Book Synopsis:
Germany, 1946
A reluctant spy is born…
‘A perfect summer read; gripping, original, well-drawn and compassionate’ Joanne Harris
‘Celia Rees is a superb writer, and this novel has one of the most irresistible and unique story hooks I’ve ever come across. This book deserves to be huge!’ Sophie Hannah
An ordinary woman. A book of recipes. The perfect cover for spying…
Sent to Germany in the chaotic aftermath of World War II, Edith Graham is finally getting the chance to do her bit. Having taught at a girls’ school during the conflict, she leaps at the opportunity to escape an ordinary life – but Edith is not everything she seems to be.
Under the guise of her innocent cover story, Edith has been recruited to root out Nazis who are trying to escape prosecution. Secretly, she is sending coding messages back to the UK, hidden inside innocuous recipes sent to a friend – after all, who would expect notes on sauerkraut to contain the clues that would crack a criminal underground network?
But the closer she gets to the truth, the muddier the line becomes between good and evil. In a dangerous world of shifting loyalties, when the enemy wears the face of a friend, who do you trust?
Miss Graham’s Cold War Cookbook is available in ebook and hardback now. The ebook is currently only £2.99. You can purchase your copy using the link below.
My Review:
This was an completely enthralling and gripping read which is far from the cosy read I was expecting.
Firstly I enjoyed learning more about post war Germany which is a setting seldom used in a book. It was quite sobering to see the hardships suffered by many, particularly the children and see how many people had been displaced during the war years. The author has clearly done her research as she perfectly blends fact with fiction throughout the book which helps bring the era to life.
Edith was a fantastic main character who I warmed to instantly. She was an incredibly strong, intelligent woman and it was really interesting to follow her on her spy missions. My heart was in my mouth at some of the events in the book which had me worrying about her safety and hoping that she would be alright.
This is far from the cosy read I’d been expecting from the title and it’s actually quite gut wrenchingly sad in places. I often found myself having to stop to think for a little before continuing as it was so emotional but I wanted to find out what would happen. The tension in the book is slowly increased until it becomes almost unbearable and absolutely impossible to put the book down. There is always something going on and lots of shifting loyalties which made me unable to trust anyone properly. It’s a story that will stay with me for a long time and I can’t wait to read more from this author.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Harper Collins for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Celia Rees was born in Solihull, West Midlands, UK. She studied History and Politics at Warwick University and has a Master’s Degree from Birmingham University. She taught English in city comprehensive schools for seventeen years before beginning her writing career. She is the author of over twenty acclaimed books for young adults, and has won various prizes both in Britain and abroad. Her work has been translated into twenty-eight languages.
Miss Graham’s Cold War Cookbook is her first adult novel.
Celia lives in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, with her husband.
Over The Rainbow Blog 
Great review. I loved this one too. I know what you mean about it going in directions you didn’t expect. One word – balcony 😱
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Yes exactly, thanks lovely. Glad you enjoyed it too!
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I was shocked by the events at the end of this book too! But what a read!
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