The Night Sparrow: A Novel

In 1941, Elena Bruskina, an ambitious university student, sees her world collapse when the Nazis invade the Soviet Union. She and her Jewish family are forced into the Minsk ghetto, where thousands are immediately murdered, including her father and her brother. When her younger sister is hanged because of false charges and her mother is shot, Elena escapes the ghetto, determined to avenge the killing of her family members.

In 1942, the Central Women’s Sniper Training School opens in Moscow. Seeing it as the perfect opportunity to retaliate, Elena is one of the first to enroll. She becomes part of an all-female sniper platoon, a community of young women who are ready to fight for their country, despite the appalling conditions and high risks.

Eight months later, Elena is stationed at the Eastern Front, her dreams of revenge unfulfilled. Ashamed of her inferior tally of kills, she finds herself undone by grief as she watches her fellow snipers fall from enemy bullets. After being injured in a firefight, she is reluctantly redeployed as a German interpreter. Elena quickly embraces her new role when she realizes she is part of a secret mission to capture the most evil fascist of all.

Inspired by real female snipers and interpreters who worked in the Red Army during World War II, The Night Sparrow is a portrait of friendship, resilience and courage under extraordinary circumstances. 

Shelly Sandersis the bestselling author of the adult novelDaughters of the Occupationand the acclaimed young adult historical novels The Rachel Trilogy. She began her writing career as a freelance journalist working for major publications, including theToronto Star, National Post, Maclean’s, Canadian Living, Reader’s Digest, andToday’s Parent. She lives in Ontario.

ISBN: 9781443470537
Format: Paperback
Pages: 368
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: April 01, 2025

"The Night Sparrow is a tense, engrossing tale of WW2. Based on true events, this is an improbably beautiful novel about a brutal episode in history."
— Janie Chang, author of The Phoenix Crown"A gripping wartime story, Sanders’ page-turning narrative recounts women’s comradeship and courage in the face of carnage and peril from both outside and inside their ranks. With each turn of the page, the author's unwavering compassion for her characters shines through. Meticulously researched, Sanders’ illuminates a little-known chapter of women in combat and their astonishing contributions during WWII." — -Jeanette Lynes, author of The Paper Birds