A really amazing book, although hard to read due to subject matter. The author did very well with the subject matter. Loved the dual timelines and Maggie. Very moving and emotional!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

This is a dual-timeline story about Grete, a 4-year-old in Germany, and Maggie, an American reporter who has come to Germany to report on the war as a photographer and journalist. Maggie has a secret reason for being there which she keeps close to her heart.


The connection between Grete and Maggie is unclear at first. The author does a wonderful job revealing Maggie’s life and closely guarded secret. I loved Orso and her sister Norma and their support throughout her journey. The author does a wonderful job creating a complicated character battling her demons and trying to find closure with them as she also deals with the chaos of being near the front and documenting WWII.


Thanks to @bookouture, @netgalley, and the author for this arc.

trigger warning sexual assault is discussed which the author mentions at the beginning of the book

I have recently found that I love historical fiction especially based around WWII so I was super excited about reading this one. And it definitely didn't disappoint as I loved this one as well. I really liked Maggie and I did find it a little hard reading about what she went through as a small child but it did help to understand why she was the way she was as an adult. I liked the dual timeline but thought there could have been a little more story given for the current timeline as I would have loved to hear more about grownup Maggie.. The last few chapters did have me tearing up with all of the emotion she was able to give to characters. Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Set against the terrifying backdrop of Nazi Germany in 1944, this novel gave a powerful story of bravery, sacrifice, and the pursuit of truth.

Maggie Sullivan was an American photojournalist with a haunting past—one that tied her to the country she was documenting.

As Maggie bravely goes across enemy lines armed with her camera and press pass, the story unravelled tensely, keeping me eagerly reading.

Maggie’s dedication to exposing the horrors of Nazi camps was gut-wrenching.

The pacing was continuous, with twists that were shocking and inevitable. When Maggie’s camera was confiscated, the stakes soared, leading to a climax that left me upset and hopeful for Maggie.

This book was so emotional for me. The way Maggie was adamant and powered through her trauma was inspiring. This is a book that will stay with me for a long time

This was an emotional one. I had a caught throat and a few unscheduled tear duck leakages with this one.
The author has a amazing sense of what she was writing. And there was so much sensitively written pieces to this book. I'm in awe of how authors can write any of the stories they tell. But when it's something so harrowing and often disgusting as what happened in the war, I often don't know how they get it right. To add just the right touch of raw and grief. To add enough spirit and lightness. To get the characters sheer strength at a time they are all petrified. Well, our author has this perfected.
I can't give too much away really. Not without at every turn talking of spoilers.
Maggie had worked hard to flee her past and fight for her current. Bit she was always afraid it would catch up with her. So when her war work takes her to undergo great risk taking assignments she has more than the burden of the job at hand to contend with. She has her life.
But bravery in the war is never ending with our fellow people of that time. And Maggie is sure one of those who goes above and beyond for the greater good. Her pictures could save the lives of many. But if caught the end of her own.

This is a great historical fiction book for 2025. Maggie , a reporter in 1944 , she works as a war correspondent and photographer. On her own journey for herself and her sister . This is an emotional read and a heart wrenching read.

This dual timeline novel shattered my heart into a thousand pieces. Author Ellie Midwood has such a sharply beautiful way with words, each with its own reason to be there. Descriptions are vivid and unsettling and caused me to feel the gamut of emotions from disgust to heartbreak. Sexual abuse and the Holocaust in one book are tough to take and raw emotions and details are not glossed over. I had chills. I appreciate the sensitive and thoughtful way the author wrote about such difficult subjects.

Maggie was an intrepid freelance journalist and photographer who volunteered on the frontline during WWII. When crossing into enemy territory, what she and the US Army saw turned their stomachs. But she was compelled to get up close and personal to capture horror after horror, though at great personal risk. She saw the aftermath of a slaughter ambush and piles of skeletons at a killing camp. General Patton demanded that local civilians be forced to witness what the Nazis did to innocents at these camps. While snapping photographs, Maggie was caught. She realized that her darkest family secret was known by someone and she therefore had to confront trauma all over again. This was more than the war; this was her life.

Maggie's friend Orso and sister Norma were my favourite characters, both supportive and understanding. I appreciated the thought-provoking questions Maggie asked herself, woman or journalist? Personal or impartial?

Do know there is sexual assault which the author notes at the beginning so proceed with caution.

It was Germany in 1944, and Maggie Sullivan was a reporter on the front line, with a US press pass, and she was determined it would get her where she wanted to go. Maggie held a secret deep inside, an alternative reason for entering enemy territory as Germany surrendered. But it wasn't a secret she would tell anyone any time soon. With the US Army at her back, along with the other women correspondents who would all meet up when they could, Maggie used her Kodak to photograph the horrors of war. When the army along with the reporters and investigators arrived at the Burkenwald concentration camp, the devastation and horrors were mind boggling. And Maggie continued to take photos; proof of the atrocities of war. Would Maggie find what she was searching for? Would she get out of Germany and the war with her sanity intact?

The Photographer's Secret is another exceptional historical novel by Ellie Midwood which I found hard to read in places, and in others I raced through, eager to discover what was ahead. The author issues a warning at the beginning which I took note of. But it just doesn't prepare you sometimes. I've enjoyed a few of the author's books prior to this one, and will continue to look for her work. Recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley & Bookouture for my digital ARC to read and review.

I discovered Ellie Midwood last year with her novel I Have to Save Them and I was hooked! So, when I saw The Photographer’s Secret I knew I HAD to read it! It did not disappoint. I am drawn to strong female main characters that do extraordinary things in a time frame that does not allow or encourage women to serve in these roles e.g., Lessons in Chemistry, Behind Every Good Man, etc. This theme rang true. The heartbreaking details of WW2 are hard to revisit but her stories are compelling.

Thank you Net Galley, Ellie Midwood and Bookouture for the opportunity to preview this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
The Photographer’s Secret is expected to be released Jan. 15, 2025.

I love Ellie's writing style and she creates such wonderful, real, honest characters.
Maggie Sullivan has been through so much in her life, starting from a young age. Things she should never have experienced.
But she's a survivor and so is her younger sister Norma, who has been through her own trauma.
What wonderful fellow women reporters Maggie meets whilst covering the war.
And she also finds some decent men along the way, who help her tell her story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the digital ARC. All opinions are my own.

The Photographer’s Secret is the story of Maggie Sullivan, who is a photographer/journalist during WWII. She is on a journey to find out more about the past for both herself and her sister. On this journey we learn about what some women and children had to endure during this time. Through all that she has gone through, Maggie’s resilience is amazing and she turns her trauma into help for other women and children just like her.

This story was very heavy. The writer told a very compelling and emotional story. I struggled with the beginning of the story and the connection with the “then” chapters but it is all pulled together in the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my e-ARC! All thoughts are my own.

4.5 rounded up to 5

What a heartbreaking and emotionally charged read!
Maggie Sullivan is a war correspondent/photographer. But, she is also on a personal mission for her sister and herself.
Maggie brings to light so much that is not talked about. So much that has happened(and, still happening) in the world that is never talked about and brushed under the rug.
Such a heart-wrenching journey Maggie takes us on. Survival and so much courage!
The Photographer’s Secret was obsoletely hard to read through to the end. But, we need to know the atrocious that have, that will and can occur.

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Check trigger warnings before reading.

The Photographer's Secret follows Maggie, an American war front photographer, in Europe during the end of WW2. We also have the POV of Grete starting at age 2 in German during the 1920's. We don't have confirmation on how the two POV's are connected until later on in the book.

I've read quite a lot of historical fiction particularly regarding WW2 and this book offers a very unique perspective regarding abuse and discrimination towards women. We also see glimpses of what the German women who are left behind in the towns had to endure at the hands of their own soldiers to survive.

This is a great story on women's survival, courage and determination in a wartime setting from both sides of the war. I would suggest this to anyone who is interested in historical fiction and women's rights.

"We found ourselves...navigating the treacherous waters of gender discrimination, harassment, and the daunting struggle for our voices to be heard. While the world was embroiled in chaos, the fight for our recognition was a battle of its own."

It is 1944 and Maggie uses her camera to capture many of the atrocities inflicted by the Nazis.

Back in 1920, we learn about Grete’s life and her family. What should be a warm and wonderful upbringing, is anything but.

This is an extremely difficult book to review as I don’t think I could do it justice in a few short lines.

Not only is it a dark read about what went on with the Nazis, but it is also a story of abuse; child abuse. It is a tale of revenge and also justice.

A dark story, but also shows how life can change for those surrounded by darkness. A tale of hope, courage, love, and dignity.

It will take me a while to recover from this book, I have found myself thinking about it, even when I’ve put it down for a while.

My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Another best selling novel by the wonderful and talented Ellie Midwood!

The Photographer’s Secret is an unputdownable book taking us on a journey with wartime journalist Maggie Sullivan. Maggie is on the front line with soldiers as they go north from France to Berlin. As soldiers have their eye on Berlin to end World War II, Maggie has her eyes on Berlin for one thing: revenge.

Revenge to the evil man that robbed her childhood of its innocence. Revenge to the evil man that beat and abused her mother. Maggie is determined to track him down and seek justice.

Ellie brings this story alive and strongly empowers women in this novel. She shows the resilience, courage, and strength that women have. She shows how women rise above injustices thrown at them. How they do not back down. There’s a strong reference to SA in this novel - but Ellie does it in a very articulated way. This this novel needs to get published asap!

I really enjoyed reading this book, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed from the first page. It had that World War element that I was looking for and was hooked from the first page. Ellie Midwood wrote this perfectly and was caring about the characters and how they worked.

Maggie Sullivan is one determined woman, to pull herself through sickening abuse as a child, care for her siblings (especially sister Norma), to prove that a female photo journalist can do as well as a male, if not better. Not an easy task!
When Maggie wants to go with her colleagues on the more dangerous missions her boss refuses, giving her jobs to cover recipes etc. Not content with that she manages to persuade one gang of reporters to take her along. The woman is dicing with death, when she is given the opportunity to go into Buchenwald it seems like the answer to her prayers, she will hopefully find information about her evil abuser!


I found the early part of the book giving back story lengthy. However as it got going I found it enthralling.
My favourite character was Orso, least favourite was Buller snr.

Powerful and Moving. Thank you Ellie Midwood for a beautifully written book, that my review won’t be able to do justice too. Tissues are a must as you dive into this emotional and gut-wrenching story. Ms Midwood takes you on a incredible journey of survival and endurance to find courage, hope and closure. Maggie's and the War Sisters make meaningful statements, I think sum it up well against the abuse and discrimination. I highly recommended The Photographs Secret, please take note of the trigger warnings at the beginning. 5 stars

I would like to thank the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for my free copy of this novel, in exchange for my honest review.
#ThePhotographersSecret #NetGalley

I love historical fiction, especially historical fiction that is set during World War 2 and so I was so excited to read this. I loved it I read it in one day i just couldn't put it down and it was so emotive, I felt everything alongside the characters

Germany, 1944: Nazi banners blowing in the wind, Maggie Sullivan takes her first steps into enemy territory. Armed only with a camera and a US press pass, Maggie never backs down from danger. But close to her heart is a secret; one that she can never share. Maggie was born in Germany. Years ago, she and her mother were forced to flee Berlin, leaving her siblings behind. The US Army are Maggie’s protectors for now, but she wakes each night in a cold sweat wondering: what will they do if they discover her past? LOVE, LOVE, LOOOOOOVVVEEE, LOVED IT!!!… Absolutely stunning!!!… I was completely swept away!!…