The Key to the Island House: An absolutely gripping and emotional historical fiction novel

The grand painted arches and turquoise tiles in front of me exactly match those in the photograph in my hand. I’ve found my beloved aunt’s villa. The place she loved – and feared. And the place she tried so hard to keep secret… Egypt, 1942. After her husband and baby son are killed, Nadia flees to Villa Eden in Cairo. The gorgeous scents of the blooms and calming water garden soothe her aching heart… and give her the strength to keep fighting. With a group of other young Europeans at the villa, she works undercover against the Nazi threat to Egypt. Friendships form as they host extravagant parties for ambassadors and generals – and gather vital information whispered in quiet corners. Until betrayal snatches yet another person she loves from Nadia. And the villa’s high walls may be the only place to keep a dark wartime secret safe… Cairo, present day. After the death of her fiancé, Sophie arrives in Egypt, clutching an old photograph of her aunt. Sophie always loved her stories, but all Aunt Nadia would say about the villa was that she could never return. Sophie hopes that solving the mysteries of her aunt’s past will help her deal with all the loss in her life.