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The Bookshop of Secrets

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The Bookshop of Secrets

By: Kerry Barrett
Narrated by: Polly Edsell
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About this listen

‘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?

Readers love The Bookshop of Secrets:

'The ending left me wanting more…these characters are too engaging and too ingenious to disappear into the ether' Historical Novel Society

‘I lapped it up!’ Eliza Graham

'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

'This book was an absolute joy. I didn’t want to finish it' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I adored this novel and found it hard to put down. The plot unfolds with ease and you easily warm to the characters'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Beautifully written' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'An exceptional read' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

©2025 Kerry Barrett (P)2025 HarperCollins Publishers 20th Century Family Life Friendship Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Women's Fiction War Royalty

Critic 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

'The ending left me wanting more—these characters are too engaging and too ingenious to disappear into the ether' Historical Novel Society

All stars
Most relevant
I couldn’t stop listening to this audiobook. Very witty, and I laughed out loud at Lara’s antics.

Portuguese WWII spy story

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This was my first book by Kerry Barrett and will not be my last. I loved the characters and the story.

Very Enjoyable

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**4.5 Stars**

This was an absorbing read. Set during World War II, the story introduces Lara, whose father has passed away, one of her father’s wishes was to find her relatives on her late mother’s side in Portugal. He always made a point of her learning the language.

An aspiring actress with a gift for accents, Lara arrives in Portugal and discovers that her former relatives have passed away. When her passport and purse are stolen, she wants to returns to England. However, with the war beginning, it becomes unsafe for her to go back. She finds work in a bar always hoping to save to get back to the U.K. once passage is safe.

Lara finds an additional job through her landlady, working in a bookshop, Lara initially thinks it will be boring. But she witnesses a cagey book swap, which changes her life.

Lara always wanted to contribute to the war effort, but she ends up using her acting skills to fight off street accosts. Meanwhile, her cousin and friend are serving in the war in the UK, but Lara can’t discuss her work because it involves signing the Official Secrets Act.

Despite these challenges, Lara meets a great team of people. However, they must be extra vigilant as the Germans are in Portugal, and her work involves feeding false information to them. Lara’s acting skills come into play as she comes into her own.

*Taking Chances*

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the story is great, the main characters stand out well. It. would have been nice to 'catch up' after the war to tie up loose ends .. otherwise a great story

wow

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This book was brilliantly narrated and was full of surprises so altogether a bit different. overall quite lighthearted.

Very enjoyable

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