Trudy's Promise [Paperback]

Marcia Preston (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2008

An act of desperation divides a mother and her child. Only an act of faith can reunite them.

Trudy Hulst has no idea if her husband survived his attempted escape past the newly constructed Berlin Wall. But she knows too well the consequences of his actions. Now branded the wife of a defector, she faces a life in prison. With no real choice, she is forced to follow, praying she can find a way to claim their child once she's in West Berlin.

Trudy survives a harrowing break for freedom...only to learn her husband was shot during his escape. Terribly alone, she wanders the wall like a ghost, living for brief glimpses of her son, now out of reach behind barbed wire and armed soldiers. Desperate to regain her child, Trudy begins a journey that leads her to America, where she continues an odyssey of hope to find her son.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

It's been three months since East Berliner Trudy Hulst saw her husband, Rolf, a political activist who fled to the West just ahead of the Stasi in the early 1960s. So when the Stasi summons her for interrogation, she knows what's in store. With the help of Rolf's friend Wolfgang, now a state policeman, Trudy escapes to West Berlin, only to find out that her husband was shot and killed while he was going over the wall. Trudy finds a room in a dingy boarding house, works as a waitress and bides her time until her young son and his grandmother can join her. But when President Kennedy comes to town, Trudy's story so captivates a member of the presidential entourage that he takes her to America as a symbol of the Cold War's devastation. Meanwhile, Wolfgang's ties to the Hulsts put his career and his life in jeopardy. Though the portrayal of deprivation and suffering in East Berlin is by-the-numbers, Trudy's struggle to adapt to the free world is refreshing, particularly her experiences in 1960s America. (Mar.)
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About the Author

Marcia Preston grew up on a wheat farm in central Oklahoma, and her first two books were mysteries in an Oklahoma setting. She was awarded the 2004 Mary Higgins Clark Award for suspense fiction, and the 2004 Oklahoma Book Award. Her most recent books are general fiction. Before writing novels full time, Marcia taught high school English and was a freelance writer for a long list of national magazines. She also published and edited a specialty magazine for writers.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Mira (March 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0778325334
• ISBN-13: 978-0778325338
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #789,914 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Preston scores a solid winner, May 13, 2008

By 

Patti Dickinson (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Trudy's Promise (Paperback)

Author Preston never ceases to entertain with vivid characters and eloquent prose. Trudy's Promise is a trip back into a period of history that could easily slip away and be forgotten. Instead, Preston puts you smack in the middle of East Berlin and all of a sudden you are experiencing history.I could feel the cold and the growing fear and then the desperate sense of loss at having to leave little Stefan. Trudy's Promise delivers a story of unparalleled courage and determination, and a love that time cannot diminish. The reader can't help but root for Trudy--she captures the heart.If the true measure of a "good book" is one that you hate to see end, then Trudy's Promise ranks at the top of the list. Preston has scored a solid winner with this story

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Trudy's Promise well worth your time., February 26, 2008

By 

Lesley A. Dvorak "Lesley D." (Oklahoma) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Trudy's Promise (Paperback)

Ms. Preston has delivered another great read. I believe that this is her best work to date. Her writing style is so eloquent and expressive, and her characters grab you from the beginning and never let you go. From the very first page to the nail biting ending, you will never lose interest in the wonderful story or the fates of the wonderful characters contained within. I see a movie in the future but one wonders if it can be half as good as this wonderful book. Well worth your purchase and your time.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bringing History Alive for Students, May 19, 2008

By 

Ferryn Martin (Houston, Texas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Trudy's Promise (Paperback)

I am always searching for ways to get my high school students to read. As a history teacher, I also try and find ways to bring history alive for my students. This book does both. Sometimes there are parts of great books that keep me from recommending them to my students. Even though this is a book written for adults, there is nothing inappropriate for teenagers. One such student told me recently that it is now her favorite book.