Subscribe to Bookouture Deals

Incredible deals on unputdownable ebooks! Find out more.

The data controller is Bookouture (an imprint of Storyfire Ltd). Read about how Bookouture will protect and use your data in our Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time via the link in any email we send you.

Books On Tour

Media Pack
Download

Ellie Curzon

Ellie Curzon is the pen name of Catherine Curzon and Helen Barrell. Catherine and Helen began writing together in the spring of 2017 and swiftly discovered a shared love of the past and a uniquely British sort of story. They drink gallons of tea, spend hours discussing the importance of good tailoring and are never at a loss for a bit of derring-do.

Catherine Curzon is an author and historian of old Hollywood and even older royalty. In addition to a series of eighteenth century biographies and a sell-out play, she has written extensively for a number of international publications, and has spoken at venues and events across the United Kingdom. Catherine lives in a haze of Dean Martin atop a steep Yorkshire hill, with a rakish gentleman and a very woolly dog.

Helen Barrell has written two books on Victorian crime, and has appeared on BBC1 and Radio 4. She loves researching family history and rummaging in libraries and archives. Originally from the south-east of England, Helen now lives somewhere in the Midlands with a large ginger cat, who resembles a Viking, and a well-stocked 1960’s cocktail bar.

A portrait of the author Ellie Curzon

The Secret Wartime Garden

The French Village at War

Ellie Curzon

Resistance is growing among the roses…

France, 1941. Colette kneels among the roses she’s growing for Nazi officers. A fugitive resistance fighter hides in the shed. German soldiers pass by the gate; calmly she snips a stem. Because Colette is not just a florist, and this is not only a garden. She is a spy for the Resistance; these flowers are her disguise. And in her apron pocket are folded pages that would cost her life if discovered…

Present day, France. Marianne’s spade strikes metal beneath the overgrown community garden, where she is recovering after illness turned her life upside down. Her heart beating wildly, she pulls free a rusted tin box buried under the roses. Inside are brittle pages, hidden for decades in the soil.

The cramped writing takes Marianne’s breath away: it reveals the beginning of a buried wartime secret. Soon she realises the garden was never just a place to grow beautiful flowers. Here began a story of betrayal and resistance.

And when she uncovers the truth, it will change everything …
The Secret Wartime Garden is a gripping dual-timeline historical novel of resistance, bravery and buried secrets. Perfect for fans of Kate Quinn, Kristin Hannah, Fiona Valpy and The Alice Network.

What readers are saying about Ellie Curzon:

‘I fell in love… I found myself holding my breath… Reaching out for the tissues… If I could give this book all the stars in the world I would.’ Leannebookstagram, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wow!… Wonderful… I loved this… I couldn’t put it down… Will stay with me for a long time to come. So emotional, heartbreaking.’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Absolutely amazing! I loved this book from start to finish! Easy five star read!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Amazing read!… Tears of sadness followed by happiness… I couldn’t love this story more… I loved it.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Totally heartbreaking… I experienced every emotion… amazing… takes the reader from heartbreak to hope.’ Page Turners, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘What a heartbreaker!… I loved this.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I sat and read this book in one day… an emotional read that I haven’t stopped thinking about.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  • ISBN: 9781807229160
    Publication Date: 10 March 2027