THE LIFELINE by Deborah Swift @swiftstory

5 out of 5 stars

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How I discovered this book: Deborah Swift is one of my favourite writers, so I bought this as soon as it was available.

In a Nutshell: Dangerous escapes from Nazi-occupied Norway

I enjoyed this book immensely - there is never a dull moment, with a sense of spine-chilling danger throughout.  The action picks up as the book goes on, making it a real page-turner; I read the last 40% in one go (just finished it!).

The book is set in Nazi-occupied Norway in the early years of WW2.  The main characters are a Resistance worker, Jørgen Nystrøm, and his girlfriend, Astrid Dahl.  Jørgen's cover is blown early on, and the two are separated. Astrid is a teacher who becomes involved in low-key rebellions against the Nazi regime, but soon finds that she has bitten off more than she can chew, and her only chance of evading transportation to the camps and almost certain death is to join some others in their escape from Oslo.

The story follows Jørgen's hazardous path to the Shetland Islands, where he carries on his work with the British against the Nazis, and Astrid's terrifying journey through Norway, during which there are so many setbacks and dire turns of fate that I was gripped throughout.  It is clear that the author's research into the time and place has been extensive, and every aspect of these dangerous few years is completely convincing.  Incidentally, I was interested to read that until five or six hundred years ago, Shetland was part of Norway.

If you're a fan of WW2 dramas and nail-biting stories of brave escape, you will love this book - and a round of applause to Ms Swift for not making the romantic minor sub-plot turn out predictably!