The Schoolteacher of Saint-Michel

By: Sarah Steele

Narrated by: Natalie Pela

Length: 12 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

The Schoolteacher of Saint Michel is a heartrending and deeply moving story of love and hope in World War II from the USA Today best-selling author of The Missing Pieces of Nancy Moon.

The war taught her to fight. The children taught her to hope....

Inspired by real acts of bravery and resistance, The Schoolteacher of Saint Michel is a heartrending and deeply moving story of one woman's courage and sacrifice during World War II, from the USA Today best-selling author of The Missing Piece of Nancy Moon.

This exquisitely beautiful novel is perfect for fans of The Rose Code by Kate Quinn, The Postmistress, Lilac Girls and The Girl from Vichy.

'My darling girl, I need you to find someone for me....'

France, 1942. At the end of the day, the schoolteacher releases her pupils. She checks they have their identity passes and warns them not to stop until the German guards have let them through the barrier that separates occupied France from Free France. As the little ones fly across the border and into their mothers' arms, she breathes a sigh of relief. No one is safe now. Not even the children.

Berkshire, present day. A letter left to her by her beloved late grandmother Gigi takes Hannah Stone on a journey deep into the heart of the Dordogne landscape. As she begins to unravel a forgotten history of wartime bravery and sacrifice, she discovers the heartrending secret that binds her grandmother to a village schoolteacher, the remarkable Lucie Laval....

©2021 Sarah Steele (P)2021 Headline Publishing Group Ltd

Critic reviews

"A beautifully worked tale of bravery, woven into the reality of a time we can't forget." (Mandy Robotham, author of The Berlin Girl)

"An emotional, beautifully constructed read. I loved the way the clues from the past and present slowly knitted together, answering the questions that had been missing their answers for so long." (Sunday Times best-selling author Jill Mansell)

"Gripping, at times heartbreaking, but ultimately uplifting, I found this beautifully written novel impossible to put down." (Sunday Times best-selling author Katie Fforde)

Riveting intimate story of Ocupied France.

A riveting page turner narrated by an excellent reader. Every one should get it.

A beautiful story of bravery in a small French town of resistance fighters

The beauty of the characters of most of the residents in Saint- Michael and their part in helping the vunrable at cost to themselves in a time of war

Great historical read!

Loved this charming historical read between present day and WW11. The narrative was great! Enjoy!

Excellent!

The characters were so realistic. The story was mesmerizing. I would definately read it again.

I loved it so much

This book kept me engaged from start to finish! I love historical fiction, and the various story lines woven into the book kept me interested and listening. I appreciated the authentic accents and thought the ending was just right.

History Puzzle Piece

I was so excited when the end of the story all the truths were told. I absolutely love history and feel we should ALL know our past. So many lives lost and forgotten due to hatred of a race and religion. I have been reading, listening, to sonmany amazing historical accounts that each story is another piece of an over all puzzle for us to remember those lost. Please, PLEASE, PLEASE! Keep researching history, writing and sharing.

Great Story and Reader

I loved the book and the reader. Great, but sad story. I recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction. Natalie Pela is a good reader, but I speak French and she needs a coach to help her with the pronunciation of "Saint".

We need to remember

Stories like this entertain, but more importantly they educate us. They say history repeats itself. We shall hope not. This was well done and I would encourage all to enjoy it and learn from it.

Lover of WW ll novels

Excellent book with strong women as heroines. Secrets unfolded, in present day. Loved it, hard to put down.

One of the best books ever

I was hooked from the very beginning. The way this story was written was instantly engaging and I didn’t want it to end. The characters were all beautifully described. So much bravery and heartache. Don’t hesitate for a second. It’s one of the best “reads” ever.