I was fortunate to win a copy of The Singapore Secret by Clare Willis via a giveaway from Karren’s Reading Nook.

Annabel visits her beloved grandmother, Dotty, in Cornwall for her 100^th birthday party. Annabel’s partner is giving mixed signals and, needing a break away, she extends her visit with her grandmother. She is shocked and heart-broken when Dotty passes away unexpectedly. Equally shocking is the discovery of letters which document her grandmother’s time in Singapore during World War II. None of her family, including her father, Dotty’s only son, were aware she had ever left Cornwall. And according to the doctor, Dotty could never have borne a child …

Singapore, 1942: Dotty is loving life in Singapore until she marries the wrong man. Then the unthinkable happens and the Japanese invade. Intolerable hardships follow but she has more than herself to live for now. She is left keeping a secret that was never part of her plan.

The Singapore Secret is well-paced novel with a fascinating plotline and compelling characters. A section of the story deals with a time that I usually find difficult to read about, but although difficult circumstances weren’t glossed over, there was no gratuitous violence or unnecessary lurid detail. I found it a thoroughly enjoyable story and recommend it to anyone who enjoys dual timeline and historical novels.