Well written with a compelling storyline that is full of action and suspense and well developed charcaters some of whom I loved. This book game me all the feels, sometimes I was hopeful, sometimes I was on the edge of my seat and sometimes I was reaching for a tissue. I loved it.

The War Pianst is the second Mandy Robotham novel I have had the priviledge to read and review and I feel extra-ordinarily pleased and excited to have been granted the assignment. It is a thoroughly riveting book, one that made my pulse rate soar, made me hold my breath in suspense and fear for the characters in the danger zones and read far into the wee hours of night. Definitely one of those heart-stopping action-packed works of historical fiction where the punches just keep coming and coming unabated.

Action begins simmering and percolating in London during WWII Blitz days with 'mild' acts of resistance through Morse-coded radio contact with secret messages swiftly zinging to and fro London and Amsterdam. The ante is upped significantly and moved to Holland where the resistance to Hilter and his mean men began to take a foothold.

I like that this author used a so-called, 'ordinary and mundane' woman who thinks little of herself and her own abilitiies and took her outside of her boxed-in self in ways that astounds her - you know the scenario where one needs to pinch oneself to see if what is happening is reality. Such was Miss Marnie Fern of BBC, and the main character in this thrilling tale. Other characters with spine and some with dubiousness, are: Gatsby; Corrie; Willem; Daisy, Lizzy, Darcy, Jan, Gus, Dirk, dear young Felix, Miss Roach, Raymond and the abominable Lother Selig, to name a few. There is also sadness, after all, there's a war on, but also a touch of romance, humor, and good naturededness, which when all combined, creates a kaleidoscope of exceptional enjoyment.

I highly recommend this book and authoress, who certainly has earned a 5-Star rating from me!

~Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger~

November 2022

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Many thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for this opportunity.

Once again, author Mandy Robotham has delivered a fabulous read.

The book follows the lives of those in war torn England, London and the Dutch resistance in Holland. The resistance is small compared to the French but is equally effective in rescuing, hiding and transporting refugees and those deemed enemies of Germany as well as having a fighting force. Corrie, who goes under the code name of Daisy, is the Dutch radio operator to her English counterpart.

London, Marnie Fern is very close to her grandfather, a tailor who is still going about his business even with the Nazis bombing the life out of London. The blitz is in full swing. Her parents left London on first notice of the English involvement of yet another war, WW2. Marnie has elected to keep working and remain in London, working for the BBC although many work colleagues have left to the outer regions of England. Staying in London also means she can keep in regular contact with her grandfather.

She emerges from the underground shelter that she was pushed into by the tide of humanity and heads towards her grandfather's desperately hoping that last night's bombing has left him unscathed only to discover that the air raid has destroyed everything. Rushing beyond the barriers she desperately looks for him. After being told the bad news she is determined to see him; he isn't marked, no physical wounds and looks so peaceful she can't believe he is dead.

She heads off to work and after relating her grief to a work colleague she is given the day off and later on at nightfall Marnie, still distraught and in need to calm her shattered emotions, returns to her grandfather's workshop, gathers some of his personal effects and work tools, including Oscar, (to be picked up later), the only tailor's dummy to survive, so many memories for her. During this process she finds a hidden cupboard and to her amazement a radio and on this discovery the books related to obvious codes and with morse code coming from the transmitter, Marnie realises that it's in English and deciphers the tapping. Grandfather had taught her morse code as a child. As she climbs the stairs to leave with her bounty, a voice, that of an ARP man, challenges her about what she has collected (looting is rife during these times). Marnie protests her innocence quickly stating why she is there but the man responds with "I know what you have there…..it's a radio". He softens his manner, naming her grandfather and acknowledges her by name and suggests they securely hide the radio again and in a nonchalant manner suggests a drink for which he removes his uniform revealing a tall well dressed man, to which she remarks that he isn't an ARP man at all but he reassures her that it's his night off. Marnie, against her better judgment, agrees to go with him. At the bar Willem fills her in about his connection to her grandfather and how he was assisting the Dutch resistance. He reveals a lot about her grandfather that she didn't know, his involvement in WW1 and his work for the Radio Security Service. All this is new to Marnie and its beginning to take a toll on her well being, longing for her boring life. However, as Willem has been well informed of her skill with morse code asks if she would be prepared to takeover grandfather's role. She ponders this request and agrees to help, after all, grandfather was still able to work at tailoring while assisting Willem which would mean that she could do the same.

However, Marnie eventually finds herself in situations she would never have dreamed of as she launches herself into the dangerous activities of the Dutch resistance, espionage and double agents along with the complicated relationship between Corrie and Willem.

Well who knew that a pianist in Ww1/2 is a controller or operator of a radio transmitter, tapping Morse fast as if playing a lively tune on a piano?? It’s July 1940 and Corrie Bakker in an Amsterdam under Nazi occupation, works for the Resistance. Danger approaches on all sides as she desperately tries to protect her family from the encroaching threats especially in the form of rising Abwehr ‘star’ Lothar Selig.

London in September 1940 is raining fire courtesy of the Luftwaffe intent on bringing Britain to her knees in the Blitz. Marnie Fern who works at the BBC, picks her way through the burning debris to the safety of the Underground. Once the raid ends she makes her way to her beloved grandad’s house to discover he has been killed in the attack. She’s further shocked by the discovery that he’s been working as a pianist connecting to Corrie. Marnie knows she has to continue the work in honour of her grandfather. This is a story of connecting parallel lives in a desperate bid to survive.

Mandy Robotham writes war stories so well as she seems to be able to bring it alive and make you utterly invest in the main characters lives. You can smell the cordite in the air as well as taste the fear, see the rubble left behind and hear the danger especially from the approaching boots in occupied Amsterdam. The writing is vivid and although you know what happens it still has the capacity to shock because the author makes it personal.

This is a story of exemplary bravery with unseen danger and the very real possibility of betrayal. It’s very tense at times particularly in Amsterdam but all the characters have to have their eyes peeled and use all their senses the whole time as there’s the claustrophobia of being watched. It’s a story of survival anyway, anyhow. It’s full of fear, cruelty, terrifying manipulation but also of audacity. There’s everything from treachery to sadness and grief to firm bonds of friendship. I become totally caught up in their lives and will them on.

The ending feels a bit rushed and though it brings everything up to date I think this powerful novel deserves a powerful ending. Despite this I have no hesitation in recommending to fans of historical fiction.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Avon Books for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

This is a great read. I had no idea that radio operators were called pianists but it makes sense after reading this book. I realize it was a fictional tale but it really gives a picture of what it must have been like to live in war times. Constant bombing with fear of death and fear of capture for those in the Resistance.
The characters in this story really gave a feeling of life in a frightening time. Every time they were bombed, I could feel the fear that swept through them all and the underground shelters made me feel claustrophobic. That fear of would they be hit and buried alive! Then, they were sure of a ‘mole’ in their ranks. Who was it? Who could they trust? Who could Marnie trust? I really couldn’t put this book down because I just had to know the outcome! It’s a great read and I’d highly recommend it.

Wow! This is the best of Mandy Robotham's novels that I've read. It kept me gripped the whole way. I love the way the story is written in the present and the 'voice' of the narrator; it keeps up the tension and the involvement of the reader. The plot is fairly predictable, but it doesn't matter. I really enjoyed the characters - they're totally believable - and having a setting in a slightly different than usual country for WWII makes a welcome change. Thanks to the publisher, Avon Books, for the opportunity to read it.

The War Pianist by Mandy Robotham

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.

Another great read by this author. She does this genre of books perfectly and really gets under the skin of her female characters .
She is also very good at setting the tension and intrigue during the war years and how it must have been for those people willing to put their lives in extreme danger for the greater good for those most in need.
Brilliant.

This is a very evocative story depicting the Blitz in London and the Dutch Resistance. It features two “pianists”, Marnie and Corrie, a mannequin named Oscar and many others. The two get in over their heads as one tries to complete a mission and the other tries to protect her family.

There are plot twists, a love story, betrayal and a whole lot of nail biting. The writing depicts the characters in such a way that they come alive off the page.

Mandy Robotham, like Genevieve Graham, takes lesser known events and turns them into vivid stories. I really enjoyed the story and learned a lot. A really great effort.

Thank you to Harper Collins/Avon for surprising me with a link to the book and an opportunity to provide an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the invitation to read this eARC.

This is my third read by Mandy Robotham and in my opinion it’s her best book so far. I thought it was written beautifully and is an absolute pleasure to read. The book captured my interest immediately and held it all the way through. I really liked the two main characters Marnie and Willem and was rooting for them throughout. I thought the writing was very eloquent and descriptive, the story flowed really well, and I enjoyed reading this through the perspectives of Marnie and Corrie. I could picture scenes of the Blitz in London in my mind, and think the author portrayed her characters thoughts, feelings, emotions and actions perfectly. I loved the tension in the story, not knowing who to trust and I was desperate to know what would come next at times.. I’ve not read many books about how the war affected the people in Holland so this was a very refreshing and interesting read. I enjoyed the different country settings, and thought this gave the book a lot more depth. As the story was coming to its conclusion I was willing the characters on and thought the ending was very fitting. Overall this is a fab read, probably one of the best historical fiction books I’ve read this year and if you’re a fan of this genre give this a try, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Cannot fault this book at all, I loved everything about it.

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A lot has been written about the Resistance groups that emerged in Europe during WWII, and this one focuses on the emergence of the Dutch Resistance. The main character, Marnie, living in London feels typical of the type of women of the era, who were determined to do their bit, whilst feeling helpless and alone. She does have talents, just ones that she doesn’t think are useful. Women could really come into their own, stepping into mens jobs when they went off to war, and this shows a classic example of that, the Pianist of the title being a morse code operator. The scenes both in London and around Holland feels very real, as well as the tension that everyone was living under, both at home and abroad. The era has obviously been well researched and it certainly adds to the feel. Captivating read, my only criticism being that I would have liked a bit more about the survivors at the end. That said, highly recommended. 4 1/2⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

From London to Amsterdam

An exciting and heartbreaking story of WWII resistance in Amsterdam. A story of courage and strength of those brave men and women that resisted the Nazi's during the occupation of Amsterdam.

Marnie is working at the BBC in London when she is recruited by Willem a member of the resistance to be a Pianist during the London Blitz of WWII. A pianist was what a radio operator was known as. He finds her in the ruins of her grandfather's shop and tells her that her grandfather was working with the resistance and that she would be perfect to take over his job. She is thinks about the offer and the fact that her grandfather was killed during the Blitz by a bomb. After that she decides she must do what she can to help stop the Nazi's.

As a pianist for the resistance she talks to a pianist in Amsterdam passing on news from London to Amsterdam as they are occupied by the Nazi's and have no outside news coming in. The two women Marnie and Corrie grow fond of each other. When Corrie goes missing and Willem disappears she travels to Amsterdam with another resistance member to find them

An exciting historical story of the fight in Amsterdam. The Characters are wonderfully set for the story, the places and scenes are vividly described and the war scenes are accurately described for the historical period covered.

War is never pleasant it is always brutal and evil and should never happen. Unfortunately it does and when it does it is tragic for everyone . One of the greatest things we can ever pray for is peace.

This story has everything, espionage, love and romance, danger, betrayal, flight, imprisonment by the Nazi's and the daring exploits of the young resistance fighters.

This was a great story and I enjoyed reading it. I would recommend it.

Thanks to Mandy Robotham for writing another great WWII story, to Avon Books U.K. for publishing it and to NetGalley for providing me with a copy to read and review.

A powerful beginning merging into a powerful plot with a storyline I couldn't put down. Vivid descriptions of London Blitz, very interesting insights into the Dutch resistance, its early organisation made this novel absorbing! The fact that there is a mole brings even more tension and breath holding to the plot sustained up to the conclusion. I really enjoyed it, as I did all of the author's novels!
I received a complimentary ARC of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.

Another fantastic read from this author.
A very emotional and interesting novel about Holland under Nazi rule during WW2. The book start with the Dutch Resistance operating in London through radio operators ( Pianists).
Marnie works for the BBC but finds herself training as a part time radio operator. She meets up with Willum who is running the London operation. Circumstances however send them to Holland where they have to live under Nazi occupation which is brutal and frightening.

Historical fiction written by a talented author. Secrets…family and friends…war…Fears…this is a cannot put down novel that is fiction but reads like nonfiction…the characters come to life on the pages of this story. It is as if we know them. This would make a great thought provoking movie. This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Thanks also to the publisher and the author. Escape to a war torn nation…learn and possibly remember what we have read previously, but in a different setting…

Set in July 1940 in Europe as WWII has ramped up, this novel features two women in two different cities struggling to survive. In Blitz-ravaged London, Marnie Fern is devastated when her grandfather is killed in an air raid. She soon learns he was working undercover as a radio operative (Pianist) for the Dutch resistance. Marnie takes up the reins and fills in for him to contribute to the war effort. At the same time in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, pianist Corrie Bakker desperately tries to keep her loved ones safe and out of Nazi clutches, at great personal risk. The story keeps the reader on the edge of their seat and is full of suspense and action. The author does a fabulous job filling in details and bringing the characters and situations to life. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in thrillers, spy novels and WWII stories.