The Bookseller’s Secret (by Michelle Gable)
The Bookseller’s Secret by Michell Gable is a great historical fiction story about the writer, Nancy Mitford. Set in London, during the war, Nancy Mitford takes a job as a bookseller/manager at the Heywood Hill bookshop while the owner is serving in the war. Nancy is estranged from her husband and struggling with her writing career. She begins an affair with a French military officer who encourages her to write an autobiography.
In present day Washington, D.C., Katie Cabot is experiencing significant life stressors. She finally announces the break-up with her fiancee to her family during Thanksgiving dinner. She is also struggling with her writing career and doubtful she will write another popular novel. She is ready to return to her former employment as a grant writer. Following her meltdown, Katie’s best friend invites her to London for a vacation to escape her stressful life and pull herself together.
While in London, Katie’s best friend encourages her to visit Heywood Hill bookshop where she learns that Nancy Mitford used to work there. Katie is a huge fan of Nancy and strikes up a friendly relationship with the manager. Legend has it that Nancy Mitford wrote that unpublished autobiography while working at Heywood Hill and Katie is on a mission to find the manuscript.
I loved the book and appreciate learning about Nancy Mitford as I was completely unaware of her. Michelle portrays Nancy as a very strong character, full of determination and passion. Nancy is also a complicated woman who has to make difficult choices in her life and I am thankful that Michelle included the authenticity of her humanness. I liked Katie’s character for the most part; however, she seemed a bit immature at times and very mature at other moments. The personality of her character seemed inconsistent. For instance, I was turned off by Katie’s frequent use of profanity when she arrived in London. Especially when she was in the company of people she had just met. Trust me, I am not one to be offended by the use of profanity. It just seemed inappropriate for this novel. This criticism is simply a personal preference and did not take anything away from me enjoying the book or recommending it to others. This is my first time reading Michelle Gable’s work and I’m eager to read her other books.
I chose the audiobook version from my local library via the Hoopla app. The narration by Eleanor Caudill was excellent!
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