The Porcelain Maker

An epic story of love, betrayal, and art that spans decades, through the horrors of World War II to 21st century America, inspired by an actual porcelain factory in Dachau.

Two lovers caught at the crossroads of history.
A daughter's search for the truth.

Germany, 1929. At a festive gathering of young bohemians in Weimar, two young artists, Max, a skilled Jewish architect, and Bettina, a celebrated avant-garde painter, are drawn to each other and begin a whirlwind romance. Their respective talents transport them to the dazzling lights of Berlin, but this bright beginning is quickly dimmed by the rising threat of Nazism. Max is arrested and sent to the concentration camp at Dachau where only his talent at making exquisite porcelain figures stands between him and seemingly certain death. Desperate to save her lover, Bettina risks everything to rescue him and escape Germany.

America, 1993. Clara, Bettina's daughter, embarks on a journey to trace her roots and determine the identity of her father, a secret her mother has kept from her for reasons she's never understood. Clara's quest to piece together the puzzle of her origins transports us back in time to the darkness of Nazi Germany, where life is lived on a razor's edge and deception and death lurk around every corner. Survival depends on strength, loyalty, and knowing true friend from hidden foe. And as Clara digs further, she begins to question why her mother was so determined to leave the truth of her harrowing past behind...

The Porcelain Maker is a powerful novel of enduring love and courage in the face of appalling brutality as a daughter seeks to unlock the mystery of her past.

Author: Sarah Freethy
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 11/07/2023
Pages: 384
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.32lbs
Size: 9.30h x 6.40w x 1.50d
ISBN: 9781250289346

Review Citation(s):
Library Journal Prepub Alert 06/01/2023 pg. 6
Publishers Weekly 09/11/2023
Booklist 10/15/2023 pg. 29

About the Author
SARAH FREETHY worked as a writer, script consultant, producer and development editor in television before turning her hand to fiction. The Porcelain Maker is her first novel. She lives in England with her family.