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The Secrets We Kept

The sensational Cold War spy thriller
3.65 goodreads logo

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( 76,260 ratings, 6,650 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott is a thrilling tale of love and espionage set during the Cold War. The story follows a group of women working at the CIA, tasked with smuggling Boris Pasternak's controversial novel, Doctor Zhivago, back into the Soviet Union. As their mission unfolds, personal and professional boundaries blur, leading to a gripping narrative of passion and intrigue.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This captivating historical fiction novel might appeal to you if you love stories filled with espionage, romance, and the power of literature. Set during the Cold War, it weaves together the lives of secretaries turned spies and the journey of an infamous banned book that takes centre stage in a battle between political ideologies. If you enjoy tales of intrigue set against a turbulent historical backdrop, this book is likely to be a page-turner for you.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

I absolutely loved it' Sarah Winman
'Tantalising' Sunday Times
'Thoroughly enjoyable' Guardian
________________________
No one looks twice at the women in the typing pool.

No one knows that two of them are trading secrets.

A wonderful, revelatory, unforgettable read about passion, friendship, hidden heroes, and the power of the written word to change the world.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A wonderful, revelatory, unforgettable read about passion, friendship, hidden heroes, and the power of the written word to change the world.

"Utterly compelling... I absolutely loved it" — Sarah Winman
"Tantalising" — Sunday Times
"Thoroughly enjoyable" — Guardian

No one looks twice at the women in the typing pool.

No one knows that two of them are trading secrets. The secret is a book, the size of the one in your hands, and within its pages, a love story that could change the world.

But where there is love, there is pain. And where there is deception, formidable danger...

"Mixing Mad Men and John le Carre ... addictive" — i paper
"Irresistibly charged" — Mail on Sunday

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Lara Prescott's The Secrets We Kept is praised as a thrilling, seductive, and compelling novel that combines elements of historical fiction with spy thriller intrigue. It’s noted for its imaginative weaving of true events and embellishments, offering an enthralling tale of secrets, espionage, and forbidden passions. Many reviewers consider it a page-turner with addictive and stimulating qualities, likening its allure to Mad Men and noting its capacity for escapism.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781786090744

Publisher: Cornerstone

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 19 March 2020

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Windmill Books

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 29.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 330g

Pages: 480

About the Author

Lara Prescott was named after the heroine of Doctor Zhivago and first discovered the true story behind the novel after the CIA declassified 99 documents pertaining to its role in the book's publication and covert dissemination. She travelled the world - from Moscow and Washington, to London and Paris - in the course of her research, becoming particularly interested in political repression in both the Soviet Union and United States and how, during the Cold War, both countries used literature as a weapon. Lara earned her MFA from the Michener Center for Writers. She lives in Austin, Texas with her husband.

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