‘What a page turner!' Daisy Wood, author of The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris

'A delicious Art Deco novel with a delightfully acerbic heroine.' Marius Gabriel, author of The German Daughter

'Original and immersive.' Eva Glyn, author of An Island of Secrets

In a bookshop nestled in the sprawling streets of Lisbon, a shopkeeper leads a double life…

Looking for a new start after her father’s death, Lara Hope arrives in Lisbon in search of a family she’s never met.

As war storms across Europe, Lara finds solace and belonging in her landlady’s tranquil bookshop in one of the most beautiful corners of the city.

But when she witnesses a customer secretly swapping a book, she realises the bookshop is not all it seems. Lara is plunged into a labyrinthine world of mystery and facades, encountering new friends, an unexpected romance, and even royalty… Is she prepared to risk it all for this new life?

'The ending left me wanting more…these characters are too engaging and too ingenious to disappear into the ether' Historical Novel Society

‘I lapped it up!’ Eliza Graham

'A must-read for historical fiction fans and for me, Kerry Barrett’s best book yet.' Annie Lyons

'A gripping ‘what if’ tale with a larger-than-life heroine at its heart.' Tessa Harris