The Secret Book of Flora Lea

In 1939, 14-year-old Hazel and her five-year-old sister, Flora Lea, are evacuated from London to Oxford. There, Hazel tells Flora stories of Whisperwood, an imaginary, mystical place where she and Flora can escape the fear and uncertainty of war. The sisters visit Whisperwood often but never share its existence with anyone. All is well until Flora disappears without a trace. The police believe that she drowned in the Thames, but Hazel and her mother still hope that Flora is alive. In 1960, Hazel, who is now working at a shop selling rare books, opens a mysterious package. Inside is a manuscript titled Whisperwood and the River of Stars—the same stories that she shared with only Flora. Hazel drops everything to discover more about the author and the stories, hoping that she may be able to find her long-lost sister after all. The audiobook’s narrator, Tony-winning British actress Cynthia Erivo (The Color Purple), provides a quiet, expertly paced performance of Henry’s (Once Upon a Wardrobe) latest, a novel that stresses the importance of storytelling and the need to be true to oneself.