Saving Elli

A gripping true story of sacrifice, sabotage, survival and impossible choices, in the darkest days of war.


One child. Two years in hiding. Three lives in mortal danger.

In Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, near Anne Frank's house, another Jewish girl is hidden. Her name is Elli. Her father has been executed at Mauthausen concentration camp. Her mother is fleeing for her life. Elli is next.

To save her, resistance couple Frits and Jo Hakkens must risk everything, concealing her in a secret space above the ceiling. With shrewd cunning and unflinching courage, they outwit the Gestapo, survive relentless searches and face betrayal from those they once trusted.

By night, Frits forges ID papers; by day, he sabotages warplanes at the Luftwaffe plant. Jo works in the shadows, aiding Jewish fugitives and smuggling underground newspapers through a city crawling with enemy patrols.

But, with the Germans closing in, how much longer can they hold out?

©2025 Doug Gold (P)2025 W. F. Howes Ltd

Wonderful Book

As soon as I saw this book, I knew I had to buy it, and what a powerful listen it turned out to be. While it was hard to get through at times due to the subject, I found it impossible to put down. Honestly, this is the kind of book you’ll want to set aside time for so you can fully immerse yourself in the story.

From the very first chapter, it dives straight into the raw, emotional heart of the storyline. It grips you immediately and makes your heart ache for what the characters are going through. Their strength and bravery absolutely blew me away, and knowing it was based on a true story only made it more impactful.

Without giving anything away, I can say this book is brilliantly written, it’s heartbreaking at times, it’s poignant and deeply moving. It will tug hard at your heartstrings, so definitely keep a box of tissues nearby.
Roger May was excellent with the delivery of the story

I always feel a little hesitant rating books based on true stories, but this one deserves all of the stars. It’s an incredible read.