Book Synopsis:
For a moment she closed her eyes and imagined she was perched on the diving board at the Piscine Molitor, the sun beating down on her bare shoulders and the sound of Parisians at play beneath her. All she had to do was jump.’
1941. Darkness descends over London as the sirens begin to howl and the bombs rain down. Devastation seeps from every crack of the city. In the midst of all the chaos is a woman gripping a window ledge on the first floor of a Baker Street hotel. She is perched, ready to jump. And as flames rise around her, she is forced to take her chances.
1997. Amy Novak has lost the two great loves in her life: her husband, Michael, and her first love, music. With the first anniversary of Michael’s death approaching, Amy buries herself in her job as an archivist. And when a newly declassified file lands on her desk, she is astonished to uncover proof that ‘Agent Colette’ existed – a name spoken only in whispers; an identity so secret that it has never been verified.
Her discovery leads her to MI6 ‘godmother’ Verity Cooper – a woman with secrets of her own – and on to the streets of Paris where she will uncover a story of unimaginable choices, extraordinary courage and a love that will defy even the darkest days of World War Two .
My Review:
Sarah Steele is one of my favourite historical fiction writers so you can imagine my excitement when I found out she had a new book coming out. Once again she has written a fascinating, gripping and emotional story that will stay with me for a long time.
The story is told from the point of view of Agent Colette in 1941 as we follow her brave exploits during the war and Amy in 1997, an archivist who wants to find out more about Colette. I really enjoyed following the two timelines and learning more about Agent Colette ‘s missions in Paris but also found it fascinating to follow Amy as she tries to unravel what happened to Colette. It was interesting to discover how similar in some respects the two women were both having experienced lost and having other interests in common. I’ve always loved how the author writes her characters so you feel like you are experiencing everything through their eyes, meaning you grow fond of them and want to keep reading to find out what happens to them.
I thought the story was quite fast paced and there always seemed to be something happening to keep my interest. Colette’s story always had an air of danger to it and, being set in occupied Paris, you never quite knew what was going to happen next. The two storylines complimented each other nicely and I liked how Colette’s secrets are gradually revealed in a realistic way. The author’s fabulous descriptions of Paris made the story come to life so the fear and desperation seemed almost palpable at times. My heart was definitely in my mouth in some bits and I was in awe at how brave ordinary people were during this time.
The ending was very emotional and I closed the book sad to have to leave the wonderful characters behind. This is definitely a story that will stay with me. If you’re a fan of history fiction or dual timeline books then I highly recommend this book.
Huge thanks to Rosie from Headline for my copy of this book and for inviting me onto the blog tour.
About The Author:
Sarah Steele trained as a classical pianist and violinist before joining the world of publishing as an editorial assistant at Hodder and Stoughton. She was for many years a freelance editor, and now lives in the vibrant Gloucestershire town of Stroud. Her debut novel The Missing Pieces of Nancy Moon was published by Headline.
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