The Paris Library: a novel of courage and betrayal in Occupied Paris

About the book

IN THE DARKNESS OF WAR, THE LIGHT OF BOOKS

Inspired by the true story of the librarians who risked their lives during the Nazis' war on words: a story of courage and betrayal inspired by real-life defiance in Occupied Paris, perfect for fans of All the Light We Cannot See, The Book Thief and The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society.

PARIS, 1939
Odile Souchet is obsessed with books, and her new job at the American Library in Paris - with its thriving community of students, writers and book lovers - is a dream come true. When war is declared, the Library is determined to remain open. But then the Nazis invade Paris, and everything changes.
In Occupied Paris, choices as black and white as the words on a page become a murky shade of grey - choices that will put many on the wrong side of history, and the consequences of which will echo for decades to come.

MONTANA, 1983
Lily is a lonely teenage desperate to escape small-town Montana. She grows close to her neighbour Odile, discovering they share the same love of language, the same longings. But as Lily uncovers more about Odile's mysterious past, she discovers a dark secret, closely guarded and long hidden.

Based on the true Second World War story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris, this is an unforgettable novel of romance, friendship, family, and of heroism found in the quietest of places.

'A wonderful novel celebrating the power of books and libraries to change people's lives' Jill Mansell

'Heart-breaking and heart-lifting and always enchanting' Ruth Hogan

'I devoured The Paris Library in one hungry gulp . . . charming and moving' Tatiana de Rosnay

'An irresistible, compelling read' Fiona Davis 'Paris and libraries. What's not to love?!' Natasha Lester

'Compelling' Woman & Home 'Delightful, richly detailed' Publishers' Weekly