IN FARLEIGH FIELD by Rhys Bowen was a perfect read for Spring break. I had saved it as a "treat" since Rhys Bowen (author of The Constable Evans mysteries and The Royal Spyness series, plus many more featuring Molly Murphy) is a favorite mystery writer of mine. The time period for her latest is the early 1940's, during WWII when England is feeling the effects of rationing and sustained bombardment. Three longtime friends are the main characters (and part of a love triangle): Lady Pamela Sutton, third daughter of the Earl of Westerham; Jeremy Prescott, daredevil RAF flyer and son of a well-to-do businessman; and Ben Cresswell, the vicar's son, now working for MI5, military intelligence.

Unbeknownst to the others or her family (Official Secrets Act and all that), Lady Pamela works at Bletchley Park helping to break codes. IN FARLEIGH FIELD provides an inviting mix of menacing danger and young people who desperately want to be patriotic while also finding ways to forget the war and enjoy life. Throughout the scenes in London and the British countryside, there is much suspense and action – concern about German spies and their possible local contacts adds to the mystery. At some point, the three friends reunite at Farleigh Place, the Westerham family estate in Kent, and the action builds quickly. Bowen's writing skills have been recognized with multiple Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards and IN FARLEIGH FIELD is also sure to please mystery and historical fiction fans. Highly Recommended.

Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of In Farleigh Field. This is my honest opinion of the book.

Ben Cresswell, son of the local vicar, ends up serving the English crown as an MI5 operative during World War II. When a puzzling situation develops, Ben is in a unique position to quietly surveil and ascertain whether there is anything subversive. A soldier with a failed parachute crash landed in Farleigh field, the property of Ben's childhood friend and secret crush, Pamela Sutton. With a secret agenda of her own, Pamela ends up at home from her job and provides assistance in the investigation. When the trail of spies and liars leads Ben down a dangerous path, will he be able to put a stop to it all in time to help England?

A historical fiction set in England during World War II, In Farleigh Field features a multiple perspective view of life during the war for Pamela and the rest of Lord Westerham's family and neighbors. In Farleigh Field starts slowly, but builds as Ben Cresswell uses his contacts and his knowledge of the area to help his country. Ben is my favorite character in the book, as his loyalty, ingenuity, and resourcefulness make him a great lead in a spy thriller. The historical aspects are slim, but do serve to anchor the novel in a period of time that has been prevalent in many books lately. Although it is not my favorite that I have read on the subject, I was pleasantly surprised at how interested I became in the outcome. I would recommend In Farleigh Field to readers who enjoy World War II historical fiction, especially spy thrillers.

I enjoyed this book a lot. Less light-hearted than the Royal Spyness novels, but set among the minor aristocracy of Britain during the early part of WW II, it is a satisfyingly historical novel with the personal touches so typical of Rhys Bowen.

This book is well written: take a mystery, throw in a bit of Downton Abbey and add three old friends.
The book has a war / MI5 theme and i found the war descriptions convincing. I'm sure that the upper classes did fare better during the war: tea on the lawn simply must continue! - stiff upper lip and all that. This isn't a genre that I would ordinarily read but i'm glad i did, I have Netgalley and the publisher to thank for providing me with a copy to review. It certainly kept my interest.
Character wise, some are memorable, mainly Ben: most are the Jolly Hockey sticks type, but all are well written and have a purpose in the book. This book is a pleasurable way to while away a few hours, it's good fun. I can see it making its way to TV so read it before then.

In 1941 there is great concern in England about the war and likelihood of a German invasion. Farleigh Place is currently being used by British armed forces for its’ headquarters during WW II. Roderick Sutton, The Earl of Westerham, owns Farleigh Place and lives their with his wife and five daughters. One morning, Phoebe, the youngest of Roderick Sutton’s daughters, discovers a dead body attached to a parachute while horseback riding on her parents estate. The body was found in a British uniform with some discrepancies and no identification. There is great speculation and concern that the body could be a German spy.

Pamela Sutton, Ben Cresswell and Jeremy Prescott have been lifelong friends growing up together in Farleigh Field. Ben Creswell is assigned to investigate the potential spy activity. Everyone, including his friends, are suspects during his investigation. His good friend Jeremy Prescott is the son of a wealthy neighboring landowner. He is currently home recovering from injuries sustained as a pilot. Pamela Sutton, one of the daughters of Roderick Sutton, decodes German messages at Bletchley Park in London. She has been working nights and has returned home on medical leave. Pamela has been in love with Jeremy since their teen years and hopes they marry after the war. The three friends are unaware of each other’s roles during the war and as events unfold their lives become more intertwined.

This historical fiction novel is layered with suspense, romance and drama. There are interesting secondary characters introduced that add value to the story. This is also a mystery and any more details would spoil the plot. My hope is that Rhys Bowen writes a sequel to this wonderful book.

I loved In Farleigh Field! Rhys Bowen can do no wrong. I'm a big fan of her Molly Murphy and Royal Spyness series, but I found this standalone to be a refreshing change of pace. I've always been interested in the various spy programs in World War II (both in Britain and the US), and this provides a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes at MI5, Bletchley Park, and other espionage and propaganda programs operated by both Britain and Germany during the war. I also loved the structure of the story, shifting perspectives among the Sutton sisters and Ben Cresswell as they navigate the tense atmosphere of wartime Britain and Paris, and contribute to the war effort in their own ways.

I definitely recommend this for fans of Rhys Bowen and Jacqueline Winspear, and anyone looking for a light but suspenseful WWII mystery.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for providing a copy for review!

In Farleigh Field

by Rhys Bowen

I was late coming to the TV series Downton Abbey, but it is now a fait accompli, and I enjoyed it very much. I found In Farleigh Field by Rhys Bowen to be reminiscent of Downton Abbey in its focus on the titled upper class during the hardships and upheavals of World War II. The plot is not highly complex, but it is interesting as characters of various social ranks use their skills to help England survive the Nazi onslaught.

I have two criticisms of the book. The character of Lady Diana (Dido) repeatedly whines about the war’s hampering her coming of age social season. I suppose a young woman could be that self-centered, but I kept wanting to tell her to grow up and look at the devastation surrounding her. Even her younger sister, Lady Phoebe (Feebs), seems mature, especially in times of crisis, at age twelve compared to her eighteen year old sibling. My other issue with In Farleigh Field is the ambivalence over secrets that are crucial to national security. The rules were emphasized over and over again and then broken on several occasions. At the same time, it seemed that more would be accomplished if branches of government cooperated.

The book does give insight into what it must have been like during World War II in England to work as a civilian for the government. Women were assumed to have secretarial jobs and men were thought to have bravery issues because they were not in the military.

I enjoyed the book, including the spy intrigue. There were surprises that kept the reader engaged, the setting was interesting, and the characters were appropriately either agreeable or unlikable.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Lake Union Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5

Category: General Fiction (Adult), Women’s Fiction

Notes: World War II era

Publication: March 1. 2017--Lake Union Publishing

Memorable Lines:

“Nasty Americanism, the word ‘weekend,’ ” Lord Westerham remarked. Although he had known Clementine Churchill for many years, he still hadn’t quite forgiven her for being American.

“I said she should have Margot’s bedroom, since she’s not likely to need it, but Pah said that standards had to be kept up, and it was not right for the staff to sleep on the same floor as the family, even if there was a war on.”

It was such a typical thing for someone like Lord Westerham to say. Not admitting that anything was allowed to change, even when the whole world was disintegrating around him.

So usually I don't read historical fiction because me and it just don't click which is strange considering I absolutely love history. Like I love reading history books, watching documentaries and stuff like the History Channel, but when it comes to historical fiction, whether in book, movie, or any other format it usually doesn't click with me. This time however, something about the synopsis clicked with me and I decided to give it a go, and I'm glad I did because I actually quite enjoyed it. The writing, plot, and pacing were all nice and kept me wanting to read more. The entire time I kept trying to guess what was going to happen and who did what, but I was wrong until almost the very end which pleasantly surprised me because I am almost always a great guesser when it comes to these things. That just made me appreciate the book even more. I loved the writing because it made me feel like I was in Englad during World War II, and for once I actually enjoyed that kind of atmosphere. What also surprised me was that the book was in multiple POVs, and usually I hate that but this time I felt that it truly did add to the book.

Overall, this was a pleasant surprise and a well-needed laid back read. If you enjoy World War II books, mystery/suspense, spy shit, or historical fiction, I would recommend giving this a go.

Although predictable in portions, this is an excellent historical novel set during World WarTwo during the battle for Britain. Lord Westerham has five daughters.
One daughter decided to stay in Paris because of her lover. One daughter works as a code detector. A family friend Ben Cresswell is working covet operations. The son of the neighboring land owner is a daredevil and was shot down over Germany and prisoner of war. One morning an evacuated child finds a body of a parachute man on the grounds of Farleigh. He is soon joined by the youngest daughter. Together they report to her Father. The authorities begin a search for why a German spy would be sent to the area. So is the Germany spy? Why Farleigh? I recommend this book.

I received a free copy from Berkley Publishing through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions expressed are my own.

Rhys Bowen has done it again! This is a delightful mystery despite realistic descriptions of wartime dangers and deprivations. The complicated relationships among the main characters and the challenges they faced made it very hard at times to stop reading. The changes in perspective among so many characters were so well handled that they contributed to the suspense instead of distracting from it. The presence of Phoebe and Alfie as child sleuths was a nice touch that at times added a bit of humor. This is described as a stand alone, but I wish it was the start of a new series. Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for providing access to the electronic ARC!

4 and 1 / 2 stars

This is a great book. Rhys Bowen must have done a great deal of research to write this book. It is both well written and plotted. The characters are (mostly), believable.

The setting for this novel is Farleigh Place where Lord Westerham and his family live. It also happens to be the place where some of the British forces are stationed. One of his five daughters, Phoebe finds the body of s soldier whose parachute failed to open in landing.

The subsequent investigation leads to plots and subplots that make this a very interesting book. The action keeps coming and the individuals that make up the cast of characters are intriguing.

While this is my first Rhys Bowen novel, it won’t be my last. I enjoyed it immensely.

I want to thank Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for forwarding to me a copy of this great book to read.

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I thoroughly enjoyed this; it was like reading Downton Abbey.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Rhys Bowen is a master storyteller. In Farleigh Field was a delight to read. It is a gripping tale of spy rings and secret government work in England during WWII. In the mist of espionage and intrigue a little love is sprinkled on the path. I was hooked from the first page and happily found an ending in which all loose ends are knotted, and hope is on the horizon.

I've been a long time fan of Bowen's Royal Spyness series - a cozy mystery series set in the 1930s around Lady Georgiana, 34th in line from the throne. While this series is always entertaining and always a good read it has a tendency to go a little silly at times. While this works for Georgie and her hijinks I wasn't sure how it would translate to WWII era Bletchley Park. Really though I should have trusted Bowen because while there was an occasional humorous interaction this book never once strayed to hijinks or silliness but instead was a solid, ridiculously readable, and compelling mystery.

The mystery itself is intriguing - who was the man who fell to his death in the middle of the night? Who was he trying to meet up with? What is going to happen next? I loved the different elements of how the mystery unraveled between Ben work at MI5, Pamela's work at Bletchley Park, and the very curious and intelligent Phoebe, 12 year old sister of Pamela, and her new found friend the out of place Cockeny Alfie.

But my favorite part of this read were the characters themselves and the different challenges they faced. There is the intelligent and observant Pamela who struggles to be taken seriously as an interpreter at Bletchley, the injured and friend-zoned Ben, unable to serve because of a careless accident shortly before the war but devoted to his country, the resentful Dido who is stuck and Farleigh and angry that she neither gets her debut nor is able to go to London to take part in the war work. They all add to the wartime feel of the mystery easy to identify and connect with. I adored the relationship between Phoebe and Alfie - her young lady of the manor mixed with his Cockney bravado is frequently funny and I found it sweet to watch their friendship develop though they both would be horrified by the use of the world sweet.

While this isn't silly it also isn't a particularly dark or angsty read. I really enjoyed the look at Bletchley and the countryside of England during wartime. It definitely made me want to read more about both. If you're looking for a light but not fluffy historical fiction and can't resist a World War II setting this is one you must not miss!

If there's such a thing as a "spy cozy," In Farleigh Field would surely qualify. The novel is Bowen's first foray into WWII spy-thriller territory, but fans of her Molly Murphy and Royal Spyness series will find the style both comfortable and familiar. I enjoyed it both for the story and the time period, but found it less intense than either the plot or subject matter might suggest. That actually makes it an excellent choice for readers who want to read about the period, but prefer their thrillers without too much violence or darkness.

Bowen has clearly done her historical research, and she's familiar with the part of England where the majority of the story is set. She paints a believable (if perhaps a trifle stereotypical) picture of an aristocratic family coping with -- and to some extent denying -- the upheavals caused by the war. Most of those are familiar to anyone who has read about Britain during World War II. Food and petrol are rationed; there's a thriving black market; villagers and country folk are housing evacuee children; young women ("land girls") are doing much of the work on the farms as well as clerical work for the war effort. As with many of Britain's Great Houses, Farleigh, the Westerham estate, has been requisitioned for Army use, and the family are reduced to living in one wing. There are concerns about German spies and sympathizers, and no one is supposed to talk about what they are doing or what they know. And the social rules that governed society, particularly for the upper classes, are disappearing like sand underfoot as the tide goes out.

The book is written in 3rd person limited. Lady Pamela Westerham ("Pamma"), who works at Bletchley Park, and the local vicar's son, Ben Cresswell, working for MI5, are the main characters. Pamela is intelligent, principled, and sensible, except perhaps when it comes to Jeremy Prescott, the childhood friend with whom she is in love. Ben is likewise intelligent and principled, and chafes at the disability which keeps him from joining up. He is (predictably) in love with Pamela, though he has little hope. The novel also follows 13-year-old Phoebe, Pamela's headstrong, observant youngest sister, and their elder sister Margot, who is trapped in occupied Paris. Other characters are highlighted for specific scenes. There are a lot of people to keep track of, and more than a few of them could potentially be German sympathizers or even traitors, leaving the reader double-guessing almost everyone's words and actions.

As a spy novel rather than a mystery, there's no murder to be solved, but rather a puzzle with potentially high stakes. The identity of the dead parachutist found in one of Farleigh's fields is of far less importance than his reason for being there. Who was he trying to contact, and why? What is the meaning of the photograph he carried? In a way, it's like solving a mystery in reverse: the goal is to figure out what mayhem is planned, hopefully in time to stop it from happening... but there's not much to go on, and it's hard to figure out what is and is not significant. That, as well as the personal relationships in the novel, is what I found most engaging.

I gave In Farleigh Field 4 stars rather than 5 for several reasons. First is the book's predictability. While there were a few surprises for me, the identity of the main spy didn't come as a surprise despite all the red herrings. I was also expecting several of the significant events, based on character type and my own familiarity with mysteries, spy novels, and WWII Britain. Second is that while I liked the main characters, I never felt deeply connected to either of them. In fact, the characters' feelings in general didn't have the intensity I would expect under the circumstances. It's not that they didn't feel the appropriate feelings, but that somehow, I was never quite drawn into those feelings; I was an observer, not a vicarious participant.

Nonetheless, I really enjoyed the book, and would certainly read a sequel if Ms. Bowen writes one. The book works as a stand-alone, and all the important questions are resolved, but there are definitely threads that could continue. And of course, with both Pamela and Ben doing intelligence work, the opportunity for another book is there if Ms. Bowen wants to pursue it. I hope she does; I'd like to see more of Pamela and Ben and the intrepid young Phoebe.

A very appealing and well-written mystery (set in WWII England) that will captivate the Downton Abbey crowd. Bletchley Park. Secret pro-German societies. Plots to assassinate the King. I'm an avid mystery reader and didn't catch on to the true villain until nearly the end of the book--and even then I was not sure. Well done, Rhys Bowen.

I’m beginning to realize that I’m a bigger fan of historical fiction than I first thought, there’s something about the way it sweeps me away to a different time that really appeals to me and I truly enjoyed being whisked away to 1940’s England while reading In Farleigh Field.

I was a bit apprehensive when the book opened with a comprehensive list of the cast of characters. It was long and though I love an ensemble cast, I was worried that there be too many people to keep track of. Thankfully I didn’t have any problems keeping everyone straight and I loved reading from several viewpoints. The main narrators included most of Lord Westerham’s daughters; Pamela who is working as a code breaker in Bletchley Park, Margot who is living in Paris, Phoebe the youngest and Dido who is quite the troublemaker. There is also Ben, a family friend and M15 operative.

For a novel set during wartime it had a lighthearted feeling to it, but not in a disrespectful way, it reminded me a little of a cozy mystery. This was based loosely on real events and Bowen did a great job of remaining historically accurate. There was a good balance of history, suspense, romance and family drama, truly something for everyone.

I had a blast trying to figure out whose side everyone was really on, there were spies, double agents and plenty of betrayals. This was full of charm, wit and humor along with tension and intrigue. There were a few surprises along the way though I worked out a couple on my own, but this didn’t take away from my experience, it was still an entertaining read.

Rhys Bowen is one of my favorite authors. She wrote the Royal Spyness Myusteries, the Constable Evans Mysteries, and the Molly Murphy Mysteries. I have read most of these and you will fine reviews on my blog.

I have just read “In Farleigh Field”, which takes place in England during the Blitz. At one of the fields on Lord and Lady Westerham’s estate, a man dressed as a soldier is found dead. Apparently the man parachuted into the field, but the chute failed to open, plunging him to his death. Although the man is dressed like a soldier from the same unit that is occupying part of the Westerham mansion, Farleigh, something is not quite right.

Ben, Jeremy, and Pamela have been friends since childhood. Pamela is one of the daughters of the Westerhams and Jeremy is the son of another lord of the realm who lives nearby. Ben Creswell is the son of the local vicar and definitely not in the same social set as his friends. Pamela and Ben works for MI5 and Pamela is a code-breaker at Bletchley Park. Neither one knows that the other is involved in the war effort. Jeremy has been shot down over Germany and is languishing in a prison camp.

This book, even though fiction, gave me a thrill a minute. The clandestine investigation kept promising and delivering. The possibilities of betrayal by one of Britain’s own was extremely interesting, especially since I had heard of some British who supported Hitler’s regime and were prepared for Britain to surrender. I love the way Ms. Bowen incorporates historical fact in her novels. I’m sure much research goes into each and every word she writes. Although I have read many of her books, this one, “In Farleigh Field” is my favorite to date. I sincerely hope that she is working on another novel in this same vein. I will be looking for it.

I highly recommend this book, especially if you are interested in stories about World War II. I received a Kindle copy of this book from NetGalley.com and was encouraged to do an honest review.

I picked this up because people always rave about Rhys Bowen, but she’s in the middle of a whole bunch of series and I like to start at beginnings if I can. In Farleigh Field is a standalone, which made it a good time to try this author.

However, for those who are expecting something a bit light and frothy, like the Her Royal Spyness series, this one is neither light nor frothy. Nor should it be. This is a World War II story that deals with serious issues on the home front. It begins with the crash landing of a German spy in the middle of an aristocrat’s estate, and ends with the realization that none of us really know the people we think we do.

This one is all about the less glorious parts of modern warfare; code breaking, spying, official secrets, official lies and ultimately betrayal, both on a personal and on a political level. And it revolves around questions about the ends and what means they justify. And by whom.

The story begins as a simple mystery, but there were no simple mysteries during WWII. A uniformed parachutist crashes at Farleigh, wearing the uniform of the West Kents who are stationed in the mansion. But nothing is as it seems, starting with that dead parachutist. He may be in uniform, but the details of that uniform aren’t quite right. And no one is missing from the regiment. He has nothing on him except a parachute that refused to open, fake ID tags and a landscape photo with numbers on the back.

MI5 doesn’t really care who the man was, their interest is in who the man was supposed to contact within walking distance of Farleigh, and they have just the man for the job. Ben Cresswell, ineligible for the draft due to a tin knee, is the son of the local vicar at Farleigh. He knows everyone, and everyone knows him. In spite of his junior status and relative inexperience, he’s the perfect agent to investigate his old neighborhood.

And of course, no one knows he’s MI5. That includes the daughter of Farleigh, Pamela Westerham. Pamma has no idea that Ben is MI5, just as she has no idea that he’s been in love with her for all of their lives. But while Ben is very aware that Pamma has been in love with Jeremy Prescott, son of the local squire, all of her life, he is very much unaware that Pamma is one of the junior code breakers at Bletchley Park.

Her superiors are every bit as interested in the mystery of the dead parachutist as Ben’s are. And it will take both of them, and a lot of luck, to finally discover the truth. A truth that is much, much worse than they imagined. And every bit as deadly.

Escape Rating B+: I’ll admit that based on the author’s reputation, I was expecting something a bit lighter. There are points in this story that are very dark. This is appropriate for the period and the circumstances, but still a bit of a downer.

Albeit a fascinating one.

The story takes place during the very early years of the war, particularly around the time of the Battle of Britain. At that point in 1940, Britain stood alone against the seemingly unstoppable might of Nazi Germany. The United States was pursuing a policy of non-involvement and Lend-Lease was still on the drawing board. There was a feeling in Britain, and it was probably justified, that unless the U.S. came to their aid that it was just a matter of time until Britain fell to the Nazis. That some, particularly among the upper classes, wanted to capitulate in order to save what they could (admittedly including their own skins) was historic fact. That one of those upper-class potential collaborators was the former king, the Duke of Windsor, was well-known at the time, which is why he was packed off to the Bahamas and both out of harm’s way and out where he couldn’t cause any harm.

Churchill planned to fight to the last man, (woman and child) but there were plenty of people who believed it would come to that, sooner rather than later, if the U.S. didn’t provide support, and quickly.

One of the things that makes this story so interesting is just how insidious the fifth-column activities really were. Although we laugh now at some of the antics of the home guard and the air raid wardens, the difficulties were real at the time. And one of those difficulties was the one that Ben and Pamma face – that they simply can’t imagine that someone they know well could possibly betray their country. They assume that it must be an outsider, when it so seldom is.

Insiders always know where the weak points are and just how to exploit them. But Ben’s prejudices of both class and familiarity lead him on many a wild goose chase until the perpetrator is finally exposed.

There’s also a small element of melodrama in this story, and I’m not sure whether it helped or hurt. The resolution of the love triangle between Ben, Jeremy and Pamma plays into the ultimate solution to the puzzle. However, that triangle is Ben loves Pamma, Pamma loves Jeremy and Jeremy really only loves himself. Some of Pamma’s angst about Jeremy’s behavior made me want to shake some sense into her. I rather badly wanted Jeremy to be guilty of something – he was an absolute bounder.

All in all, In Farleigh Field is a story about people rising to the occasion, keeping the side up, and solving the mystery, no matter how much it hurts. Anyone who enjoys spy stories or stories of World War II on the homefront (or who loved Foyle’s War) will enjoy In Farleigh Field.

Right, In Farleigh Field looked really intriguing. I love the cover and I was looking forward to reading it since a historical mystery is a favorite of mine. However, as my rating indicate did I not enjoy this book very much and I will list the reasons for it below.

1. Predictability - Whether it be the story or the characters did this feel like everything was following a guide book on how to write a book for dummies. Sorry, I kept on going through the book because I wanted answers to the dead parachute mystery. But, the ending was so obvious that it was silly. It did try to be a bit surprising, but by then was my patience wearing thin with the story.

2. Stereotypes - The characters, and here I mostly think of the daughters are the usual type, the brainy one, the easy-going one, the exemplary one and the brave one and the young one. Nothing new here, I've seen these characters before so many types, but done better. I nominate Dido as the most annoying character of the year. "Buuhuu, I didn't get be to come out and be presented by the court because of the stupid war. I want to dance, met men and have sex"! When she did something quite unforgiving towards the end was, I not at all surprised since I've been waiting for it since the beginning of the book.

3. Phrases - Jolly, crikey, and blimey. Take a drink every time anyone says that. You will be drunk, but at least you have fun.

So, why did I keep going if the book when I felt that the book didn't work for me? Well, I was almost half-way through when it really started to bother me and I did want to get some answers to the mystery in the book. However, the drama in this book almost made me quite the book several times. I was not bored with the book as much as I was annoyed.