Madeline Martin

The Last Bookshop in London Lib/E Madeline Martin

Inspired by the true World War II history of the few bookshops to survive the Blitz, The Last Bookshop in London is a timeless story of wartime loss, love and the enduring power of literature.

August 1939: London is dismal under the weight of impending war with Germany as Hitler's forces continue to sweep across Europe. Into this uncertain maelstrom steps Grace Bennett, young and ready for a fresh start in the bustling city streets she's always dreamed of--and miles away from her troubled past in the countryside.

With aspirations of working at a department store, Grace never imagined she'd wind up employed at Primrose Hill, an offbeat bookshop nestled in the heart of the city--after all, she's never been much of a reader. Overwhelmed with organizing the cluttered store, she doesn't have time to read the books she sells. But when one is gifted to her, what starts as an obligation becomes a passion that draws her into the incredible world of literature.

As the Blitz rains down bombs on the city night after night, a devastating attack leaves the libraries and shops of London's literary center in ruins. Miraculously, Grace's bookshop survives the firestorm. Through blackouts and air raids, Grace continues running the shop, discovering a newfound comfort in the power of words and storytelling that unites her community in ways she never imagined--a force that triumphs over even the darkest nights of war-torn London.