Review of Eva Glyn’s The Collaborator’s Daughter.

My writing buddy, Eva Glyn, who also writes as Jane Cable, has a wonderful new book coming soon. The Collaborator’s Daughter is a dual-timeline novel set in Dubrovnik. Eva will be stopping by my blog on May 5th to talk about the setting of the novel, but as I have recently finished reading an advance copy of this book, I couldn’t wait to share my review.

The blurb:

In 1944 in war-torn Dubrovnik, Branko Milisic holds his newborn daughter Safranka and wishes her a better future. But while the Nazis are finally retreating, the arrival of the partisans brings new dangers for Branko, his wife Dragica and their new baby…

As older sister to two half-siblings, Fran has always known she has to fit in. But now, for the first time in her life, Fran is facing questions about who she is and where she comes from.

All Fran knows about her real father is that he was a hero, and her mother had to flee Dubrovnik after the war. But when she travels to the city of her birth to uncover the truth, she is devastated to discover her father was executed by the partisans in 1944, accused of being a collaborator. But the past isn’t always what it seems…

Published by One More Chapter.

My review:

There is much to like about this well-researched, dual-timeline novel. Set largely in Dubrovnik in 1944 and 2010, the story follows sexagenarian Safranka, who seeks to discover the truth about her father’s life and the circumstances of his death. Fran is a likeable character, she is quick to jump to conclusions at times, but I enjoyed her journey of discovery (in more ways than one). The people she encounters in Dubrovnik are mostly welcoming; I particularly liked Jadran, who plays a significant role in her search.

The author’s depiction of the setting transported me to Dubrovnik in both time and place. I was drawn into the story, reading it over a weekend as I willed Fran to find and recognise the truth she was searching for. Based on real events, the impact of war is shown through the far-reaching consequences for all of those touched by it; because of this, it is an emotional read.

Preorder The Collaborator’s Daughter here.

(US cover)

You’ll notice I have shared both the UK and US covers. As I read, my kindle showed the US cover, it is my favourite as a result. Which do you prefer? Either way, you can enjoy the same great story within the cover.

About the author:

Eva Glyn writes emotional women’s fiction inspired by beautiful places and the secrets they hide. She loves to travel but finds inspiration can strike just as well at home as abroad. Her books are published by One More Chapter, an imprint of Harper Collins.

Although she considers herself Welsh, Eva lives in Cornwall with her husband of twenty-six years. She also writes romance with a twist of mystery as Jane Cable.

Discover more about Eva Glyn: Facbook | Instagram | Twitter | Newsletter sign up