Heart-rending love stories that immerse you in another time period.
The Third Letter is a story of love, friendship, and betrayal, written under the pen name Katharine Rogers.
It was a Finalist in the 2024 Page Turner Awards’ Writing Award.
Want to know more?
I talk about my journey of writing, revising, and querying this novel in my newsletter, which you can sign up for here.
And as a thank you for subscribing, I’ll send you a playlist I’ve curated especially for the novel.
In Codename Charlotta, journalist Ester finds herself immersed in the murky world of espionage in Stockholm, a city that is home to allies and enemies alike. But can she find the information she seeks and secure the release of her lover from the hands of the Nazis?
FAQ
What has been your inspiration for the novel?
My grandparents are a large part of the inspiration behind The Third Letter. My maternal grandparents talked to me about the Second World War from an early age, until I became mildly obsessed with the time period. And I have since discovered that my paternal grandparents also had incredible stories from the war.
As a child and teenager, I read countless books set during WW2 as well as history books about the war.
Since deciding to write The Third Letter, I’ve used Pinterest for visual inspiration, even including a key scene in the book after seeing one particular photograph.
Living in Stockholm, I could not help but be inspired to write Codename Charlotta once I learned how neutral Sweden was a diplomatic base for both the Allied and Axis powers, with them even working from neighbouring addresses in some cases. It’s no surprise that the city was known as the Casablanca of the North during the Second World War.
Why Katharine Rogers?
You might be wondering why I have chosen this name for myself. The main reason is that my real name is ridiculously long and particularly challenging to spell (19 letters – I mean, seriously!). I couldn’t inflict that on others.
When I sat down to choose a name, I decided that, as one of my grandmother had planted the seed from which this novel has grown, I’d honour my other grandmother by borrowing her maiden name.
And so Katharine Rogers became my pen name.
When will your books be available?
That’s the million dollar question, isn’t it? I’ve finalised the latest draft of The Third Letter (and you can follow my progress with this via my newsletter) and am waiting for additional feedback to knock it into the best possible shape that I can.
While I await that, I am busy getting the first draft of Codename Charlotta down on the page.
This is where the fun really begins!
