Skip to main content
book cover for The Secret Society of Librarians

The Secret Society of Librarians

Inspired by a true story, a completely gripping and unforgettable WW2 historical novel

You must sign in to see if this title is available for request. Sign In or Register Now

Send NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app


1

To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.

2

Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.

Pub Date 12 Mar 2026 | Archive Date 12 Mar 2026


Talking about this book? Use #TheSecretSocietyofLibrarians #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!


Description

Two women, torn apart by war. One shared belief in the power of books...

London, 1939. When war breaks out on librarian Joyce Kindred's doorstep and a call for help rings out across the libraries of London, she's determined to act. Joyce knows only the world of books can offer safety and comfort to her neighbourhood - and she will make sure no one is left behind.

Joyce sets up a mobile library scheme, but soon her acts of resistance go beyond sharing books. She shelters a young Jewish refugee, Adela - and it's not long before she discovers Adela has a secret that could turn their world upside down again...

Occupied Poland, 1942. Dorotha knows any chance of her escaping the barbed wire fences and cruelty of the Łódź ghetto dwindles by the day. Reading isn't just an act of defiance: it's the only thing left in her life over which she has any control. And so she shares books under the cover of darkness, creating a secret library away from her captors - that is, until even that last ray of hope is taken from her...

Joyce and Dorotha were once librarians, ordinary women, and best friends. The war has forced them into acts of unimaginable bravery - but will they ever find each other again?

Based on astonishing real events, this absolutely heart-breaking page-turner brings to life the remarkable untold story of two women during WW2. Fans of Anna Stuart, Kristin Hannah and Heather Morris won't be able to stop racing through the pages.

Two women, torn apart by war. One shared belief in the power of books...

London, 1939. When war breaks out on librarian Joyce Kindred's doorstep and a call for help rings out across the libraries of...


Available Editions

EDITION Hardcover
ISBN 9781399746373
PRICE £22.00 (GBP)
PAGES 320

Available on NetGalley

NetGalley Reader (PDF)
NetGalley Shelf App (PDF)
Send to Kindle (PDF)
Download (PDF)