The Shadow Network by Deborah Swift - #bookreview #blogtour

 

Lily tucked her scarf into her coat and braced herself against the chill of the November day. The examinations would start next week, so as she hurried down the steps from the main building of the university, she was still repeating the lines of Shakespeare under her breath...

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One woman must sacrifice everything to uncover the truth in this enthralling historical novel, inspired by the true World War Two campaign Radio Aspidistra...

England, 1942: Having fled Germany after her father was captured by the Nazis, Lilli Bergen is desperate to do something pro-active for the Allies. So when she’s approached by the Political Warfare Executive, Lilli jumps at the chance. She’s recruited as a singer for a radio station broadcasting propaganda to German soldiers – a shadow network.

But Lilli’s world is flipped upside down when her ex-boyfriend, Bren Murphy, appears at her workplace; the very man she thinks betrayed her father to the Nazis. Lilli always thought Bren was a Nazi sympathiser – so what is he doing in England supposedly working against the Germans?

Lilli knows Bren is up to something, and must put aside a blossoming new relationship in order to discover the truth. Can Lilli expose him, before it’s too late?

Set in the fascinating world of wartime radio, don’t miss The Shadow Network, a heart-stopping novel of betrayal, treachery, and courage against the odds.

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When I was offered the opportunity to read The Shadow Network as part of the blog tour, I jumped at the chance. I have previously read this author's book, Shadow on the Highway, which I enjoyed very much. You can read my review by clicking here. Deborah also featured as one of my guests for my Desert Island Books feature which you can read by clicking here.

Although The Shadow Network is the second book in the WW2 Secret Agent series it read perfectly well as a stand alone novel. 

From the very first page I was gripped by the story and liked Lily's character very much. I could feel her pain and panic as she watched her father dragged away by the Nazis. This scene was so effectively portrayed that it would have been difficult not to have been moved by it. She is a well formed character, and I enjoyed reading about her very much.

Whilst our sympathies lie with Lily, the reader is immediately alert when her former boyfriend, Bren, returns to her life.  As Lily suspects he is 'up to something' she demonstrated great bravery in allowing herself to get close to him again in order to ascertain his intentions. 

Based on fact, the Aspidistra transmitter was used in order to broadcast deceptive propaganda to the Nazis during World War II. This merging of fact and fiction produced an interesting and gripping novel. The author's focus on this lesser known aspect of WWII military history made for compelling reading.

It is written well and is appropriately paced for its genre. There was sufficient action to keep the plot moving although I rather enjoyed the slower aspects of the story. Observing the relationships between the staff and POWs develop was fascinating and I enjoyed reading about the day to day work that they were doing.

This is an excellent book that anyone who enjoys historical fiction will like. I highly recommend it.

ISBN: 978 0008586898

Publisher:  HQ Digital

Formats:  e-book, audio and paperback

No. of Pages:  352 (paperback)

About the Author:

Deborah Swift is the English author of eighteen historical novels, including Millennium Award winner Past Encounters, and The Lady’s Slipper, shortlisted for the Impress Prize. Her most recent books are the Renaissance trilogy based around the life of the poisoner Giulia Tofana, The Poison Keeper and its sequels, one of which won the Coffee Pot Book Club Gold Medal. Recently she has completed a secret agent series set in WW2, the first in the series being The Silk Code.

Deborah used to work as a set and costume designer for theatre and TV and enjoys the research aspect of creating historical fiction, something she loved doing as a scenographer. She likes to write about extraordinary characters set against the background of real historical events. Deborah lives in North Lancashire on the edge of the Lake District, an area made famous by the Romantic Poets such as Wordsworth and Coleridge.

(e-book and media materials courtesy of The Coffee Pot Book Club)

(all opinions are my own)