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The Last Secret
A sweeping, dazzling dual-timeline novel centering on two unforgettable women—and their inextricable link to each other decades apart.
Ukraine, 1944
As the world around her is ripped apart by war and infiltrated by Nazi soldiers, Savka Ivanets works as a medic for the Ukrainian resistance, stitching wounds by day, stealing supplies by night, and dodging firefights between the SS and Soviet partisans. When her husband, Marko, a reluctant member of the Waffen-SS, forces her to deliver a coded message to an underground bunker, she’s terrified. But when her mission doesn’t go as planned, and her son, Taras, is kidnapped by the KGB, Savka fears she’ll never see him again.
Salt Spring Island, 1972
For Jeanie Esterhazy, the world, with its whispers and curious eyes, is too much to bear. Ever since the horrific accident that left her badly scarred, Jeanie, unable to remember anything about that awful day, has pulled away from society, utterly isolated.
Then a mysterious stranger appears at her house, and Jeanie suddenly begins having flashbacks about the night of her wedding—flashbacks that hold answers to the questions she’s had for years; flashbacks that make her realize the world around her is not as it seems.
Weaving together Savka and Jeanie's stories with artful precision, The Last Secret is at once luminous and transporting, a brilliant and impossible-to-forget story of love, hope, and the breathtaking resilience of women.
Ukraine, 1944
As the world around her is ripped apart by war and infiltrated by Nazi soldiers, Savka Ivanets works as a medic for the Ukrainian resistance, stitching wounds by day, stealing supplies by night, and dodging firefights between the SS and Soviet partisans. When her husband, Marko, a reluctant member of the Waffen-SS, forces her to deliver a coded message to an underground bunker, she’s terrified. But when her mission doesn’t go as planned, and her son, Taras, is kidnapped by the KGB, Savka fears she’ll never see him again.
Salt Spring Island, 1972
For Jeanie Esterhazy, the world, with its whispers and curious eyes, is too much to bear. Ever since the horrific accident that left her badly scarred, Jeanie, unable to remember anything about that awful day, has pulled away from society, utterly isolated.
Then a mysterious stranger appears at her house, and Jeanie suddenly begins having flashbacks about the night of her wedding—flashbacks that hold answers to the questions she’s had for years; flashbacks that make her realize the world around her is not as it seems.
Weaving together Savka and Jeanie's stories with artful precision, The Last Secret is at once luminous and transporting, a brilliant and impossible-to-forget story of love, hope, and the breathtaking resilience of women.
416 pages, Paperback
Published September 24, 2024
94 people are currently reading
1496 people want to read
About the author
Maia Caron
4 books52 followersBorn and raised in the mountains of British Columbia, Maia Caron is the Métis author of Song of Batoche, a historical novel that was #11 on CBC’s 95 must-read books of 2017, CBC’s Historical Novels to Read this Summer list, and was chosen by Raven Reads as their spring 2018 Read for Reconciliation. She has had short stories and essays in The Dalhousie Review, The Nashwaak Review, the Women Awakening series, and Skeptic Magazine.
Maia’s new dual timeline historical novel set in 1944 Ukraine and 1972 Salt Spring Island, will be published September 24, 2024 by Doubleday Canada.
THE LAST SECRET was inspired by two remarkable real life heroines—a Ukrainian resistance fighter and a famous landscape artist—haunted by buried secrets and linked by a KGB operative who hunts for a mysterious classified roster list to punish Ukrainian soldiers who fought against Russia in WWII.
Maia is a member of the Manitoba Métis Federation and a citizen of the Métis Nation: She lives in the wild Pacific Northwest.
Maia’s new dual timeline historical novel set in 1944 Ukraine and 1972 Salt Spring Island, will be published September 24, 2024 by Doubleday Canada.
THE LAST SECRET was inspired by two remarkable real life heroines—a Ukrainian resistance fighter and a famous landscape artist—haunted by buried secrets and linked by a KGB operative who hunts for a mysterious classified roster list to punish Ukrainian soldiers who fought against Russia in WWII.
Maia is a member of the Manitoba Métis Federation and a citizen of the Métis Nation: She lives in the wild Pacific Northwest.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
October 16, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
3.5 stars
Maia Caron presents readers with a dual timeline narrative that takes readers from Ukraine in the 1940s to 1972 Canada and many points in between. Although I freely admit that I wondered "Where exactly are these storylines going,?" I am glad I stuck around to find out what would happen. This book also bears the honour of holding within it several characters that just boiled my blood. 🤣
I appreciated the author's note and inclusion of the resources that helped her bring all the ideas together for this book.
Publication Date 24/09/24
Goodreads Review 14/10/24
3.5 stars
Maia Caron presents readers with a dual timeline narrative that takes readers from Ukraine in the 1940s to 1972 Canada and many points in between. Although I freely admit that I wondered "Where exactly are these storylines going,?" I am glad I stuck around to find out what would happen. This book also bears the honour of holding within it several characters that just boiled my blood. 🤣
I appreciated the author's note and inclusion of the resources that helped her bring all the ideas together for this book.
Publication Date 24/09/24
Goodreads Review 14/10/24
September 23, 2024
Epic Ukrainian-Canadian Saga
Review of the Doubleday Canada paperback, audiobook & eBook (to be published September 24, 2024) read via a NetGalley Kindle ARC (downloaded August 22, 2024).
Two women are trapped in figurative prisons not of their own making. There are secrets upon secrets which are either hidden or lost and which they both seek to uncover. All will be revealed in the end, but it will take a journey across time from 1944's WW2 battlegrounds in Ukraine to the 1972 shores of Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, Canada before the last secret is unveiled.
In 1944, Savka Ivanets is forced from her home on a mission for the Ukrainian Underground resistance by her husband Marko, who is embedded with the Waffen SS on orders from the independence movement leaders who hope to build a future Ukrainian Army to resist both German and Russian invaders. She falls into the hands of the Russian NKVD Secret Police who kidnap her son Taras to hold as a means to force her to do their bidding. Her journey to find her son will take her to Poland, to England and finally to Canada. But agents of the now Russian KGB follow her at every turn.
In 1972, reclusive painter Jeannie Esterhazy is kept as a virtual prisoner in her aunt's home of Salt Spring Island. Her caregiver is not the benign nurse that she may first appear to be. Jeannie is regularly kept drugged and complacent, but is still capable of producing a regular output of paintings. Jeannie is the survivor of a burn incident in her youth but also of a traumatic incident when she was recovering in hospital in 1959. Then one day a man appears on the island asking questions about the past. The scene is set for a final confrontation where the secrets from both 1944 and 1959 will be revealed at last.
Maia Caron has produced an epic historical fiction which reveals the further back history of the struggles for Ukrainian independence which are still being fought for during the current Russian invasion and terror. Caron's research on the historical background was quite extensive and the story does not shy away from the horrors that otherwise innocent people must endure in vicious conflicts. Various characters were inspired by actual real-life people and author Caron provides some of that background in her concluding Author's Note.
My thanks to the author, the publisher Doubleday Canada and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this preview ARC, in exchange for which I provide this honest review.
Trivia and Link
Author Maia Caron is of Métis heritage and is also the author of Song of Batoche (2017) which is a historical fiction about Louis Riel and the North-West Rebellion.
Review of the Doubleday Canada paperback, audiobook & eBook (to be published September 24, 2024) read via a NetGalley Kindle ARC (downloaded August 22, 2024).
Two women are trapped in figurative prisons not of their own making. There are secrets upon secrets which are either hidden or lost and which they both seek to uncover. All will be revealed in the end, but it will take a journey across time from 1944's WW2 battlegrounds in Ukraine to the 1972 shores of Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, Canada before the last secret is unveiled.
In 1944, Savka Ivanets is forced from her home on a mission for the Ukrainian Underground resistance by her husband Marko, who is embedded with the Waffen SS on orders from the independence movement leaders who hope to build a future Ukrainian Army to resist both German and Russian invaders. She falls into the hands of the Russian NKVD Secret Police who kidnap her son Taras to hold as a means to force her to do their bidding. Her journey to find her son will take her to Poland, to England and finally to Canada. But agents of the now Russian KGB follow her at every turn.
In 1972, reclusive painter Jeannie Esterhazy is kept as a virtual prisoner in her aunt's home of Salt Spring Island. Her caregiver is not the benign nurse that she may first appear to be. Jeannie is regularly kept drugged and complacent, but is still capable of producing a regular output of paintings. Jeannie is the survivor of a burn incident in her youth but also of a traumatic incident when she was recovering in hospital in 1959. Then one day a man appears on the island asking questions about the past. The scene is set for a final confrontation where the secrets from both 1944 and 1959 will be revealed at last.
Maia Caron has produced an epic historical fiction which reveals the further back history of the struggles for Ukrainian independence which are still being fought for during the current Russian invasion and terror. Caron's research on the historical background was quite extensive and the story does not shy away from the horrors that otherwise innocent people must endure in vicious conflicts. Various characters were inspired by actual real-life people and author Caron provides some of that background in her concluding Author's Note.
My thanks to the author, the publisher Doubleday Canada and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this preview ARC, in exchange for which I provide this honest review.
Trivia and Link
Author Maia Caron is of Métis heritage and is also the author of Song of Batoche (2017) which is a historical fiction about Louis Riel and the North-West Rebellion.
September 21, 2024
An exceptional story of brave women, Jeanie Esterhazy and Savka Ivanets, with a cast filled with memorable characters.
A story filled with secrets, a story of survival, love, several brave women, and many more memorable moments, of love and life, often heartbreaking, romance, and beautifully written. But, there is a darker side, including secrets, the horrors endured, the lies and betrayals, and violation. It is not a simple or happy story, but it is one that you likely won’t forget.
The experiences endured are captivating, hard to turn away from, and the desire and power of love is strongly felt, while at the same time the story shares survival stories, courage, the horrors endured, defiance, clandestine meetings, violation, secrets, lies, survival, betrayals, and the power of love.
A powerful and profound read.
Pub Date: 24 Sep 2024
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Doubleday Canada / Penguin Random House
August 17, 2024
The Last Secret is a complex and captivating historical mystery novel set in Ukraine during the Second World II and in Canada in the 1970s. As a scholar of Ukrainian Canadian history, literature, and culture, I was impressed with the author's attention to historical nuance. I hope there is a book #2 about Ewa.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
September 13, 2024
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Sept. 24, 2024
Ukraine, 1944: Savka is a young wife and mother, working for the Ukrainian resistance as a nurse, while the war wages around her. When her young son, Taras, is taken by the KGB, she fears she won’t ever see him again.
Salt Spring Island, Canada, 1972: Jeanie is an invalid after a tragic fire on her wedding day. She lives in her deceased aunt’s estate, with no one but her caregiver, Pat, for company. Jeanie can’t remember what happened during her stay in the hospital but, according to Pat, it is a memory best left in the past. Until a handsome stranger shows up on the island, insisting that Pat is keeping more than Jeanie’s secrets…….
Two women, tied in unexpected ways, surviving insurmountable odds, is the basis behind Maia Caron’s new historical fiction novel, “The Last Secret: A Novel”. “Secret” is the Canadian-born Caron’s second novel, and I’m always on board to support Canadian talent, especially women.
The story is dual-timeline, narrated by both Savka and Jeanie, although we do hear very briefly from other characters in the novel. Right away, an immediate bond was formed with the strong, brave and incredibly resilient women who suffered entirely different tragedies and managed to overcome them. Although there are subtle hints throughout the novel as to how the women are connected, Caron unveils it very slowly, making the reveal powerful and believable.
“Secret” was complex, intriguing and mysterious, but, for some unidentified reason, it took me a bit of time to really get into the plot. Once I did, though, there was no slowing down. I was fascinated by the story of Jeanie, the Fire Bride, and the bravery of Savka, who risked everything to save her son. As most historical fiction novels, the story is loosely based on real people, who Caron credits in the end notes.
I always enjoy reading World War Two novels, especially those that take place in other European nations, as they are not often explored or given the credit they rightly deserve. Caron’s novel is well-researched, creative and emotional, and “Secret” will be an automatic must-read for any historical fiction reader. I was intrigued by Caron’s writing style and will definitely be seeking out her works in the future.
Expected publication date: Sept. 24, 2024
Ukraine, 1944: Savka is a young wife and mother, working for the Ukrainian resistance as a nurse, while the war wages around her. When her young son, Taras, is taken by the KGB, she fears she won’t ever see him again.
Salt Spring Island, Canada, 1972: Jeanie is an invalid after a tragic fire on her wedding day. She lives in her deceased aunt’s estate, with no one but her caregiver, Pat, for company. Jeanie can’t remember what happened during her stay in the hospital but, according to Pat, it is a memory best left in the past. Until a handsome stranger shows up on the island, insisting that Pat is keeping more than Jeanie’s secrets…….
Two women, tied in unexpected ways, surviving insurmountable odds, is the basis behind Maia Caron’s new historical fiction novel, “The Last Secret: A Novel”. “Secret” is the Canadian-born Caron’s second novel, and I’m always on board to support Canadian talent, especially women.
The story is dual-timeline, narrated by both Savka and Jeanie, although we do hear very briefly from other characters in the novel. Right away, an immediate bond was formed with the strong, brave and incredibly resilient women who suffered entirely different tragedies and managed to overcome them. Although there are subtle hints throughout the novel as to how the women are connected, Caron unveils it very slowly, making the reveal powerful and believable.
“Secret” was complex, intriguing and mysterious, but, for some unidentified reason, it took me a bit of time to really get into the plot. Once I did, though, there was no slowing down. I was fascinated by the story of Jeanie, the Fire Bride, and the bravery of Savka, who risked everything to save her son. As most historical fiction novels, the story is loosely based on real people, who Caron credits in the end notes.
I always enjoy reading World War Two novels, especially those that take place in other European nations, as they are not often explored or given the credit they rightly deserve. Caron’s novel is well-researched, creative and emotional, and “Secret” will be an automatic must-read for any historical fiction reader. I was intrigued by Caron’s writing style and will definitely be seeking out her works in the future.
September 20, 2024
Highly recommend this one for anyone who loves Historical Fiction. Great characters. Loved Jeanie and Savka.
The title also holds a significant meaning but you will have to read the book and authors note, to find that out.
Thank you Maia Caron for writing this book. It’s one I will remember and share.
Thank you Penguin Random House, for the ARC!
I will certainly be recommending this to customers at the store.
The title also holds a significant meaning but you will have to read the book and authors note, to find that out.
Thank you Maia Caron for writing this book. It’s one I will remember and share.
Thank you Penguin Random House, for the ARC!
I will certainly be recommending this to customers at the store.
November 14, 2024
Thank you Penguin Random House Canada | Doubleday Canada for allowing me to read and review The Last Secret A Novel by Maia Caron on NetGalley.
Published: 09/24/24
Stars: 2.5
This was a total miss for me. Dual timelines: 1944 Ukraine I didn't believe it. 1972 Salt Spring Island went on far too long.
There is profanity. This is a point of contention. Caron is writing to women. I found the swearing senseless and disrespectful to all the people who died in real life giving her the right to choose her words.
I didn't see it coming, didn't expect it, nor did I like the female sex.
I would suggest removing the profanity and consider short stories.
Published: 09/24/24
Stars: 2.5
This was a total miss for me. Dual timelines: 1944 Ukraine I didn't believe it. 1972 Salt Spring Island went on far too long.
There is profanity. This is a point of contention. Caron is writing to women. I found the swearing senseless and disrespectful to all the people who died in real life giving her the right to choose her words.
I didn't see it coming, didn't expect it, nor did I like the female sex.
I would suggest removing the profanity and consider short stories.
August 6, 2024
1944 -Ukraine. Savka works as a medic for the Ukrainian underground. Her husband has joined the Nazi’s Ukrainian SS unit to fight back against the Russians. When she is attacked by Soviets in the woods and her son is taken in exchange for her spying on her husband Savka will have to make some hard choices and walk a razors edge to keep those she loves alive.
1972 - Salt Spring Island. Jeanie survived a terrible accident and lost her memories surrounding it and has since lived a quiet reclusive life with only her nurse, Pat. But lately Jeanie is starting to remember things and she is starting to think Pat might not just be her nurse, she might be her jailer.
Definitely a slow and steady build up. I did struggle a little in the beginning, there were a lot of characters and places and plot lines introduced at the very start. Once I got everyone squared away in my head I was able to get into the plot more and the more I read the more curious I got about how these two very separate stories would intersect. Inspired by true events and real people with a fictional spin Maia Caron has created a beautiful story.
Thank you to Netgalley and Double Day for providing me an advanced copy for review.
1972 - Salt Spring Island. Jeanie survived a terrible accident and lost her memories surrounding it and has since lived a quiet reclusive life with only her nurse, Pat. But lately Jeanie is starting to remember things and she is starting to think Pat might not just be her nurse, she might be her jailer.
Definitely a slow and steady build up. I did struggle a little in the beginning, there were a lot of characters and places and plot lines introduced at the very start. Once I got everyone squared away in my head I was able to get into the plot more and the more I read the more curious I got about how these two very separate stories would intersect. Inspired by true events and real people with a fictional spin Maia Caron has created a beautiful story.
Thank you to Netgalley and Double Day for providing me an advanced copy for review.
July 31, 2024
A book with a historical WW II storyline is usually a must read for me. This book had the added bonus of local BC, Canada geography so I was very happy to receive an ARC of this story. Thank you to the publisher, Net Galley and the author for the opportunity to read this before it is published in September.
What I liked:
- two strong female characters. I was rooting for both of them the whole way
- this book showed another side of WWII that I did not know much about
- the two timelines and the story ending in the 1970's rather than present day
- the author writes beautifully. Very descriptive without being overdone. The author transports the reader to the location that is being described (cold winter forest or ocean island)
- a happy ending
It took me a while to be interested in the characters and the story. It did not grip me from the beginning - more of a slow burn. Also, suspend your disbelief with this one. There were a few things (like the KGB agents that kept popping up) that I found too far fetched but this is a fictional story.
This would make a great movie!
What I liked:
- two strong female characters. I was rooting for both of them the whole way
- this book showed another side of WWII that I did not know much about
- the two timelines and the story ending in the 1970's rather than present day
- the author writes beautifully. Very descriptive without being overdone. The author transports the reader to the location that is being described (cold winter forest or ocean island)
- a happy ending
It took me a while to be interested in the characters and the story. It did not grip me from the beginning - more of a slow burn. Also, suspend your disbelief with this one. There were a few things (like the KGB agents that kept popping up) that I found too far fetched but this is a fictional story.
This would make a great movie!
September 17, 2025
A beautifully woven story about Savka, starting in Ukraine in 1944 and then mingling with Jeanie’s story who we meet in 1972 at Salt Spring Island. Both have something in common, first, memories that were hidden and they couldn’t remember, and the love, though different, for the same man. Both have battles to fight and need to free themselves of others, who are keeping them from living their lives.
An historical fiction that I totally recommend!
An historical fiction that I totally recommend!
September 30, 2024
Member Review

The Last Secret
by Maia Caron
Pub Date: Sep 24 2024
Review by
Mary Ellen A, Reviewer
Last updated on Sep 29 2024
This was a wonderful read. I was so impressed with the amount of research done on this book.
I love historical fiction based on fact and this story did not disappoint. I would highly recommend this book to everyone I know. This story takes place in two time lines, 1944 in the Ukraine, during World War 2 and in Canada during the 70's.
Russian spies, Germany and Ukrainian people trying to protect those they love. Lies, secrets, betrayal between people you thought you could trust. . A world at War and two women collide, one from 1944, after the war is over and another in Canada in 1972. This is beautiful written, and you feel for these women. They will do anything for their children and the ones they love. Even if it means death for them. You hate what they have been put through by ones they loved and trusted.
I will give the book, The Last Secret, by Maia Caron 5 out of 5. I hope everyone picks up this book and make sure you read what the author wrote while she was researching. It is truly inspirational.

The Last Secret
by Maia Caron
Pub Date: Sep 24 2024
Review by
Mary Ellen A, Reviewer
Last updated on Sep 29 2024
This was a wonderful read. I was so impressed with the amount of research done on this book.
I love historical fiction based on fact and this story did not disappoint. I would highly recommend this book to everyone I know. This story takes place in two time lines, 1944 in the Ukraine, during World War 2 and in Canada during the 70's.
Russian spies, Germany and Ukrainian people trying to protect those they love. Lies, secrets, betrayal between people you thought you could trust. . A world at War and two women collide, one from 1944, after the war is over and another in Canada in 1972. This is beautiful written, and you feel for these women. They will do anything for their children and the ones they love. Even if it means death for them. You hate what they have been put through by ones they loved and trusted.
I will give the book, The Last Secret, by Maia Caron 5 out of 5. I hope everyone picks up this book and make sure you read what the author wrote while she was researching. It is truly inspirational.
August 7, 2024
Review: The Last Secret by Maia Caron
The Last Secret is a dual timeline, multi-POV historical fiction with mystery and intrigue. The story is set in WWII Ukraine/Russia where a family is torn apart by war and later in the 1970s when a woman with a tragic past is realizing she is a captive in her own house. These two disparate timelines seem unconnected, but slowly a web of secrets unfolds. What is the last secret? Will confronting the secrets bring closure or chaos.
This sweeping narrative drew me in from the first few chapters as I tried to tease the mystery from its pages. I grew attached to the character’s stories and loved or loathed them. The multi-POV was fairly easy to follow and added suspense and suspicion as the story unfolded. I highly recommend for those who enjoy Kate Quinn and Julia Kelly books.
Thank you to Penguin Randomhouse Canada and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
The Last Secret is a dual timeline, multi-POV historical fiction with mystery and intrigue. The story is set in WWII Ukraine/Russia where a family is torn apart by war and later in the 1970s when a woman with a tragic past is realizing she is a captive in her own house. These two disparate timelines seem unconnected, but slowly a web of secrets unfolds. What is the last secret? Will confronting the secrets bring closure or chaos.
This sweeping narrative drew me in from the first few chapters as I tried to tease the mystery from its pages. I grew attached to the character’s stories and loved or loathed them. The multi-POV was fairly easy to follow and added suspense and suspicion as the story unfolded. I highly recommend for those who enjoy Kate Quinn and Julia Kelly books.
Thank you to Penguin Randomhouse Canada and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
January 22, 2025
RSetting her story in both 1944 Ukraine and later in 1972 Saltspring Island in British Columbia, Maia Caron presents an gripping story of secrets, espionage, theft, and abuse, linking two seemingly disconnected sets of characters together brilliantly.
In 1944, Savka is forced by the Ukrainian underground resistance, and her husband Marko, a leader in the resistance on a mission. He disappears soon after on his own mission. Not only is Savka captured and forced to spy for the NKVD, the Russian Secret Police, but her compliance is ensured by the kidnapping of her son Taras. She does reunite with Marko eventually; he is a vastly changed man after his wartime experiences, and their marriage is irreparably damaged by his angers, and her forced spying on him.
Later, Savka does her best to track Taras down, a journey that will take her to Poland, England and finally to Canada. But no matter how hard she tries to evade him, she's followed and harassed by her NKVD handler, an odious and frightening man.
In 1972, a young woman and reclusive painter, Jeannie Esterhazy, is kept a captive in her home by her caregiver. Jeannie suffered burns after a childhood accident in 1959, and still lives with the trauma of the incident. She's kept drugged and compliant by her overbearing and mercurial nurse. Then, a young man appears at her door asking questions about her past, which sets Jeannie on a path to finding a way to escape her imprisonment.
I was rooting for Jeannie and Savka to escape their captors/aggressors; these two characters' strength impressed me, as well as how hard they strove for freedom and love.
Caron's story is gripping, and initially had me greatly puzzled by how Savka and Jeannie's lives would ever intersect, which they do, in both an understandable but also satisfying way. At the same time, I was impressed with the historical details, including the dangers and horrors that ordinary people experienced during such a violent and far-ranging war.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Penguin Random House Canada for this ARC in exchange for my review.
In 1944, Savka is forced by the Ukrainian underground resistance, and her husband Marko, a leader in the resistance on a mission. He disappears soon after on his own mission. Not only is Savka captured and forced to spy for the NKVD, the Russian Secret Police, but her compliance is ensured by the kidnapping of her son Taras. She does reunite with Marko eventually; he is a vastly changed man after his wartime experiences, and their marriage is irreparably damaged by his angers, and her forced spying on him.
Later, Savka does her best to track Taras down, a journey that will take her to Poland, England and finally to Canada. But no matter how hard she tries to evade him, she's followed and harassed by her NKVD handler, an odious and frightening man.
In 1972, a young woman and reclusive painter, Jeannie Esterhazy, is kept a captive in her home by her caregiver. Jeannie suffered burns after a childhood accident in 1959, and still lives with the trauma of the incident. She's kept drugged and compliant by her overbearing and mercurial nurse. Then, a young man appears at her door asking questions about her past, which sets Jeannie on a path to finding a way to escape her imprisonment.
I was rooting for Jeannie and Savka to escape their captors/aggressors; these two characters' strength impressed me, as well as how hard they strove for freedom and love.
Caron's story is gripping, and initially had me greatly puzzled by how Savka and Jeannie's lives would ever intersect, which they do, in both an understandable but also satisfying way. At the same time, I was impressed with the historical details, including the dangers and horrors that ordinary people experienced during such a violent and far-ranging war.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Penguin Random House Canada for this ARC in exchange for my review.
August 2, 2024
4.5 stars!
Received as Advance Review Copy, with gratitude to the author, NetGalley, and Doubleday.
What a fantastic read - mystery, drama, tension, political intrigue - fantastic. Once I started I didn't want to put it down - definitely stayed up too late for a couple of nights to continue reading. The characters are well developed, the history well researched, the concept deliciously engrossing.
Two equally compelling yet unrelated storylines converge across years and geography in a matter of happenstance and coincidence, weaving together genres in a powerful way. Maia Caron has a clear mastery of engaging the reader.
I am so glad to have read this book.
Received as Advance Review Copy, with gratitude to the author, NetGalley, and Doubleday.
What a fantastic read - mystery, drama, tension, political intrigue - fantastic. Once I started I didn't want to put it down - definitely stayed up too late for a couple of nights to continue reading. The characters are well developed, the history well researched, the concept deliciously engrossing.
Two equally compelling yet unrelated storylines converge across years and geography in a matter of happenstance and coincidence, weaving together genres in a powerful way. Maia Caron has a clear mastery of engaging the reader.
I am so glad to have read this book.
February 28, 2025
2.5⭐️
Love me a dual timeline and multiple POV, but this one missed the mark on a few things for me.
I haven’t read much about life in Ukraine during the war, so I’m glad I read this. The degree of suffering Ukrainian people have endured, and still do today, is devastating. I always enjoy when the author includes a note at the end with their research. Lots of great suggestions of further reading.
I feel like the link between Jeanie and the Ivanets was forced. I think individually the stories would have been better told separately. I was far more interested in Savka and her family. Honestly, Jeanie was not a character I enjoyed… which I feel bad saying considering how much she has suffered.
The writing was captivating and beautiful but the blending of the two stories just didn’t work for me this time.
Love me a dual timeline and multiple POV, but this one missed the mark on a few things for me.
I haven’t read much about life in Ukraine during the war, so I’m glad I read this. The degree of suffering Ukrainian people have endured, and still do today, is devastating. I always enjoy when the author includes a note at the end with their research. Lots of great suggestions of further reading.
I feel like the link between Jeanie and the Ivanets was forced. I think individually the stories would have been better told separately. I was far more interested in Savka and her family. Honestly, Jeanie was not a character I enjoyed… which I feel bad saying considering how much she has suffered.
The writing was captivating and beautiful but the blending of the two stories just didn’t work for me this time.
December 19, 2024
This was so fascinating. I'm so mad I slept on this. It was such a cool and interesting story and I have never read anything about Ukraine in WW2. The two stories came together wonderfully and the mystery throughout kept me gripped. The audiobook cast were fantastic and I really recommend listening to it for a fuller experience. This is a great piece of historical fiction and I will definitely check out more from this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the arc I didn't get to in time.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the arc I didn't get to in time.
August 3, 2024
We follow Jeanie and Savka throughout this story. Jeanie is a reclusive artist who lives on an island and Savka is a Ukrainian resistance fighter during WW2. Their stories are beautifully written and show just what some people can survive. Their lives tie together in a most unusual way but no spoilers from me so read the book to find out how. A great read. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for my ARC.
February 23, 2025
I am a huge historical fiction fan, and it is my go-to genre, so it pains me to admit that I had to abandon this book. To be fair, I only read about a quarter of it, but I honestly did not enjoy either character of the dual timeline. I really wanted to love it as my favourite author, Genevieve Graham, wrote a glowing recommendation that appears on the cover. But alas, there are too many great books waiting to be read for me to waste my time on a book that I don't love.
September 24, 2024
The Last Secret by Maia Caron, a story that captured the horrors of war from a woman’s perspective in 1944 Ukraine and a mysterious link to an isolated female artist living in 1970s Salt Spring Island, Canada. A fascinating combination that drew me in - and if you love historical fiction and enjoy the challenge of unraveling a mystery, with frequent flashback and flashforwards, this is a book for you. The plot involving a war in Ukraine was particularly poignant given the events in the world today. Thank you to Doubleday Canada and NetGalley for the advanced copy!
The main characters in this are two women, brave in their own way each having to deal with dangerous situations with unsavory individuals – who can they trust? Savka Ivanets as a Ukrainian resistance fighter/ medic with a young son, is in constant unimaginable danger while having to make agonizing decisions between her role in the war and that of a mother. And her role of a wife, as she still loves her husband Marko, a leader in the resistance who has been missing and whom she has placed on a pedestal based on happier pre-war times. There are constant shadowy figures throughout her life that she can never get away from.
Flashing forward, Jeanie Esterhazy is a successful but reclusive artist who lives under the constant watch of a nasty nurse on Salt Spring Island. Jeanie experienced a tragic accident as a young woman which she has little memory of. She seeks independence as bits and pieces of her past come back to her, and she suspects that her nurse is more of a jailor than a guardian with her best interest at heart. She is also looking to get away much like Savka.
How are these two women, several years apart, connected by a decades long unsolved death?
I love books that feature strong, independent, intelligent women, and both Savka and Jeanie filled the bill. At times it could be frustrating as an outsider seeing what I saw, but the frustration was likely purposeful. I did find that some of the characters were caricatures in that they were very black and white “evil”, too easy to hate like text book villains. I prefer more nuance – that being said there were a few surprises along the way and I liked how that the story wrapped up with some drama and resolution.
The main characters in this are two women, brave in their own way each having to deal with dangerous situations with unsavory individuals – who can they trust? Savka Ivanets as a Ukrainian resistance fighter/ medic with a young son, is in constant unimaginable danger while having to make agonizing decisions between her role in the war and that of a mother. And her role of a wife, as she still loves her husband Marko, a leader in the resistance who has been missing and whom she has placed on a pedestal based on happier pre-war times. There are constant shadowy figures throughout her life that she can never get away from.
Flashing forward, Jeanie Esterhazy is a successful but reclusive artist who lives under the constant watch of a nasty nurse on Salt Spring Island. Jeanie experienced a tragic accident as a young woman which she has little memory of. She seeks independence as bits and pieces of her past come back to her, and she suspects that her nurse is more of a jailor than a guardian with her best interest at heart. She is also looking to get away much like Savka.
How are these two women, several years apart, connected by a decades long unsolved death?
I love books that feature strong, independent, intelligent women, and both Savka and Jeanie filled the bill. At times it could be frustrating as an outsider seeing what I saw, but the frustration was likely purposeful. I did find that some of the characters were caricatures in that they were very black and white “evil”, too easy to hate like text book villains. I prefer more nuance – that being said there were a few surprises along the way and I liked how that the story wrapped up with some drama and resolution.
July 5, 2025
Wow what to say about this book, this is a dual time-line book with one story line set in 1972 on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia and a second story line starting in 1944 in the Ukraine, this book was so interesting. I honestly don’t think I have read a book set in the Ukraine and previously did not understand the situation the Ukraine was in during WWII with Russia having recently caused a famine (and literally starved tens of thousands of Ukrainians) and the hatred the two had for each other, such that there was much support to be part of the Germany military if it meant trying to rid the Ukraine of Russians, I previously did not know this history.
The 1944 story line follows a husband and wife and their son as they navigate life as Ukrainians, the husband is part of the German military and the wife lives with her mother and sister, life becomes difficult with the husband be wanted by the Russians for his role fighting against the Russians. And the wife must do what she can to keep her son safe when he is sent to the Russian Gulags at the age of 13.
Then there is the 1972 story line where we follow Jeanie as she is being held prisoner in her own home and you learn that she was involved in an accident 13 years ago and was in the hospital for 2 years recovering. I are wondering how the storyline connect.
This book will pull you in with multiple POV’s and chapter lengths that keeps each storyline fresh and engaging that you don’t want to stop reading. I had my eye on this book when it was originally released last year and I am so glad I finally took the leap to read it, this is a story that will pull at your heartstrings, have you questioning what is real and will give you insights into a part of history that is not commonly talked about. This is a book I definitely recommend reading.
The 1944 story line follows a husband and wife and their son as they navigate life as Ukrainians, the husband is part of the German military and the wife lives with her mother and sister, life becomes difficult with the husband be wanted by the Russians for his role fighting against the Russians. And the wife must do what she can to keep her son safe when he is sent to the Russian Gulags at the age of 13.
Then there is the 1972 story line where we follow Jeanie as she is being held prisoner in her own home and you learn that she was involved in an accident 13 years ago and was in the hospital for 2 years recovering. I are wondering how the storyline connect.
This book will pull you in with multiple POV’s and chapter lengths that keeps each storyline fresh and engaging that you don’t want to stop reading. I had my eye on this book when it was originally released last year and I am so glad I finally took the leap to read it, this is a story that will pull at your heartstrings, have you questioning what is real and will give you insights into a part of history that is not commonly talked about. This is a book I definitely recommend reading.
October 13, 2024
This is an impressive novel. I have read many historical novels where I knew the setting and the outcome. I appreciated this book for its uncertainty. I couldn’t see the connections or the exact relationship until the author decided to reveal it. It is rare I find a novel like this that truly keeps me guessing. The character of Jeannie seemed wholly unnecessary, but interesting, until the author chose to reveal connections. The various settings were well drawn and the characters engrossing. I will seek out more from this author.
August 16, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. The Last secret is a story that begins with the war and goes between the past and present. Two stories set in different countries that comes together in a stunning ending. What a thrilling read! It showed the atrocities of war and had a few twists and turns that kept me turning the pages. I would recommend reading this book. I received a free book and the views and opinions are my own.
February 3, 2025
I'll admit this book was hard to follow and left me wondering how the stories are connected. They are meshed together unexpectedly but very well.
I especially appreciated the careful attention and true depiction of what Ukrainian women went through during WWII. These are stories that are often overlooked and even when told seem to be made up. Sadly, they are true and the heroines often forgotten in the pages of history. While these characters may be fictional, their experiences give voice to the millions of Ukrainian women fighting horrific evils.
Thank you for such a truthful depiction of their courage.
I especially appreciated the careful attention and true depiction of what Ukrainian women went through during WWII. These are stories that are often overlooked and even when told seem to be made up. Sadly, they are true and the heroines often forgotten in the pages of history. While these characters may be fictional, their experiences give voice to the millions of Ukrainian women fighting horrific evils.
Thank you for such a truthful depiction of their courage.
February 19, 2025
Having read the memoir/biography "A Traitor's Daughter" by Roxana Spicer, I thought "The Last Secret" would offer me another perspective of WWII in Eastern Europe and Ukraine, which it did, but through a formulaic historical fiction structure.
July 8, 2025
3.5 stars. RTC.
October 9, 2024
Some parts seemed a bit farfetched but still loved it and couldn't put it down.
October 22, 2024
The Last Secret by Maia Caron
This novel was amazing!
Told by several characters both past and present, it's an amazing story of war, survival, bravery, love and family. How two very different worlds come together.
The characters and settings are so well described, this book had me hooked from the beginning. I couldn't read fast enough to find out what happened next, and I also didn't want the novel to end
I will keep this authorb on my To Read list.
Thanks NetGalley for this ARC
This novel was amazing!
Told by several characters both past and present, it's an amazing story of war, survival, bravery, love and family. How two very different worlds come together.
The characters and settings are so well described, this book had me hooked from the beginning. I couldn't read fast enough to find out what happened next, and I also didn't want the novel to end
I will keep this authorb on my To Read list.
Thanks NetGalley for this ARC
January 21, 2025
A very interesting account of hte resistance movement in Ukraine during WWII, including the KGB as they hunt for the fighters. Along with this is a mystery about a woman who had been severely injured and burne and was being cared for by a not so nice guardian I found this tobe a very good read
January 10, 2025
Oh but this was very good, I loved how I kept wondering what was the link between the main POVs, how would it unfold. I enjoyed every bit of this book and I absolutely recommend it!
March 20, 2025
I just loves this book - what an eye opener for a time in history I didn't know much about.
The women characters are amazing and so strong - enjoyed their storylines and the different time frames.
I received this book as an ARC.
The women characters are amazing and so strong - enjoyed their storylines and the different time frames.
I received this book as an ARC.
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