Imogen Matthews

Deep in the Dutch Veluwe woods lies a secret that frustrates the Germans. Convinced that Jews are hiding close by they can find no proof. For nearly 2 years, the inhabitants of Berkenhout stay safe, helped by the local community. All it takes is one small fatal slip to change the course of all their lives for ever.

The Hidden Village

Anna opened the letter with trembling hands. 'My darling, if you're reading this, I haven't managed to unravel my parents' secret. But you can. Will you finish the search for me, find out who they were, and who you really are?' Nazi-occupied Holland, 1944. As soldiers patrol the streets, nursing student Ilse is only just surviving the terrible famine and increasingly violent German occupation. Though exhausted by her demanding work at a hospital far from home, she can't help but notice Levi, the young man with the dark eyes watching the world silently from the abandoned house next door. Then, early one morning, she finds him terrified and trembling with cold on the back doorstep. Levi's Jewish family have been arrested and sent to a concentration camp, their likely fate all too clear. And now he needs her help. So Ilse makes the most dangerous decision of her life, and takes Levi in. Hiding him away in her tiny attic room, he must remain concealed or risk almost certain death. But as the war worsens, keeping Levi a secret becomes ever more difficult, even as their mutual affection grows. And when a local German soldier becomes obsessed with Ilse, they fear their time - and luck - has run out... London, present day. When Anna's father dies, he leaves her a ticket to Amsterdam, a bent silver sixpence on a delicate silver chain, and a note begging her to complete the journey he was never able to. To the town where he was born, to find out once and for all who his parents were, and to discover their wartime fate. Based on the author's incredible family history, a totally devastating and ultimately uplifting story about a girl who risked everything, including her life, to save the man she loved. Heart-breaking and timely, this powerful tale will be loved by fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Nightingale and Fiona Valpy. Readers love Imogen Matthews: 'Literally gave me shivers... Absolutely heart-breaking... Gripping... This one really got to me, I was in tears... Will stay with me for a very long time.' Echoes in an Empty Room, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I couldn't put it down... I read it in a day... From the first chapter you are engaged with the characters and I even found myself warning them when they were due to be raided - OUT LOUD!' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Couldn't put this book down... I was transported through time and space and felt as if I was right there.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Heart-wrenching... My heart was in my mouth.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Unbelievable... Drop everything as you will not want to put this down.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Powerful, inspiring, heart-breaking... An inspiring story about the bravery and kindness of ordinary people... It had me in tears.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Truly heartbreaking and emotional... Tear-jerking... Glued to the story... A page-turner and unputdownable, will make you cry till the end!' Tropical Girl Reads Books, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Absolutely Gripping and Heart-wrenching Historical Fiction

The Boy in the Attic

1944, Amersfoort Concentration Camp, Holland. Based on a true story, the unforgettable tale of two young lovers who risked everything to keep hope alive in the very depths of hell. On a cold, dark day in a tiny Dutch village, Saskia and her boyfriend Frans watch as Nazi soldiers force thousands of prisoners towards Amersfoort Concentration Camp. Their hearts break as they see the desperate faces of innocent men and women and realise that the war is closer to them than it's ever been before... Saskia's father's shop is raided when the guards suspect that he is Jewish, and Frans is soon forced to enter the concentration camp every day to collect scraps of food as it's the only way to feed the animals on his family's farm. But despite the growing fear the couple feel, when a prisoner begs Frans to send a letter to his beloved reassuring her he is alive, they know they must risk everything to help him. They smuggle his letter out, right under the noses of the Nazis. And eventually they ferry hundreds of messages for prisoners, bringing them hope in the darkest moments of their lives. But every letter Frans gets out of the camp puts him in even more danger. And every reply Saskia manages to collect is a risk. And then Saskia is led into Kamp Amersfoort and is forced to wear a yellow star. Inside, she cannot ignore the pain of the other prisoners, and Frans knows she will be putting herself in more danger to help them - attracting the attention of the guards. The couple know they must act. Everyone says it's impossible to escape the camp, but it's the only option they have left. Their love has kept them together but is it enough to help them survive? A gripping story of love, betrayal and courage. Readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Nightingale and anything by Fiona Valpy will never forget this heartbreakingly beautiful novel and the great sacrifices Saskia and Frans made to change the fate of the world. What readers are saying about Imogen Matthews: 'Unbelievable... Drop everything as you will not want to put this down.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'Powerful, inspiring, heartbreaking... An inspiring story about the bravery and kindness of ordinary people... It had me in tears.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

Imogen Matthews

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