The Secret Society of Salzburg

By: Renee Ryan

Narrated by: Henrietta Meire

From the author of The Widows of Champagne, and inspired by true events, comes a gripping and heartwrenching story of two very different women united to bring light to the darkest days of World War II.

London, 1933

At first glance, Austrian opera singer Elsa Mayer-Braun has little in common with the young English typist she encounters on tour. Yet she and Hattie Featherstone forge an instant connection—and strike a dangerous alliance. Using their friendship as a cover, they form a secret society with a daring goal: to rescue as many Jews as possible from Nazi persecution.

Though the war’s outbreak threatens Elsa and Hattie’s network, their efforts attract the covert attention of the British government, offering more opportunities to thwart the Germans. But Elsa’s growing fame as Hitler’s favorite opera singer, coupled with her secret Jewish ancestry, make her both a weapon and a target—until her future, too, hangs in the balance.

From the glamorous stages of Covent Garden and Salzburg to the horrors of Bergen-Belsen, two ordinary women swept up by the tide of war discover an extraordinary friendship—and the courage to save countless lives.

©2022 Renee Ryan (P)2022 Harlequin Enterprises, Limited

The aers and art of espionage

Great story, portraying Elsa”s particular in aiding Jews escaping Germany. It was surprising where the love story came into the picture.

Magnificent story brought further to life by Audio

As a fan of Renee Ryan’s category romances, I’m equally thrilled with her historicals. The Secret Society of Salzburg is a breathless undertaking full of lovely writing and in-depth research. I traveled to Austria, Germany, and England, thanks to this book. Learned so much about opera, art, and the inhumanity unleashed on the world during Hitler’s rise to power.

Finally, brava to Henrietta Meier for her exceptional voice and talented portrayals. She made these characters unique in which they leapt off the page and into audio. Amazing!!

Great story great narrator

I very much enjoyed this story. I was sad when it ended. I will look for more books by Renee Ryan.

Good story well told

Two love stories—one with a tragic ending and a bumpy one with a happy ending.

The reader did voices really well, but her German pronunciation left something to be desired.

Interesting story.

Narrator spoke in bursts. After a moment it became annoying to the point that I had to stop. A better narrator with a smooth transition from sentence to sentence would be much easier to listen to.

Enjoyed!

Really enjoyed this book. Looking forward to reading more about the sisters that parts were inspired by and watching the opera mentioned.

Enjoy the opera

I was reluctant at first, bouncing years with the same character was confusing at first. It the story was wonderful, and historical fiction is always best when served with some truth.

Saving Jewish lives

This story was told in such a way that the reader was constantly worried and wondering what would happen next.

Almost gave up…many times!

I really struggled to get into the book. The story line did not flow for me. The performance unfortunately grated on my nerves. Just not my cup of tea.

Loved this story!

While I wasn’t a big fan of the narration style (it just didn’t seem like the best fit for the story), I absolutely fell in love with the story itself. The bravery and personalities written into the characters was wonderful. I will definitely listen to this one again in the future!