The Secret Year of Zara Holt

By: Kimberley Freeman

Narrated by: Janet Watson Kruse

Melbourne, 1927. The summer flowers smell like Christmas the night Zara Dickins meets Harry Holt. Zara is wearing a dress she has designed and made herself. White organdie over a short black slip, with black embroidery and a crimson taffeta sash. It is party season and the university crowd are celebrating end-of-year exams. Zara loves dancing with the boys and flirting with them, but it's a game to her. Nothing serious. Until Harry.

He plans to be a politician once he finishes law. She, a fashion designer, if she can find a way to break out of the secretarial pool. When he takes her hand, she doesn't want to let him go.

The spark they ignite that night will last 40 years.

Portsea, 1967. When Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt disappears while swimming, his wife Zara loses herself in the memories of their volatile relationship. She always believed Harry when he said no matter what happened, he'd never leave. Their bond has stretched to London, Europe, India, America. It has survived anger, loss and heartbreak, media scrutiny, secrets and lies. But now all Zara wants is for Harry to come home.

©2025 Kimberley Freeman (P)2025 Bolinda Publishing

not her best

I didn't like how it ended seemed not finished. So, what happened to them after the escape. Why did Harry want to disappear?

Deeply moving story

Could not turn away. The narrator did a wonderful job. The writing is a work of great care and brilliant fictionalization. The emotions this woman may have had in her private life, shaped by her public life, set against the historical background of true events is riveting.
Joy, pain, great love, endurance and survival are all captured in this fictionalized yet biographical story - highly recommend.

My favorite writer my least favorite character

This author is exceptional. I’ve read all her books (which are hard to find in the US) including the ones written under Kim Wilkins. I love wildflower hill, lighthouse bay, stars across the ocean and the sister storm/fire series. I recommend them highly. I did not like the narrator on this book. I absolutely hated Zara who is a pathetic low self esteem character. Her husband is a parasite who uses her from day one for her connections and she spends her entire life living in a fantasy that he loves her. He lies to her and she feels so bad about her figure that she chooses to stay in an abusive situation. Think of it like this. Freeman is such a good author portraying this actual person who is living through oppressive patriarchy with such talent that I wanted to scream and punch things the entire time. It just fueled my rage for making this place a better world for all genders. Despite what we are facing during these times.

Pretty Pointless

Based on actual people & history, which I didn’t realize at first. There’s not really any point to the story. It’s kind of like a 1st person autobiography, I suppose. By the last hour of the story, I couldn’t stand the main character. Her fictionalized presentation doesn’t strike me as someone strong at all. I found her rather pathetic & lacking in self-respect. And the interlude sections ended up being pointless, as well. Waste of time and a credit.