Overview

"From USA Today Bestselling author, Kathryn Gauci, comes a thrilling and emotional story of bravery and self-sacrifice, heartbreak and revenge, set in one of the most dangerous and difficult of WWII escape routes. ""A beautiful dark-haired woman dressed in the latest Parisian fashion, stepped onto the platform. She was holding a small boy in one arm and her small suitcase and false documents in the other. A girl, about six-years-old, stood by her side clinging to her mother's skirt and clutching a doll with blonde curly hair. Justine felt a surge of pity. They didn't look strong enough for the journey ahead of them."" When France declares war on Germany, the villagers of the sleepy village of Mont-Saint-Jean have no idea how much their lives will be impacted. At first they find themselves helping a trickle of British soldiers and airmen heading into Spain, but within months, that trickle has turned into a never-ending flow. Desperate French and foreign Jews, together with ordinary men and women evading Vichy's harsh laws in search of freedom, either attempt to flee and join de Gaule's Secret Army in North Africa, or hide and regroup in readiness for D-Day. Before they know it, they are drawn into the shadowy world of escape networks in one of France's harshest and most dangerous mountainous terrains, where at every turn they face deportation or death if caught. Rich in detail and based on true events in Occupied France, In the Shadows of the Pyrenees weaves together a powerful and vivid tableau of characters, a tortured love affair, and the heroism of countless helpers. It is a story that conjures up the voices of the past and will take you on a journey in which the ensuing upheavals continue to resonate in the villagers' lives long after the war has ended."

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9780648714453

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Reviews

"""A remarkable and moving story of true courage"" - JJ Toner, author of The Black Orchestra. ""Gauci's beautiful, poetic prose drew me into the story from page one. The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat. Beyond a moving, wonderful tale, In the Shadow of the Pyrenees brings WWII fiction lovers to yet another region of the world impacted by the war. Thoroughly researched and told through the eyes of memorable characters, this book is a satisfying MUST-READ!"" - Alexa Kang, USA Today bestselling author of the Rose of Anzio series. ""Like the challenging curving trails in the Pyrenees, this book goes back and forth, until reaching an unforgettable pinnacle. A pinnacle built upon bravery, and commitment."" - David McCann ""A sensitive story which is a real page-turner, full of pathos and beautiful descriptive writing."" -Suzi Stembridge"

Author Information

Kathryn Gauci is a critically acclaimed international, bestselling, author who produces strong, colourful, characters and riveting storylines. She is the recipient of numerous major international awards for her works of historical fiction.Kathryn was born in Leicestershire, England, and studied textile design at Loughborough College of Art and later at Kidderminster College of Art and Design where she specialised in carpet design and technology. After graduating, she spent a year in Vienna, Austria, before moving to Greece to work as carpet designer in Athens for six years. There followed another brief period in New Zealand before eventually settling in Melbourne, Australia.Before turning to writing full-time, Kathryn ran her own textile design studio in Melbourne for over fifteen years, work which she enjoyed tremendously as it allowed her the luxury of travelling worldwide, often taking her off the beaten track and exploring other cultures. The Embroiderer is her first novel; a culmination of those wonderful years of design and travel, and especially of those glorious years in her youth living and working in Greece. It has since been followed by more novels set in both Greece and Turkey. Seraphina's Song, The Carpet Weaver of Uşak, The Poseidon Network, and The Blue Dolphin: A WWII Novel.Code Name Camille, written as part of The Darkest Hour Anthology: WWII Tales of Resistance, became a USA TODAY Bestseller in the first week of publication. The Secret of the Grand H�tel du Lac became an Amazon Best Seller in both German Literature and French Literature. Both The Secret of the Grand H�tel du Lac and The Blue Dolphin received The Hemingway Finalist Award 2021The Poseidon Network received The Hemingway Award 2020 - 1st Place Best in Category - Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA) 20th Century Wartime Fiction.The Viennese Dressmaker received The Hemingway Award 2022 - 1st Place Best in Category - Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA) 20th Century Wartime Fiction and The Coffee Pot Book Club Book of the Year Award - Gold Medal 2022The Song of the Partisans received the Readers' Favourite 2023 Gold Medal Award for Military Fiction.

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