Category Archives: World War II

Jun27

A Treachery of Spies by Manda Scott

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A Treachery of Spies by Manda Scott

“An espionage thriller to rival the very best, a high stakes game of cat-and-mouse, played in the shadows, which will keep you guessing every step of the way.

An elderly woman of striking beauty is found murdered in Orleans, France. Her identity has been cleverly erased but the method of her death is very specific: she has been killed in the manner of traitors to the Resistance in World War Two.

Tracking down her murderer leads police inspector Inès Picaut back to 1940s France where the men and women of the Resistance were engaged in a desperate fight for survival against the Nazi invaders.

To find answers in the present Picaut must discover what really happened in the past, untangling a web of treachery and intrigue that stretches back to the murder victim’s youth: a time when unholy alliances were forged between occupiers and occupied, deals were done and promises broken. The past has been buried for decades, but, as Picaut discovers, there are those in the present whose futures depend on it staying that way – and who will kill to keep their secrets safe.” – Bantam Press

If that doesn’t hook you in, nothing will!

So apparently this is the second book in the series, but so far I don’t think there has been a third.  It didn’t dawn on me right away, which is not a bad thing. When a book can stand on its own and doesn’t depend on the reader knowing the characters or plot of the previous book, the reader doesn’t feel left behind. I have stopped reading a book when I realized that I wasn’t reading in order, and had to go back and start the series from the beginning.  Not great when you realize that the series may not be your cup of tea.  But there were hints at the beginning of this one that led me to believe there was a prior book, or books.  It didn’t really matter – like I said, this stands on its own just fine.

About this book (big sigh) — I did like it quite a bit.  The mystery surrounding the murder was very good, and it kept me guessing.  The flashbacks to the 1940’s and 1950’s were right up my alley – as I have stated many times, books that move through time are my thing (I was going to say “my jam”, but thought better of it). 

But I did find this book very hard to follow – and that’s unusual for me.  So what was it about this book that gave me a hard time.  I liked the plot, I liked that characters, and I really liked the flashbacks; but what I didn’t like was how difficult it was for me to follow who was who as it bounced from 2018 to the 1940’s.  I’m sure it’s just me and my lack of attention span, I mean I did start it back in March before all of the crazy COVID-19 pandemic stuff happened, and I only picked it up from time to time as I had to get used to being in lock-down and working from home, but I did find myself flipping back to earlier chapters wondering “who is this again?”.  I almost felt like I needed to start over and read it straight through, rather than how I was reading it in stops and starts.  However I wanted to move on, so I kept at it.

Now to answer my question – what was it that made it hard for me to follow?  Was it all the French names? (to my friend Marie – don’t laugh at me).

The story takes place in France, so of course most of the characters are French – and some of the names were similar.  What didn’t help is that some of the characters were family members, so I had to remember if I was reading about senior, junior, or a cousin.  Alright, before you think I’m a complete idiot – some of those same characters worked as spies during the war – and used fake names and nicknames, and even changed their names.  Crazy times! 

Other than that confusion (which I’m still convinced was probably only me), I really did enjoy the story.  The characters are strong, and Ms. Scott does a great job of keeping the reader guessing as she weaves fictional characters with some very real spy agencies and organizations that fought for freedom in France during World War II.  Of course my fascination with WWII spies made the flashbacks a bit more interesting to me – but the current time mystery was also very well done and kept me wanting to know who the killer was. 

The main character, Inspector Inès Picau, is a smart, tough character that has obviously been through something traumatic (a clue that there is a prior book), and I enjoyed how she interacted with her team and with the suspects.  She’s a clever one.

The other main character is Sophie, who you only get to see in flashbacks, is also a great strong character.  I loved her story, and she is the puzzle piece that pulls all of this together.  She’s actually the heart of the story.

That’s really all to say – the story has so many twists and turns that it can be hard to describe without accidentally giving something away.  I’m glad that I read this one, and will likely go back to the first book – even though I hate reading books out of order.

One last thing to mention – I did read that the book has been optioned as a new TV series, but no word on when.  Here is an article for more information (but I have to say I’m somewhat disappointed that every article I read about this says the murder takes place in WWII France – it does not – the murder takes place in 2018 France):

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/harry-potter-producer-adapting-thriller-treachery-spies-tv-1295118

For more information on Manda Scott and her books, visit her webpage – it’s pretty awesome:

https://mandascott.co.uk/

May28

The Song of the Jade Lily by Kirsty Manning

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The Song of the Jade Lily by Kirsty Manning

This is definitely a “go run right out and get this book now”! This book made my heart break. The story is gorgeous, and painful, and it felt so real. It’s about friendship and love, and fighting for all that you love – and living through things that can either make you or break you. I could not put it down, and it definitely got me out of my book slump!

The story begins in 1939 when Romy and her family are forced to flee Nazi invaded Austria to Shanghai. From 1939 to 1945 we read how Romy, her family, and her two friends, Li and Nina survive the war. Their stories are heartbreaking, but also heartwarming – their friendships are what hold the story together.

Romy meets Nina on the boat to Shanghai, and they become fast friends. Unfortunately, Nina has to leave Romy and her family when she is sent to live in different immigrant section of Shanghai with her uncle. Romy’s parents, knowing that Nina’s living conditions won’t be that great, try to convince Nina’s uncle to let her stay with them – but he won’t give his permission.

Once settled in Shanghai, Romy is living pretty much in comfort, if not luxury. It’s in her apartment building that she meets Li, the girl who lives across the hall. Romy and her parents strike up a friendship with Li and her family, and they become quite close.

But war is horrible, and things happen that tests their strength and even their friendship. This part of the book was so compelling that I felt like I could smell the food cooking from the street stalls, and hear the sounds of Shanghai. In fact, food plays a big part of the story, as well as the fascinating portions that talk about Chinese medicine, which Romy takes an interest in.

But that’s not all that this book has to offer. We also meet Alexandra, Romy’s granddaughter, who in 2016 travels from Australia to Shanghai trying to locate her deceased mother’s family, or at least the truth about her mother’s adoption by Romy. Romy is very secretive about her daughter’s adoption, and Alexandra sets out to uncover the secret. But again, there were so many orphans left after the war and records were destroyed – if they existed at all. All she has is a diary, a copy of certificate of adoption, and her mother’s jade necklace with the engraved lily.

If you love stories with a lot of grit, a lot of heart, and a bit of a mystery – this one is for you.

Oct22

The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir by Jennifer Ryan

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The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir by Jennifer Ryan

The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir
by Jennifer Ryan
Published by Crown Publishing Group

I love when a book of fiction takes something from fact and teaches me something that I didn’t know. Of course, throughout history people have kept journals and correspondence – that’s how we know of things that happened in our past, without the benefit of TV and social media. What I didn’t know was that the British government encouraged those at home to keep journals of their experiences during the war. Again, just another way for the stalwart British to “keep calm and carry on”, but more importantly we are left with the diaries and journals of everyday lives on the home-front.*

This book is told in the epistolary style, through the journals and letters written by the women of Chilbury, and although it is fiction, it doesn’t feel like fiction. You’re peeking into the personal lives of ordinary women that went through this in reality; an amalgamation of the wives, sweethearts, daughters and sisters as they wait at home. Their hopes and dreams, and how they cope with the trepidation of losing a loved one; and the ever growing fear of Nazi invasion.

“Just because the men have gone to war, why do we have to close the choir? And precisely when we need it most!”

It’s the summer of 1940; England is sending its men off to war, leaving the women to keep the home fires burning – and taking on roles typically held by men. And that includes the village choir!

Being told that the choir is being disbanded for lack of men doesn’t sit well with Prim – the high energy, no nonsense, music teacher. Not to be deterred, she convinces the women of Chilbury that they can create their own choir. Some were skeptical, but with the usual aplomb displayed by the British during the worst of times, they pulled together with the knowledge that this one small thing could help keep the worries of the war at bay – even for just a little while. And so, the Chilbury Ladies’ Choir is born.

But this book is more than just a story about a choir, although it’s a central theme. What really pulls these ladies together is the common ground of village life, and how they cope with air raids, food rationing, and of course a little romance and scandal.

The choir is made up of more women than we actually get to hear from, but the letters and journals that we do get to peek at follow an interesting group of women.

Kitty – although still a teenager, she’s an aspiring singer, and under the tutelage of Prim gains her voice and her confidence. She’s got a childhood crush on someone from the village, and it leads her to do something spiteful and mean.

Mrs. Tilling – a lonely widow, now having to cope with the fear of losing her son as he goes off to join the war. She’s the caring nurse that people rely on, and who has guessed an incredible secret.

Miss Paltry – a devious mid-wife, who hatches a plan out of greed, the money that she seeks a disturbing form of redemption for something in her past.

Venetia – the beauty that all the young men want but, of course, she only has eyes for the one that doesn’t give her the time of day. Has she fallen for the wrong guy, and can she face the consequences of her actions?

Sylvie – the youngest, and still a child, is a Jewish refugee that has seen far more than someone should for her age. Will she ever find out what happened to her family, and can she trust someone with her secret?

There are a host of other characters as well, and even though we never get to read their own journals or letters, they are just as important as their lives intertwine with those telling us the story.

From charming and funny, to heartbreaking and hopeful, this book has all the right ingredients to make it a favorite of mine, and one that I would highly recommend.

Another book that it’s very similar to this one, and another that I loved and would recommend, is “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer. Also written in the epistolary style, this book chronicles the fictional lives of women on Guernsey during the German occupation.

*Known as Mass-Observation, its goal was to record observations of everyday life in Britain, by using untrained volunteer observers. It was criticized as an invasion of privacy, because the observers were not only reporting on their own lives, but on the lives of friends and neighbors as well.  For more information, visit the Wiki page:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass-Observation

As always, comments are welcome

Sep25

The Girl Who Takes An Eye for An Eye by David Lagercrantz

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The Girl Who Takes An Eye for An Eye by David Lagercrantz

The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye
by David Lagercrantz
Published by Knopf

I just love this series!

It’s been almost 10 years since I read the first book, and learned that Stieg Larsson died before the publication of his Millennium series trilogy.  I figured that was it.  I would enjoy the three books, and move on.  But luckily for me, and many others, that wasn’t the end.  This book continues the story, and does so with the same thrilling, fast pace and entertaining format as the original trilogy.  I sped through this one in just a couple of days, which says a lot.  I picked it up every chance I got.

I won’t go into the controversy surrounding Larsson’s wishes, or the battle over his estate and who has rights to the series, I’d rather talk about the book…but if you’re interested, you can find all of that on the wiki page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stieg_Larsson

The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye is the second book written by David Lagercrantz, who continues the series with the approval of Larsson’s estate – and I think he does a great job.  Let’s see, in this book we have an evil doctor, a story of twins, a suspicious death, some twists and turns, and last but not least – a little bit of hacking.

The story begins with Lisbeth Salander in prison serving a two month sentence for her actions from the previous book (see my earlier post on The Girl in the Spider’s Web).  She’s keeping her head down, biding her time until her release; but in true Lisbeth fashion, things don’t always go as planned.  She’s aware that the prison is being run by a corrupt system, and the cowardly warden is no help. In particular, Lisbeth has taken it upon herself to keep an eye on Faria, a young woman serving a sentence for killing her brother and who is regularly beaten and threatened by the prison bully.  She’s sure there’s more to Faria’s story, and has asked her attorney to look into it.

When her former guardian comes to visit her in prison, asking her questions about the origins of her dragon tattoo and leaving her with some cryptic clues, Lisbeth asks her friend, journalist Mikael Blomkvist, to look into that as well.  Little does she know that Mikael is also attempting to put together an intricate puzzle on his own – which includes corruption, greed, fraud, and a social experiment gone very wrong.

But not one to sit still, Lisbeth confronts the warden, and hatches a plan from inside the prison.  As each clue is unraveled, the story quickly unfolds.

We get a glimpse into Faria’s home life, and find out the reason that she’s in prison and why she’s kept quiet about what really happened, and has done nothing to help her own case.  Lisbeth has figured out Faria’s story, and goes about retribution – “an eye for an eye”

While that story is being told, Mikael gains some insight into the mystery surrounding Lisbeth’s childhood, and how a clandestine agency has affected the lives of children like Lisbeth.  His investigation leads him to an incredible story about two children, now grown men, and how a deranged woman will do anything to make sure their story never goes public.

And finally, for those of us that have followed Lisbeth’s story from the very first book, we gain insight into how Lisbeth came to have a large tattoo of a dragon across her back.

Filled with intrigue, this book moves along these separate threads, culminating to a thrilling and fast paced resolution for one piece of the story; but still leaving some small threads left over. Does that mean there will be a third book written by Lagercrantz?  I certainly hope so.

Are you a fan of this series?  I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please comment below.

Sep9

Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

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Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

Wolf by Wolf
by Ryan Graudin
Published by Little, Brown and Company

What if Germany and Japan had been victorious in World War II?

What if you were able to change your appearance at will? Not just hair color or with make-up; what if you could completely change – hair, eyes, height, voice, everything.

What if you had the opportunity to kill Adolf Hitler?

It’s 1944, and Yael is crowded with her mother in a train car, heading to a concentration camp. She’s six years old, and although too young to really know what’s happening, she can feel the fear all around her.

This is how our story begins, but throughout the book it’s told from two different time lines. In the chapters titled “Then”, which take place in 1944 and beyond, we flash back to Yael’s life in the death camp; the chapters titled “Now”, which take place in 1956, we learn how Yael is part of a resistance movement to kill the now aged Adolf Hitler.

1944 – Yael is considered a special child. The experiments being conducted on the children in the concentration camp are not successful, and many have died. But not Yael. For some reason she’s surviving the torturous, painful injections and that makes her special. It also gives her the unique ability to completely change her appearance – like a shape shifter or skin walker.

Each time the story goes flashes back to 1944 we’re given glimpses of how Yael lived, survived, and eventually escaped the death camp. Her story is brutal and heartbreaking, but her suffering has also given her a unique opportunity to do something important – something meaningful.

1956 – The Third Reich rules part of the world, and Japan the other. All of the other countries have fallen, and have been divided between the two ruling empires. But that doesn’t mean that the world is at peace. There are still secret pockets of a resistance movement, and they’re waiting for an opportune moment to make themselves known. It’s their belief that once Hitler is killed, there will be enough chaos to bring the world back to what it once was before the insane and crazy rulers took over.

That’s where Yael comes in. She’s been training for a very important mission – and she’s determined to succeed even if it means that she will likely sacrifice her own life. Yael will be competing in the Axis Tour. The televised motorcycle race from Germania to Tokyo is used to show off the territories conquered by the two Axis empires, and to promote the alliance between the Third Reich and Japan. How Yael plans to accomplish this is the premise of the story.

Although the race was developed for boys only, one year ago, unbeknownst to the organizers and her own family, Adele Wolfe disguises herself as a boy, enters and then wins the race. This is unprecedented, and immediately pushes Adele to superstar status. Adele even catches the attention of Hitler himself, who seems to be smitten with Adele. Completely out of character, during the televised Victor’s Ball, Hitler asks Adele to dance. Watching them, Yael can’t help but cringe when she thinks of Adele having to touch such evil, but it’s because of that dance that the plan is hatched. Yael is going to transform her appearance and become Adele Wolfe, and she will win the race.

But it’s not as easy as it looked on paper. First she needs to find a way to stop the real Adele from joining the race. Then she needs to make sure that she wins – easier said than done. The other competitors are tough, and the race itself is grueling. To make matters worse, Yael never figured on Adele’s twin brother doing everything he can to convince “Adele” to quit; or how she feels about Adele’s arrogant ex-boyfriend. Is it hatred, or is it becoming something else? Yael needs to stay focused and keep her eye on the prize, wolf by wolf (yes, that’s a tease).

I thoroughly enjoyed this book; it was edge of your seat exciting and was paced very well. The character of Yael was so beautifully and thoughtfully written that even the outlandish shape shifting part of her story sounds believable. I’m really looking forward to starting the sequel “Blood for Blood”, which is sitting patiently on my shelf.

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please let me know if you’ve read this book or if you plan on reading it. Please feel free to comment below.

Sep4

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

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The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

The Alice Network
by Kate Quinn
Published by Thorndike Press

And once again, I chose a book that moves through time. I think I have a type.

We start out in 1947. World War II is over, but not by much in Europe, which is where we meet Charlotte (Charlie) St. Clair. Charlie is a young American college student, who is in London with her mother to take care of her “little problem”. You see, Charlie is pregnant and unmarried. Still underage, her parents have made the decision for her, so her mother has made an appointment at a clinic in Switzerland. But Charlie has other plans. Not concerning her little problem, she’s still unsure how she feels about that; Charlie has decided to use this trip as an excuse to find her missing cousin Rose.

To Charlie, Rose is more than just her cousin – she’s the older sister that Charlie never had and the person that she has always looked up to. Rose’s family is from France, and while France was occupied, Charlie’s family received word that Rose was missing, presumed dead. But Charlie doesn’t believe that – she’s certain that if Rose was dead she’d know – feel it in her soul somehow. So she hatches a plan, and ditches her mother in London, and armed with just a stranger’s name and address, heads out to solve the puzzle of her missing cousin.

When Charlie arrives at the home of Evelyn (Eve) Gardner, she’s met with a gun wielding drunk. But Charlie is not going to let that stop her. She explains to Eve her reason for looking her up, and tries to convince her to help her find Rose. After laying out the very limited information that she has about the last time Rose was seen, Eve declines. But whether due to the lateness of the hour, or something that Charlie said, in a moment of weakness Eve allows Charlie to stay the night – but wants her gone at first light. But we all know that if Charlie leaves, there wouldn’t be a story. Eve eventually agrees and sets out for France with Charlie, along with her caretaker/driver Finn, who has a story of his own.

Flashback to 1915 – Evelyn Gardiner longs to join the war effort, but being a woman her chances are pretty slim. Until the day that she’s recruited to join a network of spies. At first she’s not sure why she was chosen; what she doesn’t realize is that she has three unique qualifications. One – she’s fluent in French and German; two – she has a stammer, which makes many people that meet her think she’s a bit on the dim side; and three – but maybe the most important, she’s a very, very good liar.

Once recruited and trained, Eve is sent to France for her first assignment with the Alice Network. There is a restaurant in France that caters to high ranking German occupiers. Eve must be hired as a waitress in order to eavesdrop on their conversations, and report back. Armed with her stammer, speaking fluent French, and feigning ignorance of the German language, Eve is hired.

And so the story moves between Charlie’s search for Rose in the aftermath of World War II; and Eve’s past as a spy during World War I. Each story is compelling, and told beautifully even when describing the horrors of war. I love Quinn’s writing and pace. She takes her time with each of the characters, and although each one is given a fair amount of backstory, its Eve’s story that takes center stage.

This is one of those books that stay with you long after you read the last page, and there are a few things that really stood out among the telling of the war and the spy network: the heartbreaking way that Charlie imagines she sees Rose every time she sees a young girl that resembles her; the way Finn delicately deals with Eve and the humor he uses with Charlie; how the three of them bond, and help each other with their own nightmares and insecurities; and lastly, how Charlie begins to come to terms with her pregnancy and her own coming of age.

Lastly, to make it even more interesting – The Alice Network is based on a real spy network, with one of the characters in the book based on the true life of Louise Bettignies, the leader of the Alice Network, which has a pretty interesting history.

Link to Kate Quinn’s page:
Kate Quinn’s Website

Follow Kate Quinn on Twitter: @KateQuinnAuthor

If you like this type of spy story, with strong female leads, then I also highly recommend “Code Name Verity” by Elizabeth Wein. I listened to the audio version of this, and it was spectacular.

Link to the Wiki page for Louise Bettignies, who ran the Alice Network:
Louise de Bettignies