The Keeper of Hidden Books

A Novel

By: Madeline Martin

Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld

A NATIONAL BESTSELLER—for fans of All the Light We Cannot See and The Tattooist of Auschwitz!

A BookBub Pick for Best Historical Fiction of Summer 2023

A heartwarming story about the power of books to bring us together, inspired by the true story of the underground library in WWII Warsaw, by the New York Times bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London.

All her life, Zofia has found comfort in two things during times of hardship: books and her best friend, Janina. But no one could have imagined the horrors of the Nazi occupation in Warsaw. As the bombs rain down and Hitler’s forces loot and destroy the city, Zofia finds that now books are also in need of saving.

With the death count rising and persecution intensifying, Zofia jumps to action to save her friend and salvage whatever books she can from the wreckage, hiding them away, and even starting a clandestine book club. She and her dearest friend never surrender their love of reading, even when Janina is forced into the newly formed ghetto.

But the closer Warsaw creeps toward liberation, the more dangerous life becomes for the women and their families – and escape may not be possible for everyone. As the destruction rages around them, Zofia must fight to save her friend and preserve her culture and community using the only weapon they have left - literature.

“Readers will be on the edge of their seats as they are transported…with Madeline Martin's vivid and inspiring characters.” —Kelly Rimmer, author of The Warsaw Orphan

"Madeline Martin immerses us in the expertly rendered and fascinating worlds.” —Natasha Lester, author of The Riviera House

Don't miss Madeline Martin's next heartwarming historical novel, A Time of Witches!

Discover more from Madeline Martin:

• The Secret Book Society
• The Booklover's Library
• The Librarian Spy
• The Last Bookshop in London

Outstanding

As a history major in college, this has been one of my favorite historical fictions to date. The relevance of the lessons still resonate today. Well done!

If you love books, you’ll appreciate this one

I stumbled onto another one of the author’s books, The Last Little Bookshop in London. I thoroughly enjoyed it so when I found this one I had to listen. It is a beautiful story that takes place around the autrocities of Poland in WW2. It touches on the heartbreak and hope of that dark period. The narrator was perfect and I would recommend this to booklovers everywhere. It shows the strength and resilience of the people of that time.

When a book is the weapon to liberty

I appreciate so much learning about yet another example of human resilience in the midst of such a horrible world war. The characters and their world are so real that I immediately felt a connection and suffered, laughed, and loved with them. I highly recommend this incredible story to anyone who loves reading and especially reading about the strong women who lived and fought back during WWII.

The real story

Perfect story about both the Ghetto and the Warsaw Uprisings. Facts woven seamlessly with the fictional background story characters.
Narrator had a bit of trouble with Polish names accenting the wrong syllable, but that was a minor deterrent.

how books and reading can strengthen a country

this story is a reminder of how important it is to keep reading alive and how senseless it is to ban and fear books. a timeless lesson.