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Ellen Marie Wiseman

Goodreads Author

Born

in The United States

Website

http://www.ellenmariewiseman.com

Twitter

EllenMarieWise

Genre

Literature & Fiction, Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction

Member Since

June 2011

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Ellen Marie Wiseman is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author known for writing novels based on real historical injustices, including THE LIES THEY TOLD, THE ORPHAN COLLECTOR, WHAT SHE LEFT BEHIND, THE PLUM TREE , COAL RIVER, THE LIFE SHE WAS GIVEN, and THE LOST GIRLS OF WILLOWBROOK, which was an Indie Next selection, an Amazon Editor's Pick and the B&N “Our Monthly Pick.” Born and raised in Three Mile Bay, a tiny hamlet in northern New York, Ellen is a first-generation German American who discovered her love of reading and writing while attending first grade in one of the last one-room schoolhouses in New York State. Since then, her novels have been published worldwide, translated into more than twenty languages, and sold nearly ...more

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Combine Editions
Ellen Marie Wiseman’s books

Average rating: 4.08 · 278,802 ratings · 27,683 reviews · 13 distinct works • Similar authors

	What She Left Behind 4.03 avg rating — 68,574 ratings — published 2015 — 59 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Orphan Collector 4.24 avg rating — 57,364 ratings — published 2020 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Life She Was Given 4.10 avg rating — 52,747 ratings — published 2017 — 37 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Lost Girls of Willowbrook 3.91 avg rating — 53,135 ratings — published 2022 — 24 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Plum Tree 4.15 avg rating — 25,060 ratings — published 2012 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Coal River 3.95 avg rating — 12,757 ratings — published 2015 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Lies They Told 4.36 avg rating — 8,637 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Lost Girls of Willowbrook: Sneak Peek 4.07 avg rating — 382 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Lies They Told: Sneak Peek 4.42 avg rating — 102 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Wat de bergen bewaren by Ellen Marie Wiseman (Goodreads Author), Marianne Locht-Kühler (Translator) 4.24 avg rating — 17 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Ellen Marie Wiseman…

6 posts
Ellen Marie Wiseman's Blog

What 1918’s “Forgotten Pandemic” Can Teach Us About Today

I wrote an opinion piece for Vanity Fair based on the research I did for my upcoming novel, THE ORPHAN COLLECTOR. Here's the link:

https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2020...

The Orphan Collector Read more of this blog post »

9 likes · Like • 16 comments • flag

Published on May 12, 2020 12:12 • Tags: 1918, covid-19, historical-fiction, novel, philadelphia, research, spanish-flu-pandemic, wwi

View all 6 posts »

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Ellen’s Recent Updates

Ellen Wiseman entered a giveaway Birdy by N. West Moss (Goodreads Author) 20 copies available, ends on December 14, 2025 Enter to win »
Nov 14, 2025 09:01AM · like · see giveaway
Ellen Wiseman and 13 other people liked Melissa's review of The Lies They Told: "The Lies They Told is the second book of Ellen Marie Wiseman's that fits so well with current events it's like she predicted the future while writing about the past. (The previous time was when The Orphan Collector released during the pandemic.) This" Read more of this review »
Aug 08, 2025 11:49AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Lies They Told by Ellen Marie Wiseman. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Lies They Told by Ellen Marie Wiseman <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ellen Wiseman and 158 other people liked MarilynW's review of The Lies They Told: "The Lies They Told by Ellen Marie Wiseman Narrated by Elisabeth Rodgers In the late 1920s, nineteen year old Lena Conti's mother and brother have been sponsored by a distant relative, Silas Wolfe, to come from Germany to Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains" Read more of this review »
Jul 25, 2025 06:28PM · see review
Ellen Wiseman and 7 other people liked Dwon 's review of The Lies They Told: "Thanks to Netgally and the publisher for an advanced copy of the audio book in exchange for an honest review! Yall!! This book was incredible!!! It was heartbreaking at times, and I honestly felt so much rage towards certain characters. I don't know i" Read more of this review »
Jul 25, 2025 06:25PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Lies They Told by Ellen Marie Wiseman. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Lies They Told by Ellen Marie Wiseman <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ellen Wiseman made a comment on Gary Parkes’s review of The Lies They Told " So grateful! "
Jul 25, 2025 12:12PM · see review
Ellen Wiseman made a comment on Vivian Payton’s review of The Lies They Told " Thank you so much! "
Jul 18, 2025 09:41PM · see review
Ellen Wiseman made a comment on Diana’s review of The Lies They Told " So grateful! "
Jul 18, 2025 09:39PM · see review
Ellen Wiseman made a comment on Bethany Mock (bethanyburiedinbooks)’s review of The Lies They Told " Thank you so much for this wonderful review and your very kind words! "
Jul 18, 2025 09:37PM · see review
Ellen Wiseman made a comment on Linda Zagon’s review of The Lies They Told " Thank you so much, Linda! "
Jul 18, 2025 09:22PM · see review
Ellen Wiseman rated a book it was amazing The Lies They Told by Ellen Marie Wiseman (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
In rural 1930s Virginia, a young immigrant mother fights for her dignity and those she loves against America’s rising eugenics movement – when widespread support for policies of prejudice drove imprisonment and forced sterilizations based on class, r ...more
Jan 16, 2025 08:53PM · 36 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Lies They Told by Ellen Marie Wiseman. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Lies They Told by Ellen Marie Wiseman <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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Quotes by Ellen Marie Wiseman (?)

“I want you to understand something. War makes perpetrators of some, criminals of others, and victims of everyone. Just because a soldier is in the battle, doesn't mean that he believes in the war.”
― Ellen Marie Wiseman, The Plum Tree

25 likes

“When we're together," he whispered, "we'll only see each other, not the ugliness around us.”
― Ellen Marie Wiseman, The Plum Tree

tags: beauty, forbidden-love, love, optimism, romance

18 likes

“Within minutes of setting foot on the grounds of the shuttered Willard State Asylum, seventeen-year-old Isabelle Stone knew it was a mistake.”
― Ellen Marie Wiseman, What She Left Behind

10 likes

See all Ellen Marie Wiseman's quotes »

Polls

Here is your chance to pick our next month’s BOTMs!

The 2 books that gets the most votes will be our November BOTMs

The Lies They Told by Ellen Marie Wiseman

The Lies They Told
Ellen Marie Wiseman

12 votes 50.0%

The Color of Death
Trey Gowdy

7 votes 29.2%

The Jailhouse Lawyer
Calvin Duncan

3 votes 12.5%

Raising Hare: A Memoir
Chloe Dalton

2 votes 8.3%

24 total votes

3 comments

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Topics Mentioning This Author

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The Lost Challenges: December Cable Channel Challenge-TV Land	44	71	Jan 01, 2013 02:18PM

Ellen’s Quotes

“That's what careless words do. They make people love you a little less.”
― Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things

tags: words

3197 likes

“Heimat. The word mean home in German, the place where one was born. But the term also conveys a subtler nuance, a certain tenderness. One's Heimat is not merely a matter of geography; it is where one's heart lies. ”
― Jenna Blum, Those Who Save Us

tags: german, home

39 likes

25 likes

“I know now that the most genuine happiness is kept afloat by an underlying sorrow.”
― Seré Prince Halverson, The Underside of Joy

tags: life-lessons, truth

18 likes

Ellen’s Friend Comments

Comments (showing 1-8) post a comment »

date

newest »

message 8: by Richard

Apr 07, 2023 03:32AM

thank you for the friend

reply | flag

message 7: by Ellen

Jul 07, 2017 08:27AM

Gianna wrote: "Hi, Ellen,

Thank you for making me your friend. I love cats, and I write Regency romance including Pride and Prejudice variations.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Gianna Thomas"

Thank you for the request! I hope you have a wonderful weekend too! :)

reply | flag

message 6: by Gianna

Jul 07, 2017 02:35AM

Hi, Ellen,

Thank you for making me your friend. I love cats, and I write Regency romance including Pride and Prejudice variations.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Gianna Thomas

reply | flag

message 5: by Mary

Aug 13, 2013 06:20AM

Hi, Ellen,

Thank you for the friendship. Nice to see you here, too.

Mary~

reply | flag

message 4: by Ellen

Jan 11, 2013 07:47PM

Melissa wrote: "Thanks for the friendship, Ellen. I can't wait to read THE PLUM TREE!"

Thank you! I hope you'll let me know what you think! :)

reply | flag

message 3: by Ellen

Jan 11, 2013 06:44AM

Thank you!! I hope you'll let me know what you think!

reply | flag

message 2: by Book Review Diva

Aug 26, 2012 12:52PM

Hello,

Thank you for being my friend.

Warm Wishes,
Book Review Diva

https://twitter.com/BookReviewDiva
http://bookreviewdiva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/BookReviewDiva

http://www.historicalromancebooks.ca
http://www.paranormalromance.ca

reply | flag

message 1: by Ellen

Oct 23, 2011 06:37PM

You're welcome! I'm still finding my way around here so thanks for the request!

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