National Network for Equitable Library Service

Absence isn't a hole. It's a presence living inside you, eating its way out. Occupied France, 1943. Returning home from the daily hunt for the rationed ingredients necessary to keep his family pâtisserie open, Andre Albert finds his four year old son in the street, his wife gone, and a Jewish escapee cowering behind the display case. Without Mireille, the foundation of Andre's world crumbles. He desperately searches for her, but finds more trouble than answers. Lives are further jeopardized when he agrees to hide Émilie, the escapee, and a Nazi officer shows up to investigate Mireille's disappearance. Andre will do anything to bring his wife home, catapulting him, their son, and Émilie on a perilous journey impeded by temptation, past trauma, and stunning revelations. The French Baker's War is as relevant today for its themes of duty to strangers and sacrifice for family. Recommended for those who enjoyed The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Book Thief, and The Nightingale.