Meredith Jaeger Knihy

"In the final months of World War II, San Francisco newspaper secretary Ellie Morgan should be planning her wedding and subsequent exit from the newsroom into domestic life. Instead, Ellie, who harbors dreams of having her own column, is using all the skills she's learned as a would-be reporter to try to uncover any scrap of evidence that her missing pilot father is still alive. But when she discovers a stack of love letters from a woman who is not her mother in his possessions, her already fragile world goes into a tailspin, and she vows to find out the truth about the father she loves-and the woman who loved him back. When Ellie arrives on her aunt Iris's doorstep, clutching a stack of letters and uttering a name Iris hasn't heard in decades, Iris is terrified. She's hidden her past as a Ziegfeld Follies showgirl from her family, and her experiences in New York City in the 1920s could reveal much more than the origin of her brother-in-law's alleged affair. Iris's heady days in the spotlight weren't enough to outshine the darker underbelly of Jazz Age New York, and she's spent the past twenty years believing that her actions in those days led to murder. Together the two women embark on a cross-country mission to find the truth in the City That Never Sleeps, a journey that just might shatter everything they thought they knew-not only about the past but about their own futures. Inspired by a true Jazz Age murder cold case that captivated the nation, and the fact that more than 72,000 Americans still remain unaccounted for from World War II, The Pilot's Daughter is a page-turning exploration of the stories we tell ourselves and of how well we can truly know those we love"-- Provided by publisher

For fans of Lucinda Riley, Sarah Jio, or Susan Meissner, this gripping historical debut novel intertwines the lives of two women across time. In 1876 San Francisco, immigrant seamstresses Hannelore Schaeffer and Margaret O'Brien struggle to support their families while catering to the city's elite. Hannelore's life changes when wealthy Lucas Havensworth enters their shop, and with Margaret's encouragement, she begins to see herself as deserving of love. However, when Margaret mysteriously disappears, Hannelore must confront the gritty streets of the Barbary Coast and the opulent mansions of Nob Hill to uncover the truth, leading her to a heartbreaking choice that will resonate through generations. In the present day, Sarah Havensworth, living in a stylish Marina apartment with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge, grapples with writer's block and a long-buried secret. A news headline about the missing dressmakers reignites her journalistic instincts, prompting her to investigate Hannelore and Margaret's fates. As she delves into the past, Sarah discovers that her heirloom engagement ring may hold the key to an unexpected connection with Hannelore. Through their intertwined stories, both women learn that love is a choice and forgiveness is essential for freedom.