Secret Wife (Paul)

The Secret Wife 
Gill Paul, 2016
Avon
416 pp.
ISBN-13: 9780008102142


Summary
A Russian grand duchess and an English journalist. Linked by one of the world’s greatest mysteries … Love. Guilt. Heartbreak.

1914
Russia is on the brink of collapse, and the Romanov family faces a terrifyingly uncertain future. Grand Duchess Tatiana has fallen in love with cavalry officer Dmitri, but events take a catastrophic turn, placing their romance—and their lives—in danger.

2016
Kitty Fisher escapes to her great-grandfather’s remote cabin in America, after a devastating revelation makes her flee London. There, on the shores of Lake Akanabee, she discovers the spectacular jewelled pendant that will lead her to a long-buried family secret.

Haunting, moving and beautifully written, The Secret Wife effortlessly crosses centuries, as past merges with present in an unforgettable story of love, loss and resilience. (From the publisher.)

Author Bio
• Birth—N/A
• Where—Glasgow, Scotland, UK
• Education—Glasgow University
• Currently—lives in London, England


Gill Paul is a Scottish author of history and historical fiction. She was born in Glasgow and studied Medicine at Glasgow University. She later studied English Literature and History (she was, as she admits, "a student for a long time"). After graduating, Paul headed to London, where she worked in publishing, eventually starting her own company to produce books for publishers.

Paul's latest novel, The Secret Wife (2016), uses a dual time-frame: the first, in which a young woman must decide whether to forgive her unfaithful husband, and the second, which re-imagines the survival of Tatiana Romanov, the second daughter of the last tsar of Russia, and her love for a young cavalry officer.

Other novels include No Place for a Lady (2015), about two Victorian sisters who travel out to the Crimean War of 1854–56 and face challenges beyond anything they could have imagined; The Affair (2013), set in Rome in 1961–62 as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton fall in love while making Cleopatra; and Women and Children First (2012), about a young steward who works on the Titanic.

Gill also writes historical non-fiction, including A History of Medicine in 50 Objects (2016) and her "Love Stories" series, each volume containing fourteen tales of real-life couples: how they met, why they fell for each other, and what happened in the end. Published around the world, the series includes World War II Love Stories (2014), Royal Love Stories (2012), and Titanic Love Stories (2011). Paul also writes on health, nutrition and relationships. (Adapted from the author's website.)

Book Reviews
Meticulously researched and evocatively written, this sweeping story will keep a tight hold on your heartstrings until the final page
Iona Grey, author

A cleverly crafted novel and an enthralling story: the heartbreak genuine, the research brilliant. I love the way the present narrative throws light on the past story so that the transitions are smooth. A triumph.
Dinah Jefferies, author

A marvellous story: gripping, romantic and evocative of a turbulent and fascinating time.
Lulu Taylor, author

This was just magical. At the last line, tears rolled down my cheeks. Highly recommended.
Louise Beech, author

A heart-warming affirmation of the tenacity of human love.
Liz Trenow, author

Gill Paul has crafted a beautiful book. The passages set in Russia in 1914 are so richly described and researched that I felt as if I was living in the pages myself. I adored it.
Amanda Jennings, author

Discussion Questions
These questions have been graciously submitted to LitLovers by Linda from the Page Turners book club. Thank you Linda!

1. This novel begins with a troubled marriage between Kitty and Tom? What was the problem? Why did Kitty flee to Lake Akanabee? Why did she choose this place?

2. What was the importance of the golden oval studded with jewels that Kitty found under the steps of the cabin? How does this object become a focal point of the plot line?

3. Much of this novel is the actual history of the Romanov family of Russia. Describe the family members. What can you conclude (or do you know) about Tsar Nicholas as a ruler of Russia?
Why were the Romanovs so unpopular with so many of the Russian people?

4. Who was Grigori Rasputin? How did he gain such control over the royal family?

5. How did Dmitri Malama meet Tatiana? What does the title of the book, "The Secret Wife," refer to? (You can find photos of Dmitri and Tatiana on the internet.)

6. What interests bonded Dmitri and Tatiana?

7. At what point in the novel did Gill Paul deviate from actual history? What was Dmitri’s plan to rescue Tatiana?

8. What was the fate of the Romanovs and Rasputin? The details of this massacre weren’t totally revealed until 1979. How were the remains authenticated? Where are the remains now?

9. Dmitri flees to Berlin after WWI. Whom did he meet there? Why does he leave Berlin for the United States?

10. Who was Anna Tschaikovsky? How does she fit into this story? Do you remember hearing of surviving Romanovs here in the US?

11. How and where did Dmitri find Tatiana? How did she prove she really was “his secret wife”? What was her new name? How did Tatiana find out Dmitri had also survived the war?

12. Who saved Tatiana from the massacre of her family?

13. What arrangement did Tatiana suggest for their future lives in the US?

14. Why did Dmitri have such a poor relationship with his children? How did that affect Kitty and her life?

15. What role did Hana Markova play in Kitty’s life?

16. How did Tom reach out to Kitty? Do you think he was sincere? What did Tom do that convinced Kitty her marriage might be saved?

17. What would you say is the theme of this novel? What similarities or influences do you see between Dmitri and Kitty?

18. Did you enjoy this novel? Why or why not?

(Please feel free to use these questions, online or off, with attribution to Linda of Page Turners and LitLovers. Thanks.)

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