I have absolutely loved the Hanni Winter series from Catherine Hokin and today I’m back with the review for book 3, The Girl in the Photo. You can catch up here with book 1 and book 2.
Book Description
1944. ‘I have to go away, my darling. Please, be brave, stay alive, for me.’ Her mother’s voice breaks. The little girl tries to stop the forbidden tears from falling, as the train takes her mother, and she is left alone in the camp…
Berlin, six years later. When Hanni Winter shows her new husband the heartbreaking photos she captured during the war, his reaction is unexpected. His face white, Freddy can’t take his eyes off the photo of a young girl around four years old. ‘That’s Renny,’ he whispers, ‘my sister, she was taken by the Nazis…’
Hanni remembers her perfectly – the child with the wide eyes and bitten lips, who wouldn’t let herself cry despite the chaos and cruelty all around them in the camp. Her heart had broken for the little girl as she took her picture, desperate to reveal the truth about the Nazis to the world. If that child is Renny, then they must try to find her. They must return to hell on earth.
But when Hanni arrives at the black and white arch of the camp, she comes face to face with a man she fears more than any other. Can she find the strength to fight again, or will every hope for the future be lost forever?
What I Thought
I’m not sure where to start, The Girl in the Photo was a brilliant read! Totally engaging, full of courage and grit and of course forbidden love. The setting in post-war Prague is beautiful, the way it’s written you will be right there in the picture with them.
The main character Hanni Winter is very strong and courageous. She knows right from wrong even if it means going against your own father. In this third book, we see Hanni and Freddy married, with Hanni presenting an exhibition of her photography work from bygone years. At the event Freddy recognised the little girl in one of the photos – it was his lost little sister.
Now we see Freddy and Hanni by his side travelling to Prague to find his missing sister. The journey is fraught with danger, whilst Hanni desperately tries to keep her secrets from him.
You will be totally absorbed in this one the plot is fab, and the ending, well, I can’t give away too much but you will be crying your eyes out!
Author Bio
I seem to have followed a rather meandering career, including marketing and teaching and politics (don’t try and join the dots), to get where I have always wanted to be, which is writing historical fiction. I am a story lover as well as a story writer and nothing fascinates me more than a strong female protagonist and a quest. Hopefully, those are what you will encounter when you pick up my books.
I am from the North of England but now live very happily in Glasgow with my American husband. Both my children have left home (one to London and one to Berlin) which may explain why I am finally writing. If I’m not at my desk you’ll most probably find me in the cinema, or just follow the sound of very loud music.
I’d love to hear from you and there are lots of ways you can find me, so jump in via my website https://www.catherinehokin.com/ or on my Cat Hokin FB page or on Twitter @cathokin
Where Can I Buy It?
Books on Tour
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Thanks for stopping by today, I hope you’ve enjoyed this review. You can check out my bookcase of past reviews here.