BRILLIANT, BESTSELLING DEBUT AUTHOR: Lara Prescott is a stunning new talent whose work has appeared in acclaimed publications. The first chapter of The Secrets We Kept won the Crazyhorse Fiction Prize in 2016, and The Secrets We Kept was a New York Times Bestseller.

NOVEL INSPIRATION: Doctor Zhivago is a story that has captivated imaginations for over six decades—as both a book and an Academy Award-winning film. Lara Prescott’s debut novel takes readers into the story behind the classic tale, bringing it to life in a new way.

RICH SETTING AND ATMOSPHERE: The Secrets We Kept transports us to a time teeming with real-life drama, intrigue and historical significance.

BOOK-TO-SCREEN MAGIC: Screen rights have been picked up by the team behind The Night Manager and the Oscar-nominated producer of La La Land and Bridge of Spies.

HUGE INTERNATIONAL AUCTIONS: The Secrets We Kept was published in thirty-one territories around the world. We are running on with the US for the paperback edition.

LARA PRESCOTT received her MFA from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas, Austin. She was previously an animal protection advocate and a political campaign operative. Her stories have appeared in The Southern Review, The Hudson Review, Crazyhorse, Day One and Tin House Flash Fridays. She won the 2016 Crazyhorse Fiction Prize for the first chapter of The Secrets We Kept. She lives in Austin, Texas.

Author Residence: Austin, TX

Author Hometown: Pennsylvania

A New York Times Bestseller

“A gorgeous and romantic feast of a novel.” —The New York Times

“One of the biggest fiction releases of the year…. A blend of romance and political intrigue that parallels Pasternak’s [Doctor Zhivago] [with] propulsive storytelling and evocative mid-century detail.” —Vulture

“Enthralling…. This is the rare page-turner with prose that’s as wily as its plot.” —Vogue

“The Secrets We Kept is simply sensational. Two gripping narratives unfold in the pressure cooker of the Cold War: passionate, courageous Olga who stands in the shadow of Soviet author Boris Pasternak yet inspires him to write a heroine for the ages, and the cynical, equally-overshadowed women of the CIA who help bring Pasternak’s masterpiece Dr. Zhivago to bear as a weapon against Soviet oppression. From the gulags of the USSR to the cherry blossom trees of Washington DC, the story grips and refuses to let go. Lara Prescott is a star in the making.” —Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Huntress and The Alice Network

“Through lucid images and vibrant storytelling, Prescott creates an edgy postfeminist vision of the Cold War, encompassing Sputnik to glasnost, typing pool to gulag, for a smart, lively page-turner. This debut shines as spy story, publication thriller and historical romance with a twist.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Delightful…. An intriguing and little-known chapter of literary history is brought to life with brio.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“This rich and well-researched narrative has an almost epic sweep, with alternating dramatic plots involving spies and espionage, many fascinating characters (both historical and fictional) from East and West, and a gifted writer and storyteller to tie it all together. For a debut novelist, Prescott writes with astonishing assurance, enthralling readers with tales of secret agents and intrigue, love and betrayal. Highly recommended.” —Library Journal, starred review

“[A] propulsive slice of historical fiction…. Prescott combines Mad Men-esque period style with a spy story worthy of John Le Carré.” —Entertainment Weekly

“If spy novels, the fifties and stories of deceit and deception are your cup of tea then you have to get your hands on The Secrets We Kept…. [It] won’t be like any spy novel you’ve read before.” —Bustle

“This intelligent, mixed-genre page-turner is part historical novel, part spy thriller, part romance fiction and more besides…. Prescott tells this story in an energetic and readable way, particularly highlighting the roles played by women on both sides of the Iron Curtain.” —The Sydney Morning Herald

“Epic in scope, deliciously meaty, and utterly convincing.” —Ben Fountain, author of Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk
 
“Stylish, thrilling, smart, vivid.” —Elizabeth McCracken, author of Thunderstruck & Other Stories
 
“Provocative, haunting and a damn good read.” —H.W. Brands, author of The First American
 
“A first-rate novel, and it signals the arrival of a major new writer.” —Bret Anthony Johnston, author of Remember Me Like This
 
“One of the most unique and devastating novels [I have] read in years.” —Deb Olin Unferth, author of Minor Robberies