About the Book
Book: Secrets of the Desert Rose
Author: Marilyn Turk
Genre: Dual Timeline
Release Date: February 24, 2026
Three Women. Two generations. Their friendship survived the war. Their secret survived even longer.
Monique and Audrey, one French and one British, grow up in French Algiers on the coast of the sparkling Mediterranean Sea. Best friends, they keep each other’s secrets into adulthood when World War II changes their world and Algiers sides with the Hitler-based Vichy government. Audrey joins Charles DeGaulle’s resistance army, the French Foreign Legion, while Monique stays to work in the underground resistance aiding the Allied invasion of North Africa.
In present day, American born great-granddaughter Nicole, a graduate student in archaeology, goes to North Africa for an internship. The now centenarian Monique (Mimi), debilitated by a stroke, urges her to find the Desert Rose. Nicole finds different types of desert roses, but none are the right one until she stumbles onto information that hints the desert rose might not be a flower after all. While Sami, her instructor in Algiers, helps her find the desert rose, he also has to protect her from people who want the heirloom ring Nicole wears which has its own secret.
Will Nicole find the secret before it’s too late?
Excerpt from the Book:
“I know. I hate that. Can we have an early birthday party for her? Maybe that will perk her up.”
Nicole climbed off her stool and knelt beside her great-grandmother’s wheelchair. Peering into Mimi’s face, Nicole placed her hands on Mimi’s arm. “Hi Mimi. It’s Nicole. Can you hear me?” Assuming Mimi was watching the activity at one of the bird feeders Mom had placed in the backyard, Nicole said, “See anything interesting out there?”
Mimi turned to face Nicole, a crooked smile crossing her face as her green eyes brightened. With effort, she lifted her opposite hand and placed it atop Nicole’s, patting it.
“Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea?”
A little nod, and Mimi pointed one finger up.
“Coffee? Okay.”
“I’ll get it,” Mom said, rising from her seat.
“Mimi, did you hear my news?”
Mimi shook her head ever so slowly.
“I’m graduating from college in archaeology this year.” Nicole spoke slowly to make sure Mimi understood.
Mimi fixed her gaze on Nicole, patting her hand.
“And I applied to do postgraduate studies in North Africa. I’ve been accepted! Isn’t that great?”
Mimi’s brow creased as though she had a question.
Missed an Excerpt? Go Here:
About the Author
Award-winning author Marilyn Turk has written over twenty historical and contemporary novels and novellas laced with suspense and romance. She especially likes writing World War II era books, and loves to discover information not widely known for her stories. In addition to fiction, Marilyn is also an annual contributor to Guideposts’ Walking in Grace and other Guideposts anthologies.
Marilyn enjoys helping other writers and founded the Blue Lake Christian Writers Conference. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Faith, Hope and Love Christian Writers, AWSA, Word Weavers International and the United States Lighthouse Society.
Marilyn’s most recent books have been Secrets of the Desert Rose, The Escape Game set in World War II, and a novella, The Gilding of Minnie Tucker, set in The Gilded Age..
She and her husband Chuck have a blended family of four sons, one daughter and four grandsons whom they enjoy spending time with. Marilyn and Chuck are lighthouse enthusiasts and have visited over 100 lighthouses in the United States and other countries. They also served as volunteer lighthouse caretakers at Little River Light off the coast of Maine. As a result of her interest in lighthouses, Marilyn wrote Lighthouse Devotions, 52 Inspiring Lighthouse Stories.