Review: The Secret Pianist by Andie Newton*

*I received a copy of this book in eBook format via NetGalley in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity. This review is being posted as part of the The Secret Pianist blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: The Secret Pianist
Author: Andie Newton
Genre: Historical Fiction

Trigger warnings:  War, Guns

Rating: ★★★★   

Sisters. Traitors. Spies.

When a British RAF Whitley plane comes under fire over the French coast and is forced to drop their cargo, a spy messenger pigeon finds its way into unlikely hands… 

The occupation has taken much from the Cotillard sisters, and as the Germans increase their forces in the seaside town of Boulogne-sur-Mer, Gabriella, Martine and Simone can’t escape the feeling that the walls are closing in.

Yet, just as they should be trying to stay under the radar, Martine’s discovery of a British messenger pigeon leads them down a new and dangerous path. Gaby would do anything to protect her sisters but when the pianist is forced to teach the step-daughter of a German Commandant, and the town accuses the Cotillards of becoming ‘Bad French’ and in allegiance with the enemy, she realizes they have to take the opportunity to fight back that has been handed to them.

Now, as the sisters’ secrets wing their way to an unknown contact in London, Gaby, Martine and Simone have to wonder – have they opened a lifeline, or sealed their fate?

 

The Secret Pianist is the latest novel from historical fiction author Andie Newton. This was my first time reading anything from the author but her compelling storytelling had me hooked from the very first page and I finished the book in a single sitting.

This engaging story is packed full of emotional twists and turns, exploring powerful themes such as sisterhood, patriotism, resistance, betrayal and the power of music. Andie Newton writes suspense well and pairs this with some heartwarming moments in the story too. The history behind the book was clearly very well researched. I particularly enjoyed the exploration of people being dubbed ‘bad French’ by their community and how they were treated as a result, as this is a really interesting aspect of Second World War history.

The Secret Pianist is largely told through a first-person narration from Gaby, the eldest Cotillard sister. I really loved all three sisters as characters and thought their sisterly bond added something really special to the story. Their contrasting personalities were fantastic and their sisterly relationship seemed authentic and well-written. I would say that for at least the first half of the book all three of them generally read as younger than they actually were meant to be but they did seem to all really mature through the events of story. For all three sisters there is also an aspect of romance to the plot and this was all well-written.

I found the brief explorations of the sisters’ backstory prior to moving to Boulogne-sur-Mer absolutely fascinating and think it really has the potential to be a powerful prequel.

The book did generally feel more light-hearted than many other World War Two historical fiction works of a similar nature. But, for someone who reads this genre more than any other, this actually felt quite refreshing as I got to enjoy the historical aspect which avoiding the darker themes you often come across.

Overall, The Secret Pianist is a powerful and easy read for fans of historical fiction. Anyone with an interest in the use of carrier pigeons during World War Two will particularly enjoy this book, as will those who enjoy portrayals of strong sisterly relationships.