The Secret Dressmaker

Shelves of sequins in a kaleidoscope of colours. Bolts of silk and tulle against the back wall. The sewing room was the last place anyone had seen her daughter alive.

Northern Ireland, 1942. Flora Toussaint packs parachutes for the RAF, haunted by the twin daughters she was forced to give up eighteen years ago. When British intelligence shows her photographs of her girls – now young women in occupied Paris – her world shifts. One is safe. One has vanished. And their father, the celebrated couturier Lucien Lumineau, is suspected of collaborating with the Nazis.

Flora agrees to a dangerous mission: parachute into France, pose as a seamstress at the Moulin Rouge, and uncover the truth. Lodging above a brothel where Edith Piaf sings after hours and where Pablo Picasso still holds court, she mends costumes, searches for any trace of her missing daughter between curfews, and circles closer to Lucien.

But Lucien isn’t the man she remembers. Neither is their history. And what Flora discovers will unravel everything she thought she knew – about Lucien, about her daughters, and about the night she gave them away.

A sweeping tale of wartime Paris, family secrets and impossible choices. Fans of Kate Quinn, Pam Jenoff and Kristin Hannah will be mesmerised by The Secret Dressmaker.

Readers love The Secret Dressmaker:

‘If I could give this book 6 stars, I would in a heartbeat!’ Reader review, 5 stars

‘O'Brien is brilliant at research so the reader is quickly immersed in the main character Flora's life of danger and secrets. I loved the way O'Brien seamlessly blended history and historical characters into the story... a gripping story from start to finish.’ Reader review, 5 stars

‘Beautifully woven story of courage and hope... [this] is a beautifully written historical novel that captivated me from beginning to end. Rich in emotion, unforgettable characters, and vivid wartime settings. It tells a powerful story of love, sacrifice, and resilience. The story kept me turning the pages.’ Reader review, 5 stars

‘What a great book...  If you like your historical fiction with a dose of couture glamour, this is for you.’ Reader review, 5 stars

Readers love Jenny O’Brien’s historical fiction:

‘If I could give this book a billion stars, I would. Impossible to put down... filled with surprising twists... It leaves you with a feeling of unity, compassion, and the warmth of a forever love.’ Reader review, 5 stars

‘Heart wrenching and captivating that turns into the most remarkable story. Grab your tissues keep them close, this is a true feminist heroine playing a vital part that will have you absolutely sobbing your heart out.’ Reader review, 5 stars

‘Just a warning... don’t think that you will just read a couple of chapters... Five hours later, I had missed dinner, but I’d finished the book... a spectacular read.’ Reader review, 5 stars

‘Oh wow, this is a super addictive read. I’m not a knitter but I was fascinated by the concept of using various stitches to encode information. O’Brien manages to seamlessly entwine fact and fiction in this wonderful story of love and heroism... I’m betting this will end up being a movie!’ Reader review, 5 stars

‘For fans of The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, this book is for you!... the reader will discover a heroic woman who sacrifices so much to help the ones that she loves. A terrific read!’ Reader review, 5 stars

‘A compelling and fast-moving story with a few twists. The way that knitting is used as code is intriguing and the characters are really thought provoking. Once I started, I could not stop reading.’ Reader review, 5 stars

‘A beautifully written, engaging historical fiction story that completely won me over... If you enjoy books like The Nightingale or The Alice Network, this one fits right alongside them. A truly lovely read and an easy 5 stars for me.’ Reader review, 5 stars