Heather Morris returns to WWII with 'The Piano Teacher of Montparnasse' set in Nazi-occupied Paris

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The next novel by the author of “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” will again take place during World War II, this time in Nazi-occupied Paris and based on the family of Grammy- and Emmy-nominated composer Kara Talve.

Heather Morris' “The Piano Teacher of Montparnasse” will be released Oct. 20, Blackstone Publishing announced Thursday. The novel centers on a Jewish girl, Josephine, whose family faces arrest by the Nazis, and on her piano instructor, Andrée, a member of the French Resistance who attempts to hide her.

“I am humbled to be re-imagining the lives of Andrée and Josephine: a powerful story of the courage, strength and resilience of ordinary people in extraordinary times,” Morris said in a statement.

“The Tattooist of Auschwitz,” her first book, was published in 2018 and sold millions of copies despite criticism from some scholars over the accuracy of its historical details. Through a 2024 television adaptation, Morris met Talve, who worked on the score along with Hans Zimmer. The character of Josephine is based on Talve's grandmother; the composer inherited her piano and used it for “The Tattooist of Auschwitz.”

Morris' other books include “Cilka’s Journey” and “Three Sisters.”