‘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?
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Readers love Kerry Barrett:
'Every now and then you stumble across a book that's so great you can't wait for your next chance to be alone with it: this is one of those books'. Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'This book was an absolute joy. I didn’t want to finish it. I look forward to reading more books by this author.' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'This book has heartache and joy and it was an absolute pleasure to read.' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'The characters are beautifully written and the author effortlessly sucks you in to their worlds.' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Reviews
'A delicious Art Deco novel with a delightfully acerbic heroine and a cast of fabulously diverse characters having perilous adventures in exotic locations – what more could you want? Lovely fireside reading!' Marius Gabriel
‘What a page turner! A bookshop in wartime Lisbon is the gateway to a thrilling world of mystery, espionage, adventure and romance for brilliant and beautiful Lara.' Daisy Wood
'Original and immersive. If you read one Second World War novel in 2025 – make it this one.' Eva Glyn
‘A lively trip up the vertiginous backstreets of wartime Lisbon that serves up Nazi spies, Edward and Mrs Simpson and a bookshop with a difference, all seen through the eyes of an engaging young British actress. I lapped it up!’ Eliza Graham
'I was completely swept away by the story of smart, savvy heroine, Lara and the wonderfully, eclectic cast of supporting characters. 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
About the author
Kerry Barrett was a bookworm from a very early age and did a degree in English Literature, then trained as a journalist, writing about everything from pub grub to EastEnders. Her first novel, Like A Charm, took six years to finish and was mostly written in longhand on her commute to work, giving her a very good reason to buy beautiful notebooks. Kerry lives in London with her husband and two sons, and Noel Streatfeild’s Ballet Shoes is still her favourite novel.
