Inspired by a real Victorian crochet book – and the secret language of women who crafted their way through a war.



Paris, 1943. Marguerette Touissant has lost almost everything. Illness has stolen the voice that made her a star at the Moulin Rouge; the war has taken her father, the celebrated couturier Lucien Lumineau, murdered by the very woman who now runs his fashion house. Hair shorn and dyed, hiding under a borrowed name, Marguerette takes refuge behind the counter of a bookshop on Rue de la Pompe and begins her search for the sisters the war tore from her.



Drawn into the resistance operating quietly from the bookshop’s shelves, Marguerette turns her crochet into a weapon: forged ID cards inside an ordinary ball of wool, smuggled past the checkpoints in plain sight. And from a forgotten Victorian pattern book, she creates something else entirely – gowns of dazzling, defiant beauty, colour and craft in a city the war has stripped bare.



To find a way back to her sisters, she must gamble everything on a position at her father’s own fashion house. And the one man who can lead her to her sisters is the last she should trust: Theo, an SS officer’s son, whose loyalties could save her family or destroy them all.



Perfect for readers who love:

- Sweeping World War Two fiction set in occupied France

- Stories inspired by real women written out of history

- Resistance networks, hidden messages and impossible choices

- Long-lost sisters and buried family secrets

- A vivid Parisian world of haute couture, cabaret and craft

For fans of Kristin Hannah, Kate Quinn and Pam Jenoff.



Also in the series: The Resistance Knitting Club and The Secret Dressmaker.

Readers love the Threads of Resistance series:



‘For fans of The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, this book is for you!... the reader will discover a heroic woman who sacrifices so much to help the ones that she loves. A terrific read!’ Reader review, 5 stars



‘If I could give this book a billion stars, I would. It was impossible to put down. It is filled with surprising twists... It leaves you with a feeling of unity, compassion, and the warmth of a forever love.’ Reader review, 5 stars



‘Heart wrenching and captivating that turns into the most remarkable story. Grab your tissues keep them close, this is a true feminist heroine playing a vital part that will have you absolutely sobbing your heart out.’ Reader review, 5 stars



‘Just a warning...don’t think that you will just read a couple of chapters... Five hours later, I had missed dinner, but I’d finished the book... a spectacular read.’ Reader review, 5 stars



‘Oh wow, this is a super addictive read. I’m not a knitter but I was fascinated by the concept of using various stitches to encode information. O’Brien manages to seamlessly entwine fact and fiction in this wonderful story of love and heroism... I’m betting this will end up being a movie!’ Reader review, 5 stars



‘If I could give this book 6 stars, I would in a heartbeat!’ Reader review, 5 stars



‘O'Brien is brilliant at research so the reader is quickly immersed in the main character Flora's life of danger and secrets. I loved the way O'Brien seamlessly blended history and historical characters into the story... a gripping story from start to finish.’ Reader review, 5 stars



‘Beautifully woven story of courage and hope... [this] is a beautifully written historical novel that captivated me from beginning to end. Rich in emotion, unforgettable characters, and vivid wartime settings. It tells a powerful story of love, sacrifice, and resilience. The story kept me turning the pages.’ Reader review, 5 stars