by Joy Vee
Looking for dual timeline historical fiction that explores faith under persecution?
When Fay discovers a rusted tin box hidden in a theatre cupboard, she uncovers a secret her grandfather has kept for sixty years – a secret that connects her family to 1960s Soviet Russia, the prestigious Kirov Ballet, and a young dancer named Vera. This gripping dual timeline historical fiction weaves between modern-day England and Cold War Leningrad, revealing how one family’s courage in the face of religious persecution echoes across generations.
They Whisper About Us is a story of hidden identity, impossible choices, and faith discovered in the most unlikely places. Perfect for book clubs, mothers and daughters reading together, and anyone who loves stories where family secrets unlock courage for today.
Who is “They Whisper About Us” written for?
This compelling novel is ideal for teens and adults who love dual timeline stories that connect past and present. It’s perfect for book clubs seeking discussion-worthy themes of faith, courage, and family secrets. Mothers and daughters will find rich material for meaningful conversations about standing up for beliefs in hostile environments. Homeschool families will appreciate the educational window into Soviet history and religious persecution, while readers of Christian historical fiction will be gripped by Vera’s dangerous faith journey in 1960s Russia where belief in God was illegal.
Why do I need this book?
It shows faith awakening in the most unlikely place. Vera doesn’t find God through sermons or churches – she discovers Him in unexpected ways when religion is illegal and belief could cost everything.
It addresses family secrets and hidden trauma with compassion. As Fay’s grandfather’s dementia loosens his carefully guarded past, the family faces a choice: ignore these glimpses into his pain, or finally uncover the truth he could never speak. For families navigating aging parents, this story offers hope and understanding.
It brings Soviet persecution to life. Through Vera’s eyes, readers experience the suffocating atmosphere of 1960s Leningrad – where “Enemy of the People” could mean anyone, where walls have ears, where people disappear and no one speaks their name again. This is history that matters, persecution that still happens, courage that inspires today. The dual timeline structure lets readers process these heavy themes alongside Fay, discovering the past as she does.
Can I read a sample first?
Of course! Here’s a powerful moment from Vera’s childhood that captures the atmosphere of fear and silence in Soviet Russia:
Extract from They Whisper About Us
A car door slammed across the street, and reality fractured. Vera was once again a five-year-old child, standing with her mother outside the theatre, but the jovial atmosphere was shattered as two large black cars rolled up in front of the building. Vera felt the tension in the street before she could see what was wrong. Despite the large number of theatre-goers, gathering in all their finery, including many children, there to enjoy their first ballet, the crowd fell into a tense silence.
Men dressed in dark uniforms got out of the cars and walked boldly into the theatre. Mama stood up straight and moved Vera behind her, so she was hidden by her long coat. For several minutes, no one moved. The street was frozen, as though in a picture. Vera felt the frost nip through her boots. She wanted to dance the cold away, but looking around, she could see that no one else was moving, and didn’t want to draw attention to herself.
Next to her stood a lady in a long fur coat. Vera looked up at her face. She was looking toward the theatre, frozen like marble, as everyone else was, but Vera noticed a tear trickle down her cheek.
Vera looked around her mother’s coat, trying to see what was happening. The men in uniform were now coming out of the theatre, but they were dragging a young woman. She was still in her dressing gown and had been halfway through putting her make-up on.
‘It’s Anna Igorevna,’ whispered the woman next to her. ‘Surely they’ve made a mistake?’
Vera looked at the woman being pushed into the back seat of one of the cars. Anna Igorevna was one of the Kirov Ballet’s prima ballerinas. She was the star of that evening’s performance, and Vera had been so looking forward to seeing her dance. It was said she moved with such grace that no one could match her.
The young woman looked out at the crowd, her eyes flitted across the people as though looking for someone, anyone, to help. But the crowd remained frozen.
As the door slammed behind her, a whisper swept through the street. ‘Enemy of the People. She’s an Enemy of the People.’
Vera looked at the pale face of the young woman in the back of the car. Her eyes were wide, and her lips were moving, although Vera couldn’t make out what she was saying. She was still scouring the crowd, as though looking for a final friendly face or a last-minute salvation, but the cars swept her away into the darkness as quickly as they had arrived.
The crowd began to move forward towards the theatre. Conversations that had paused at the appearance of the vehicles, resumed as though nothing had happened. No one mentioned the extraordinary sight they had all just witnessed.
Excerpt from They Whisper About Us © Joy Vee, 2022
Where Can I Purchase the Book?
You can buy paperbacks & ebooks directly from us here. This story is also available as a hardback omnibus with its companion story, The Letters She Never Sent, here.
If you’d love to read this story but cannot afford it, we do run a bursary programme. Please contact us to request a book.