The Secret Shore by Liz Fenwick

 

As one of the Navy’s most skilled mapmakers, Merry knows the very lives of men far away depend on her work in the War Office.

But when a family crisis draws her back to her beloved Cornwall, Merry finds herself working alongside an enigmatic American officer on secret operations spanning the rugged coasts of Cornwall and Brittany which she knows so well.

But not everything is as clear as the maps she draws. As rumours and suspicion swirl around her family, Merry is increasingly drawn to Jake, despite the defences she’s built around her heart. It’s a dangerous time to fall in love when there is everything to lose as the tides of war are rising…

Whilst on holiday in Cornwall I found a special signed edition of The Secret Shore by Liz Fenwick and having just finished one of her backlist books I wanted to dive into another Cornish read.

The book is set during the Second World War with our protagonist Doctor Meredith Tremayne or as we come to know her, Merry who is an incredibly intelligent, ambitious and passionate young woman who surprise all who she meets with her beauty and yet she has devoted her life to her work even if it means she has to sacrifice a life of love. Determined to do her bit to help win this war Merry is sent to Cornwall to use her map-making skills but while she is there she also has a family mystery to solve.

I don’t often read books that are set during the war so I found this one rather insightful because it is clear the author has done a lot of research for this novel and it really felt like I was reading a memoire. The author always excels in her descriptive writing bringing all settings to life, especially the Cornish coast but this book goes one step further and her character building was simply exceptional, she has created a character, Merry who I admire and care for and was bewildered that she didn’t get the recognition she deserved after such a sacrifice.

The relationship that builds between Merry and Jake really touched my heart, it was clear that they were perfect for each other and had something special but it also highlighted how different things were back then in that a woman wasn’t able to have a successful career and become a wife and mother too.

The Secret Shore is Liz Fenwick at her best and this book is going to be one that stays with me for a long time yet, I highly recommend it.