Almost True

Almost True is the story of an extraordinary friendship among four women living in a small village in Burgundy during World War II. Madeleine, the eccentric village beauty, is a spinner of stories and dreams. Léa, the doctor’s daughter, is brave and resourceful. Simone, the outsider from Paris, has a secret of her own to hide, and the hardworking and practical Eugénie struggles to keep her vineyard alive. When Eugénie’s younger brother, the reckless and handsome Gaston, is suddenly missing, the village buzzes with rumour. All four women think they know the true story of Gaston’s fate, and each of them is wrong. But the truth will bind them together forever. “Jan Rehner’s newest book presents a fairytale-like setting in its luring dreaminess and haunting darkness. We engage with clever Madeleine, emotionally volatile Simone, in-charge Lea, and sad Eugenie—four women who expose to us their brave truths through voices that sing against the backdrop of the gritty world of war. A story at once tantalizing and urgent, we journey along towards understanding, clarity, and eventual peace. Exquisitely written.” — Jocelyn Cullity, author of Amah and the Silk-Winged Pigeons