Heather Marshall is a Canadian author living near Toronto. Before turning to writing, she worked for several years in politics and communications. She published her first novel, Looking For Jane, in 2022. It dominated the charts and was selected as one of The Globe and Mail’s Top 100 books of 2022 and CBC’s best Canadian fiction of 2022
I have been mesmerized by this novel since reading it. It revolves around the lives of three women spanning the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and the present. Dealing with the never-ending issues of reproduction and abortion rights both in Canada, the United States and elsewhere; the consequences for women were and are both innumerable and life threatening. As we have seen two years ago by the overturning of Roe v Wade, we can see, as we read, the devastating consequences of this decision. It is a novel that truly addresses WOMEN supporting WOMEN. If you haven’t already read Looking For Jane, please do, it’s a must.
Heather’s second novel, The Secret History of Audrey James, published in 2024 also debuted as an instant bestseller in Canada.
Sometimes the best place to hide is the last place anyone will look. The novel introduces a young woman who, following a tragic accident, leaves London to work in a guest house near the Scottish border, the elderly proprietor who is harbouring her own secrets and last but definitely not least, Audrey James, a pianist, living with her best friend and family in Berlin in 1938 and about to graduate from music school. As the Nazis’ power increases, the family is threatened. Audrey steps into many roles throughout the war years. The author was inspired by Mona Parsons, the only Canadian civilian woman imprisoned by the Nazis for helping downed airmen find safety in the Netherlands.
As I cannot possibly recommend every great novel I have read, my first three blogs tell of some of my favourites.
I will be publishing the translation of this blog next week and will resume the first week of January with a blog on our treasured St. Lambert Library.
I wish you all the best of Health and Happiness.
Happy Holidays