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Lithuania, 1940. Amidst the chaos of war, one journey holds the key to survival-and the truth. When the Russians invade Lithuania, Zofia and her brother Jacek fear for their lives. As a journalist, Jacek is targeted by the new communist regime, which despises intellectuals and condemns them to hard labor in the gulags, where few survive. Hearing rumors that the Japanese consul Sugihara might offer them exit visas, Zofia knows she must seize this chance for freedom. In return, Sugihara asks them to deliver a parcel to Tokyo-an innocuous request, until they discover it contains intelligence about Nazi atrocities that the Nazis are desperate to retrieve. As if the threat from the Nazis isn''t enough, the Russians are still on their tail, determined to eliminate anyone with anti-communist sentiments. Meanwhile, in Tokyo, the government is on the brink of signing an agreement with the Nazis to close Japanese borders to Jewish refugees. Desperate to save others like herself, Zofia embarks on a perilous six-thousand-mile journey on the Trans-Siberian Express, carrying the damning evidence through the harsh wilderness of Siberia, with both Nazi and Soviet agents in pursuit. Can Zofia survive the journey and succeed in her mission to deliver the truth?
About the author
I write historical fiction, a genre I love. I loved the Victorian classics such as Jane Eyre, Little Women, Lorna Doone and Wuthering Heights. As I child I loved to read and when I had read my own library books, I used to borrow my mother's library copies of Anya Seton and Daphne du Maurier. I have loved reading historical novels ever since; though I'm a bookaholic and I read widely - contemporary and classic fiction as well as historicals.
In the past I used to work as a set and costume designer for theatre and TV, so I enjoy the research aspect of creating historical fiction, something I loved doing as a scenographer. Each book takes about six months of research before I am ready to begin writing. More details of my research and writing process can be found on my website. I like to write about extraordinary characters set against the background of real historical events.
Summary
'A thrilling, immersive and beautifully written historical novel that will resonate long after the last page is turned. Highly recommended' MARIUS GABRIEL 'Taut, compelling and beautifully written – I loved it!’ DAISY WOOD
