The Family Behind the Walls: Absolutely heartbreaking and gripping World War Two fiction

Germany, 1943. Jordanna cries out desperately to her mother, tears spilling down her cheeks. She is being torn one way, her parents another. And in Jordanna’s terrified, wide brown eyes, there is only one question: Will I ever see you again?

Poland: Day in and day out, fifteen-year-old Jordanna holds tight to the hands of her siblings as they’re forced into back-breaking labor. They’ve been transported to a camp for Polish orphans, but at night, Jordanna weeps silently, clinging to the hope that they’re not actually orphans. That when they finally escape, their mother Dalia will be waiting with open arms. But the only thing she knows for sure is that to survive, she cannot let the cruel guards discover they are not just Polish, they are Jewish…

Auschwitz: More than a hundred miles away, Dalia shivers in her tattered striped uniform, wary eyes darting around for any sign of trouble. She’s seen other women lost to the bitter sting of the frozen air and the brutal regime and she can’t let it be her. Every day, Dalia prays that her husband will find a way to save their children. But when another prisoner approaches her about joining their secret resistance, Dalia decides to take rescuing her family into her own hands—despite the terrible danger it puts her in…

The only thing keeping Jordanna and Dalia’s spirits alive in the darkest of places is the hope that they will one day be reunited. But will Dalia fight her way out to cradle her daughter in her arms once more—or will she die trying?

A heartbreaking, emotional, yet ultimately hopeful World War Two page-turner about the strength of the love between a mother and daughter triumphing over evil. Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Nightingale and The Choice will be blown away by this gripping, unputdownable story.

What readers are saying about Shari J. Ryan:

“Wow, wow, wow, wow!!… I LOVED this… The most emotional and gut-wrenching book… I shed so many tears… I've not cried like that for a long time!!… A MUST-READ.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Wow!!!… Devastatingly heartbreaking and beautiful… Every single tear was worth it… I absolutely LOVED… will live in my mind for a very long time!!!… Clear your schedules and grab your tissues as you will not be able to put this book down or stop the tears from streaming!!!… Absolutely stunning.” Bookworm86, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Amazing… I was completely broken by this… Grabbed me from the very beginning and didn’t let my heart go until the very end. I was so completely emotional and so heartbroken… I’m actually speechless. This phenomenal unputdownable book is a must read… Wow… Incredible… One I will never forget. I loved it.” Page Turners, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

© 2025 Hachette UK - Bookouture (Audiobook): 9781836185376

Release date

Audiobook: January 27, 2025