Buy used:
$6.96
FREE delivery May 23 - June 10. Details
Used: Very Good | Details
Sold by Bahamut Media
Condition: Used: Very Good
Comment: Shipped within 24 hours. Clean, undamaged book with no damage to pages and minimal wear to the cover. Spine still tight, in very good condition. Remember if you are not happy, you are covered by our 100% money back guarantee.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Susanna Kearsley
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Sophia's Secret Paperback – Import, September 22, 2008

by Susanna Kearsley (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,009 ratings
See all formats and editions
When bestselling author Carrie McClelland visits the windswept ruins of Slains Castle, she is enchanted by the stark and beautiful Scottish landscape. The area is strangely familiar to her but she puts aside her faint sense of unease to begin her new novel, using the castle as her setting, and one of her own ancestors, Sophia, as her heroine. Then Carrie realises her writing is taking on a life of its own and the lines between fact and fiction become increasingly blurred. As Sophia's memories draw Carrie more deeply into the intrigue of 1708, she discovers a captivating love story lost in time. After three hundred years, Sophia's Secret must be told.
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    527 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Allison & Busby
  4. Publication date
    September 22, 2008
  5. Dimensions
    5.12 x 1.42 x 7.72 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0749080787
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0749080785
  8. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Allison & Busby; UK ed. edition (September 22, 2008)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 527 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0749080787
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0749080785
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.12 x 1.42 x 7.72 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,009 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Susanna Kearsley

Susanna Kearsley

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

I’m a former museum curator, avid amateur genealogist, and writer of modern gothic novels that interweave contemporary suspense and romance with historical adventure, meaning they don’t fit neatly into any category and are therefore a marketer’s nightmare.

The Bookseller once said of me, in a review, “She has a poetic sensibility and a sense of mystery; she could write the modern Rebecca.”

So that’s what I strive for.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
1,009 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Porty Sam Trout
5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Book
Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2024
Verified Purchase
No problems with obtaining this book.. I have not yet read it. However, I have enjoyed all of Susanna Kearsley's books and am sure that I will like this one.
Helpful
 Report
Melanie Young Yee
4.0 out of 5 stars A love that transcends history and the world
Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2014
Verified Purchase
I struggled for a couple of minutes when I was trying to give a rating for this book. It was something between four or five stars but, regardless of how much I liked the book, I thought that four stars would be an adequate rating. I liked the book, yet something else was missing for me to LOVE it.

First of all, I need to state that I'm not quite familiar with the History of Europe, so having a bit of notion about it in the form of an adorable romance was very refreshing. Kearsley's writing style feels very carefree and pleasant to read, yet descriptive enough so that you don't easily get lost in spite of all the plot things going on. Kudos for her easiness of swapping writing styles, from first to third person, making them seem like they were written by two different people.

The romance itself is just the kind of thing I like to read (although Carrie did annoy me sometimes - and Graham, for his initial apparent lack of attitude): the main character is a strong woman who learned to face adversities, yet pure and innocent, filled with angst. When you think she is about to become the typical annoying defenseless little princess, she actually manages to turn the tides to her favor - either that or she gets extremely lucky and manages to get out of the tough situation. She doesn't simply stand there in her beautiful little castle shedding tears for her beloved one, and this is something I admire greatly, specially because the main story happens in the eighteenth century, when women had yet to earn their respect.

I don't think there is anything I came to dislike in this book. It's not perfect, but it's definitely something I'd be willing to read for a second time
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Brenda S. Walters
5.0 out of 5 stars This author never disappoints!
Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2023
Verified Purchase
Always a pleasure reading her novels!
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Denim and books. Santa fe New Mexico
5.0 out of 5 stars Love her books
Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2017
Verified Purchase
I have read this book when it was published as The Winter Sea, I loved it then and I love it now.
it's History's mysteries and Fiction at is best!!!! I have read all her books , they all written well ,and entertaining
Excellent writing , she does her research. Highly recommend reading all of Susanna Kearsley books. You won't regret it.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Penny Hill
5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous
Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2017
Verified Purchase
Who would of thought history would be so thrilling. This book of love, longing, treachery, spies and war has it all. Written so well it doesn't seem like history. Three hundred years ago, it was a sort of time travel it felt so real. Based on true facts but made so very interesting.
Helpful
 Report
Sally hunker
3.0 out of 5 stars I love herbooks though
Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2018
Verified Purchase
I haven’t gotten it yet so I don’t know how it will be. I love herbooks though
Helpful
 Report
roslyn eve
4.0 out of 5 stars I really enjoyed Sophia`s secret.
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2014
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed this book which is the first book by this author that I have read. I thought the way the author told two stories which were linked in plot and character was very clever. I thought that in real life, what happened to the present day heroine to enable her to tell the story of her ancestor would never have occurred but that did not matter to me because I so enjoyed the story of her ancestor and her beloved.. I thought it very well written and because of that it was enjoyable to read.It had moments of real suspense and deep sadness and a satisfying ending. The description of the cold and rugged Scottish coastline also appealed to me. I am going to seek out other books this author has written.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Jharna
5.0 out of 5 stars I felt like I was living Sophia's life while reading this book
Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2014
Verified Purchase
Lovely, lovely story. I felt like I was living Sophia's life while reading this book. And I learnt some history too in the process. I loved the descriptions of Scotland,both present day and historic - it felt like I was right there. This is the second book by Susanna Kearsley that I've read and I can see myself grabbing somemorebooks written by her!
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Doreen
5.0 out of 5 stars Enthralling
Reviewed in Canada on June 4, 2019
Verified Purchase
Couldn't put it down. It was one of those books tgat you wished would never end. Well done Susanna Kearsley!
Report
Janine
5.0 out of 5 stars This book was previously published as The Winter Sea
Reviewed in Australia on July 15, 2023
Verified Purchase
I paid $52 for ‘Sophia’s Secret’ only to discover it’s ‘The Winter Sea’ republished. It’s in small print on the back cover. On a literary note, Winter Sea was a brilliant story and I loved reading it. It’s good it’s been renamed Sophia’s Secret so readers know the book is Sophia’s story but it needs to be much more obvious on the cover. I’ve wasted $52. I hope I get a refund.
Report
ungenannte Rezensentin
5.0 out of 5 stars Spannend und gut recherchiert - Geschichte zum Miterleben
Reviewed in Germany on March 28, 2016
Verified Purchase
Dies ist das erste Buch von Susanna Kearsley, das ich gelesen habe und sicher nicht das letze.
Der Schreibstil ist flüssig, die Geschichte gut recherchiert und als Buch im Buch fantastisch verpackt. Die Personen im Buch und ums Buch herum sind hinreissend dargestellt. Sie haben mich mit nach Schottland genommen und ein Stück Geschichte flüssig und authentisch dargestellt. Absolute Leseempfehlung.
Report
eiremine
5.0 out of 5 stars sophia' secret
Reviewed in France on December 7, 2013
Verified Purchase
Je conseille ce livre , ainsi que tous les ouvrages écrits par Susanna Kearsley , à tous ceux qui aime voir le passé et le présent s'entremêler .
Cet écrivain a l'art de mettre en coïncidence les faits historiques réels avec la vie d'hommes et de femmes vivant à notre époque , soit parce qu'ils sont les descendants de personnages du passé , soit parce qu'ils servent de vecteur pour révéler ou rectifier des événements oubliés .
Dans Sophia's secret , nous partons en Ecosse au 18 ème siècle alors que le roi légitime mais évincé James II tente de reprendre son trône à Edimbourg . L'héroïne de l'histoire est en fait un écrivain qui essaie d'aborder ce sujet par l'intermédiaire d'une femme Sophia qui se révélera être son ancêtre et de l'amour qu'elle porte pour un jacobin fidèle au roi , ancêtre lui aussi d'un homme rencontré dans le village où elle s'est retirée pour écrire .
CAPTIVANT !
Report
Jenna
5.0 out of 5 stars Haunting, Well Written, Truly Enjoyable
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 16, 2011
Verified Purchase
Susanna Kearsley has once again written a truly memorable book which has that frisson of the supernatural, without losing any of the believability of the story. The tale revolves around Carrie McLelland, an author who is writing a story about the period in Scottish history which details attempts to put King James back on the throne in the early 18th century. Carrie goes to Scotland to stay near the ruins of Slains castle, in the hope that the landscape will inspire her writing and provide local information to aid her research. It certainly does both of those things, and Carrie begins to write with an insight and fervour not entirely her own, but involving one of her ancestors, a young lady named Sophia Paterson, whose story and secrets must now be told.
The result is the telling of both Sophia's experiences and also Carrie's in the present day. The switching from one time period to the other is seamless. Ms Kearsley really knows how to manage this method of storytelling to keep the reader's interest. Both stories have romance and intrigue, but it is the relating of Sophia's life that holds the most emotional suspense and surprises, whilst at the same time encompassing true historical facts.
In short, this is a history lesson, a double romance, a puzzle and a ghost story, woven skilfully together. The writing is excellent. It is tender, warm and haunting, yet true to its historical background. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I'm looking forward to reading more by this author. Something a little different like this deserves to be successful.
One person found this helpful
 Report