The Secret Book of Flora Lea: A Novel

Written by Patti Callahan Henry

Narrated by Patti Callahan Henry and Cynthia Erivo

When a woman discovers a rare book with connections to her past, long-held secrets about her missing sister and their childhood in the English countryside during World War II are revealed in this “beguiling blend of hope, mystery, and true familial love” (Sadeqa Johnson, New York Times bestselling author).

In the war-torn London of 1939, fourteen-year-old Hazel and five-year-old Flora are evacuated to a rural village to escape the horrors of the Second World War. Living with the kind Bridie Aberdeen and her teenage son, Harry, in a charming stone cottage along the River Thames, Hazel fills their days with walks and games to distract her young sister, including one that she creates for her sister and her sister alone—a fairy tale about a magical land, a secret place they can escape to that is all their own.

But the unthinkable happens when young Flora suddenly vanishes while playing near the banks of the river. Shattered, Hazel blames herself for her sister’s disappearance, and she carries that guilt into adulthood as a private burden she feels she deserves.

Twenty years later, Hazel is in London, ready to move on from her job at a cozy rare bookstore to a career at Sotheby’s. With a charming boyfriend and her elegantly timeworn Bloomsbury flat, Hazel’s future seems determined. But her tidy life is turned upside down when she unwraps a package containing an illustrated book called Whisperwood and the River of Stars. Hazel never told a soul about the imaginary world she created just for Flora. Could this book hold the secrets to Flora’s disappearance? Could it be a sign that her beloved sister is still alive after all these years?

As Hazel embarks on a feverish quest, revisiting long-dormant relationships and bravely opening wounds from her past, her career and future hang in the balance. Spellbinding and atmospheric, “this heartrending, captivating tale of family, first love, and fate will sweep you away” (Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author).

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: May 2, 2023
• ISBN: 9781797155982

Patti Callahan Henry

PATTI CALLAHAN HENRY is a full-time writer, wife and mother and the New York Times bestselling author whose novels include Between the Tides, Driftwood Summer and The Perfect Love Song: A Holiday Story. She lives with her husband and three children in Mountain Brook, Alabama, where she is working on her next novel.

Reviews for The Secret Book of Flora Lea

[Tiffany P · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a beautiful book! The story, the writing and pacing of the dual timeliness, to the conclusion and resolution was perfection. I loved it so much.

[April Schmick · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I do not read a lot of historical fiction but..this is my second Patti Callahan (Henry) and I have enjoyed them both.

[Christina Pina Arpin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I want more just like this it was the perfect amount of magical. Reminded me of the chronicals of narnia. I hope there are more like this.

[Margaret Squires · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A delightful read. What I liked most about this book is that the characters faced very complex relationships, and their decision-making looked at aspects that I never would have thought about. A very uplifting book.

[allisonewoldt · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A beautiful book filled with beautiful imagery written in beautiful language filled with insights into how to cope with powerful emotions in a world gone mad.

[Rachel Obrien · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I couldn’t put it down! Twists and turns, chapter by chapter as it went back and forth in time. How a lost sister and wartime fractured their lives and how they move forward. Didn’t see the ending coming until it happened!

[Amber Johnson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The story, the writing, the characters, and the imagery deserve 5 stars. But the narrator…hard to get used to. She does these strange, clipped sentence segments and often gives them the wrong rhythm and intonation for their meaning, so that I was left rephrasing and rearranging what I just heard in order to make sense of it, while missing the next several words as they were read. The story was intriguing enough that I forged ahead, and she did improve by the end, but be prepared for an awkward start.

[Tiffany Wade · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Mesmerizing tale. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. Lovely twists that you don’t see coming until the moment before they happen.

[Andrea Comfort · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Could not get into the story. Characters felt flat and story was slow.

[Nikki Lund · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The story was wonderful. The narrator was hard to listen to at first because of her sing song, short line way of talking, but the need to hear more of the story overcame my dislike of the narrator’s voice.

[Sarah Rich · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Absolutely riveting and sublimely beautiful novel! I highly recommend. Patti Callahan Henry does it again!

[Nicole McClenic · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book. I wanted to know the ending. I enjoyed listening.

[Theresa Bruening · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a beautiful, fascinating book. I could not stop listening until it was done.

[Terresa Salter · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fascinating story based on historical happenings. I was hooked from the first chapter. This is her best yet!