Overall, "The Last Secret of the Secret Annex" is a compelling and thought-provoking read that sheds new light on a familiar story. Van Wijk-Voskuijl and De Bruyn confront difficult questions about responsibility, forgiveness, and the complexities of memory, inviting readers to reconsider their understanding of one of history's most iconic figures and the individuals who helped shape her story.

beautiful written story, really recommended. about the different angles of the possible betrayal of Anne Frank.


Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, for the advanced copy of The Last Secret Of The Annex in exchange for my honest review.

Special thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. This book shows a different angle to the possible betrayer of Anne Frank and her family. It is open and honest, but still not definitive. Regardless, I enjoyed the view from those that helped the families in the Secret Annex.

The Holocaust has always piqued my interest and this book was no different. I enjoyed how the story was told by a different angle than what has already been shared publically. Well maybe not a different perspective but it fills in the mystery of Annie Frank. I enjoyed how you felt like you understood more now and how the questions I've had since I was younger were answered. This is a riveting read and it packs a punch with the story. You will not be able to break away from the book and you will finish it without even realizing it! I definitely recommend it! Thank you Simon & Schuster for the extraordinary opportunity to read and review this one!!

This book is a combination of historical fiction and family drama. This book is a sad story about a sad time in our history.

The first 2/3 of the book was all about the Frank family and the people who supported them. This part of the book I found very interesting. It is hard to image that the annex was a secret and the people in it survived for over 2 years. The caregivers of those that were hidden was an amazing group of very special people. They gave up so much and experienced tremendous stress to protect the 8 people hiding in the annex. I rated this part of the book 5 stars.

The last third of the book was all about Bep (one of the caregivers) and her family. This caregiver is someone that I knew nothing about until this book. Her family life was difficult. I think the part of the book that details her family life after the annex was discovered could have been much shorter. To include this much detail without a definitive answer on who betrayed those in the annex just did not make sense to me. It seemed that this was closure for Bep's son that wrote the book.

I found The Last Secret of the Secret Annex: The Untold Story of Anne Frank, Her Silent Protector, and a Family Betrayal to be a fascinating read. It was intriguing to read about Bep and how she was entwined with Anne Frank and her family. I liked really. Five stars.

"The Last Secret of the Annex" by Joop van Wijk-Voskuijl is a captivating and poignant historical account that sheds new light on one of the most well-known stories of human survival during the Holocaust. This compelling book offers a fresh perspective on the hidden inhabitants of the Secret Annex in Amsterdam, focusing on the life and experiences of Joop van Wijk-Voskuijl, one of the unsung heroes of the Anne Frank story.

The author, Joop van Wijk-Voskuijl, is the son of Johannes Voskuijl, a key figure in the clandestine operation that protected the Frank family and their friends from Nazi persecution. With heartfelt sincerity and meticulous research, van Wijk-Voskuijl shares his father's untold story, offering readers an intimate and personal glimpse into the lives of those who risked everything to harbor Jews during a time of unspeakable horror.

What sets "The Last Secret of the Annex" apart from other books about the Anne Frank story is its focus on the ordinary individuals who played crucial roles in sustaining the secret occupants. The narrative humanizes Joop's father, Johannes Voskuijl, and paints him as a compassionate and selfless man who defied the Nazi regime in order to protect innocent lives. Through Joop's vivid descriptions, we witness the immense bravery and ingenuity required to maintain the secret annex's secrecy, evoking a sense of admiration and awe for those involved.

The writing style is accessible and engrossing, effortlessly guiding readers through the pages of history. The author's attention to detail and his ability to convey the emotional complexity of the times is commendable. The narrative not only explores the physical challenges of living in cramped quarters but also delves into the psychological toll of constant fear and the heartbreaking moments of loss and separation endured by the inhabitants.

While "The Last Secret of the Annex" provides an essential perspective on the Anne Frank story, there are instances where the book could have benefited from more contextual information. Although readers familiar with Anne Frank's diary will find this account particularly intriguing, those less familiar with the events may require additional background to fully appreciate the significance of certain events and individuals. However, this does not detract significantly from the overall impact and emotional resonance of the narrative.

In conclusion, "The Last Secret of the Annex" is a must-read for anyone interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the human spirit's triumph over adversity during one of the darkest chapters in history. Joop van Wijk-Voskuijl's personal account brings an essential perspective to the Anne Frank story, highlighting the bravery, compassion, and resilience of the individuals who risked their lives to protect others. By shining a light on the untold stories behind the famous diary, this book serves as a poignant reminder of the power of hope and the enduring significance of remembering the Holocaust.

The Last Secret of the Secret Annex is a well-written account of the experience of one of the closest friends of Anne Frank. She worked in the building where the Franks were hidden and brought them food and friendship. She also experienced firsthand the terrors and horror of the Natzi hold on the town. She knew the secrets, the trials, and the life of Anne and the rest of the family. Her secret is one that has been hidden for years since Anne and her family were discovered by the Nazi's and taken prisoner. It is a courageous book that those who love Anne Frank's story won't want to miss. Thanks to #NetGalley#The Last SecretoftheSecretAnnex for the opportunity to read and review this book.

#NetGalleyARC I really enjoyed this book. I found the book intriguing and walked away with some new knowledge about Anne Frank and what life was like when she was hiding from the Nazis. I really like how we're finally hearing the stories about the people who helped Anne and her family and what life was like for them. I definitely recommend this book for anyone who is interested in WW2 and the history of it.

The Diary of Anne Frank is a book I go back to again and again. I'm simultaneously fascinated with her story, through her eyes, and horrified that humans could treat others that way.

This story isn't Anne's. It's the story of Bep, one of her father's employees and Anne's good friend, who helped hide and care for the family when they went into the annex. We learn how it affected her daily life at the time, and after the war. How it ultimately changed the trajectory of her entire family, and even affected her children. For me, it deepened my understanding of the fear and stresses the war and the Holocaust itself took on those who lived under German occupation.

This book would make a good companion read when studying The Diary of Anne Frank. It widens the perspective and brings to light the generational affects of what the helpers survived.

If you know the story of Anne Frank, you know that she, her family and the five others hiding in the attic of her father’s company’s office/warehouse in Amsterdam were able to survive there for over two years because of the people who kept their secret and brought them food and supplies they had to obtain on the black market. One of the helpers—the youngest one—was Bep Voskuijl, who was only 23 when the Secret Annex went into use. Written by Joop van Wijk-Voskuijl and Jeroen De Bruyn, this book focuses primarily on Bep Voskuijl—Joop’s mother—and her family both during and after World War II. There is a lot of insight provided in this book about Bep, little of which has been known about until now. It is no spoiler to say that Joop believes his aunt Nelly, who was a wartime collaborator with the Nazis, is the one who betrayed the residents of the Secret Annex. While this book never comes right out and makes the accusation, there is a lot of "between the lines" information given as to who the collaborators may have been. However, the worth of this book doesn’t depend on whether Joop has correctly solved the case of who betrayed the Frank family. Rather, it is the vivid portrait the authors paint of wartime in Holland where only 25% of the country's Jewish population survived the war with Germany. Introduced to Anne Frank as a kid, I have been fascinated by her family's story ever since, and this was a worthwhile companion read to anyone wanting to hear more about her family's place in WWII history.

Journalist De Bruyn and retired marketing manager Wijk-Voskuijl delivers a portrait of the latter’s mother, Elizabeth “Bep” Voskuijl, an employee of Otto Frank’s who helped hide the Frank family in Amsterdam. Seeking to help solve the mystery of who betrayed the Franks to the Gestapo, Wijk-Voskuijl recounts his mother’s struggles during his childhood, including an attempted suicide. The sto­ry of the Frank fam­i­ly and the four oth­er Jews who hid with them has been shared around the world, the hard­ships of liv­ing in hid­ing are well known today. Yet Joop and Jeroen add information reveal­ing that one of the pri­ma­ry life­lines that helped the hid­den cope was hav­ing a con­fi­dante. This role was filled for Anne by twen­ty-three-year-old Bep, the youngest of the five helpers, dur­ing the time the Franks lived in the secret annex. Joop tells us he grew up in the shad­ow of the secret annex, a vic­tim of inher­it­ed his­tor­i­cal trau­ma. One ben­e­fit from Joop’s abil­i­ty to reveal the fright­en­ing sto­ry that tore apart his family.. The book aims to shine light not only on the inside of the annex but also on the world out­side. After all, most peo­ple have a false idea of what hap­pened in Dutch Holo­caust his­to­ry. For one thing, it was not uncom­mon for resis­tors and col­lab­o­ra­tors to live under the same roof (Bep’s sis­ter Nel­ly col­lab­o­rat­ed with the Nazis, and Bep nev­er got over her fear that Nel­ly betrayed the Frank fam­i­ly).

The val­ue of this book goes far beyond new facts and sur­pris­ing fam­i­ly rev­e­la­tions, fas­ci­nat­ing though they are. Joop and Jeroen say it best when they explain why we are all so inter­est­ed in Anne Frank and her fam­i­ly: ​“Six mil­lion was just a num­ber, but Anne’s Frank’s sto­ry gives you the Holo­caust in minia­ture, a crime peo­ple could under­stand, a vic­tim they could love. And once that lit­tle girl broke your heart, you could mul­ti­ply it over and over again, and the scale of the thing hit you in a deep­er way that reached across cul­tures, mak­ing the Holo­caust mat­ter to peo­ple who had nev­er even known the dif­fer­ence between a gen­tile and a Jew.” I was amazed with the detail and informative of that time that Anne Frank’s life occurred.

This sat­is­fy­ing book is so important because it offers a mix of his­tor­i­cal inves­ti­ga­tion and deeply per­son­al fam­i­ly mem­oir. It also pulls us in through its use of lyri­cal lan­guage and its rich descrip­tions of the peo­ple and places that d Anne Frank’s life occupied.

I’m familiar with the story of Anne Frank and was looking forward to learning more. I learned so much more about the people in the Secret Annex and the people hiding them, but it wasn’t like reading a dry history text. This book is very well-written. It was hard to put down, but knowing what was to come was difficult. The risks Bep, the other helpers that protected those in the Secret Annex, and so many others took was incredible and yet they didn’t consider themselves heroes. The toll it took on them was tremendous . I’m so glad the authors came together to share this piece of history.

Thank you to the author, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

If you know the story of Anne Frank, you know that she, her family and the five others hiding in the attic of her father’s company’s office/warehouse in Amsterdam were able to survive there for over two years because of the people who kept their secret and brought them food and supplies they had to obtain on the black market. One of the helpers—the youngest one—was Bep Voskuijl, who was only 23 when the Secret Annex went into use.

This book’s story is told by Bep’s son, Joop van Wijk-Voskuijl and his coauthor Jeroen De Bruyn. It is no spoiler to say that Joop believes his aunt Nelly, who was a wartime collaborator with the Nazis, is the one who betrayed the residents of the Secret Annex.

Before getting to his theory, Joop recounts the story of his mother, how she became especially close to Anne, how exhausting it was to do black market shopping and sneak the supplies into the building and attic, and how ever vigilant she had to be to keep the activities secret from the warehouse workers and her family, friends, and neighbors. The one exception to secrecy away from her fellow conspirators was her father. He had been the warehouse manager for several months until ill health forced him to retire, and he was the one who invented and built the movable bookcase that hid the entrance to the attic. He and Bep often spoke quietly to each other about those in hiding in the attic, and this caused Nelly to feel jealous, particularly because her father was so angry and sometimes violent with her for consorting with the Nazi occupiers and members of Holland’s own fascist NSB party members.

Joop noticed from his youth that his mother was estranged from her sister Nelly, while she remained close to her other sisters. His mother was also subject to depression and seemed to feel she hadn’t done enough to save the Franks and others in the attic. Bep cried often over her lost friends, especially Anne Frank, even many years after the war. When Joop asked for more details about the war, he was abruptly cut off and came to believe that there was a family secret. Over time, he learned more about the extent of Nelly’s collaboration with the Nazis. On a few occasions he asked her about the war and she would go into a faint. She claimed she had been subject to fainting spells ever since a particular bad beating given to her by her father. Joop says she received that beating upon returning home soon after the Nazis and their Dutch police accomplices raided the attic on August 4, 1944 and took away the Franks and the other hiders.

Based on not much more than this, Joop has concluded that Nelly was the betrayer. As you may know, there have been many theories over the years about the culprit. In last year’s The Betrayal of Anne Frank, Rosemary Sullivan reported on a cold case team, led by a retired FBI agent, which performed a lengthy and documentary research-heavy investigation. This team considered Nelly, but concluded she was unlikely to be the culprit, largely because of the specific and unusual circumstances surrounding the way the tip-off about the attic came to the authorities. (I should note that there has been controversy about The Betrayal of Anne Frank’s cold case team’s decision as to who was the culprit, and the team has responded to specific criticisms. It’s beyond the scope of this review to get into all of that here, but I do think the cold case team’s point about why Nelly was probably not the culprit is a good one, and one that Joop does not address.)

The worth of this book doesn’t depend on whether Joop has correctly solved the whodunit. He paints a vivid picture of the day-to-day and lifelong toll it took to resist the murderous pursuit of the Jews by the German occupiers and their Dutch collaborators. And he makes an important point about the conventional image of wartime Holland. He writes that because the hiders in the attic had several people help them and support them in extremely difficult conditions for over two years, people who have heard the Anne Frank story often think Holland was full of people willing to hide the country’s Jews. In fact, only 25% of the country’s Jews survived, the lowest percentage of all European countries. Many Dutch residents betrayed Jews in return for monetary rewards, and most of the work of rounding up and transporting the Jews was done by willing Dutch police and administrators.

Within Bep’s own family, just as with many Dutch families of the time, there were resisters, collaborators, and those who just wanted to put their heads down and get by. In an era when it has become popular to publish Holocaust fiction about unalloyedly heroic resisters and rescuers, it’s valuable to read this more accurate depiction of the varied reactions of humans to the extreme pressures of war.

A side note: If you visit Amsterdam, I recommend a trip to the Dutch Resistance Museum. It depicts the atmosphere of everyday life under German occupation, and it specifically focuses on what life was like for resisters, collaborators, and those just trying to get by.

This book is written in conversational style. I felt like the authors were speaking to me. There was some new information I did not know. For example, It was Bep's father that built the bookcase door to the secret annex.
Jeroen Bruyn(one of the author's)read Anne Frank's diary in school and became very interested in the story. He researched about Anne and then he started research on the helpers (For example, Miep and Bep). He kept a research file. He could not find too much information about Bep. Jeroen wrote a letter to Joop showing his interest in learning more about Bep. Joop was impressed and met with Jeroen. They worked together and realized that they should write a book.
This book is informative and gives another side of the story.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

Thank You to the publisher and NetGalley for the free ebook.

I read Anne Frank as a kid. Ever since then I've read anything I could of her. This book is fascinating as it is about Bep, who we have not known a lot about as she tends to be an obscure character. She helped hide and keep the Franks available in the Secret Annex. It gives insight to Bep's life and her role and relationship with the Franks. It also offers theories about who reported the Franks and the Secret Annex. I don't know if that mystery will ever be answered for sure. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to those who want to discover who Bep was, are interested in the Holocaust, nonfiction, history, WWII, and Anne Frank and her family.

I first read Anne Frank’s diary when I was 11. It left a lasting impression and I Jace read anything and everything associated with her story since then.
I found this book to be very enlightening. The authors explore the story of Bep that has been obscured. They offer interesting material and theories about the real story.
I don’t know if there will ever be an affirmative answer about who was the betrayer for the occupants of the annex. However, this book is an important contribution to the study of Anne Frank’s life.

As I have aged, World War II history has fascinated me more and more. Why, I could not begin to tell you. But I see too many similarities in today’s sentiments as what ran rampant during World War II. Even recently, a gunman with neo-Nazi beliefs opened fire at an outlet mall. Anti-Semitism has risen. And with each news story, my heart breaks. I don’t want today’s society to get to the point where people feel they must hide or risk their lives. When I saw The Last Secret of the Secret Annex by Joop van Wijk-Voskuijl and Jeroen De Bruyn, I knew I had to read it. I wanted to learn more about the past…and learn, I definitely did.

I did not want to read The Diary of Anne Frank when I was a child. My father gave me an ultimatum: If you want to read your Star Wars novel, you must read The Diary of Anne Frank first. So, I took it with me on vacation and read it by the light of a lodge fire. I will NEVER forget reading it. Where I was, how old I was, or the impact it had on me. I was younger than Anne. I had to ask my father what things meant. But it’s only been within the last couple years that I have returned to Anne Frank. And let me tell you, The Last Secret of the Secret Annex is stellar. It is not written academically. Instead, I felt I was in a conversation with van Wijk-Voskuijl, hearing him speak of his mother’s experiences and her relationship with the Frank family.

I loved The Last Secret of the Secret Annex. While it was easy to read, it shouldn’t be skimmed. Its stories should be considered, long after reaching the final page. The book kept my attention because it wasn’t written like a “regular” non-fiction book. It’s a memoir, a recollection of difficult decisions and heartbreaking circumstances.

The book’s authors mention a controversial book released in 2022: The Betrayal of Anne Frank: A Cold Case Investigation by Rosemary Sullivan. By pure circumstance, I was listening to the audio version of this book simultaneously with The Last Secret of the Secret Annex by Joop van Wijk-Voskuijl and Jeroen De Bruyn. A Dutch publisher pulled The Betrayal of Anne Frank from stores, and a Dutch team of historian has publicly decried Sullivan’s book as being founded on shaky assumptions from the start, which led to a conclusion circumstantially based with no proof.

At the time of writing this review, I have not finished The Betrayal of Anne Frank. I will, because I finish every book I start, but I’m glad I only checked it out from the library. For me The Betrayal of Anne Frank takes the more personal nature out of the tragedy of Anne Frank. The Last Secret of the Secret Annex makes Anne, her family, and the helpers into more than names written in a non-fiction book. They were real…and their capture had very real and personal consequences.

I swore that I was done reading WW2 books and then the opportunity to read this one came along. I admit I jumped at the chance because like so many other children I became obsessed with Anne Frank right after the diary was published. This book was heartbreaking but it had so much new information that I was reading far into the night. We will likely never know who betrayed the people who hid behind the bookshelf but the writers made a very plausible case for Nelly being responsible. The entire story is heartbreaking and the dysfunctional family that Bep belonged to made it even harder to endure. That being said, the book is definitely worth reading.

If you’ve read The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank, then a new title, The Last Secret of the Secret Annex, will immediately catch your attention. Like me, you may be amazed that whoever betrayed the occupants of the Secret Annex has never been identified. One of the author’s names also caught my attention. The annex inhabitants had a protector by the same last name. Bep Voskuijl’s story isn’t well documented since she wished to remain in the background. This book was written by Bep’s son, Joop van Wijk-Voskuijl, along with a young researcher, Jeroen De Bruyn.
It is widely known that Otto Frank released Anne’s diary with certain passages left out. The Last Secret of the Secret Annex questions if some of those pages were censored to protect one of the helpers, keeping her family out of the crosshairs. It wasn’t unusual to have both Jewish supporters and Nazi collaborators within the same family. Could Bep have had a personal connection to the betrayer? Joop reveals information that will give readers an interesting theory that someone who has been overlooked was the betrayer.
The Last Secret of the Secret Annex is available for pre-order. It comes out May 16. Thank you Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC. The opinions are my own.