The Secrets of Latimer House

Name: The Secrets of Latimer House
Rating: 4.692307472229004 (13 reviews)

Jules Wake

Aug 2021 · HarperCollins UK

4.7

13 reviews

Ebook

448

Pages

Eligible

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About this ebook

In the war against Hitler every secret counts... ‘Shines a light on a part of the British war effort I’d previously not been aware of...a fascinating, informative and heartwarming novel, and I loved it’ The New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller Jill Mansell

Society heiress Evelyn Brooke-Edwards is a skilled interrogator – her beauty making her a non-threat in the eyes of the prisoners.

Farm girl Betty Connors may not be able to type as she claimed, but her crack analytical skills soon find her unearthing covert connections.

German ex-pat Judith Stern never expected to find herself listening in to German POW’s whispered conversations, but the Nazis took her father from her so she will do whatever it takes to help the Allies end this war.

Billeted together in the attic of Latimer House – a place where secrets abound – Evelyn, Betty and Judith soon form a bond of friendship that carries them through the war. Because nothing is stronger than women united.

Tucked away in the Buckinghamshire countryside, Latimer House, a grand country estate, stands proudly – a witness to some of greatest secrets of WW2.

Used by the SOE to hold Nazi prisoners of war, this stunning historical novel is inspired by the untold story of the secret listeners of ‘M Room’ who worked day and night to help the Allies win the war. A must-read for fans of Mandy Robotham, Fiona Valpy and Kate Quinn.

Readers love The Secrets of Latimer House:

‘Freaking fabulous! Five perfect stars for this perfect book!
...The writing was wowza. So beautifully done. It flowed amazingly and honestly I couldn't tear my eyes from my Kindle’ Rubie

‘A truly fabulous read, full of drama intrigue and three fabulous characters’ Jeanie

‘I really enjoy this type of book which brings strong women together in exceptional circumstances, and this one did not disappoint’ Angela

‘This five-star read is the first historical fiction novel for Jules Wake and I think you’ll agree with me it’s a real treat for lovers of this genre!!!’ Norma

‘An excellent WWII-era historical fiction novel that is gripping, suspenseful, and engaging. I really enjoyed it!’ Rachel

Ratings and reviews

4.7

13 reviews

Alison Robinson

August 31, 2021

Latimer House in the English countryside near Amersham is a secret base where allied troops interrogate captured German soldiers and sailors. Three very different women are recruited. Evelyn, a society heiress whose father and brother are fighting for King and country, previously engaged to a German aristocrat, her impeccable German and good looks help to make the prisoners more amenable. Judith, a German Jew who lost everything in Kristallnacht, has been in England since 1938 but has never truly fit in. Her job will be to listen to private conversations between prisoners in their cells to see if they reveal any secrets away from their interrogators. Betty is a local girl, she relished working in London away from her fussy mother and her sort-of fiancé Bert, but concern for her younger sister leads her to request a transfer to work at the Distribution Centre which has been set up at the local stately home. Billeted together, doing top secret work, these three women form an unlikely friendship. I thought that this would be more like The Rose Code which I read and really enjoyed earlier this year. However, this was less about the work and more about the romances, pleasant enough but not what I was really looking for. Also, it was all a bit predictable and don't even get me started on the 'coincidence' at the USAF dance! I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Vikki McCombie

August 30, 2021

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary digital copy of The Secrets of Latimer House by Jules Wake. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this novel prior to publication. My opinions are my own, and nothing has influenced my rating. The Secrets of Latimer House is a well written novel, and the central theme is based in part on a true historical fact regarding the “M Room”, and I enjoyed that. However, the execution of this was a bit superficial. The basis of the story is the friendship between three young women and how the war affected them with a great deal of emphasis on their love life. Whenever multiple characters are primary, the depth of them is less than what is found in most novels, whether they are historical fiction or romance. It becomes a bit convoluted to follow multiple characters. It helped that the three women come from vastly different backgrounds. While I enjoyed the romantic elements involving the three women, there wasn’t as much heart pounding action I’ve come to expect in most of the WWII novels I read, and I’ve read quite a few of them this year. If you enjoy historical fiction set during WWII with engaging characters and an interesting plot, then you will like The Secrets of Latimer House. This is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Wake, and from what I can tell, her other works are romances, which explains why this novel leans heavily on that aspect of the story. I love romance, but the book description is a bit misleading since it focuses on the women and their work at Latimer House. Nonetheless, this was an enjoyable read, and I will check out the author’s other books. Several of the book descriptions sound delightful. Happy reading!

Edward Graham

August 27, 2021

Behind The Scenes in WWII Britain This is a heart warmer look at life behind the scenes in WWII Britain. The story focuses on 3 young women doing secret intelligence work. The plot is done very well. All of the characters seem complete with good attributes and petty nuances. I had a tough time putting this book down! The story is that good on all levels. The ending left a smile on my face. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

About the author

Jules Wake is the internationally bestselling author of over ten books including The Saturday Morning Park Run. She also writes as Julie Caplin and her Romantic Escapes series has hit the bestseller charts around the world.

After reading English at the University of East Anglia, Jules Wake worked in PR where she honed her fiction writing skills on press releases. She’s now a full-time author and what better job is there than making stuff up! It certainly beats housework.

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