‘Please don’t do this!’ Irena’s shrill cry pierces the night air, her screams breaking the silence of the falling snow. But the man she calls to does not turn, vanishing into the darkness with a child clasped in his arms… Poland, 1943: Every day, Irena is terrified as she serves the Nazis who drink in her town’s hotel. But with war raging, she has little choice if she is to support her family. She just prays she won’t catch the eye of any of the officers who have invaded her country. If she does, the consequences are unthinkable… More than anyone she fears Richter, a member of the Gestapo with a reputation as frightening as his vicious smile. Each time she glimpses him across the room, her blood runs cold. But her family must eat, and so she must face her fears each day. But when Irena is told she must serve Richter personally, she knows she will no longer be able to hide. Trembling, she approaches his table. And when his cold gaze finally settles on her, she realizes that her fate has already been sealed. When Irena’s worst fears come true and she bears a child, her baby is a small glimmer of hope in an otherwise dark world. But when the baby is taken from her one winter night, she swears that she will stop at nothing to avenge her child’s life… But is Irena prepared for revenge to cost her everything? And even if she is, will she recover from the truth she is about to uncover? This gripping and emotional wartime novel tells a moving story of courage, hope and the endurance of the human spirit, even in the darkness of the World War 2. Perfect for readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Nightingale and The Alice Network.
