'This story is entirely thanks to composer Hans Zimmer.



Hans introduced me to Kara Talve who wrote the score for the TV series of The Tattooist of Auschwitz on an old upright piano which had belonged to her grandmother, whose life was saved as a child during the Second World War by her teacher, Andrée Levallois.



That piano, and the story of love and courage Hans encouraged Kara to share with me, formed the basis of The Piano Teacher of Montparnasse.' Heather Morris



'Maman said you would keep me safe and that I should trust you completely.'

'Your Maman was right.'

'Will you come back? Promise you'll come back.'



'I promise. I will always come back to you. Always.'





In 1942, the Nazis come for a Jewish family living in Montparnasse, occupied Paris. In the chaos of their arrest, eleven-year-old Josie flees to the only person she trusts: her piano teacher, Andrée Levallois, secretly an operative in the French Resistance.





Andrée takes her in as a member of the family, spreading their rations and risking everything to keep her safe. But soon the authorities close in, and both Andrée and Josie are caught in a desperate race to stay alive.





Epic in scope and inspired by real events and people, The Piano Teacher of Montparnasse is a gripping, heartbreaking and uplifting story of ordinary people in extraordinary times.





'An inspiring true story of resilience, hope and courage' CHRISTY LEFTERI, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE BEEKEEPER OF ALEPPO





'A powerful, deeply resonant novel filled with humanity... I held my breath to the last pages, where I could no longer hold back my tears.' MARC LEVY, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF IF ONLY IT WERE TRUE





DISCOVER THE HEARTBREAKING STORY BEHIND THE STORY. SEARCH FOR HEATHER MORRIS AND KARA TALVE ON YOUTUBE.





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Readers love it! In their own words: 

'Equal parts harrowing and heartwarming. This book will stay with me for a long time.'

'A beautiful story of courage [...] a masterpiece'

'This is a must read for any historical fiction fans.'

'If I could rate it more than 5 stars I would!'

'This book will break your heart…heart-wrenching, deep, touching.'

'I'm not crying it's hay fever...'

'An extremely powerful reminder that if all else is lost, we must have hope.'

'Deeply moving [and] epic in scope. A must read for fans of WW2 Historical Fiction.'

'Heather Morris has such a beautiful way of bringing history to life. She writes with so much care and grace that you can't help but become attached to the characters and feel completely transported back to the time they are living in.'

'Some books are heartbreaking from the first chapters and The Piano Teacher of Montparnasse is one of them… If you love historical fiction featuring WWII, I think this one will stay with you.'



Heather Morris's life changed in 2003 when she met Lale Sokolov, an elderly man with 'a story to tell'. It formed the basis of her first novel, The Tattooist of Auschwitz and its follow-ups, Cilka's Journey and Three Sisters, and began a lifelong interest in the retelling of true stories.  Her most recent historical novel, Sisters Under the Rising Sun, is based on the experiences of women held in Japanese POW camps during World War II.  







 







Heather's books have sold over 19 million copies worldwide and been translated into over 50 languages. The Tattooist of Auschwitz, one of the 21st century's bestselling books, was made into an acclaimed miniseries in 2024.