The Secret Letter

Written by Kerry Barrett

Narrated by Rachel Atkins and Claire Louise Amias

‘Incredible… I was enraptured through every single part of it… Made me feel quite emotional… Fabulous read.’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

London, 1910. Twenty-one-year-old Esther Watkins would do anything for the Suffragette cause. Imprisoned, force-fed and beaten, she is determined to fight for what she believes is right – no matter what it costs her. With new love Joseph by her side, will she get the better future she dreams of?
 
Kent, 2019. With her marriage in tatters, school teacher Lizzie Armstrong moves to sleepy Elm Heath for a fresh start, and her pupils and the community soon steal her heart. So when the school is threatened with closure Lizzie knows she has to fight, and she looks to the school’s founder for inspiration.  
 
What makes Esther, born and bred in London, a proud Suffragette, suddenly leave the city and escape to Elm Heath? And when Lizzie uncovers Esther’s heartbreaking secret, could it give her the strength she needs to save not just the school, but her new beginning too? 
 
A heart-wrenching and uplifting novel for fans of Emily Gunnis, Kathleen McGurl and Kathryn Hughes. 

Readers LOVE The Secret Letter!

‘Love love love this book!’ Kathleen McGurl, USA Today bestselling author of The Forgotten Secret

‘Pulls you in right away from the first few pages… Hard to put down… I really enjoyed this book.’ NetGalley reviewer

‘Beautiful and heart-wrenching and so impossible to put down!’ NetGalley reviewer

‘A great read!… Have tissues handy! I highly recommend!’ NetGalley reviewer

‘I absolutely adored this book.’ NetGalley reviewer

‘Amazing book!’ NetGalley reviewer

‘Perfectly paced and plotted… I soon found myself lost in the characters’ world and reluctant to put the book down… Brilliant.’ Over the Rainbow Book Blog

‘Sucked me in… I had a hard time putting it down.’ NetGalley reviewer

‘This book honestly has it all… Shocking, heart-warming, funny and superbly researched.’ Readers Enjoy Authors’ Dreams

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Release date: Feb 6, 2020
• ISBN: 9780008355623

Reviews for The Secret Letter

[debbiemccauley-2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Parallel stories from different time periods about two strong women connected to Elm Heath primary school. Esther Watkins has been imprisoned, force-fed, and beaten for her commitment to the suffrage cause. Lizzie Armstrong has had to find a new place to heal because of her ex-husbands lies and professional misconduct which have also affected her good name. She takes a job as head teacher at Elm Heath, and then finds she has a fight on her hands to save the school. Can she look to the school's founder, Esther Watkins, for inspiration. And can she uncover Esther's story and fight the way Esther did for her cause. The events of 'Black Friday' on 18 November 1910 when 300 suffragettes marched to the Houses of Parliament in London are told in harrowing detail including the brutal physical and sexual violence used against the protesters by the Metropolitan Police and male bystanders which would lead to the deaths of two suffragettes. Wonderfully told, with strong characters who fight for what they believe in. Well done.