The Hidden Book

From the bestselling author of The Jade Lily comes a compelling novel based on a true story of a WWII European heirloom that brought down war criminals and travelled through history ... to be found in an Australian country shed in 2019.


Europe, 1940s: Imprisoned in the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria, Spanish fighter and photographer Mateo Baca is ordered to process images of the camp and inmates for a handful of photo books being made for presentation to top Nazi figures. Just five books in total, or so the officials think ...


Mateo manages to make a secret sixth book and, with the help of a local woman, Lena Lang, it remains hidden until the end of the war.


Australia, present day: When thirteen-year-old Hannah Campbell's Yugoslavian grandfather, Nico Antonov, arrives in Australia to visit his family, one of the gifts he brings with him is an intriguing-looking parcel wrapped in a flour sack, which Roza, Hannah's mother, quickly hides.


Later, Hannah sneaks off in search for the mysterious package. She is horrified to find in it a photo book full of ghastly historical photographs of a terrible place full of people suffering.


At first Hannah has little context for what she sees, but over the years, as she experiences love, grief and trauma, she understands what these photos came to mean, for herself, her freedom and for those who risked their lives to 'bear witness' to history.


A startling story of clandestine courage and treachery in World War Two, and how we must meet and overcome our pasts to move into our futures.


Praise for Kirsty Manning:


'A superb evocation of pre-war Paris ... a mystery I couldn't put down.' - Kerry Greenwood on The Paris Mystery


'Colorful characters and a brisk pace make this a pleasure.' - Publishers Weekly on The Paris Mystery


'A glittering party, a dead body, and a room full of alluring suspects, this book is everything you are looking for. With deft light strokes, Kirsty Manning takes the reader on an Agatha Christie-style journey in 1930s Paris, led by infallible hero, journalist Charlie James. The Paris Mystery will transport, titillate and ultimately, satisfy. Run don't walk to get your copy!' - Sally Hepworth, author of The Soulmate


'Manning doesn't put a foot wrong: The French Gift is historical fiction at its best...a glorious escape from reality, this will captivate readers from the beginning to the unforgettable, surprising end.' - Better Reading


'So divine - The French Gift is nothing short of magnificent! A superb example of a story that works to illuminate both the harshest and most spellbinding moments in our history books.' - Mrs B's Book Reviews


'Kirsty Manning handles this murder mystery, the multiple suspects, the twists and turns of the plot, and the exotic setting skilfully and well...there is plenty of glamour, lots of Belle Epoque champagne, beautiful clothes, aristocratic people, and unusual characters, but there is also a solid mystery to keep the reader guessing and, finally, an unexpected revelation that leaves questions to be pondered.' - Newtown Review of Books on The Paris Mystery


'This is a rich, sensual, and evocative novel, fragrant with the smell of crushed herbs and flowers, and haunted by the high cost that women must sometimes pay to find both love and their vocation.' - Kate Forsyth on The Midsummer Garden


'Even when you think you've guessed the ending, The Jade Lily will take all your assumptions and turn them on their head, sweeping you away in a wash of colour, drama, and the power of love and friendship that spans generations and continents alike.' - The Weekly Times 


'Manning renders Shanghai as a riot of flavors, sights, and sounds, its elegance clashing against gritty poverty in this exquisite window into the past.' - Booklist, starred review, on The Jade Lily


'Meticulous research, stories with social importance, pioneering characters, and effortless flitting from one epoch to another underpin Kirsty Manning's cut-above historical fiction novels.' - The Australian Women's Weekly


'Manning has taken a fascinating true story and brought it to life in vivid, rich detail...Mystery, adventure, romance and a hoard of stunning jewelry makes for a delightful weekend read.' - Better Reading