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Where the Heart Is
Frankie George has never had an easy life. She is a social outcast with a mysterious past who hides her beauty by dressing in men’s trousers with her hair twisted up under a shabby hat. She is responsible for two troublesome younger sisters but the only work she can find is doing jobs no one else wants.
It is 1916, the middle of the First World War, and the Heart’s Content cable station in Newfoundland is the only communications link to Europe. It is discovered that information about the movements of British and American convoys is leaking to the enemy from the cable station. An American, Linton Colt-Lodge, arrives to mastermind the search for a spy and he keeps crossing paths with Frankie. He soon thinks she could be the spy they are searching for – a beautiful and tempting spy. To keep a watch on Frankie, Linton invites Frankie to train to become one of the first female cable operators at the station.
It is 1916, the middle of the First World War, and the Heart’s Content cable station in Newfoundland is the only communications link to Europe. It is discovered that information about the movements of British and American convoys is leaking to the enemy from the cable station. An American, Linton Colt-Lodge, arrives to mastermind the search for a spy and he keeps crossing paths with Frankie. He soon thinks she could be the spy they are searching for – a beautiful and tempting spy. To keep a watch on Frankie, Linton invites Frankie to train to become one of the first female cable operators at the station.
335 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 21, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 19, 2025
If there's one thing for certain, award-winning author Mary C. Sheppard sure knows how to keep a secret.
Set in Heart's Content, Newfoundland during the first World War, Sheppard's new novel features secrets not only of the familial kind - but also of the kind that could change the outcome of a world war.
Where The Heart Is is an engaging and highly readable slice of historical fiction with spies and double agents rubbing shoulders with the men and women of Heart's Content, Newfoundland just as the drama and confusion brought on by the Great War comes to their doorstep.
The famed Heart's Content cable station, which still stands to this day as a testament to the remarkable contribution Newfoundland made to the Great War provides a remarkable real-life background for the enigmatic and unforgettable Frankie George and her family. More comfortable hiking in and around the barrens of Heart's Content in the company of her two dogs than mastering social graces. Frankie's tendency to keep to herself arouses more than suspicion an American deputy superintendent sent by British intelligence to find out why sensitive information about the movement of British and American ships is leaking from the cable station to the Germans.
What Frankie seems to lack in opportunities and material means is more than made up for by her technical know-how to repair everything from vehicles to nascent communications technology. This puts her in a remarkable position to become part of something large and dangerous that could have a huge impact on the war effort.
Sheppard's meticulous research ensures that Where The Heart Is is buoyed by a rich sense of historical detail. Her characters are richly nuanced by her familiarity with Atlantic life.
Sheppard effortlessly keeps readers guessing until the very last making Where The Heart Is a joy to read and accomplishes the remarkable feat of combining both a rarely explored facet of Canadian history with a page-turner of a story that involves excitement, espionage, adventure and romance all in equal measure. A great #CanadaDayRead
Set in Heart's Content, Newfoundland during the first World War, Sheppard's new novel features secrets not only of the familial kind - but also of the kind that could change the outcome of a world war.
Where The Heart Is is an engaging and highly readable slice of historical fiction with spies and double agents rubbing shoulders with the men and women of Heart's Content, Newfoundland just as the drama and confusion brought on by the Great War comes to their doorstep.
The famed Heart's Content cable station, which still stands to this day as a testament to the remarkable contribution Newfoundland made to the Great War provides a remarkable real-life background for the enigmatic and unforgettable Frankie George and her family. More comfortable hiking in and around the barrens of Heart's Content in the company of her two dogs than mastering social graces. Frankie's tendency to keep to herself arouses more than suspicion an American deputy superintendent sent by British intelligence to find out why sensitive information about the movement of British and American ships is leaking from the cable station to the Germans.
What Frankie seems to lack in opportunities and material means is more than made up for by her technical know-how to repair everything from vehicles to nascent communications technology. This puts her in a remarkable position to become part of something large and dangerous that could have a huge impact on the war effort.
Sheppard's meticulous research ensures that Where The Heart Is is buoyed by a rich sense of historical detail. Her characters are richly nuanced by her familiarity with Atlantic life.
Sheppard effortlessly keeps readers guessing until the very last making Where The Heart Is a joy to read and accomplishes the remarkable feat of combining both a rarely explored facet of Canadian history with a page-turner of a story that involves excitement, espionage, adventure and romance all in equal measure. A great #CanadaDayRead
July 21, 2025
With thanks to The Idea Shop for a digital copy.
I’ve read a lot of historical fiction set in both World Wars but mainly set in Europe so it’s refreshing to come across a story set somewhere you might not expect there to be “Word War” action and a bonus that it’s in Canada AND somewhere I’ve been! This really was a wonderful dive into the daily lives of the Newfoundland people at the time of the War; Sheppard paints a vivid picture of both the hardships and small joys of life at the time.
I will say there are a lot of characters to keep track of – I would have appreciated a diagram showing who was who and how they were connected (but this might just be how my brain works these days and I was also reading the e-book which I find more challenging for keeping track – it’s not as easy to flip back through pages to remind yourself about a character/ event). Once I got into the story and had the characters straight, this was a fast read. There is a lot going on with the many characters – yes there is a romance and a spy story element, but there are many other side plots that will grab your attention too.
An enjoyable, informative and fascinating look at an era that really shaped modern communications.
I’ve read a lot of historical fiction set in both World Wars but mainly set in Europe so it’s refreshing to come across a story set somewhere you might not expect there to be “Word War” action and a bonus that it’s in Canada AND somewhere I’ve been! This really was a wonderful dive into the daily lives of the Newfoundland people at the time of the War; Sheppard paints a vivid picture of both the hardships and small joys of life at the time.
I will say there are a lot of characters to keep track of – I would have appreciated a diagram showing who was who and how they were connected (but this might just be how my brain works these days and I was also reading the e-book which I find more challenging for keeping track – it’s not as easy to flip back through pages to remind yourself about a character/ event). Once I got into the story and had the characters straight, this was a fast read. There is a lot going on with the many characters – yes there is a romance and a spy story element, but there are many other side plots that will grab your attention too.
An enjoyable, informative and fascinating look at an era that really shaped modern communications.
November 23, 2025
A great read! Found myself unable to put it down.
While, at the beginning, you are thankful for the Who’s Who at the front, soon the characters become real to you and unforgettable (even after you are done).
A combination of romance, espionage, and historical fiction, Where the Heart Is is a love letter to Newfoundland and its role in WW1.
A fun read for that doesn’t make you work to hard!
While, at the beginning, you are thankful for the Who’s Who at the front, soon the characters become real to you and unforgettable (even after you are done).
A combination of romance, espionage, and historical fiction, Where the Heart Is is a love letter to Newfoundland and its role in WW1.
A fun read for that doesn’t make you work to hard!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews