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The Last Secret of The Soul: One boy. One Holocaust. One Survivor.
A moving and unforgettable story of one boy's desperate search for a place to call home in a world torn apart by war.
Ten-year-old Feitel, a Jewish boy at the tail end of the Second World War, arrives at a concentration camp and is separated from his mother. With only her last words 'Find somebody to look after you' to guide him, he is forced to navigate a hellish landscape of not only the last days of the Nazi regime but the horror that comes after it. Alone and adrift in the horror of a country and society in absolute ruin, Feitel draws on all his resilience and courage to make his way across Poland and Germany, seeking a place of safety in Berlin. How can a boy hope to find a family – the smallest unit of society – when the entirety of society has been laid to ruin with mass starvation, no economy and a hostile Red Army advancing on Berlin?
'A compelling tale of the trauma of war and the ties that bind us from a born storyteller at the top of his game.' Jon Stock.
'A must for all fans of Holocaust and World War 2 historical fiction.'
Top four bestseller in the ‘Jewish Literature’ category.
Ten-year-old Feitel, a Jewish boy at the tail end of the Second World War, arrives at a concentration camp and is separated from his mother. With only her last words 'Find somebody to look after you' to guide him, he is forced to navigate a hellish landscape of not only the last days of the Nazi regime but the horror that comes after it. Alone and adrift in the horror of a country and society in absolute ruin, Feitel draws on all his resilience and courage to make his way across Poland and Germany, seeking a place of safety in Berlin. How can a boy hope to find a family – the smallest unit of society – when the entirety of society has been laid to ruin with mass starvation, no economy and a hostile Red Army advancing on Berlin?
'A compelling tale of the trauma of war and the ties that bind us from a born storyteller at the top of his game.' Jon Stock.
'A must for all fans of Holocaust and World War 2 historical fiction.'
Top four bestseller in the ‘Jewish Literature’ category.
263 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 8, 2025
9 people are currently reading
333 people want to read
About the author
Stephen P. Smith
9 books2 followersStephen P. Smith is a British fiction author specialising in the aftermath and loss of the World Wars with a second genre of comedy. He also writes non-fiction, covering his hill-walking, IT and Charlie Chaplin.
In January 2025 he published his third novel, 'The Last Secret of The Soul' about ten-year-old Feitel Scher's harrowing journey through the Holocaust unveiling a tale of courage, resilience, and the enduring bond between a mother and her son. Separated at the gates of a concentration camp, Feitel grapples with loss and loneliness, clinging to her last words: 'Find somebody to look after you.' As he navigates the horrors of the concentration camp and witnesses the devastation of war-torn Berlin, Feitel's quest to find sanctuary and someone to care for him becomes a poignant story of hope in the face of unimaginable darkness.
Stephen's second was a best-selling novella, 'The Veteran and The Boy', published in 2018. Set in 1930s rural England where the Great War still casts its shadow. One ex-soldier, ‘The Veteran’, is suffering from shellshock and spends his days wandering between the market town of Devizes and the surrounding villages. He’s as outcast as the bullied schoolboy, Billy Shelton, who he befriends and protects. But when The Veteran is accused of a crime its Billy's turn to step in and protect him. Described as 'A bewitching story of a homeless World War 1 with a dark and powerful ending'.
In 2018 he published his first novel, 'The Unsound Convictions of Judge Stephen Mentall'. Stephen describes this as an irreverent, high-pace, anarchistic romp, covering contemporary topics such as the sexual shenanigans of once untouchable establishment figures, police force mergers, poor quality care homes and the struggles the establishment has in keeping pace with political correctness.
Stephen has had books published on computer programming, Charlie Chaplin, (a biography entitled 'The Charlie Chaplin Walk') and two best-selling autobiographies charting his hill-walking entitled 'The Munros' and 'Walking it Through'.
Stephen has a first class honours degree in Computing and Electronics, a field he then worked in for thirty years before retiring in 2017 to concentrate on his writing and hill walking.
Stephen is also a seasoned rail campaigner and in 2013 he received Rail Future's Clara Zilahi Award for Best Campaigner.
In January 2025 he published his third novel, 'The Last Secret of The Soul' about ten-year-old Feitel Scher's harrowing journey through the Holocaust unveiling a tale of courage, resilience, and the enduring bond between a mother and her son. Separated at the gates of a concentration camp, Feitel grapples with loss and loneliness, clinging to her last words: 'Find somebody to look after you.' As he navigates the horrors of the concentration camp and witnesses the devastation of war-torn Berlin, Feitel's quest to find sanctuary and someone to care for him becomes a poignant story of hope in the face of unimaginable darkness.
Stephen's second was a best-selling novella, 'The Veteran and The Boy', published in 2018. Set in 1930s rural England where the Great War still casts its shadow. One ex-soldier, ‘The Veteran’, is suffering from shellshock and spends his days wandering between the market town of Devizes and the surrounding villages. He’s as outcast as the bullied schoolboy, Billy Shelton, who he befriends and protects. But when The Veteran is accused of a crime its Billy's turn to step in and protect him. Described as 'A bewitching story of a homeless World War 1 with a dark and powerful ending'.
In 2018 he published his first novel, 'The Unsound Convictions of Judge Stephen Mentall'. Stephen describes this as an irreverent, high-pace, anarchistic romp, covering contemporary topics such as the sexual shenanigans of once untouchable establishment figures, police force mergers, poor quality care homes and the struggles the establishment has in keeping pace with political correctness.
Stephen has had books published on computer programming, Charlie Chaplin, (a biography entitled 'The Charlie Chaplin Walk') and two best-selling autobiographies charting his hill-walking entitled 'The Munros' and 'Walking it Through'.
Stephen has a first class honours degree in Computing and Electronics, a field he then worked in for thirty years before retiring in 2017 to concentrate on his writing and hill walking.
Stephen is also a seasoned rail campaigner and in 2013 he received Rail Future's Clara Zilahi Award for Best Campaigner.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 20, 2025
10 year old Feitel is trying to make sense of his new world.
The Second World War is soon to come to an end but for Feitel it is just starting as his father is hauled away from his home in Berlin and Feitel and his mother are forced on the long train journey to the concentration camps. His mother is pushed into a different queue to her young boy.
‘Find somebody to look after you’, she cries.
Herded into the dormitory with the other arrivals his new life, alone, is just beginning.
The story centres round Feitel’s journey, from daily life in the concentration camps to their destruction and his opportunity to escape. If he can make it home to Berlin will there be anyone there for him. If not where next?
The story flows along well, the descriptions and events give a vivid picture to the reader. This world is from the viewpoint of a 10 year old boy just starting his other personal journey to adolescence.
He is old enough to see what is happening around him but confused by his changing feelings and sensations. This is what makes the book so special - it is a very sensitive portrait of a very brave child who finds himself surrounded by the very worst of humanity. But the candle of hope burns bright for Feitel, to light his way and guide him to those who are the very best of humanity.
A moving and humbling story.
The Second World War is soon to come to an end but for Feitel it is just starting as his father is hauled away from his home in Berlin and Feitel and his mother are forced on the long train journey to the concentration camps. His mother is pushed into a different queue to her young boy.
‘Find somebody to look after you’, she cries.
Herded into the dormitory with the other arrivals his new life, alone, is just beginning.
The story centres round Feitel’s journey, from daily life in the concentration camps to their destruction and his opportunity to escape. If he can make it home to Berlin will there be anyone there for him. If not where next?
The story flows along well, the descriptions and events give a vivid picture to the reader. This world is from the viewpoint of a 10 year old boy just starting his other personal journey to adolescence.
He is old enough to see what is happening around him but confused by his changing feelings and sensations. This is what makes the book so special - it is a very sensitive portrait of a very brave child who finds himself surrounded by the very worst of humanity. But the candle of hope burns bright for Feitel, to light his way and guide him to those who are the very best of humanity.
A moving and humbling story.
Read
March 9, 2025In this the 80th year of end of World War 2, it is essential that books like this continue to be written to remind us of the horrors and atrocities that Jewish individuals, families and communities suffered at the hands of the Nazis. This book also reminds us that others suffered at the hands of Russian troops in Germany inflicted on such after the defeat of Hitler.
It must not be forgotten that the horrors of the Holocaust are still felt by the few brave individuals who survived it and their loved ones so long after the event
The book is well written and easy to follow without numerous turn backs for reminders. It is an emotion engendering read.
Steve's heritage enables it to be written with feeling and sensitivity.
.
It must not be forgotten that the horrors of the Holocaust are still felt by the few brave individuals who survived it and their loved ones so long after the event
The book is well written and easy to follow without numerous turn backs for reminders. It is an emotion engendering read.
Steve's heritage enables it to be written with feeling and sensitivity.
.
January 23, 2025
To date, The Last Secret of The Soul has received nothing but 5-star Amazon reviews. Here are the very kind reviews:
22/01/2025 Sam
Wow- just wow ! what a superb read, extremely well written and could just imagine myself actually being there in the characters view point. I read it in two sittings and could easily have carried on and done it in only one, if it hadn't been midnight at the half way point, will definitely be ordering more books form this author.
20/01/2025 Clare
The Second World War is soon to come to an end but for Feitel it is just starting as his father is hauled away from his home in Berlin and Feitel and his mother are forced on the long train journey to the concentration camps. His mother is pushed into a different queue to her young boy. ‘Find somebody to look after you’, she cries. Herded into the dormitory with the other arrivals his new life, alone, is just beginning.
The story centres round Feitel’s journey, from daily life in the concentration camps to their destruction and his opportunity to escape. If he can make it home to Berlin will there be anyone there for him. If not where next?
The story flows along well, the descriptions and events give a vivid picture to the reader. This world is from the viewpoint of a 10 year old boy just starting his other personal journey to adolescence.
He is old enough to see what is happening around him but confused by his changing feelings and sensations. This is what makes the book so special - it is a very sensitive portrait of a very brave child who finds himself surrounded by the very worst of humanity. But the candle of hope burns bright for Feitel, to light his way and guide him to those who are the very best of humanity.
A moving and humbling story.
20/01/2025 Pamela
This is an amazing story of a boy's survival against the odds, beautifully and sensitively told. It is a very moving story and feels true.
20/01/2025 Peter
A Jewish boy aged ten struggles against almost impossible odds to survive the horrors of the Holocaust and find his way to safety. The reader travels with the main character through the story. I could not read the epilogue without feeling a surge of emotion.
17/01/2025 Liane and Bruce
This book is a well written graphic description of a small boy's survival of the holocaust. The author describes the horror of Feitel's imprisonment in a death camp, the loss of his family, and his subsequent journey out of this horror. I found it both moving and disturbing; it was difficult to put down as I was so involved in his story.
15/01/2025 Ellian
A darkly compelling read, the strength of the novel comes from not just the horrors of the Holocaust, but the horrors of industrialised war. The book does not shy away from the horrors of this backdrop but at the same time, a sense of hope and resilience pervades. With echoes of Boyne’s The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas, Hillers A Woman In Berlin and even Frankl’s Man’s Search For Meaning this is a compelling read worthy of your time and attention.
12/01/2025 Pinkpachderm
This book is really well written and thoroughly believable. Suitable for teenagers and adults m.
The main character is well drawn and provokes the reader’s sympathy.
It describes a very dark time of our recent history which we must not forget.
11/01/2025 Ellen
This is a brilliantly written tale of one boy's escape from the holocaust as he holds on to the memories of his mother. It's about the enduring bonds between family both old and new. Feitel is driven by his mothers final piece of advice to find someone to look after him. Poignant advice that both haunts and offers hope in equal measure, although not everyone Feitel meets is as welcoming as he might hope. Tension is everpresant as the characters struggle to survive starvation, murder, and worse. It's an arresting read that doesn't pull its punches.
The characters are really well drawn. In the final act there's a solid cast that help widen the readers focus. I was really invested in everyone's fates and kept wondering about them even when I was at work. There were multiple times where I felt my stomach drop as I knew someone wasn't going get out unscathed.
Smith is a brilliant storyteller - he knows when to let events speak for themselves and approaches the many horrors of the second world war with refreshingly simple descriptions that cut to your core without needing to revel in voyeuristic description. As a reader, the mingling of trauma and quiet hope is really moving and keeps you reading even at the darkest points.
I was absolutely hooked from the beginning. If you have an interest in historical fiction, this is a must-read.
22/01/2025 Sam
Wow- just wow ! what a superb read, extremely well written and could just imagine myself actually being there in the characters view point. I read it in two sittings and could easily have carried on and done it in only one, if it hadn't been midnight at the half way point, will definitely be ordering more books form this author.
20/01/2025 Clare
The Second World War is soon to come to an end but for Feitel it is just starting as his father is hauled away from his home in Berlin and Feitel and his mother are forced on the long train journey to the concentration camps. His mother is pushed into a different queue to her young boy. ‘Find somebody to look after you’, she cries. Herded into the dormitory with the other arrivals his new life, alone, is just beginning.
The story centres round Feitel’s journey, from daily life in the concentration camps to their destruction and his opportunity to escape. If he can make it home to Berlin will there be anyone there for him. If not where next?
The story flows along well, the descriptions and events give a vivid picture to the reader. This world is from the viewpoint of a 10 year old boy just starting his other personal journey to adolescence.
He is old enough to see what is happening around him but confused by his changing feelings and sensations. This is what makes the book so special - it is a very sensitive portrait of a very brave child who finds himself surrounded by the very worst of humanity. But the candle of hope burns bright for Feitel, to light his way and guide him to those who are the very best of humanity.
A moving and humbling story.
20/01/2025 Pamela
This is an amazing story of a boy's survival against the odds, beautifully and sensitively told. It is a very moving story and feels true.
20/01/2025 Peter
A Jewish boy aged ten struggles against almost impossible odds to survive the horrors of the Holocaust and find his way to safety. The reader travels with the main character through the story. I could not read the epilogue without feeling a surge of emotion.
17/01/2025 Liane and Bruce
This book is a well written graphic description of a small boy's survival of the holocaust. The author describes the horror of Feitel's imprisonment in a death camp, the loss of his family, and his subsequent journey out of this horror. I found it both moving and disturbing; it was difficult to put down as I was so involved in his story.
15/01/2025 Ellian
A darkly compelling read, the strength of the novel comes from not just the horrors of the Holocaust, but the horrors of industrialised war. The book does not shy away from the horrors of this backdrop but at the same time, a sense of hope and resilience pervades. With echoes of Boyne’s The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas, Hillers A Woman In Berlin and even Frankl’s Man’s Search For Meaning this is a compelling read worthy of your time and attention.
12/01/2025 Pinkpachderm
This book is really well written and thoroughly believable. Suitable for teenagers and adults m.
The main character is well drawn and provokes the reader’s sympathy.
It describes a very dark time of our recent history which we must not forget.
11/01/2025 Ellen
This is a brilliantly written tale of one boy's escape from the holocaust as he holds on to the memories of his mother. It's about the enduring bonds between family both old and new. Feitel is driven by his mothers final piece of advice to find someone to look after him. Poignant advice that both haunts and offers hope in equal measure, although not everyone Feitel meets is as welcoming as he might hope. Tension is everpresant as the characters struggle to survive starvation, murder, and worse. It's an arresting read that doesn't pull its punches.
The characters are really well drawn. In the final act there's a solid cast that help widen the readers focus. I was really invested in everyone's fates and kept wondering about them even when I was at work. There were multiple times where I felt my stomach drop as I knew someone wasn't going get out unscathed.
Smith is a brilliant storyteller - he knows when to let events speak for themselves and approaches the many horrors of the second world war with refreshingly simple descriptions that cut to your core without needing to revel in voyeuristic description. As a reader, the mingling of trauma and quiet hope is really moving and keeps you reading even at the darkest points.
I was absolutely hooked from the beginning. If you have an interest in historical fiction, this is a must-read.
January 13, 2025
I couldn't put this book down. Ten-year-old Feitel escapes the Holocaust but not the misery of a society that has fallen to pieces. We follow his journey, grappling with despair, loss and hope to find a new family.
May 28, 2025
Tells the story of a 10 year old’s journey back to Berlin from a concentration camp and describes vividly the horrors of being a refugee caught between the Nazis, violent Russians and Allied bombs. Very readable reminder of dark times
January 13, 2025
A thrilling read which does not pull its punches. The writing is both harrowing and beautiful.
May 2, 2025
Good idea, needs presentation work.
March 21, 2025
This is the third fiction book by Stephen P. Smith and by far his best. I felt I was in every scene and willing on the resourceful ten-year-old, Feitel as he escaped from the Holocaust and sought a place in the world amongst the destruction of war-torn Poland, Germany and France.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews