375 pages Avon Books UK, Avon publisher February 16, 2023 publish date
ABOUT THE BOOK
Two cities. Two spies. Which woman survives?
Pianist: NOUN. Informal. A person who operates or controls a radio transmitter – often in code.
July, 1940
Blitz-ridden London: Marnie Fern’s life is torn apart when her grandfather is killed in an air raid. But once she discovers that he’d been working undercover as a radio operative – or pianist – for the Dutch resistance, Marnie knows she must complete his mission – no matter the cost…
Nazi-occupied Amsterdam: At the other end of the wireless, fellow pianist Corrie Bakker is caught in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse as she desperately tries to keep her loved ones out of the line of fire – even if it means sacrificing herself…
Bound together by the invisible wires of their radios, the two women lead parallel lives in their home cities, as both are betrayed by those they trust the most. But when the Nazis close in on one of them, only the other can save her…
The next gripping and heartbreaking WWII historical fiction novel from international bestseller, Mandy Robotham.
MY THOUGHTS
The War Pianist is exquisite writing of historical fiction at its finest. Thoroughly researched, the characters come alive under the author’s pen.
Marnie Fern has a close relationship with her grandfather and is devastated when his shop is destroyed during a bombing. The blitz in London is affecting everyone’s lives. Combing through the rubble she discovers a radio set he had unbeknownst to her been working as an undercover radio operator helping the Dutch resistance.
I will admit the title of the book had me fooled. No piano or playing of one in the book was included .
Pianist were referred to as such during WWII as a person of any age operating a radio often in Morse code. Marnie knows she must continue on as a radio operator now, for him.
Another pianist is in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. these women put their lives on the line for the war effort. You can feel the tension rolling in with the twists and turns as the book moves along at a good pace. We see a lot of character development in Marnie compared to the start of the book, her grandfather’s death encourages her to move onward and upward.
An emotionally moving book.
Pub Date 16 Feb 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
THE AUTHOR
USA TODAY BESTSELLER
GLOBE AND MAIL BESTSELLER
AMAZON US, CA AND AU BESTSELLER
I’ve been dreaming of writing of a book since the age of nine, when I read ‘Harriet the Spy’ and carried my notebook around the school playground in attempt to look like a proper writer. I was waylaid, however, by journalism and children, which led me into midwifery, and more years away from my keyboard. I became immersed in the world of words again, having completed an MA in Creative Writing at Oxford Brookes University, and now I’m loving the life of a full-time writer, with tales of birth, death and anything else in between.
‘A Woman of War’ was my first novel, combining an ongoing passion for birth with a fascination for wartime history and the tenacity of the human soul – survival, regardless of culture or creed. It’s reception among readers worldwide proved beyond my wildest dreams; in the Kindle bestseller lists in the UK & Canada, and in paperback bestseller lists too.
My second novel – ‘The Secret Messenger’ – continues a wartime theme, this time in occupied Venice and charts the contribution of the thousands of courageous women to the Allies hard won victory.
Books three, four and five have taken me – and readers, hopefully – to pre- and post-war Berlin, and wartime Norway, places I love to visit, in books, in my head, and in person, Thanks to book lovers worldwide, I’m a happy little scribe, tapping away with my loyal muse dog, Basil, by my side.
In any spare time away from writing, I’m a keen gym-goer, a knitter of what my children call ‘strange things’ (placentas included!), and pride myself on being Jack Savoretti’s number one fan. I love coffee and coffee shops, but if you’ve read my books, you’ll know that already!
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