The Bookshop of Secrets

In a bookshop nestled in the sprawling streets of Lisbon, a shopkeeper leads a double life… Looking for a new start after her father’s death, Lara Hope arrives in Lisbon in search of a family she’s never met. As war storms across Europe, Lara finds solace and belonging in her landlady’s tranquil bookshop in one of the most beautiful corners of the city. But when she witnesses a customer secretly swapping a book, she realises the bookshop is not all it seems. Lara is plunged into a labyrinthine world of mystery and facades, encountering new friends, an unexpected romance, and even royalty… Is she prepared to risk it all for this new life? Set against the vivid and high-stakes backdrop of 1938 and the early 1940s, the story follows Lara, a young British actress who becomes stranded in Lisbon after her handbag and passport are stolen. With no way to pay her fare home and the world collapsing into the chaos of the Second World War, she takes a job at a local bar before eventually finding a position in a bookstore run by the eccentric Bea. Here, Lara’s unique background and acting skills are noticed by British intelligence agents, who recruit her to help disseminate fake news and deceptive intel to the enemy. Amidst the swarming spies of Lisbon—both English and German—Lara must navigate a city that has become a gateway for refugees and a hub of international intrigue. As she shifts from the relative safety of the bookshop into the shadows of secret missions and coded messages, she discovers inner strength and a sense of purpose she never knew she possessed.