Imprint
- Sphere
Romance, Historical romance, Historical fiction
Inspired by an incredible true story, this poignant novel tells of one woman's fight for love, life and hope during a time of unimaginable darkness
Auschwitz, 1943: As I held the tiny baby in my arms, my fingers traced the black tattoo etched across her little thigh. And I prayed that one day this set of numbers, identical to her mother's, would have the power to reunite a family torn apart by war...
Ana Kaminski is pushed through the iron gates of Auschwitz beside her frightened young friend Ester Pasternak. As they reach the front of the line, Ana quietly declares herself a midwife - and Ester her assistant. Their arms are tattooed and they're ordered to the maternity hut. Ana knows the fate of many are in her hands, and vows to do everything she can to save them.
When two guards in their chilling SS uniforms march in and snatch a blond-haired baby from its mother it's almost too much for Ana to bear. Consoling the distraught woman, Ana realises that the guards are taking the healthiest babies and placing them with German families, so they will survive. And there are whispers the war is nearly over... Ana and Ester begin to secretly tattoo little ones with their mother's numbers, praying one day they might be reunited.
Then, early one morning, Ana notices the small bump under Ester's thin striped clothing...
An absolutely heart-breaking and page-turning WW2 novel of one woman's bravery and determination to bring life and hope into a broken world. Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Alice Network and The Nightingale will be gripped.
Why readers love The Midwife of Auschwitz:
'Wow... literally pulled my heart out of my chest... had me feeling all of the emotions' Spooky's Maze Of Books
'Absolutely heartbreaking... sobbed my heart out near the end of the book... AMAZING!!' NetGalley reviewer
'Heartbreaking yet also heart-warming... beautifully written... my favorite reads of 2022!!' NetGalley reviewer
Anna Stuart
Anna wanted to be an author from the moment she could pick up a pen and was writing boarding-school novels behind the sofa by the age of nine. She made the early mistake of thinking she ought to get a 'proper job' and went into Factory Planning - a career that gave her some wonderful experiences, amazing friends and even a fantastic husband, but did not offer much creative scope. So when she stopped to have children she took the chance to start the 'improper job' of writing. During the baby years she wrote in those gaps provided by sleeps, playschools and obliging grandparents, publishing short stories and serials in all the women's magazines.
Her ultimate aim was to write longer fiction and several years ago she published a series of successful historical novels under the pseudonym Joanna Courtney. She will continue to publish under that name but is delighted, as Anna Stuart, to also be able to write Bonnie and Stan - a real-life romance set in both the present day and sixties Liverpool.
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