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The Secret History of Tom Trueheart
by Ian BeckWhen young Tom True heart's six older brothers all go missing from their adventures in the Land of Stories, he embarks on a perilous mission to save them and to capture the rogue story-writer who wants to do away with the heroes.
The Secret Hours: Family secrets and enduring love - from the Number One bestselling author (The Deverill Chronicles 4) (The Deverill Chronicles #4)
by Santa MontefioreThe enchanting novel from Sunday Times bestselling author Santa Montefiore&‘Let the wind take me and the soft rain settle me into the Irish soil from where I came. And may my sins be forgiven.&’ Arethusa Clayton has always been formidable, used to getting her own way. On her death, she leaves unexpected instructions. Instead of being buried in America, on the wealthy East Coast where she and her late husband raised their two children, Arethusa has decreed that her ashes be scattered in a remote corner of Ireland, on the hills overlooking the sea. All Arethusa ever told Faye was that she grew up in a poor farming family and left Ireland, alone, to start a new life in America as did so many in those times of hardship and famine. But who were her family in Ireland and where are they now? What was the real reason that she turned away from them? And who is the mysterious benefactor of a significant share of Arethusa&’s estate? Arethusa is gone. There is no one left to tell her story. Faye feels bereft, as if her mother&’s whole family has died with her. Leaving her own husband and children behind, she travels to the picturesque village of Ballinakelly, determined to fulfil her mother&’s last wish and to find out the reason for Arethusa&’s insistence on being laid to rest in this faraway land.'AN ATMOSPHERIC, MESMERISING READ' My Weekly'PASSIONATE AND INTRIGUING' Woman's Weekly***PRAISE FOR SANTA MONTEFIORE*** &‘Nobody does epic romance like Santa Montefiore&’ JOJO MOYES &‘An enchanting read overflowing with deliciously poignant moments&’ DINAH JEFFERIES on Songs of Love and War &‘Santa Montefiore hits the spot for my like few other writers&’ SARRA MANNING &‘One of our personal favourites&’ THE TIMES on The Last Secret of the Deverills &‘Accomplished and poetic&’ Daily Mail &‘Santa Montefiore is a marvel&’ Sunday Express 'One of our personal favourites' The Times
The Secret Hum of a Daisy
by Tracy HolczerTwelve-year-old Grace and her mother have always been their own family, traveling from place to place like gypsies. But Grace wants to finally have a home all their own. Just when she thinks she's found it her mother says it's time to move again. Grace summons the courage to tell her mother how she really feels and will always regret that her last words to her were angry ones. After her mother's sudden death, Grace is forced to live with a grandmother she's never met. She can't imagine her mother would want her to stay with this stranger. Then Grace finds clues in a mysterious treasure hunt, just like the ones her mother used to send her on. Maybe it is her mother, showing her the way to her true home. Lyrical, poignant and fresh, The Secret Hum of a Daisy is a beautifully told middle grade tale with a great deal of heart.
The Secret Ingredient
by George E. StanleyKatie Lynn Cooke loves her grandmother's home-baked cookies and sadly goes without between visits. Grandma urges Katie Lynn to start making her own cookies, using Grandma's recipes, so she won't ever have to go without again. Before Katie Lynn can scrape the batter off the bowl, she's in business -- the cookie business! Running a business is great fun, but it's also a real live grown-up J-O-B. Katie Lynn and company have their work unlike their cookies cut out for them! Step-by-step instructions enable kids to turn their kitchens into mini-cookie companies of their own!
The Secret Ingredient
by Stewart LewisSixteen-year-old Olivia loves living in Silverlake, Los Angeles, with her dads, Bell and Enrique, and her brother, Jeremy. But when Olivia discovers that Bell's restaurant, FOOD, is in trouble, she applies for a job at a casting agency. The day of her interview, Olivia meets a psychic in an elevator who tells her that this summer will be pivotal. Soon after, Olivia stumbles upon a vintage cookbook with handwritten notes in the margins and starts to date a gorgeous boy named Theo. As Olivia reads the notes in the cookbook and cooks the recipes, she forms a kinship with the previous owner and becomes increasingly aware of the emptiness she feels without a mother. When Olivia discovers her birthmother's name and address, there's nothing to stop Olivia from meeting her. But sometimes the things we search for are the things we've always known.
The Secret Ingredient (Katie Lynn Cookie Company #1)
by George Edward Stanley Linda GravesAt first Katie Lynn is excited when people start buying the walnut chocolate chunk oatmeal cookies she is baking with her grandmother's secret recipe, but then things get terribly complicated.
The Secret Ingredient Cookbook: 125 Family-Friendly Recipes with Surprisingly Tasty Twists
by Kelly Senyei“Unorthodox cooking hacks . . . This enjoyable shake-up of kitchen standards is full of what are bound to become new mealtime favorites.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)Kelly Senyei, founder of the food site Just a Taste, has garnered millions of fans with a delicious hook—every one of her recipes has a secret ingredient, something totally unexpected that takes a dish from common to extraordinary. Some of the 125 tried-and-tested recipes are surprisingly simple, like her Vanilla Bean Drop Doughnuts made with Greek yogurt, or the Sweet and Tangy Baked Chicken Wings made with blackberry jam. Other recipes are nothing short of genius, such as the Kale Panzanella made with croissants, the Healthy White Chicken Chili made with hummus, or the Crispy Slow Cooker Carnitas made with cocoa powder. And just because the secret ingredients are surprising doesn’t mean they’re expensive or hard to find, either. Kelly is a busy mother of two, and she made sure every ingredient can be found in any supermarket. Her family-friendly recipes cover every occasion, from crowd-pleasing snacks and 30-minute entrées to make-ahead sides and holiday-worthy desserts.“Kelly Senyei has hit the nail on the head: Her book is full of delicious recipes that are both upgraded and familiar. The secret ingredients Kelly incorporates in her everyday recipes—like ginger ale in homemade waffles—are simple but wonderfully surprising. I love this book!” —Justin Chapple, culinary director-at-large, Food & Wine“Brilliant! Kelly Senyei’s ‘secret ingredient’ additions are so clever and easy, they will leave you smiling and wondering, ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’” —Elise Bauer, founder, Simply Recipes
The Secret Ingredient for a Happy Marriage
by Shirley Jump"Beautifully written and unflinching in its portrayal of the complexities of marriage, sisterhood and long-held secrets." -Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author From New York Times bestselling author Shirley Jump comes a heartwarming tale about friendship, family, and the unbreakable bond between sisters.THE SECRET INGREDIENT FOR A HAPPY MARRIAGENora has always been the sister who binds the O'Bannons together. No matter what crisis hits, smart, dependable Nora knows how to fix it. But for Nora, the pressure of perfection is taking its toll.Nora's marriage is in trouble, and she has been reluctant to worry her sisters with just how dire her situation is. Now though, faced with losing her husband, her home, and the life she's worked so hard to build, Nora can no longer pretend.As the O'Bannon women rally around her, Nora begins to see that failure is nothing to fear. It's like they say in the bakery: if you want to make something good, you can't be afraid to get messy. When her husband returns, asking Nora to give their family a second chance, Nora must decide if their relationship can be saved-or if it's time to throw out the old recipe and start from scratch.
The Secret Journey: A Novel (The Furys Saga #2)
by James HanleyTo sustain her family, Mrs. Fury buries herself in debt At the top of the hill on the north side of town, Mrs. Ragner rules over her kingdom. A bitter old loan shark, she has a grip on all the families in this port city, and she squeezes each one for every last cent. For seven years, Mrs. Fury has borrowed money from Mrs. Ragner to send her son Peter to seminary. He never joined the priesthood, but the debt still stands. When she is unable to pay back her loan, Mrs. Ragner is happy to extend more credit. But every time they revisit their agreement, the interest rate rises and Mrs. Ragner&’s stranglehold on the Furys tightens. While his mother struggles to pay back her debts, Peter tries to find his way in the secular world. He is deeply in love with his older brother&’s wife, and his passion threatens to upend the family. The Furys think they have sacrificed everything for Peter, but they are not done yet. The Secret Journey is the second book of James Hanley&’s acclaimed Furys Saga.
The Secret Keeper
by Beverly LewisCome home to Hickory Hollow, Pennsylvania--the beloved setting where Beverly Lewis's celebrated Amish novels began--with new characters and new stories of drama, romance, and the ties that draw people together. Jennifer Burns shocks her family and friends when she bids farewell to her modern life in favor of the Old Order Amish world, settling in with Samuel and Rebecca Lapp. The people of Hickory Hollow are curious about the beautiful young seeker among them--one handsome Amishman in particular--and Jenny faces many challenges in the Proving time the brethren set for her. . . challenges of the heart, as well as the spirit.
The Secret Kept from the Italian: The Secret Kept From The Italian Claimed For The Billionaire's Convenience The Tycoon's Shock Heir One Night With The Forbidden Princess (Secret Heirs of Billionaires #20)
by Kate HewittA waitress struggles to guard her daughter—and her heart—from a ruthless Italian billionaire in this secret baby romance by a USA Today bestseller.Looking up from the table she’s serving, waitress Maisie Dobson is horrified to meet the intense gaze of Antonio Rossi, merciless billionaire and father of her child! Rejected after one mind-blowing night, Maisie kept her unexpected pregnancy a secret. Antonio’s determined to claim his daughter, but their connection reminds Maisie that she still must protect her heart—because billionaires don’t wed waitresses . . . do they?
The Secret Kingdom: The Secret Kingdom (Chronicles of the Red King #1)
by Jenny NimmoFrom a New York Times–bestselling author, an adventure featuring the ancestor of Charlie Bone, a prince with magical powers, on a quest to find a new home.Timoken is a prince born in a secret kingdom. At his birth, a forest jinni bestows magical gifts upon him: a cloak made by the last moon spider and a youth potion called Alixir. When the peaceful land is attacked, Timoken and his sister, Zobayda, must find a new kingdom to call home. Together, with only the magical gifts and a talking camel, the siblings set off.In this brand-new series, New York Times and USA Today–bestselling author Jenny Nimmo takes readers on an extraordinary quest with one of her most powerful and mysterious characters, the one who started it all for Charlie Bone and the children of the Red King. “Timoken is a highly appealing young hero.” —Publishers Weekly“Jenny Nimmo has created an original and compelling novel with fascinating details, unique mythology, and an exciting continent-spanning journey. Fans of the popular Children of the Red King series . . . will delight in these new adventures; however, this prequel series stands on its own.” —School Library Journal
The Secret Language of Birds
by Lynne KellyFrom the award-winning author of Song for a Whale comes a poignant and heartwarming tale about a girl who discovers a pair of endangered birds about to lay eggs in the marshes of her summer camp...and the secret plan she hatches to help them. Nina is used to feeling like the odd one out, both at school and in her large family. But while trying to fit in at summer camp, she discovers something even more peculiar: two majestic birds have built a nest in the marsh behind an abandoned infirmary. They appear to be whooping cranes, but that&’s impossible—Nina is an amateur bird-watcher, and all her resources tell her that those rare birds haven&’t nested in Texas for over a hundred years.When Nina reports the sighting to wildlife officials, more questions arise. Experts track all the endangered birds, but they can&’t identify the female bird that Nina found. Who is she, and where did she come from?With the help of some fellow campers, Nina sets out to discover who the mystery bird really is. As she gets closer to the truth, will she find a flock of her own?This instant classic captures the coming-of-age moment of learning to spread your wings in a way you'll never forget.
The Secret Language of Girls
by Frances O'Roark DowellIn the old days, when Kate had no interest in romance, she never cared what other people thought. Now, it appeared, love was turning her into a rotten human being. Eleven-year-old Kate Faber wishes she could talk to her best friend Marylin about this. But Marylin is no longer her best friend. Or is she? Kate and Marylin had always been the kind of best friends who lived on the same block for their entire lives and who could agree on the kind of boys worth kissing (only movie stars) or who should be invited to their sleepover. The kind of best friends who didn't need words to talk, but who always just knew. But lately Marylin has started to think that Kate can be a bit babyish. And Kate thinks that Marylin is acting like a big snob. And a lot of the time, well, it feels as though they just don't know each other anymore. Somehow nothing is the same, but secretly Kate and Marylin both wish that it could be.... Edgar Award-winning author Frances O'Roark Dowell explores how far the bonds of true friendship can be stretched as Kate and Marylin struggle to navigate the inexplicable terrain of sixth grade.
The Secret Language of Girls
by Frances O'Roark DowellIn the old days, when Kate had no interest in romance, she never cared what other people thought. Now, it appeared, love was turning her into a rotten human being. Eleven-year-old Kate Faber wishes she could talk to her best friend, Marylin, about this. But Marylin is no longer her best friend. Or is she? Kate and Marylin were always the kind of best friends who lived on the same block for their entire lives, and who agreed on what kinds of boys were worth kissing and who should be invited to their sleepover. The kind of best friends who didn't need words to talk, but who always just knew. But lately Marylin has started to think that Kate can be a bit babyish. And Kate thinks Marylin is acting like a big snob. Somehow nothing is the same, but secretly Kate and Marylin both wish it could be...
The Secret Language of Sisters (Point Ser.)
by Luanne RiceNew York Times bestselling author Luanne Rice makes her dazzling YA debut with this gorgeous, unputdownable story of love, hope, and redemption.When Ruth Ann (Roo) McCabe responds to a text message while she's driving, her life as she knows it ends. The car flips, and Roo winds up in a hospital bed, paralyzed. Silent. Everyone thinks she's in a coma, but Roo has locked-in syndrome -- she can see and hear and understand everything around her, but no one knows it. She's trapped inside her own body, screaming to be heard.Mathilda (Tilly) is Roo's sister and best friend. She was the one who texted Roo and inadvertently caused the accident. Now, Tilly must grapple with her overwhelming guilt and her growing feelings for Roo's boyfriend, Newton -- the only other person who seems to get what Tilly is going through.But Tilly might be the only person who can solve the mystery of her sister's condition -- who can see through Roo's silence to the truth underneath. Somehow, through medicine or miracles, will both sisters find a way to heal?
The Secret Language of Your Name: Unlock the Mysteries of Your Name and Birth Date through the Science of Numerology
by Ursula Kolecki Neil KoelmeyerDo you truly understand your strengths and weaknesses? Are you living at your full potential? Could simply changing the spelling of your name alter your life? While most numerology books focus only on your birthday, The Secret Language of Your Name is the first comprehensive guide to incorporate an exploration of the letters of your name. With this extra step, you are given a unique, complete reading that reveals specific individual keys to success and happiness in all facets of life. Prepare to learn: * how to pinpoint your greatest strengths and weaknesses; * what makes friends, family, and coworkers tick; * how different spellings of your name can affect your future, even what happens when your name changes in marriage; * how to choose the best baby name--with numerical representations of nearly 5,000 names; * whom you are most compatible with in love and business; * how to choose an ideal career path; * and more! With each new challenge, you'll find yourself reaching again and again for this definitive guide.
The Secret Legacy
by Rigoberta Menchú Dante LianoNobel Peace Prize winner and noted Maya activist Rigoberta Menchú Tum returns once more to the world of her childhood in The Secret Legacy. Seven-year-old Ixkem is chosen by her grandfather amongst all the villagers to inherit the responsibility for tending his special cornfield. Ixkem goes to the field and begins to shout and stomp to frighten away the animals who would like to share the harvest. Suddenly a mass of tiny creatures appear — the b'e'n — secret animal spirits of which there is one for every human on earth. They take Ixkem into the underworld, where she tells them the amazing stories that her grandfather has told her. In exchange the b'e'n whisper a secret for her to take to her grandfather. Rich and vibrant illustrations by noted Mazatec-Mexican artist Domi perfectly complement this magical Maya tale. Key Text Features Illustrations Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.2 Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.
The Secret Life of Amanda K. Woods
by Ann Cameron<P>From the day Amanda Woods traded right hands with Lyle Leveridge, she knew things were going to change for her. There are some things in life you just can't change, like who your parents are or the way your sister treats you, but she is determined to change what she can. <P>To begin with, she's not going to be just plain Amanda Woods anymore, she's going to be Amanda K. Woods-someone who is proud and strong and sure of herself. <P>Amanda K. Woods is discovering that the person other people think she is and the person she really is are different people. She doesn't quite want to be herself, an eleven-year-old girl who her mother thinks is "average," but then she doesn't want to be like her mother, whose expectations are always high and mighty. <P>She feels closest to her father, but doesn't quite want to be like him, either. She certainly doesn't want to be like her older sister, Margaret, even though her mother thinks Margaret's perfect in almost every way. <P> There is more to Amanda than anyone else can see, and there are things about Amanda that Amanda herself doesn't even know yet. <P>- With the help of a new friend and the borrowed right hand of an old one, Amanda begins to find the secret person who lives inside herself.
The Secret Life of Babies
by Mia Kalef Andrew FeldmarA bold affirmation that we are sentient before conception and in the womb, The Secret Life of Babies reveals author Mia Kalef's groundbreaking findings: babies are able to remember their earliest experiences, this consciousness precedes the physical development of the brain itself, and medical interventions during birth--like forceps and Cesareans--can imprint our relationships with the world and disconnect us from our sustainable place in the ecosystem. Kalef provides a six-step protocol for detecting these individual imprints and taking reparative steps for physiological and emotional balance and release. This book offers us an articulate guide to a transformation that can restore our essential nature. From the table of contents:Foreword by Andrew FeldmarIntroduction: The Myth: Science and Experience The Quest: Sparking the Conversation Who Is This Book For? A Song Worth SingingPART ONE: ScienceChapter 1: The First Principle: Babies Remember Their Experiences The Controversy A Place to Begin and End: Returning to Wholeness Essential Nature Essential Movements The Mechanisms The Model Perspectives and PurposesChapter 2: The Second Principle: Consciousness Precedes the Brain Architecture That Supports It The Biological Paradox Brains, Fields, and Development The Effects of Chemical and Emotional FieldsChapter 3: The Third Principle: Babies Are Our Barometers Dominance versus Emergence Historical Cultural Indicators Present-Day Cultural IndicatorsPART TWO: ExperienceChapter 4: The Fourth Principle: It Is Never Too Late to Heal The Vision Horizon Preparing the Way Reclaiming the Body: The Path Home The PrototypePART THREE: MarriageChapter5: The Intuitive Recovery Project The Anatomy of the Intuitive Recovery Project The ProjectChapter 6: SummaryFrom the Trade Paperback edition.
The Secret Life of Bees: The stunning multi-million bestselling novel about a young girl's journey; poignant, uplifting and unforgettable
by Sue Monk KiddDon't miss the extraordinary new novel from Sue Monk Kidd, The Book of Longings - published on 21st April 2020, and available to pre-order now.Sue Monk Kidd's internationally bestselling first novel THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES has delighted many millions of readers around the world. 'Charming, funny, moving' The Times; 'A wonderful book, by turns sad, full of incident and shot through with grown-up magic reminiscent of Joanne Harris' Daily TelegraphLily has grown up believing she accidentally killed her mother when she was four. She not only has her own memory of holding the gun, but her father's account of the event. Now fourteen, she yearns for her mother, and for forgiveness. Living on a peach farm in South Carolina with her father, she has only one friend: Rosaleen, a black servant whose sharp exterior hides a tender heart. South Carolina in the sixties is a place where segregation is still considered a cause worth fighting for. When racial tension explodes one summer afternoon, and Rosaleen is arrested and beaten, Lily is compelled to act. Fugitives from justice and from Lily's harsh and unyielding father, they follow a trail left by the woman who died ten years before. Finding sanctuary in the home of three beekeeping sisters, Lily starts a journey as much about her understanding of the world, as about the mystery surrounding her mother.(P)2008 Penguin Audio
The Secret Life of Bees: The stunning multi-million bestselling novel about a young girl's journey; poignant, uplifting and unforgettable (Penguin Drop Caps Ser.)
by Sue Monk Kidd· A QUEEN'S READING ROOM PICK 2023· OVER 125 WEEKS ON THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LIST· MADE INTO AN AWARD-WINNING MOVE STARRING QUEEN LATIFAH, DAKOTA FANNING, ALICIA KEYS, SOPHIE OKONEDO AND JENNIFER HUDSON· AN ACCLAIMED STAGE MUSICALLily has grown up believing she accidentally killed her mother when she was four years old. Now, at fourteen, she yearns for forgiveness and a mother's love. Living on a peach farm in South Carolina with her harsh and unforgiving father, she has only one friend, Rosaleen, a black servant.When racial tension explodes one summer afternoon, and Rosaleen is arrested and beaten, Lily chooses to flee with her. Fugitives from justice, the pair follow a trail left by the woman who died ten years before. Finding sanctuary in the home of three beekeeping sisters, Lily starts a journey as much about her understanding of the world as about the mystery surrounding her mother. 'A wonderful book, by turns sad, full of incident and shot through with grown-up magic reminiscent of Joanne Harris' Daily Telegraph'Charming, funny, moving' The Times'Wonderfully written, powerful, poignant . . . read it' Joanna TrollopeWhat readers are saying about The Secret Life of Bees:'One of the most poignant and heart tugging books I have ever read' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Emotional and heart-breaking, yet full of hope and love. I laughed and cried equally through the book. This wonderful book will stay with me for a long time to come' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'One of the best books I've read in a while. Touching, well-written, beautiful, full of expression, insightful' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'A beautifully written masterpiece. I loved the writing, the descriptions, the humour sprinkled through the story. There was sadness and love, hope and forgiveness. I highly recommend this book' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes: A Novel
by Diane Chamberlain&“Full of surprises and captivating plot twists all the way until the very last page.&” —ExaminerAn unsolved murder. A missing child. A lifetime of deception.Twenty years after pregnant Genevieve Russell disappeared, her remains are discovered and Timothy Gleason is charged with murder. But there is no sign of the unborn child. CeeCee Wilkes knows how Genevieve Russell died, because she was there. And she knows what happened to her missing infant, because two decades ago she made the devastating choice to raise the baby as her own. Now Timothy Gleason is facing the death penalty, and she has another choice to make. Tell the truth and destroy her family. Or let an innocent man die in order to protect a lifetime of lies.
The Secret Life of Daisy Fitzjohn
by Tania UnsworthAn enthralling, magical and spine-tingling story of a young girl who has never before seen the outside world. The second novel from THE ONE SAFE PLACE author Tania Unsworth. For her whole life, 11-year-old Daisy has lived with her mother in their family home, the splendid but crumbling Brightwood Hall. She has never set foot in the outside world. But one day, when her mother doesn't come home and a strange man arrives at the house, Daisy must use her wits to survive.This enthralling story of a young girl's physical and mental journey is beautifully imagined by Tania Unsworth, and readers will be completely transported by the unique magic of Daisy's world.
The Secret Life of Dorothy Soames: A Memoir
by Justine Cowan“Far from growing up in the wealthy, fox-hunting circles she had always suggested, her mother had in fact been raised in a foundling hospital for the children of unwed women.” — Editor’s Choice, The New York Times Book Review“Extraordinary … fascinating, moving.” —The Telegraph“This emotional and transatlantic journey is a page-turner.” — Editor’s Pick, Amazon Book Review“Book groups will find as much to discuss here as they have with The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, and Educated by Tara Westover.” — BookListRecommended by The New York Times, The Saturday Evening Post, Amazon Book Review, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus and more, Justine Cowan’s remarkable true story of how she uncovered her mother’s upbringing as a foundling at London’s Hospital for the Maintenance and Education of Exposed and Deserted Young Children has received acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic. In the U.K., it has been featured in The Mail on Sunday, The Daily Mail, The Daily Mirror and The Spectator. The Telegraph calls it “extraordinary and Glamour magazine chose it as the best new book based on real life. The story begins when Justine found her often volatile mother in an unlit room writing a name over and over again, one that she had never heard before and would not hear again for many years – Dorothy Soames. Thirty years later, overcome with grief following her mother’s death, Justine found herself drawn back to the past, uncovering a mystery that stretched back to the early years of World War II and beyond, into the dark corridors of the Hospital for the Maintenance and Education of Exposed and Deserted Young Children. Established in the eighteenth century to raise “bastard” children to clean chamber pots for England’s ruling class, the institution was tied to some of history’s most influential figures and events. From its role in the development of solitary confinement and human medical experimentation to the creation of the British Museum and the Royal Academy of Arts, its impact on Western culture continues to reverberate. It is the reason we read Dickens’ Oliver Twist and enjoy Handel’s Messiah each Christmas. It was also the environment that shaped a young girl known as Dorothy Soames, who bravely withstood years of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of a sadistic headmistress—a resilient child whose only hope would be a daring escape as German bombers rained death from the skies. Heartbreaking, surprising, and unforgettable, The Secret Life of Dorothy Soames is the true story of one woman’s quest to understand the secrets that had poisoned her mother’s mind, and her startling discovery that her family’s fate had been sealed centuries before.