I’m delighted to be sharing Elena’s guest review about The Secret Keeper by Renita D’Silva.
The Secret Keeper by Renita D’Silva
- Category : Historical Fiction
- ASIN : B0CZ8TVYYX
- Publisher : Boldwood Books (12 Aug. 2024)
- Language : English
- File size : 3445 KB
- Goodreads | Waterstones | Amazon
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The Secret Keeper Summary
In 1938, Rani – the bright and spirited daughter of an Indian Crown Prince – leads a privileged if lonely life. But everything is about to change…
Longing for freedom and purpose, she escapes the confines of her father’s palace and meets Prasad – a poor young man – with whom she falls deeply in love. But her plan to gain her father’s approval for the match disastrously backfires.
Estranged from her family and haunted by guilt, Rani’s path takes her from Cambridge to Bletchley Park and a new world of intrigue and secrets. Against the backdrop of war, Rani finds comfort and a sense of belonging with fellow codebreaker William and his young son. Could they heal her heart and become the family she craves?
Then Prasad reappears – and past and present collide, shattering Rani’s fragile happiness. As retribution for the hurt she caused him, he demands she pass him secrets from Bletchley. But at what cost?
Torn between her past and her present, love and loyalty, Rani must face up to a heart-wrenching sacrifice . . .
The Secret Keeper Review
In the 1930s Rani lives happily with her parents and beloved younger brother in the UK. As a little girl she is doted on by her father and the family are close. Her mother is German and her father is Indian. Rani is also close to her Jewish/German grandparents.
When her Indian grandfather dies, the family suddenly move to India, much to Rani’s dismay. Her father is now a prince and needs to assume his place on the throne, meaning a complete change of lifestyle and after adopting uncharacteristic strictness towards his family, Rani plots her escape.
Upon arrival in the UK for her degree at Cambridge, a new life awaits her. The outbreak of the Second World War changes life for everyone and she is posted to Bletchley Park for a job as a code breaker.
In the present day, Esme is going through a difficult time of her own. After the break-up of a relationship she is also worried about the health of a woman who was close to her growing up, a grandmother of sorts. But who is ‘Rani’ – she keeps being mentioned – and could she have a connection to Esme? She longs to find out.
The Secret Keeper is composed of two timelines which I found co-existed seamlessly and I admired Rani’s intellect, determination and fierce independence. I liked William’s character and her connection to little Andrew, his son. I find the subject of Bletchley Park so interesting and the way in which she took on her role is admirable.
The writing is fantastic – you can feel the character’s emotions and although I did find one or two of Rani’s decisions questionable, her heart was in the right place. I just longed for her to find happiness, forgiveness and a better relationship with her father.
The story sweeps you away and it’s easy to get lost in its pages. It’s captivating and enjoyable and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
About the Author
Renita D’Silva has had eleven historical fiction novels published, the most recent of which is The Spice Maker’s Secret. Her short stories have been featured in several publications and have been shortlisted for the Love Reading Very Short Story award and longlisted for the BBC National Short Story award. Her first psychological thriller, The Neighbour, won the Joffe Books Prize 2023.
Facebook: @RenitaDSilvaBooks
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Instagram: @renita_dsilva