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The Secret Society of Librarians

Inspired by a true story, a completely gripping and unforgettable WW2 historical novel

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The Secret Society of Librarians

By: Kate Thompson
Narrated by: Kaja Chan, Kate Thompson
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Two women, torn apart by war. One shared belief in the power of books...

London, 1939. When war breaks out on librarian Joyce Kindred's doorstep and a call for help rings out across the libraries of London, she's determined to act. Joyce knows only the world of books can offer safety and comfort to her neighbourhood - and she will make sure no one is left behind.

Joyce sets up a mobile library scheme, but soon her acts of resistance go beyond sharing books. She shelters a young Jewish refugee, Adela - and it's not long before she discovers Adela has a secret that could turn their world upside down again...

Occupied Poland, 1942. Dorotha knows any chance of her escaping the barbed wire fences and cruelty of the Łódź ghetto dwindles by the day. Reading isn't just an act of defiance: it's the only thing left in her life over which she has any control. And so she shares books under the cover of darkness, creating a secret library away from her captors - that is, until even that last ray of hope is taken from her...

Joyce and Dorotha were once librarians, ordinary women, and best friends. The war has forced them into acts of unimaginable bravery - but will they ever find each other again?

Based on astonishing real events, this absolutely heart-breaking page-turner brings to life the remarkable untold story of two women during WW2. Fans of Anna Stuart, Kristin Hannah and Heather Morris won't be able to stop racing through the pages.©2026 Kate Thompson (P)2026 Hodder & Stoughton Limited 20th Century Genre Fiction Historical Fiction War & Military Women's Fiction War England
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Critic reviews

PRAISE FOR KATE THOMPSON
A captivating tale about the power of libraries and how they connect us . . . Meticulously researched, readers will be entranced by this fascinating slice of history
A heartwarming story of how friendship and the written word sustain us in the toughest times. Based on a little-known true story, Kate Thompson's meticulous research and love of libraries shine through. Perfect for fans of Dear Mrs. Bird.
Books help win the day in this splendid warm-hearted novel of wartime resilience and romance, based on a true story
Remarkable . . . Heartbreaking and inspiring, this brilliantly researched book also captures the essence of the story through its evocative words and thoughtfully written characters
Libraries create writers! And here's a book as wrapped up in libraries as it could be . . .
An ode to books, libraries and the resilience of women. Uplifting and heartwarming. The strength of the human spirit shines through
My best book of the year. I loved the feeling this book gave me. The fact that this community, this love of books realty did exist and really did make a difference, was a wonderful thing to discover
Warm and uplifting historical fiction, all made to feel so real because of the historical details seamlessly woven into the story
Kate Thompson is a virtuoso storyteller about women in wartime, with an acute ear for authentic dialogue and an eye for the tiny details that bring scenes to vivid life. In The Secret Society of Librarians she writes about two indomitable women, one in the London Blitz and one in Poland's Lódz Ghetto, who were saved by the power of books. It's a moving, immersive and unforgettable novel: a definite must-read. (Gill Paul)
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All books are read subjectively. For me, this book could not quite decide if it wanted to be a novel or a history book. As such, it never found its soul on either side. It circled the same ideas, retreading familiar ground when the story needed to move forward. At times it tried to elicit sentiment where genuine feeling should have grown naturally — as though the author didn't fully trust the reader to arrive there on their own.
The bones of something compelling were here. The subject matter is rich enough to carry either a sweeping novel or a rigorous work of history. Yet by straddling both, it diluted itself — too fictional to satisfy the history reader, too burdened by fact to breathe as a story. The result for me was a book that occasionally shines but too often feels like it is working against itself.

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