The Lavender Garden by Lucinda Riley was an extraordinary mystery of the past (WWII) and present (1990’s) intertwined around the same French chateau and its aristocratic owners. I am very selective about recommending WWII historical fiction novels right now since so many people are burned out on the subject, but this is worth the read for sure. Published in 2012, it is definitely a backlist recommendation.

Here’s the setup:

Note to readers: In the UK, this book is published under the title The Light Behind the Window.

An aristocratic French family, a legendary château, and buried secrets with the power to destroy two generations torn between duty and desire.

La Côte d’Azur, 1998: In the sun-dappled south of France, Emilie de la Martinières, the last of her gilded line, inherits her childhood home, a magnificent château and vineyard. With the property comes a mountain of debt—and almost as many questions…

Paris, 1944: A bright, young British office clerk, Constance Carruthers, is sent undercover to Paris to be part of Churchill’s Special Operations Executive during the climax of the Nazi occupation. Separated from her contacts in the Resistance, she soon stumbles into the heart of a prominent family who regularly entertain elite members of the German military even as they plot to liberate France. But in a city rife with collaborators and rebels, Constance’s most difficult decision may be determining whom to trust with her heart.

As Emilie discovers what really happened to her family during the war and finds a connection to Constance much closer than she suspects, the château itself may provide the clues that unlock the mysteries of her past, present, and future. Here is a dazzling novel of intrigue and passion from one of the world’s most beloved storytellers.

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Lavender-Garden/Lucinda-Riley/9781476703558

Review:

I was so aggravated with both Emilie and Constance, but couldn’t help rooting for them throughout The Lavender Garden. Even if you are a little tired of the WWII historical fiction genre, try this book. Most of the book features Emilie in the 1990’s, but the WWII part features Constance’s “quiet war,” that was not all that quiet.

I read this book for M. Judson’s 2023 Reading Challenge–a book with a color in the title.

Age Recommendation:

This is definitely an adult novel, due to graphic sexual assault.

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