An uplifting and inspiring novel based on the true story of a librarian who created an underground shelter during World War II, perfect for readers of The Paris Library or The Last Bookshop in London.
London, 1944: Clara Button is no ordinary librarian. While war ravages the city above her, Clara has risked everything she holds dear to turn the Bethnal Green tube station into the country’s only underground library. Down here, a secret community thrives with thousands of bunk beds, a nursery, a café, and a theater—offering shelter, solace, and escape from the bombs that fall upon their city.
Along with her glamorous best friend and assistant Ruby Munroe, Clara ensures the library is the beating heart of life underground. But as the war drags on, the women's determination to remain strong in the face of adversity is tested to the limits when it may come at the price of keeping those closest to them alive.
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"A captivating tale about the power of libraries and how they connect us . . . [a] fascinating slice of history."
— Andie Newton, author of The Girls from the Beach
A heartwarming story of how friendship and the written word sustain us in the toughest times.
— Janet Skeslien Charles, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris LibraryGripping, emotional and uplifting.
— Gill Paul, USA Today bestselling author of The Secret WifeKate has such a talent for bringing history to vivid life. Utterly transporting, vivid and fresh.
— Iona Grey, bestselling author of Letters to the Lost[A] splendid warm-hearted novel of wartime resilience and romance.
— Rachel Hore, bestselling author of A Beautiful SpyBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Kate Thompson is one of the most exciting authors writing for young people today. A born storyteller, her work is highly original and she is thought provoking in her ideas. She has traveled widely in the United States and India and studied law in London. After living in County Clare, she moved to Kinvara in County Galway, and there she discovered her passion for playing the fiddle. She is now an accomplished player and also has a great interest in restoring instruments.