Debbie Harpham
ABOUT:
From Katrin Schumann, the bestselling author of The Forgotten Hours, comes an unforgettable story of one woman’s journey to reclaim what she lost in a country torn apart by the devastating legacy of WWII.
On the windswept shores of an East German island, Bettina Heilstrom struggles to build a life from the ashes. World War II has ended, and her country is torn apart. Longing for a family, she marries Werner, an older bureaucrat who adores her. But after joining the fledgling secret police, he is drawn deep into its dark mission and becomes a dangerous man.
When Bettina falls in love with an idealistic young renegade, Werner discovers her infidelity and forces her to make a terrible choice: spend her life in prison or leave her home forever. Either way she loses both her lover and child.
Ten years later, Bettina has reinvented herself as a celebrated photographer in Chicago, but she’s never stopped yearning for the baby she left behind. Surprised by an unexpected visitor from her past, she resolves to return to her ravaged homeland to reclaim her daughter and uncover her beloved’s fate, whatever the cost.
Purchase your copy here.
PRAISE AND RECOGNITION:
A She Reads “most anticipated women’s fiction” book of 2020
“Schumann’s graceful evocations of people and place make this novel hard to forget.” —Maria Hummel, author of Motherland and the Reese Witherspoon book club pick Still Lives
“Deeply relevant to our current times, This Terrible Beauty explores the lengths to which we will go to find love and the sacrifices we make for family and community. I fell in love with these characters and came away heartened and hopeful.” —Christopher Castellani, author of Leading Men
“A compelling and richly layered story of love, motherhood, art, and ultimately self-preservation—this is a vivid, rapidly paced historical novel. Unputdownable!” —Jillian Cantor, USA Today bestselling author of The Lost Letter and In Another Time
“Schumann’s vivid focus reveals characters who crumble with heartbreak and rise with strength, and above all draws her readers in and never lets them go.” —Rachel Barenbaum, bestselling author of A Bend in the Stars
“Set in postwar Germany, this gorgeously written, sweeping, cinematic story is also a riveting and romantic page-turner. Get ready to put everything on hold and let yourself get lost in this sensual tale.” —Erica Ferencik, bestselling author of The River at Night, a #1 Oprah.com pick, and Into the Jungle
AUTHOR VISITS:
Author visits with Katrin Schumann are available via NovelNetwork.com.