The Berlin Zookeeper

Two women. One shocking wartime secret. And a family mystery just waiting to be discovered…

Berlin Zoo, 1943: Ten-year-old Adelaide and her newborn sister are orphaned after a devastating night of bombing. Heartbroken and frightened, Adelaide runs to her mother’s closest friend, Katharina Heinroth, and the kind zookeeper takes the two little girls under her protection. As the bombing intensifies, Adelaide tries to shut out the horrors of war by caring for her tiny sister and playing with the adorable baby monkeys. But when Katharina organises a dangerous operation to enable children and animals to escape the battle-scarred city, something goes wrong. And Adelaide has to promise her adopted mother to keep a shocking secret. A secret that will change Adelaide’s life forever.

Berlin Zoo, 2019: Bethan Taylor notices the elderly lady sitting on the bench next to her seems confused, her thoughts flitting between past and present. Ada talks of her childhood, played out in an underground bunker beneath the animal enclosures during the war. As Ada’s story unfolds, Bethan is surprised to hear a name she recognises…

Katharina Heinroth is at the top of a list of German names Bethan found in a hidden compartment of her late mother’s jewellery box. Bethan’s father couldn’t tell her anything about the crumpled piece of paper and she’s been searching for the meaning ever since.

As the two women are brought together by the pain of the past can they help each other to heal? And after decades of silence, can Ada help Bethan to uncover a long-buried family mystery?

An unforgettable and heart-wrenching novel of a brave orphan girl and a shocking wartime secret. Inspired by a true WW2 story and perfect for fans of Orphan Train, The Tattooist of Auschwitz and The Alice Network.

Why readers love The Berlin Zookeeper:

‘Heartbreaking but amazing!… I was gripped from the very beginning and honestly I didn’t want this book to end! The writing was just fabulous loved it! NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wow! What an emotional read, right from the very start the author was pulling at my heart strings and my emotions, there was times I had to put down my kindle because I had tears in my eyes… five star read.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Loved, loved, loved this gem!… incredible story and the characters walked off the pages and into my heart… This is a must-read!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Brilliant… loved this book so much… hankies at the ready cos you will need them, heartbreaking.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This book grabbed me from the very beginning… this book was a home run… I loved every page of this book… terrific!!’ toreadistobreathe, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Kept me hooked from the beginning… I was totally engrossed in the story… beautiful book… Worth five stars!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘FANTASTIC!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘An unforgettable historical novel that will have readers reaching for the tissues… a poignant tale guaranteed to tug at the heartstrings. Emotional, affecting and beautifully written… will keep readers gripped throughout.’ Bookish Jottings, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Heartwarming… I honestly felt like I couldn’t read this book fast enough & the setting of Berlin Zoo was just magical. Don’t miss out!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Just beautiful and poignant. Heart-breaking and heartwarming. I cried… Just beautiful. Do read this one.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘An absolute must read… I devoured in one sitting… I was so enthralled with this emotional story… This one will have to be read with a box of Kleenex nearby… I absolutely loved it.’ Page Turners, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐