The Hidden Palace: the most spellbinding escapist historical novel of WW2 Malta from the No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller (The Daughters of War, Book 2)

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Susan House on NetGalley - "engaged my imagination from the start and held it throughout" Read more Bettina Hartas, TripFiction - "The author is always terrific at creating a colourful, exotic and vibrant setting for her stories." Read more

I felt Belinda was no more than padding for the story, and we are told in a couple of sentences that she finally agreed to a divorce...so that was another weak point. Susurros de Csejte (Spain) - "The Tea Planter’s Wife has a plot that grabs the reader…. It is a highly recommended novel. (Translated from the Spanish)" Read more Dark secrets lie at every turn, hidden beneath layers of 1920s racism and the fearfulness of a crumbling colonial power, making for a thoroughly gripping tale. But what I loved most of all, underpinning the whole narrative, is the moving way in which Dinah writes about the loss of children and the redemptive power of love." - Liz Trenow – author of The Poppy Factory Claire H, Reviewer, NetGalley - " Absolutely loved this book!…A great story of loss and love." Read more Amit Roy, The Telegraph (India) - "a very well-written tale of a passionate monsoon romance" Read moreLynne Barnes, Barnsey’s Books - "…expressive and faultless writing …a great piece of historical romantic fiction .." Read more

Joanne, Portobello Book Blog - "There’s love and loss, grief and betrayal, relationships between sisters and inter-generational relationships, secrets and courage. Once again the author has written a sweeping epic novel with plenty to please readers of both romance and historical fiction." Read more Jules, One More Word - "I loved the writing, the setting, the characters – .. and I really enjoyed the mystery element of the plot. …Absolutely worth a read." Read more Definitely recommended if you enjoyed the first book, or if you like historical fiction with a dual timeline.

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

The characters come alive moment by moment, as the secrets are unravelled… I was spell bound from beginning to end by the emotional twist and turns. Dinah Jefferies has hit a home run with this fabulous novel." - Deborah Rodriguez – author of The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul Samanta, Letture Sale e Pepe (Italy) - "Un concentrato di personaggi, trama ben intrecciata, segreti svelati lentamente come un abile detentore di un’asta d’arte, intrighi, amore e famiglia si avvicendano in questo romanzo da cinque stelle." Read more She has spirit and daring, is strong and wilful and always stands up for what she believes in. I enjoyed reading of her transition to Malta and although I could sense deep down that leaving Paris in the way and on the terms that she did was not what she truly wanted she knew that to be independent and follow her dreams she had to forge her own path without the support of her family. I enjoyed how Rosalie’s story developed and could see echoes of it with Florence’s too. Things for Rosalie are not all smooth sailing and romance, danger, secrets and tragedy all feature for her amidst the street of Valetta. But will she be reunited with her family? Will Florence succeed in her task?

Serena Saponaro, Cioccolatoelibri (Italy) - "Quando lasci tutto per amore puoi solo essere amato." Read more Lizanne LLoyd, Lizanne lost in a good book - "I found it difficult to put this book down. …I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a thrilling story of loyalty, love and fellowship." Read more

Completely swept me away to another place and time. Dinah is the queen of sumptuous settings, transporting the reader effortlessly from chocolate-box Devonshire to the cabaret clubs of 1920s Paris and war-torn Malta. A marvellous, multi-layered story, populated with characters to really care for”—HAZEL GAYNOR This is a story of love, family and friendship surviving the horrors of war. We hear about the heroism of the Maltese people and the terrible devastation caused by war. We also hear of the white slave trade, which is still going on in various parts of the world. Ultimately a very readable book with plenty of historic detail. Michael Leonard, Curled Up With a Good Book (USA) - "a vibrant portrayal of a particular time and place." Read more Linda Hill, Linda’s Book Bag - "Dinah Jefferies blends initial sumptuous glamour with harsh and realistic reality into an intoxicating read. The sense of place, of history and of human nature is a heady mix in this novel. I thoroughly recommend it." Read more Judy Finnigan, Richard and Judy Book Club - "I loved the period atmosphere of this book, and the sense of a vanished time." Read more

Conchego das Letras (Brazil) - "É um romance comovente, recheado de sofrimento, segredos e reviravoltas." Read more Sora Seishin, Meu Jardim de Livros (Brazil) - "The way the author, Dinah Jefferies, writes, makes everything seem very real – despite the fictional characters" Read more

Customer reviews

Rosemary S, Librarian , NetGalley - "There is no better author writing historical fiction today." Read more