Eleanor’s Secret

Available now in all stores

Indies

Reviews

‘Like her debut Maggie’s Kitchen, Caroline Beecham’s second novel springs from the experience of women in wartime . . . Beecham’s easy-flowing prose and astute structure make the pages fly.’

- Sydney Morning Herald

‘A slice of history that was little known but is completely fascinating.’

- Blue Wolf Reviews

‘An intriguing read that switches effortlessly between war-torn London in the 1940s to Melbourne in 2010 . . . Beecham vividly captures the austerity and horror of the war years. A meticulously researched novel that shows the enduring power of love, the damage of secrets and how dreams come true.’

- Weekly Times

‘The perfect winter bedtime read; charmingly romantic, well-researched and revelatory in terms of the goings on in WW2 London. What’s more, she puts smart, strong women at the centre of the action.’

- Charming Language

Listen to sample

Share your thoughts

It would be great to hear your thoughts on my book on Goodreads.

Leave a review

About the author

Caroline is the bestselling author of four books: Maggie’s Kitchen, Eleanor’s Secret, Finding Eadie and Esther’s Children. Her debut novel was shortlisted for Booktopia’s Best Historical Fiction in 2016 and nominated as Book of the Year.

Meet Caroline

About the book

A lost painting. A disappearance unsolved. A mystery unravelling…

An engrossing wartime mystery of past deceptions, family secrets and long-lasting love. Shifting between a Second World War ravaged London and the present day, Eleanor’s Secret is a surprising mystery and compelling love story.

Kathryn can’t refuse when her grandmother, Eleanor, asks her to help find out what happened to the artist, Jack Valante, but when the search uncovers a long-held family secret, Kathryn has to make a choice that will change her family’s future.

London, 1942: When art school graduate, Eleanor Roy, is recruited by the War Artists’ Advisory Committee to help their scheme employing artists, she comes one step closer to realising her dream of becoming one of the few female war artists. But breaking into the art establishment proves difficult until she meets painter, Jack Valante, only to be separated by his sudden posting overseas.

Melbourne 2010: It’s a difficult time for designer Kathryn to leave Melbourne for London; her husband Christopher rarely puts family before work and her young son Oliver has learning difficulties that demand extra devotion. She has never been away from him but has always shared her grandmother’s passion for art and love of a favourite painting. Now Eleanor is adamant the painting must be returned to its owner, the war artist Jack Valante – and nobody knows if he is still alive.

Kathryn’s journey takes her back to Eleanor’s life as a young woman as she uncovers Jack’s missing war diaries and uses new technology to try and solve the puzzle of the missing artist, confronted by Jack’s record of war compared to the depiction of terrors of the present day.

But when it becomes evident that Jack’s nephew is trying to stop her finding him, and her concern for Christopher’s care of Oliver deepens, she has to decide whether to return home or risk the dangers to carry on.