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Published Dec 2015
320 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
The Secrets of Midwives tells the story of three generations of women devoted to delivering new life into the world - and the secrets they keep that threaten to change their own lives forever.
Neva Bradley, a third-generation midwife, is determined to keep the details surrounding her own pregnancy - including the identity of the baby's father - hidden from her family and co-workers for as long as possible. Her mother, Grace, finds it impossible to let this secret rest. For Floss, Neva's grandmother and a retired midwife, Neva's situation thrusts her back 60 years in time to a secret that eerily mirrors her granddaughter's - a secret which, if revealed, will have life-changing consequences for them all. Will these women reveal their secrets and deal with the inevitable consequences? Or are some secrets best kept hidden?
First published in hardcover & ebook Feb 2015. Reprinted in paperback Jan 2016.
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Some of the recent comments posted about The Secrets of Midwives:
An interview with Sally Hepworth
If you'd like to know more about Sally Hepworth and this book, please click to read a short Q&A:
[link]https://www.bookbrowse.com/author_interviews/full/index.cfm/author_number/2558/sally-hepworth[/link]
and you can read an excerpt at:
[link]... - davinamw
Did having all three women's viewpoints give you a richer picture of the women's individual stories?
I thought having the three voices made the story richer. It wasn't difficult to follow and it added to the genuineness of their issues and their secrets. - jodig
Did you find Floss's flashbacks to her past insightful?
I did find them helpful plus they added extra interest in the story. Sometimes flashbacks can make the storyline confusing, but this was not the case at all. I think it enhanced the book. - rosemarys
Did you have any guesses as to what Floss's secret was? Did your predictions change as the story was revealed?
I questioned whether Grace was actually Floss's baby or at the very least she had been the product of a rape. - debbielmc
Did you learn anything new about midwifery, birthing, or pregnancy in general while reading this novel?
Well, never having given birth, a lot of it was new to me. - bettyt
"The Secrets of Midwives is women's fiction at its finest." - Liane Moriarty, New York Times bestselling author of The Husband's Secret
"The Secrets of Midwives is a compelling exploration of life, loss, and love. Family secrets test the bonds between three women - Neva, her mother Grace, and her grandmother Floss - as they bring babies into the world and navigate their own complex paths." - Christina Baker Kline, New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train
"From the first page, I could not put The Secrets of Midwives down. Sally Hepworth delves into family secrets and family love in two different eras, adding mystery and plot twists at a breathless, exhilarating pace." - Ann Hood, bestselling author of The Knitting Circle
"Starred Review. This intelligent, well-plotted debut will draw readers in from the very first word and keep them engaged until the end." - Publishers Weekly
"One might expect values that include natural childbirth, motherhood, and mother/child bonding would mean something to these women. But Hepworth credibly paints them no less complexly human and contradictory than anybody else in a not altogether estrogen-drenched tale of redemption via truth." - Booklist
"Australian Hepworth's debut is deftly told with some historical elements mixed in. This thoughtful intergenerational story will delight readers - especially those who enjoy works exploring the topic of midwifery as in Chris Bohjalian's Midwives and the BBC series Call the Midwife." - Library Journal
"Fans of Call the Midwife will enjoy the vignettes of childbirth and the multigenerational female saga." - Kirkus
"The Secrets of Midwives is that rare novel that combines vibrant and nuanced characters with a breathtaking plot, and an almost mystical reverence for the magic of childbirth." - Beatrix Williams, New York Times bestselling author of A Hundred Summers
"Sally Hepworth illuminates one of the most important moments in a woman's life - when she becomes a mother - and spins a story that will hold you captivated till the very end." - Emily Giffin, New York Times bestselling author of The One and Only
This information about The Secrets of Midwives was first featured
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Sally Hepworth is the bestselling author of six novels, most recently The Mother In Law (2019) which has been optioned by actress, Amy Poehler, for television. Her latest novel, The Good Sister is available in early 2021.
Drawing on the good, the bad and the downright odd of human behaviour, Sally writes incisively about family, relationships and identity. Her domestic thriller novels are laced with quirky humour, sass and a darkly charming tone. Sally's novels are available worldwide in English and have been translated into 20 languages. She lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband and three children.
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