Publisher: Bookouture
Format: Print, ebook and audio
Genre: Historical Fiction/Womens Fiction
Synopsis
Nazi-occupied Paris, 1942. “I want to create a world where we are free to be together, to be in love,” he whispered. I gulp down the sobs building in my throat. “I want that too. I’ll come back to you. I swear I’ll come back.”
Elena Garcia knows that the mission she has been tasked with is her most dangerous yet. With a tearful goodbye to the man she has grown to love, the dark-eyed and warm-hearted Santiago Lozano, she hurries to catch the train to the drop-off point, the coded maps she is delivering for the resistance concealed in a pack of playing cards in her purse.
As she leaves the underground meeting, she hears heavy footsteps closing in behind her. Her heart pounds, and a dark figure comes into her line of sight. Expertly fighting off her attacker, Elena races back to the station, barely making it onto the train. She is forced to confront the worst: her cover is blown and now nowhere will be safe. Somebody close to her is a traitor, but when you live in the shadows, how do you know who you can really trust?
To stay alive, Elena must flee the country – and that means leaving Santiago behind. But she refuses to abandon her mission while Europe is still in the clutches of the enemy, and she will not leave Santiago to face the wrath of the Gestapo alone.
But when Elena uncovers that the love of her life has been having meetings with high-ranking government officials and hears German officials greeting him by name in the street, it’s clear that Santiago has his own secrets.
Elena must now ask herself: should she risk everything to save Santiago… or was he the one who betrayed her to the enemy? And now, with millions of innocent lives across Europe at stake, how can she know what is the right choice?
An epic, gripping and emotional wartime novel based on the true stories of the female spies sent into occupied Europe. Fans of The Alice Network, Soraya M. Lane and Pam Jenoff will be totally hooked.
My Thoughts
Elena Garcia, a bit part actress in California who has just finished starring in a training film for American undercover agents destined for Europe, is excited when offered a role in Washington DC. Intrigued by the secrecy surrounding this offer and thinking this could be her big break, she is surprised and a little dismayed to learn that the role offered, although she has to act a part, is not one for stage or screen but for the OSS, the Office of Strategic Services, the American intelligence agency. Singled out for her Mexican and French heritage, her linguistic skills and her acting ability, she is the ideal operative for an upcoming mission.
After her training, as Carmen De La Fuente, a Mexican actress, code name Flamingo, Elena is sent to Madrid, Spain. The city is a hotbed of intrigue where spies and counter spies, German and Allied, make use of Spain's neutrality and the fact that the dictator, Franco, is pro-Nazis and welcomes regular visits from the head of the Abwher, the German Intelligence Service and Himmler, the head of the dreaded SS and Hitler's second in command.
Elena's brief is to confirm whether a Spanish actress is Himmler's agent in Madrid and also to seek out locals, especially women, who might be interested in working with the Allies. Her method is to infiltrate the social scene and accept as many invitations as possible. Through one of these invitations, she meets Santiago Lozano and despite being warned to trust no-one and avoid romantic entanglements, Elena is drawn to him.
We follow Elena as she fulfils her dangerous mission, fearful that her cover may be blown at any time. She faces tricky situations where on the spur of the moment decisions have to be made to protect her identity and safeguard her mission. Adding to her unease, is a fortune teller's prediction that has Elena reassessing her connections and questioning the motives of those she has grown close to and come to trust. Meanwhile, she is coming to the notice of powerful German officers and businessmen. She is reunited with people from her past, but is totally unprepared for an act of betrayal.
Elena is a wonderful character, although I didn't believe she would so readily leave her home and family on the promise of an acting role across the other side of the country. However, this was just a minor niggle, with her recruitment and training dealt with quickly.
The action ramps up considerably once she is in Madrid and any qualms I had about her recruitment faded away completely so credible was she in her new role: courageous and sensible. Despite her growing feelings for Santiago, her mission always came first regardless of the personal heartache.
I loved her inner dialogue where she is the insecure Elena who talks herself into becoming the confident Carmen, often using a nine word mantra, supplied by her grandmother, to calm her mind.
This novel is full of suspense and some truly heart stopping moments. It's also a fascinating look at what was happening in Spain during World War II.
I've enjoyed a number of Siobhan Curham's novels now and believe this is her best one yet!
Where to Purchase
Amazon
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Meet the Author
Siobhan has been a guest on various radio and TV shows, including Woman’s Hour, BBC News, GMTV and BBC Breakfast. And she has spoken at businesses, schools, universities and literary festivals around the world, including the BBC, Hay Festival, Cheltenham Festival, Bath Festival, Ilkley Festival, London Book Fair and Sharjah Reading Festival.
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I have read and enjoyed one other Siobhan Curham book. Will keep an eye out for this one as it sounds interesting!
ReplyDeleteI do like this author.
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