The Winter Child

Poland, 1943: ‘Please don’t do this!’ Her shrill cry pierces the night air, the screams breaking the silence of the falling snow. But the man she calls to does not turn, vanishing into the darkness with a child clasped in his arms…



Present day: Irena has waited a lifetime for this moment. At last, she has the chance to confront the man who has haunted her dreams for the last fifty years.


Despite the warmth of the day, a shiver runs down her spine as she stares at the house. Inside is the person she hasn’t seen since that terrible night in Poland, in the snow, all those years ago. Having spent so much of her life searching, soon she will face the man who broke her heart, leaving her with nothing but shattered pieces.


Moving towards the door, she takes a deep breath. This is her final chance to avenge what the Nazis did to those she loved during the war. But as she reaches a trembling hand towards the handle, her breath coming in shallow gasps, she suddenly stops.


She has imagined this moment for most of her life, but is she prepared for revenge to cost her everything? And even if she is, will she recover from the truth she is about to uncover?



This gripping and emotional wartime novel tells a moving story of courage, hope and the endurance of the human spirit, even in the darkness of the World War 2. Perfect for readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Nightingale and The Alice Network.



Readers love Carly Schabowski’s novels:



‘Beautiful and heartbreaking… pulls at the heartstrings… breathtaking in its beauty… Nothing I can say in my review can possibly do the justice this book deserves. I can only say to grab yourself a copy and experience it for yourself. A definite 5 star read.’ Confessions of a Bookaholic ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


‘Oh my gosh I don’t know where to start, this book broke me… it will stay with me for a very long time... heartbreaking, poignant, gripping and compelling, I felt every emotion… I read this book in one sitting.’ Fiction Vixen Reads ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


‘Wow!! Just wow!!…This book is brilliant! More than brilliant, amazing!!!… Absolutely gripping, addictive and captivating… I was absolutely hooked from the first page to the last.’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


‘Phenomenal… it is truly a must-read. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end, it is an amazing, unputdownable must-read. I wish I could give it more than five stars.’ Page Turners ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


‘Wow just wow… A beautifully written, page-turning, incredible and intriguing historical WW2 novel. It will have you captivated… Danger, grief, romance and so much more… unputdownable.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


‘A real page-turner... an extraordinary story.’ Jeremy Irons, actor.