The secret messenger

The secret messenger

Mandy Robotham

Book - 2020

"Venice, 1943: The world is at war, and Stella Jilani is leading a double life. By day she works in the lion's den as a typist for the Reich; by night, she risks her life as a messenger for the Italian resistance. Against all odds, Stella must impart Nazi secrets, smuggle essential supplies and produce an underground newspaper on her beloved typewriter .But when German commander General Breugal becomes suspicious, it seems he will stop at nothing to find the mole, and Stella knows her future could be in jeopardy ... London, 2017: Years later, Luisa Belmont finds a mysterious old typewriter in her attic. Determined to find out who it belonged to, Luisa delves into the past and uncovers a story of fierce love, unimaginable sacrifice... and, ultimately, the worst kind of betrayal ... Set between German-occupied 1940s Venice and modern-day London, this is a fascinating tale of the bravery of everyday women in the darkest corners of WWII."--Provided by publisher.

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Location Call Number   Status
1st Floor FICTION/Robotham Mandy Checked In
Subjects
Women > Fiction.
Government, Resistance to > Italy > Fiction.
Nazis > Fiction.
World War, 1939-1945 > Women > Fiction.
Undercover operations > Fiction.
Courage > Fiction.
Betrayal > Fiction.
Venice (Italy) > History > 20th century > Fiction.
London (England) > Fiction.
Historical fiction.
Genres
Historical fiction
Published
London, UK : Avon 2020.
Language
English
Main Author
Mandy Robotham (author)
Edition
Paperback edition
Item Description
"A novel"--Cover.
Physical Description
ix, 381 pages ; 20 cm
ISBN
9780008384623
9780008324261
9780008376048
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

Robotham's sophomore novel (after The German Midwife, 2019) tells the tale of two women in the same family, separated by 70 years and some long-buried secrets. Stella, in Nazi-occupied Venice, is a member of the Italian resistance who works undercover as a typist for the Reich, collecting valuable information on Nazi operations. She is unwillingly drawn to her handsome colleague Cristian, a fascist with some secrets of his own, even as her work for an underground newspaper threatens to get her killed. Luisa lives in London in 2017 and, after the death of her estranged mother, discovers a mysterious typewriter, which sends her on a quest to Venice to learn more of her own family's past. Stella's compelling tale deservedly gets more page time, while some threads of Luisa's storyline feel too-easily resolved. Attentive readers are unlikely to be surprised by some of the late-breaking revelations, but fans of Kate Quinn's The Alice Network (2017) are nonetheless likely to enjoy this spunky heroine and the intriguing glimpse into World War II Italy.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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