The Seven Letters: A debut novel by Shipton-under-Wychwood author, Jan Harvey

Jan Harvey’s debut novel has been published.

Set in wartime Paris and Oxfordshire, The Seven Letters is a dark tale of the women of the French Resistance who gave everything to liberate France.
Known as the ‘Women of the Shadows’ female resistance fighters were used to undertake covert activities and the heroine of Jan’s book, Claudette Bourvil, finds herself compromised when she is sent to Paris to work as a maid in a residence frequented by the German High Command.
‘The novel is very much about ‘light and shade,’ explains Jan. ‘It is a time-split novel so I have made the modern story light and very ordinary. It could be any one of us who finds ourselves drawn into the mystery. My characters are not sleuths, there is no crusty old detective and his annoying sidekick, they are just two people who become caught up in an untold story from decades ago.They uncover Claudette’s story through seven letters written at different times and by different people and slowly find out the disturbing truth of what happened to her.
Jan has been working on her novel for four years and already has a second underway.It is based in Shipton-under-Wychwood. Once again the theme is Paris, during the war, but this time features the activities of the Special Operations Executive.
‘My fascination with the war started with many hours of misspent youth watching black and white films,’ says Jan. ‘I have always wanted to know more details about The Resistance and what motivated people, who were just regular folk forced to fight, often in hand to hand combat, with an intimidating occupying force. The real stories I have come across have been chilling, even depressing, but often feature great courage and sacrifice. My aim is to uncover aspects of the social side of occupied Paris that are little known.’

The Seven Letters is available online as an e-book from iBooks, Google and Kindle, the paperback from all good book sellers (ISBN No. 978 1785 899 089)and also from Jan herself. Please go to her website www.janharveyauthor.com and if you are in The Wychwoods area your copy will be signed and personalised on request. More details are available by calling 01993 832357