a page-turning epic set in the aftermath of World War II

Finding Clara

Clara Falkenberg was brought up to become Germany’s most illustrious heiress – her father a captain of industry; her mother the perfect society wife. Now, with the Second World War over, her past and her country in ruins, Clara has nothing but a false identity card and a set of urgent questions. Who has survived? Where will she go? And who has she become?

Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz will be fascinated by Scott’s portrayal of post-war Germany.

FINDING CLARA is the kind of novel we need now more than ever. Set in Germany, eighteen months after the war, reckonings of every sort are playing out and Anika Scott deftly builds a world in which all the shades of gray--Nazi collaboration and complicity among civilians--are brought to life. FINDING CLARA achieves what the best historical fiction can, asking us to see the past, and then pushing us to see ourselves in that past, demanding: Who would you have been then? What would you have done? Unflinching and absorbing, FINDING CLARA does not let you look away.

Sarah Blake, New York Times bestselling author of THE POSTMISTRESS

Meticulously researched and plotted like a noir thriller, Finding Clara tells a different story of WWII — of characters grappling with their own guilt and driven by the question of what they could have done to change the past.

Jessica Shattuck, New York Times bestselling author of THE WOMEN IN THE CASTLE

Anika Scott’s epic novel offers a captivating tour through the reckoning years that followed WWII when clarifying identities, unearthing truths, and facing judgements was the only way to rebuild a life. The novel’s heroine marches along the razor’s edge between the leviathan of the past and a future full of mine shafts. I will never forget her unending struggle to rise above the dark lineage thrust upon her and her battle to stay connected to the deep binds of love, responsibility, and compassion.

Anika Scott’s finely drawn characters in FINDING CLARA bring to life not only the struggle to rise from the ashes of war, but also the depth of resolve often required to gain redemption. Illuminating and beautifully rendered.

Susan Meissner, bestselling author of THE LAST YEAR OF THE WAR

Anika Scott’s riveting novel compellingly explores the nature of innocence and guilt, and the human desire for redemption. A terrific book with historical detail skillfully woven into the fabric of the story. An absolute must-read for all fans of World War II fiction!

David Gillham, New York Times bestselling author of CITY OF WOMEN and ANNELIES

What a great debut! It still haunts me, days after finishing it.

Liz Trenow, NYT bestselling author of THE POPPY FACTORY and THE SILK WEAVER

I felt as though I was walking through the rubble of Essen and shivering in the bitter cold right alongside Clara Falkenberg. In this haunting and atmospheric novel, Anika Scott delivers a nuanced and emotional look at the often un-talked about side of WWII – the devastation of German towns and cities and the weight of conscience on those who remain. [It's] is a powerful reminder that no one gets out unscathed.

Sara Ackerman, bestselling author of The Lieutenant's Nurse

Scott’s magnetic debut follows one woman’s quest for survival amid the devastation of post-WWII Germany . . . Fans of WWII fiction will be intrigued by Scott’s exploration of how war changes the moral compass of its victims.

A powerful, profound debut by a journalist with a gift for storytelling.

Brought to you by Penguin. 
_____________________________________________ 
'FINDING CLARA is the kind of novel we need now more than ever, [and] achieves what the best historical fiction can . . . pushing us to see ourselves in that past, demanding: Who would you have been then? What would you have done? Unflinching and absorbing, [it] does not let you look away.' Sarah Blake, New York Times bestselling author of THE POSTMISTRESS 
_____________________________________________ 
1946. The ruins of Essen, Germany. A place that can't quite believe the Second World War has been lost. 
 
There's Clara. Once a wartime icon and heiress to the Falkenberg iron works, she now finds herself on the run from the Allied authorities, accused by the zealous Allied occupiers of complicity in her father's war crimes. 
 
There's Jakob. A charming black marketeer, badly wounded in the war but determined to help what's left of his family survive the peace. 
 
There's Willy. A teenage boy diligently guarding a mine full of Wehrmacht supplies, his only friend a canary named Gertrud. Convinced the war isn't over, he refuses to surrender his post. 
 
When Clara returns to her hometown expecting to find her best friend, she finds everything she once knew in ruins. But in war-ravaged Germany, it's not just the buildings that are scarred: everyone is changed, everyone lives in the wreckage of their own past. 
 
To survive, Clara must hide who she is. But to live, she must face up to the truth of what she's done. 
_____________________________________________ 
'What a great debut! It still haunts me, days after finishing it.' Liz Trenow, author of The Poppy Factory and The Silk Weaver 
 
'Anika Scott's finely drawn characters in FINDING CLARA bring to life not only the struggle to rise from the ashes of war, but also the depth of resolve often required to gain redemption. Illuminating and beautifully rendered.' Susan Meissner, author of The Last Year of the War 
 
'Meticulously researched and plotted like a noir thriller, Finding Clara tells a different story of WWII - of characters grappling with their own guilt and driven by the question of what they could have done to change the past.' Jessica Shattuck, author of The Women in the Castle 
 
'A moving story of courage and everyday heroism rising to meet unbearable challenges.' Alex Marwood, author of The Wicked Girls 
_____________________________________________ 
© Anika Scott 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Anika Scott

The German Heiress is the kind of novel we need now more than ever. Set in Germany, eighteen months after the war, reckonings of every sort are playing out and Anika Scott deftly builds a world in which all the shades of gray - Nazi collaboration and complicity among civilians - are brought to life. The German Heiress achieves what the best historical fiction can, asking us to see the past, and then pushing us to see ourselves in that past, demanding: Who would you have been then? What would you have done? Unflinching and absorbing, The German Heiress does not let you look away.

Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz will be fascinated by Scott's portrayal of post-war Germany.

[A] thought-provoking and meticulously researched tale of redemption that transports readers to post-war Germany.

Meticulously researched and plotted like a noir thriller, The German Heiress tells a different story of WWII - of characters grappling with their own guilt and driven by the question of what they could have done to change the past.

Jessica Shattuck, New York Times bestselling author of THE WOMEN OF THE CASTLE

Anika Scott's epic novel offers a captivating tour through the reckoning years that followed WWII when clarifying identities, unearthing truths, and facing judgements was the only way to rebuild a life. The novel's heroine marches along the razor's edge between the leviathan of the past and a future full of mine shafts. I will never forget her unending struggle to rise above the dark lineage thrust upon her and her battle to stay connected to the deep binds of love, responsibility, and compassion.

A powerful, profound debut by a journalist with a gift for storytelling.

Anika Scott's riveting novel compellingly explores the nature of innocence and guilt, and the human desire for redemption. A terrific book with historical detail skillfully woven into the fabric of the story. An absolute must-read for all fans of World War II fiction!

[A] fascinating area to look at ... a tense, noirish plot with dangers at every turn ... It's a fascinating world of ambiguity, in an area we so often think of as being black and white ...The historical details and descriptions are well-drawn ... the story moved along quickly and compellingly - yes I stayed up late to finish it.

Anika Scott's finely drawn characters in The German Heiress bring to life not only the struggle to rise from the ashes of war, but also the depth of resolve often required to gain redemption. Illuminating and beautifully rendered.

Powerfully told and rich in atmosphere.

What a great debut! It still haunts me, days after finishing it.

Liz Trenow, New York Times bestselling author of THE POPPY FACTORY and THE SILK WEAVER

I felt as though I was walking through the rubble of Essen and shivering in the bitter cold right alongside Clara Falkenberg. In this haunting and atmospheric novel, Anika Scott delivers a nuanced and emotional 
look at the often un-talked about side of WWII - the devastation of German towns and cities and the weight of conscience on those who remain. [It's] is a powerful reminder that no one gets out unscathed.

Scott's magnetic debut follows one woman's quest for survival amid the devastation of post-WWII Germany ... Fans of WWII fiction will be intrigued by Scott's exploration of how war changes the moral compass of its victims.

_________________________ 
'The kind of novel we need now more than ever, [and] achieves what the best historical fiction can . . . pushing us to see ourselves in that past, demanding: Who would you have been then? What would you have done? Unflinching and absorbing, [it] does not let you look away.' Sarah Blake, New York Times bestselling author of THE POSTMISTRESS 
_________________________ 
Essen, 1946. Clara Falkenberg, once an iconic heiress, is on the run. With the city in ruins and her dear friend Elisa missing, Clara enlists the help of Jakob, a charming young racketeer with his own reasons for wanting to find Elisa. As the two join forces, it's not long before Clara's family secrets catch up with her. But she soon comes to realise the only way to survive is to face the truth of what she's done. 
_________________________ 
'What a great debut! It still haunts me, days after finishing it.' Liz Trenow, author of The Poppy Factory and The Silk Weaver 
 
'Anika Scott's finely drawn characters ... bring to life not only the struggle to rise from the ashes of war, but also the depth of resolve often required to gain redemption. Illuminating and beautifully rendered.' Susan Meissner, author of The Last Year of the War 
 
'Meticulously researched and plotted like a noir thriller, The German Heiress tells a different story of WWII - of characters grappling with their own guilt and driven by the question of what they could have done to change the past.' Jessica Shattuck, author of The Women in the Castle 
 
'Anika Scott's epic novel offers a captivating tour through the reckoning years that followed WWII when clarifying identities, unearthing truths, and facing judgements was the only way to rebuild a life. The novel's heroine, Clara, marches along the razor's edge between the leviathan of the past and a future full of mine shafts. I will never forget her unending struggle to rise above the dark lineage thrust upon her and her battle to stay connected to the deep binds of love, responsibility, and compassion.' Devin Murphy, author of The Boat Runner 
 
'The German Heiress is a special novel that opens one's mind to aspects of history we on the "winning" side have given little thought to, and a moving story of courage and everyday heroism rising to meet unbearable challenges.' Alex Marwood, author of The Wicked Girls 
_________________________ 
Previously published as Finding Clara 
_________________________ 
Readers are falling in love with The German Heiress: 
 
'A story that kept me engrossed from start to finish. I loved it.' 
'A stunning debut that will stay with me long after finishing the last page.' 
'A brilliant story which will keep you reading late into the night!' 
'An intense, dark and twisted historical read that skilfully portrays the often common experiences, horrors and dilemmas of being on the losing side in a war for ordinary people.' 
'A fascinating read about fighting for survival in post-World War 2 Germany' 
'The story is a page turner which had me gripped the whole way through' 
'A gripping read with a well-drawn characters.' 
'For those that love historical fiction, this was an unique and gripping plot'

Anika Scott

Praise for The German Heiress

The German Heiress is the kind of novel we need now more than ever. Set in Germany, eighteen months after the war, reckonings of every sort are playing out and Anika Scott deftly builds a world ...

**Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz will be fascinated by Scott's portrayal of post-war Germany.**

[An] extraordinary novel.

The German Heiress is the kind of novel we need now more than ever. Set in Germany, eighteen months after the war, reckonings of every sort are playing out and Anika Scott deftly builds a world ...

**Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz will be fascinated by Scott's portrayal of post-war Germany.**

[An] extraordinary novel.

The German Heiress is the kind of novel we need now more than ever. Set in Germany, eighteen months after the war, reckonings of every sort are playing out and Anika Scott deftly builds a world ...

**Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz will be fascinated by Scott's portrayal of post-war Germany.**

[An] extraordinary novel.

Books by Anika Scott

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