Meredith Jaeger Knihy

In the final months of World War II, Ellie Morgan, a San Francisco newspaper secretary, is torn between planning her wedding and pursuing her dream of becoming a columnist. Instead of focusing on domestic life, she dedicates herself to uncovering the truth about her missing pilot father. Her quest intensifies when she finds a stack of love letters from a woman who is not her mother, plunging her into a search for answers about her father's life and the woman who loved him. Arriving at her aunt Iris's home with the letters, Ellie unwittingly stirs up Iris's hidden past as a Ziegfeld Follies showgirl, a life she has kept secret for decades. The name Ellie mentions evokes fear in Iris, as her glamorous days in 1920s New York are shadowed by a dark history she believes led to murder. Together, they embark on a cross-country journey to uncover the truth in the City That Never Sleeps, challenging everything they thought they knew about their pasts and futures. Inspired by a true Jazz Age murder cold case and the ongoing mystery of over 72,000 missing Americans from World War II, this narrative delves into the stories we tell ourselves and the complexities of love and memory.

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.