Bryn Turnbull Books in Order

How to Read Bryn Turnbull's Novels

Bryn Turnbull is a master of biographical and historical fiction, specialized in bringing the forgotten or overshadowed perspectives of women to the forefront of major historical events. Because all of her works are completely standalone novels, there is no single "correct" order to read them. You will not miss any recurring characters or plot lines by reading them out of sequence.

However, readers generally choose between two primary paths: Publication Order (which matches how the author refined her craft over time) or Chronological Order of Historical Settings (which takes you on a journey through the 20th century, from the twilight of Imperial Russia to the rise of the Berlin Wall).

Option 1: Publication Order (Recommended)

Reading in publication order allows you to experience Turnbull's growth as a novelist, starting with her dazzling interwar debut and culminating in her complex Cold War emotional drama. Here is the publication order of her standalone novels:

1. The Woman Before Wallis (2020)
2. The Last Grand Duchess (2022)
3. The Paris Deception (2023)
4. The Berlin Apartment (2024)

Option 2: Chronological Order of Historical Settings

If you prefer to traverse the 20th century in the order that history unfolded, you can read the books according to the eras they depict. Reading this way provides a fascinating look at the shifting political landscapes of Europe across five decades:

1. The Last Grand Duchess (Set during the twilight of Imperial Russia and the 1917 Russian Revolution)
2. The Woman Before Wallis (Set in the late 1920s and 1930s, chronicling the interwar years and the British abdication crisis)
3. The Paris Deception (Set during World War II, focusing on Nazi-occupied Paris in the early 1940s)
4. The Berlin Apartment (Set in 1961, capturing the sudden rise of the Berlin Wall and the Cold War division of Germany)

Detailed Breakdown of the Novels

The Woman Before Wallis (2020)

Turnbull's debut novel focuses on the glamorous yet tragic life of Thelma Morgan Furness. While history widely remembers Wallis Simpson as the American divorcee who prompted King Edward VIII to abdicate the British throne, it was actually Thelma who captured Edward's heart first. As the twin sister of Gloria Vanderbilt and a prominent figure in 1920s high society, Thelma's romance with the Prince of Wales was scandal-soaked and passionate. The novel details how she unwittingly introduced Edward to Wallis Simpson, setting off a chain of events that altered the course of the British monarchy forever.

The Last Grand Duchess (2022)

This poignant novel centers on Grand Duchess Olga Romanov, the eldest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II. As the Russian Empire crumbles under the weight of World War I and impending revolution, Olga struggles to balance her duties as a royal with her desires for a normal life and love. Unlike many stories that focus strictly on the mystery of Anastasia, Turnbull gives Olga the spotlight, highlighting her work as a nurse, her fierce dedication to her family, and the tragic final days of the Romanov dynasty in captivity. It is an empathetic look at a young woman caught in the gears of a massive historical transition.

The Paris Deception (2023)

Set during the dark days of Nazi-occupied Paris, this novel follows two women—Sophie Dix, a German art restorer who fled the regime, and Fabienne Brandt, a talented Parisian artist. Sophie is hired at the Jeu de Paume museum, which the Nazis use to store and catalog looted art from Jewish collections. Horrified by the systematic theft of cultural heritage and the destruction of "degenerate" modern art, Sophie and Fabienne team up. They create high-quality forgeries to place in the museum galleries while smuggling the original masterpieces out to safety. The story is heavily inspired by the real-life heroic actions of French resistance member Rose Valland.

The Berlin Apartment (2024)

Turnbull's fourth novel takes readers into the heart of the Cold War. In 1961 Berlin, a young East German couple, Lise Bauer and Uli Neumann, celebrate their engagement. Just two days later, the city is abruptly split in two by the construction of the Berlin Wall. Lise is left trapped on the socialist East side while pregnant, while Uli is stuck in the capitalist West. The novel alternates between their perspectives as Uli and his friends hatch a perilous plan to tunnel under the border to rescue Lise, highlighting the human cost of political division and the strength of love under the watchful eyes of the Stasi.

Practical Reader Advice

Where is the best place to start?

For most readers, The Woman Before Wallis is the ideal starting point because it establishes Turnbull's signature style of blending high-society drama with deep emotional stakes and meticulous historical research. However, if you prefer wartime resistance thrillers, The Paris Deception is an excellent, fast-paced entry point.

Do any of the books overlap?

No. Each book is a standalone narrative with its own cast of characters and distinct setting. There are no shared characters, overlapping universes, or companion novellas. You can pick up any book that catches your interest without worrying about missing backstory.

What to know before you start

Turnbull is praised by historians and readers alike for her commitment to research. She frequently relies on primary sources, diaries, and historical archives to reconstruct the settings and speech of her characters. When writing about real historical figures (such as Olga Romanov and Thelma Furness), she sticks closely to the known timeline while filling in the emotional blanks. In novels like The Paris Deception and The Berlin Apartment, she creates fictional protagonists (like Sophie, Fabienne, Lise, and Uli) to represent the composite experiences of real-life citizens who lived through those historic moments, inserting them seamlessly alongside real historical actors like Rose Valland.