Katrin Schumann

"[A] compelling and richly layered story of love, motherhood, art, and ultimately self-preservation. An intimate portrait of one woman’s journey... this is a vivid, rapidly-paced historical novel. Unputdownable!” ~ Jillian Cantor, USA Today bestselling author of The Lost Letter and In Another Time

“Lyrically written, fantastic worldbuilding... It's about forgiveness, as three people who have all made mistakes struggle to do what is right in the end for the innocent. This book will stay with me a long time.” ~ Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author

On the windswept shores of an East German island, Bettina Heilstrom struggles to build a life from the ashes. World War II has ended, and her country is torn apart. Longing for a family, she marries Werner, an older bureaucrat who adores her. But after joining the fledgling secret police, he is drawn deep into its dark mission and becomes a dangerous man.

Seven weeks on the Washington Post Bestseller list Top #10, and an Amazon Charts Bestseller

“A relevant, compelling, and compassionate look at the torture of conflicted loyalties and the slipperiness of truth.” —Jenna Blum, New York Times bestselling author of Those Who Save Us and The Lost Family

In this evocative debut novel, Katrin Schumann weaves a riveting story of past and present—and how love can lead us astray.

At twenty-four, Katie Gregory feels like life is looking up: she’s snagged a great job in New York City and is falling for a captivating artist—and memories of her traumatic past are finally fading. Katie’s life fell apart almost a decade earlier, during an idyllic summer at her family’s cabin on Eagle Lake when her best friend accused her father of sexual assault. Throughout his trial and imprisonment, Katie insisted on his innocence, dodging reporters and clinging to memories of the man she adores.