The Secrets of Flight: A Novel

This captivating, breakout novel—told in alternating viewpoints—brings readers from the skies of World War II to the present day, where a woman is prepared to tell her secrets at last.

Estranged from her family since just after World War II, Mary Browning has spent her entire adult life hiding from her past. Now eighty-seven years old and a widow, she is still haunted by secrets and fading memories of the family she left behind. Her one outlet is the writing group she’s presided over for a decade, though she’s never written a word herself. When a new member walks in—a fifteen-year-old girl who reminds her so much of her beloved sister Sarah—Mary is certain fate delivered Elyse Strickler to her for a reason.

Mary hires the serious-eyed teenager to type her story about a daring female pilot who, during World War II, left home for the sky and gambled everything for her dreams—including her own identity.   

As they begin to unravel the web of Mary’s past, Mary and Elyse form an unlikely friendship. Together they discover it’s never too late for second chances and that sometimes forgiveness is all it takes for life to take flight in the most unexpected ways.

A captivating breakout novel that brings readers from the skies of World War II to the present day, when a woman is prepared to tell her secrets at last

Estranged from her family since just after World War II, Mary Browning has spent her entire adult life hiding from her past. Now eighty-seven years old and a widow, she is still haunted by secrets and fading memories of the family she left behind. Her one outlet is the writing group she’s presided over for a decade, though she’s never written a word herself. When a new member walks in—a fifteen-year-old girl who reminds her so much of her beloved sister, Sarah—Mary is certain fate delivered Elyse Strickler to her for a reason.

Mary hires the serious-eyed teenager to type her story about a daring female pilot who left home for the sky and gambled everything for her dreams—including her own identity.

As they begin to unravel the web of Mary’s past, Mary and Elyse form an unlikely friendship. Together they discover it’s never too late for second chances and that sometimes forgiveness is all it takes for life to take flight in the most unexpected ways.

“Through this heartwarming, one-of-a kind tale, author Maggie Leffler reminds us that the most improbable friendships can transform us in the most unexpected ways. A must-read!”—Pam Jenoff, internationally bestselling author

Praise for The Goodbye Cousins: “Smartly written and nimbly plotted, the novel illustrates author Maggie Leffler’s grasp of family dynamics, along with a sharp sense of humor.” - Pittsburgh Tribune Review

“A delightful novel: warm, wry, smart and very funny.” - Irina Reyn, author of What Happened to Anna K. on The Goodbye Cousins

“An excellent summer read.” - Publishers Weekly on The Goodbye Cousins

Praise for The Diagnosis of Love: “I loved this book and loved its voice. How often is one both charmed and intrigued on page one and ever onward? Maggie Leffler’s writing accomplishes that thing I enjoy the most: lively storytelling that is in equal parts wryly witty and touching.” - Elinor Lipman, author of My Latest Grievance and Then She Found Me

“This novel celebrates the support system that family and friends can offer in difficult times. Leffler…writes with warmth and confidence about new beginnings.” - Booklist on The Diagnosis of Love

“In a compelling narrative, The Secrets of Flight toggles between the parallel worlds of a teenage girl in the present day facing issues of adolescence, divorce and loss and an elderly woman looking back upon her remarkable younger years as a pilot in the Second World War. Through this heartwarming, one-of-a kind tale, author Maggie Leffler reminds us that the most improbable friendships can transform us in the most unexpected ways. A must read!” - Pam Jenoff, international bestselling author of The Last Summer at Chelsea Beach

“The ageless, timeless themes of friendship and family run deeply through Leffler’s heart-wrenching novel. Beautifully and sensitively told in alternating viewpoints, this easy-to-read tale is thought-provoking and memorable.” - RT Book Reviews

“Through this heartwarming, one-of-a kind tale, author Maggie Leffler reminds us that the most improbable friendships can transform us in the most unexpected ways. A must read!” - Pam Jenoff, international bestselling author of The Last Summer at Chelsea Beach