exactly match those in the photograph in my hand. I’ve found my beloved aunt’s villa. The place she loved – and feared. And the place she tried so hard to keep secret…

Egypt, 1942. After her husband and baby son are killed, Nadia flees to Villa Eden in Cairo. The gorgeous scents of the blooms and calming water garden soothe her aching heart… and give her the strength to keep fighting.

With a group of other young Europeans at the villa, she works undercover against the Nazi threat to Egypt. Friendships form as they host extravagant parties for ambassadors and generals – and gather vital information whispered in quiet corners.

Until betrayal snatches yet another person she loves from Nadia. And the villa’s high walls may be the only place to keep a dark wartime secret safe…

Cairo, present day. After the death of her fiancé, Sophie arrives in Egypt, clutching an old photograph of her aunt. Sophie always loved her stories, but all Aunt Nadia would say about the villa was that she could never return.

Sophie hopes that solving the mysteries of her aunt’s past will help her deal with all the loss in her life. But when she finds a note in her aunt’s handwriting, tucked in the villa’s library, it seems Nadia has lied to her for her whole life…

Sophie is left questioning everything. Will the truth from the war tear her apart, just as it did her aunt? Or will facing these secrets help heal not just her own heartbreak, but also one from decades ago?

Full of heartbreaking romance and family secrets from the darkest days of war, this is perfect for readers of The Letter, Fiona Valpy and Barbara Davis.

Author Bio:

Amanda Lees is the bestselling author of multiple historical fiction novels and psychological thrillers. A screenwriter, broadcaster and former actress, Amanda draws inspiration from hidden histories, real-life espionage, and women who dared to defy convention. Her latest novel, The Key to the Island House, is inspired by her own family and the real spy networks of WWII Cairo.

 Amanda grew up in the Far East, has traveled extensively and brings an international, richly layered perspective to her storytelling. She has been featured on BBC, LBC and national radio, in national and international publications and at literary festivals across the UK and beyond.

Learn more: https://amandalees.com

Instagram: @amandaleeswriter

X: @amandalees

Substack: https://amandalees.substack.com/

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Buy Link:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0FG3K7XBNsocial

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