Review by Booklist Review
London, 1940, and Hitler's sustained bombing of the city is a terrifying nightly occurrence. Marnie Fern sees only lonely spinsterhood in her future; her one bright spot is her beloved Grandad. But when Grandad is killed, Marnie is shocked to discover he was a "war pianist" who used his nimble fingers and knowledge of Morse code to relay secret messages between the Dutch Resistance in London and their counterparts in Holland. Then Marnie is approached by Willem, a Dutch Resistance member, who asks her to take over her grandfather's work. Soon, she's in Holland with Willem, quickly pulled into the terrifying, secretive world of the Resistance, but she's never felt more alive. Then a mole is discovered in the Resistance cell, and the lives of Marnie, Willem, and the rest of the Resistance members are in grave danger. Robotham brings war-torn 1940s London and Holland to life, vividly portraying a world under siege, the dangers, tragedies, hardships, deprivation, and violence of war, and the contributions of so many, including war pianists like Marnie, that led to ultimately winning the war.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
In pre--World War II Europe, the word "pianist" was used to describe a spy who was especially skilled and speedy in sending messages in Morse code. This historical novel from Robotham (The Resistance Girl) tells the story of Marnie Fern, a BBC employee in London in 1940. When her grandfather dies, she discovers that he was an undercover "pianist" in the Dutch resistance against the invading Nazis. Marnie takes up his unfinished work in London and "meets" Corrie Bakker, a fellow pianist on the other end of the wire in Amsterdam; she and Marnie fast become comrades in their mission as their lives become entangled in personal as well as professional ways. The story takes some very unexpected twists and combines intrigue and adventure with close calls with danger. Robotham's descriptive, polished writing fully transports readers to London during the Blitz, with all the hardships, fear, and shortages. There is also a budding romance between Marnie and another resistance fighter, plus other peripheral characters who are well drawn and add color to the narrative. VERDICT Robotham's entertaining and well-paced novel is a great addition to any collection of World War II historical fiction.--Susan Cox
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