Justine Cowan grew up believing her mother came from privilege. But one day, she found her sitting in the dark, obsessively writing a name—Dorothy Soames.
Years later, grief-stricken after her mother’s death, Justine followed the thread and uncovered the truth: her mother had been raised in one of Britain’s most infamous foundling hospitals, where shame shaped the institution and abuse shaped the children.
Through wartime London, brutal discipline, and unimaginable loneliness, a girl named Dorothy survived. But the secrets she carried would reverberate through generations.
The Secret Life of Dorothy Soames is a powerful memoir of unearthing family trauma and rewriting history. If you loved Educated or The Glass Castle, this unforgettable true story of resilience and reckoning belongs on your shelf.
