In 1942, the Nazis come for a Jewish family living in Montparnasse, occupied Paris. In the chaos of their arrest, eleven-year-old Josie flees to the only person she trusts: her piano teacher, Andrée Levallois, secretly an operative in the French Resistance.

Andrée takes her in as a member of the family, spreading their rations and risking everything to keep her safe. But soon the authorities close in, and both Andrée and Josie are caught in a desperate race to stay alive.

Heather Morris, author of the international bestseller, The Tattooist of Auschwitz, returns with a masterful new novel that captures the astonishing bravery of French Resistance operatives, and one piano teacher who is willing to risk everything to save a young girl.

Epic in scope and inspired by real events and people, The Piano Teacher of Montparnasse is a gripping, heartbreaking and uplifting story of ordinary people in extraordinary times.

Dear Reader,

I first learned the story of the piano teacher of Montparnasse in a press release written by the world-renowned composer Hans Zimmer, who, along with Kara Talve, composed the score to the television miniseries of The Tattooist of Auschwitz. Hans Zimmer not only praised Kara, but also the piano she had written the music on. ‘Ask Kara about her grandmother’s piano,’ he said to me when we met. I did. It turned out that Kara had composed the score for the Tattooist on her grandmother’s piano.

Kara told me what she knew of the piano, and her grandmother’s astonishing survival as a young girl during the occupation of Paris in WWII, and how her piano teacher, Andrée Levallois, had saved her life.

This novel grew out of that story of love, courage and determination; of ordinary people acting in extraordinary times. I hope that you’ll enjoy reading it.

Yours,
Heather