Member Review

I'm familiar with quite a lot of the atrocities that occurred during the second world war but I admit that I hadn't heard of the Katyn Massacre which is central to the plot of this book. We follow a young airwoman, Vee Katchatourian, as she gains her wings. Forced to make an emergency landing due to fog, she meets RAF airman Stefan Bergel who she connects with immediately and, upon departure, can't seem to forget him. Meanwhile in occupied Poland we follow the goings on at a guesthouse where the daughter of the owner, Ewa Hartman, plays hostess to the Germans that are billeted there. She is a spy for the resistance and passes on what she gleans. She is also the heartbroken ex of Stefan who she believes to be dead after being captured at the start of the war. One day though, she thinks she sees him in the street. Making contact, she is shocked by what he asks of her, but reluctantly agrees to help him. Back in the UK and Vee is pining for Stefan but, when he returns, she is also bemused by what he asks her to do... One man and two women hold the key to exposing one of the war's darkest secrets but will they live to tell the story?
What a powerful story this author has weaved around a real historical event. It grabbed my attention from the off and held me captive throughout. Both women involved, Vee and Ewa are strong and forthright and very gutsy. One a brave pilot ferrying planes to where they are needed, the other a spy for the resistance in amongst the very foe holding the world captive. Stefan however is harder to understand and connect to. He is a strange character who, on the face of things, uses his charm and looks to manipulate the two women who appear powerless to resist. But is it all manipulation or is it a very real means to an end that is wholly necessary. We know from the book that he has had a very bad start to his war and it's this that has shaped what follows in his life. Similarly, both Ewa and Vee do things that are necessary for survival and to get their respective jobs done. It really was a different world and time during WWII.
The story the author tells is harrowing and captivating and also very immersive. She really does set the scene and the time perfectly all the way through. We see what life was like on both sides of the water, in the UK and Poland and the differences therein. It's obvious that there has been a lot of hard work going into researching this novel and the attention to detail is second to none. The quality of writing is just as high as the author's debut novel The Conviction of Cora Burns, which I also thoroughly enjoyed and, along with this book, have no hesitation recommending. Me, I'm waiting to see what she serves up next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.