The Baker's Secret

A Novel

by Stephen P. Kiernan

On Sale: 05/02/2017

The Baker's Secret

Enlarge Book Cover

The Baker's Secret

A Novel

by Stephen P. Kiernan

On Sale: 05/02/2017

Format:

About the Book

From the critically acclaimed author of The Hummingbird and The Curiosity comes a dazzling novel of World War II—a shimmering tale of courage, determination, optimism and the resilience of the human spirit, set in a small village in Normandy on the eve of D-Day

On June 5, 1944, as dawn rises over a small town on France’s Normandy coast, Emmanuelle is baking the bread that has sustained her fellow villagers in the dark days since the Germans invaded her country.

Only twenty-two, Emma learned to bake at the side of a master, Ezra Kuchen. Apprenticed to Ezra at thirteen, Emma watched with shame and anger as her mentor was forced to wear the six-pointed yellow star on his clothing. She was powerless to help when Ezra was pulled from his shop at gunpoint, the first of many villagers stolen away and never seen again.

In the years that her sleepy coastal village has suffered under the enemy, Emma has silently, stealthily fought back. Each day, she receives an extra ration of flour to bake a dozen baguettes for the occupying troops. And each day, she mixes that precious flour with ground straw to create enough dough for two extra loaves—contraband bread she shares with the hungry villagers. Under the watchful eyes of armed soldiers, she builds a clandestine network of barter and trade that she and the villagers use to thwart their occupiers.

But her gift to the village is more than these few crusty loaves. Emma gives the people a taste of hope—the faith that one day the Allies will arrive to save them. Stephen P. Kiernan paints a brilliant and vivid tableau of humanity during one of the most harrowing points of modern history.

 

Critical Praise

“If you want your beach read to deliver some goose bumps, snag Stephen P. Kiernan’s The Curiosity. In this romantic thriller, a man who’s been buried in Arctic ice for over a century is reanimated, with shocking results.” - Good Housekeeping

“Remarkably touching, insightful and timely… bridges several powerful stories of life and death that explore the cost of courage and the true meaning of heroism… Illuminating, uplifting and ultimately redemptive.” - RT Book Reviews (4 1/2 stars)

Praise for The Hummingbird: “The Hummingbird is a novel that shares its unexpected gifts and teaches us that surrender is a part of love, and that giving away our weapons is the first step to peace.” - Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife and Circling the Sun

Praise for The Curiosity: “I absolutely loved The Curiosity. It’s as thought-provoking and powerful as Flowers for Algernon and the writing is breathtakingly beautiful. And that ending? Poignant, luminescent, and absolutely perfect.” - Chris Bohjalian, bestselling author of The Light in the Ruins and Midwives

“In this moving saga Stephen P. Kiernan tells the story of soldiers and survivors, heroes and healing. . . . I’m not sure I’ve ever read a novel that so poignantly depicts the brevity of life, the significance of each moment, the impact we have on one another.” - Mary Morris, author of The Jazz Palace

Praise for The Baker’s Secret: “Transcends even a critical moment in history to suggest the inescapable human condition of ignorance of the future, and the absolute necessity of hope, courage, and unselfish sacrifice.” - Sena Naslund, author of Ahab’s Wife, Four Spirits, and The Fountain of St. James Court

“[The Curiosity] poses provocative questions about life and humanity.” - Entertainment Weekly

“This many-faceted, thought-provoking story prompts soul-searching about life, war, and death.” - Booklist

An emotionally satisfying and brisk narrative . . . [T]his is a gripping novel with a clever conceit.” - Publishers Weekly

Resources

Product Details

  • ISBN: 9781443453462
  • ISBN 10: 1443453463
  • Imprint: HarperCollins Publishers
  • On Sale: 05/02/2017
  • Pages: 320
  • List Price:32.99 CAD
  • BISAC1 : FICTION / General

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