The Hidden Wife by Joanna Rees is the second novel in A Stitch in Time – a sweeping historical trilogy.

Paris, 1928

Having fled London and been on the run around Europe, Vita Casey has established a new life for herself, keeping a low profile as a dresser at a cabaret hall where Nancy is part of the risqué dance troupe. It’s a vibrant world of wild parties, drugs and jazz music.

But despite the fun, hedonistic lifestyle they lead, Vita longs for a proper career and to re-kindle her dream of designing lingerie. When an opportunity to work for famous couturier Jenny Sacerdote presents itself, Vita grabs it with both hands and is soon exposed to an altogether different side of Paris society. Before long, romance blossoms in the unlikeliest of places.

However, left to her own devices, Nancy spirals into danger and drug abuse and Vita has to save her friend. But can Vita really trust the people who want to help her? When there are those back in England who wish to see her ruined and forced to pay for the past she ran away from . . .

Review:

Stylish, devious, and intriguing!

The Hidden Wife is a dramatic, menacing tale that picks up right where The Runaway Daughter left off, taking us back into the life of Anna Darton, aka Vita Casey, as with the help of her best friend Nancy and a whole slew of newcomers tries to forget her troubled past and settle into a new life in Paris complete with a highly-coveted position working for the esteemed couturier Jenny Sacerdote.

The prose is smooth and vivid. The characters are lively, troubled, and genuine. And the story sweeps you away to 1920s Paris, where glitz and glamour abound, indulgence is rife, romance is everywhere, and companions are not always as trustworthy as they first appear.

Overall, The Hidden Wife is an immersive, suspenseful, spirited sequel in the A Stitch in Time series by Rees, and I am eagerly awaiting the publication of the third book in this sinister, historical trilogy to see how this story will ultimately conclude.

This novel is available on May 4, 2021.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

The first novel in a dazzling and sweeping historical trilogy from bestselling author Joanna Rees.

It’s 1926 and Anna Darton is on the run from a terrible crime. Alone and scared in London, salvation comes in the form of Nancy, a sassy American dancer at the notorious nightclub, The Zip. Re-inventing herself as Vita Casey, Anna becomes part of the line-up and is thrown into a hedonistic world of dancing, parties, flapper girls and fashion.

When she meets the dashing Archie Fenwick, Vita buries her guilty conscience and believes him when he says he will love her no matter what. But unbeknown to Vita, her secret past is fast catching up on her, and when the people closest to her start getting hurt, she is forced to confront her past or risk losing everything she holds dear.

Review:

Glamorous, absorbing, and incredibly atmospheric!

The Runaway Daughter is an immersive, alluring tale that takes you into the life of Anna Darton, a determined, naive, resilient, young woman who suddenly finds herself alone, overwhelmed, and on the run from a past filled with cruelty, dominance, and violence.

The prose is fluid and expressive. The characters are well drawn, authentic, and intriguing. And the story sweeps you away to the bustling city of London during the 1920s when extravagance and self-indulgence were rampant, and women were cutting their hair, shortening their skirts, getting their groove on, and gaining some independence.

Overall, I would have to say that The Runaway Daughter is a smashing tale by Rees that has just the right amount of drama, romance, and suspense to be a pleasing, entertaining read for historical fiction lovers everywhere.

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.