THE ENEMY'S WIFE by Deborah Swift @swiftstory

 5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)

On Goodreads

How I discovered this book:  I have read every single book by only one author, and it's Deborah Swift, so I was waiting for it!

In a Nutshell: WWII drama, set mostly in Shanghai.  Book 2 of a series but completely stand-alone.

******

Blurb from Amazon

1941. When Zofia’s beloved husband Haru is conscripted into the Imperial Japanese Army, she is left to navigate Japanese-occupied Shanghai alone.

Far from home and surrounded by a country at war, Zofia finds unexpected comfort in a bond with Hilly, a spirited young refugee escaping Nazi-occupied Austria.

As violence tightens its grip on the city, they seek shelter with Theo, Zofia’s American employer. But with every passing day, the horrors of war and Haru’s absence begin to reshape Zofia’s world – and her heart.

Can she still love someone who has become the enemy?

******

My Review

I was as gripped by this book as I expected to be after reading its prequel, Last Train to Freedom.  The Enemy's Wife is completely stand-alone, as I, with the memory of a goldfish, can confirm.

I was particularly impressed by the structure and pacing - so smooth, and such an indication of the author's talent.  Getting it right is an art, and Deborah Swift is a maestro.

One aspect I found most interesting was the psychological effects of the horror of war.  That sounds a tad simplistic, but in this book the horror is all too real.  So many aspects came to life - the hell that changes the minds of men, the pointless and brutal loss of life, the erasure of communities, the lack of concern for ordinary people, the hunger, the restrictions, the constant sting of fear.

Most interesting of all, to me, was the stark illustration of the effects of the Japanese war machine on its own soldiers.  The swiftness with which fear changes the mindset into obedience, in itself an intended result of the psyop.  It made me think of much that is going on in the world now, and the escalation that is imminently possible.

On a lighter note, my favourite character was Theo until near the end, when it became Wu.  Hero!

If this genre is your thing, I highly recommend this book and its prequel.  

My Top Ten Books of 2025

 

... as usual, not necessarily published in 2025, but that's when I read them!  

In no particular order, click the title to read my review.

Boatyard Views 

by Val Poore

A collection of Val's essays about her life on the water - 

beautifully put together, amusing and informative!

Marguerite: Hell Hath No Fury! 

by Judith Arnopp

The story of Margaret of Anjou, a major player in the Wars of the Roses

All The King's Bastards 

by Gemma Lawrence

Alternate, speculative history - what would have happened if Henry VIII had died from his jousting injury, early in 1536?  Fascinating!

Last Train to Freedom 

by Deborah Swift

A mission of great importance in the dangerous arena of Europe during WWII ... the train in question is the Trans-Siberian Express

About the Real Stages of Grief 

by D G Kaye

Part memoir, part advice - D G Kaye talks about bereavement and how she has learned to live with her loss 

Burke and the War of 1812 

by Tom Williams

Fictional account of the factual mission of James Burke, to recruit the American First Nations to fight with Britain against the US

A Pact With The Devil 

by Anna Legat

Murder and demonic possession in 15th Century Poland

Death of a Clown 

by Catherine McCarthy

The story of Charlie, the reluctant clown - beautiful book

The Long Walk 

by Slavomir Racwicz

The allegedly true story of Slavomir Rawicz, who escaped from a Siberian labour camp during World War II, and, with comrades, trekked thousands of miles to reach safety. 

The Book of Thornhold 

by Judith Arnopp

A novel of long-short stories, about a family across the centuries.  Marvellous.

I hope you will select at least one of these for your next read - you won't regret it!  

Happy reading, and happy new year!

📚📚📚📚📚

THE CAMEO KEEPER by Deborah Swift @swiftstory

5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon

On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: a favourite author

In a Nutshell: The election of a new Pope creates chaos in 17th Century Rome

Never a disappointment, a book by Deborah Swift.  I've read the others in the series and they're all stand-alone.  I know this because I have a terrible memory but I didn't have any unanswered questions.  The Cameo Keeper made me want to read the other books again; knowing what happens next makes everything that comes before mean so much more.

Now, to the book!  This one sees astrologer Mia living with stepmother Giulia and her new husband, in Rome.  Mia falls in with the wrong people, lured by glitter, which leads to the increasing distance between her and young chirurgion Jacopo. 

A powerful woman, a new Pope, a malevolent colleague of Jacopo's, money, murder and fear of the Inquisition provide splendid material for the plot to play with, with intrigue and ghastly secrets around every corner.  

As usual with the author's books, the research into the life and work of the people she portrays (many of the key players were based on actual people) is immaculate; in this book I felt as though I was heariing from an apothecary who lived in those days, so convincing was it.  Fascinating, too.  I loved reading about the practices of the day and how, already, natural remedies were being demonised in favour of scientific discovery/experiment, for the financial benefit of the latter.

Definitely recommend this one!

LAST TRAIN TO FREEDOM by Deborah Swift @swiftstory

5 GOLD stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: a favourite author, I was waiting for it!

In a Nutshell: WWII - perilous escape from NKVD and Nazis

After a harrowing escape from the Nazis in their home country of Poland, Zofia, twin brother Jacek and their Uncle Tata have found a home in Lithuania, along with many other Jewish refugees.  Alas, here they face a new danger - the Russian army, bulldozing their way through anything they deem to be anti-communist.

Once they realise that resistance is futile, the Japanese consul is their only hope for visas to travel on the Trans-Siberian express, away from imminent danger.  As well as escaping, Zofia has another mission to complete - the delivery of a secret package to officials in Tokyo.  The problem is that there are others who want to put a spanner in the works; some who appear to be helpful are not what they seem.

I was delighted to find out that Chiune Sugihara, the Japanese consul in Lithuania, was a real person who, against orders from his country, issued thousands of visas to Lithuanians and Polish refugees who would have otherwise been captured by the Russians or the Nazis.  Deborah Swift has written a piece about it HERE.

I loved this book from start to finish; it's utterly gripping and I could never guess what might happen next.  More than anything else, it illustrates what a dark, dangerous place mainland Europe was during the first half of the 20th Century, and the bravery of so many who fought on the side of good, against the forces of evil that were intent on eliminating their existence.  Highly, highly recommended - definitely my favourite of Deborah Swift's novels set in World War II.

My Top Fifteen Books of 2024

 

 

  It's that time again...

I intended to do a Top Ten, but as usual when making my list it grew too long - you know how it is!  The books I've chosen were not necessarily published in 2024, but I read them this year.  If any of them pique your interest, please click the title for my review and universal links to Amazon and Goodreads.

I've listed them in the order I read them, aside from the last five, to which I awarded my rare and very special 5 Gold Stars.😊  I hope you see something that appeals, as I highly recommend them all!

The Drau River Flows to Siberia: The Victims of Victory

by Marina Osipova

The story of two people who survived Stalin's Siberian gulags, and the fate of the Cossacks under the care of the Allies in WWII.

I, Richard Plantagenet : Book 2 Loyaulte Me Lie 

by J P Reedman

The later life of Richard III

Hard to Forgive 

by Georgia Rose

Third book in the 'A Shade Darker' series.  A woman alone, a life lived in obsession and regret...

Pride & Pestilence 

by Carol Hedges

Book 11 of the Victorian Detectives murder mystery series

Live and Let 

by Judith Barrow

A short, amusing memoir, much of it about holiday lets.

Psittacide 

by Zeb Haradon

The crazy political arena of 2172, Book 2 in the Disposable Soma series

A Boundary of Stones 

by Millie Thom

The story of Eyam, the Derbyshire village that famously isolated itself during the 17th Century bubonic plague, stopping it from spreading to neighbouring villages.

Local Gods 

by Mark Hurst

An assassin who needs to lie low discovers strange happenings in the village of Little Baddington...

Operation Tulip 

by Deborah Swift

Working for the resistance in Nazi occupied Holland, 1944

The Queen's Avenger 

by Anna Legat

The story of a monk who supported Mary, Queen of Scots, through all she suffered.

*

5 GOLD Stars

All Quiet on the Western Front 

by Erich Maria Remarque

A young German man's experiences in World War I  

A Matter of Time 

by Judith Arnopp

The life of Henry VIII in his own words, from the Anne of Cleves era until his death.

The Swan Maiden 

by Gemma Lawrence

Book 2 of The Surface and the Deep, the story of Anne of Cleves.

Moments of Consequence 

by Thorne Moore

Short stories, dark themes.  Mostly.

Size Always Matters 

by Sally Cronin

Comprehensive guide to weight loss, exercise, nutrition and so much more.

OPERATION TULIP by Deborah Swift @swiftstory

5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)

On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: one of my 'go-to' authors!

In a Nutshell: Working for the resistance in Nazi occupied Holland, 1944

What a cracking book this is!  I loved it.  It's set mostly in The Hague in the Netherlands, as well as in other parts of the country under occupation, and in England.  Main character Nancy is assigned the most dangerous task of her life in the resistance - she must assume yet another identity, and get close to a high ranking Nazi officer.  Meanwhile, her beloved Tom, a coding expert in England, finds that he can no longer just wait for her, and makes plans that he knows are potentially perilous.

What made this book so compelling for me was the plot - unusual, as I'm usually all about the characters.  But this never lets up from the opening scene; it's perfectly paced, with more introspective passages complimenting the tension and action.  Deborah Swift brings the bleak terror of the occupied territory to life; I didn't know, before reading this, that the Dutch were kept in such appalling conditions.

It's a 'clean read' with no bad language, not even when streams of it would probably have been uttered, but the picture painted is so real, so raw that the characters' reactions all seem completely realistic.  This has been my favourite of this authors' tales of espionage in WWII; it's a real page turner!

THE SHADOW NETWORK by Deborah Swift @swiftstory

4 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: I read all Deborah Swift's books, full stop!  Original discovered her on Twitter.

In a Nutshell: World War II espionage drama

The next in the series of Deborah Swift's excellent and oh-so-British tales of espionage and undercover networks during World War II.  The Shadow Network is particularly interesting because Lilli, the main character, is a part-Jewish refugee from Berlin, who falls prey to circumstances that lead her to take a major part in a 'black' propaganda outfit, targeting the German people and armed forces.  

This book has a particularly thrilling start, set as it is in Germany, when life was precarious for so many.  The pace continues throughout, culminating in gripping ending that made me wish it was a TV mini-series.  Ms Swift has painted a wonderfully nasty antagonist in the form of Brendan Murphy, member of the IRA.

As ever, the research is detailed and fascinating; Deborah Swift outlines the real story behind the fiction in the back of the book, and, once more, I wished I'd read it first.  I've no doubt that this novel will be as successful as The Silk Code - and I look forward to Operation Tulip!

HISTORICAL STORIES OF EXILE by Helen Hollick, Annie Whitehead and 11 others @HelenHollick @AnnieW History @abelfrageauthor

 5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: Twitter.  I expressed my interest in reading it when available, and one of the authors offered me an ARC :)

In a Nutshell: 13 historical stories of exile.

Deborah Swift, one of my favourite authors, has written a perfect introduction to this excellent collection, with a brief overview of the content as well as thoughts on the subject of exile itself.

I loved reading these stories, the standard of which is high throughout, though they are all so different, in subject matter and writing style.  It is these two aspects that determine one's favourites in an anthology such as this, and can only ever be subjective; bearing this in mind, the story that stood out most for me (and stayed with me afterwards) was the heartbreaking The Unwanted Prince by Anna Belfrage, about a 16th century heir to the Swedish throne forced into exile for his own safety - especially sad because the story is true, as I read at the end, with great fascination.  I would have happily read a whole novel about the rest of his life, as outlined.

My other favourites:

Wadan Wræclastas (Tread the Path of Exile) by the Lady of Saxon History, Annie Whitehead is set a few years before the Norman Conquest.  The title comes from 10th century poem The Wanderer, and in this case refers to the much travelled Ealdgyth.  Again, most of the events really took place, but what I loved most about this one was the glimpse into the Saxon world.

On Shining Wings by Marian L Thorpe, a beautiful story about a 13th century Norwegian falconer, telling his tale to his grandson.

Betrayal by Cathie Dunn: set in AD 900, it tells the story of the urgent flight of Rollo the Viking and his wife Poppa place from the part of modern day France then known as Neustria, to England.

I also liked The Past, My Future by Loretta Livingstone, which is a bit different as it involves time travel from a dark, dystopian future England, to an abbey in the 13th Century.

The book is beautifully presented, with notes about each story and a biography and links for each author.  Congratulations to Helen Hollick for the original idea, and a big thank you to Annie for sending me an ARC when I said how much I looked forward to reading this!  Historical Stories of Exile is available for pre-order now, and for sale on November 12th. Highly recommended, and a great way to dip into the work of authors yet to be discovered.

THE SILK CODE by Deborah Swift @swiftstory

5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: one of my favourite authors, so I always look out for new releases.

In a Nutshell: Code-breaking and dangerous espionage missions in WW2.

When I started reading this book I thought it might be a bit too 'women's fiction' for me - but I should have known better.  Deborah Swift doesn't write cosy schmaltz, but history so real it's like a window back in time.

The story is set in 1943 and entres around Nancy, a government admin worker solving radio messages from agents in the field, whose life takes a dangerous turn - and Tom, the innovative brain behind some clever coding systems.  Yes, they fall in love, but I wouldn't class this as a romance novel at all.  

During the first part of the book I was struck by how hard life must have been for Londoners during the war; my mother lived there during that time and talked about it sometimes, but this really brought home to me how little any of the people had.  Food, clothes, options...

I enjoyed reading all about the coding systems and the suspicions about who might be working for the Germans, but for me the book really took off in Part 3, which takes places in the Netherlands.  We can't imagine what it must have been like to live under Nazi occupation, but boy, does this book describe it in all its raw horror.  Ms Swift holds nothing back - a lesser author would have saved more lives!  It's gripping, tense, absolutely riveting.  Part 3 alone earns the book its five stars.

THE FORTUNE KEEPER by Deborah Swift @swiftstory

5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: A favourite author, I've read the other two in the series.

In a Nutshell: Murder and astrology in Renaissance Italy.

Delightful book!  The Fortune Keeper is the story of Mia Caiozzi, an aspiring astrologer in 17th century Venice (I was interested to read in the notes at the back that female Venetian astrologers were quite the thing at this time!).  Mia is the step-daughter of the much talked about Giulia Tofana from the first two books of the series.

It's also the story of accomplished fraudster Imbroglio (definitely the most interesting character), revenge, secrets, spies, masks and murder, fear of the Inquisition, love and loss ... for me, though, it was, possibly more than anything, the story of Renaissance Venice.  Not a place or a time I know much about at all, I just loved the intricate day to day detail that showed how people lived then.  I'd swear Deborah Swift has her very own Tardis; her books are always written as though she has actually experienced that time and place.

The novel is a 'stand-alone' so it's not absolutely necessary to read Book #2, The Silkworm Keeper, before this one, though I would recommend doing so, not least of all because it's outstanding!  I read it 18 months ago and was glad I did because it provides the backstory for this book.  Or you could just start at Book #1, The Poison Keeper.  That's the best idea!  An immaculate series.

My Top Five Books of 2021 (and some more...)

I've reviewed 51 books on this blog this year, and tried to do my usual top twenty or top ten ... but I couldn't.  Too many instances of 'which do I include, this one or that one?'  I found, however, that I was able to choose my top five.  I don't very often give my '5 GOLD stars' rating; there were only two last year.  It's for the books that make me think '5 stars doesn't really do it justice'.  These are my chosen five of the seven I awarded this year.

Click the book title for my review - includes Amazon/Goodreads links.

Mistress Constancy by Gemma Lawrence

Part one of the story of Jane Rochford, wife of George Boleyn

(I actually gave two more of Gemma's books 5 gold stars, but chose this one as my favourite!)

Tears of Amber by Sofía Segovia

True story: the evacuation of the people of East Prussia at the end of World War II

The Silkworm Keeper by Deborah Swift

'a novel of nuns and courtesans, artists and priests, in the shadow and splendour of the Eternal City' - 17th Century historical fiction.  Stunning!

Life is Like a Mosaic by Sally Cronin

Pictures with free verse poetry - I am not a poetry lover, generally, but this is more like observations about life.  A real gem (and I bought the hardback!).

Cousin Calls by Zeb Haradon

If I had to choose one book as a favourite for the year, it would be this.  Man walks into a bar on Christmas Eve some decades into the future, to wait for a cousin he has never met.  While he's waiting, four others provide their stories about what happened when they got a phone call that said, 'you don't know me, but we're cousins'.  Unusual, hilarious, genre-free and brilliant!

Such a good reading year, so many I recommend; if you would like to take a look at those to which I gave 5 stars, please click HERE.  

Here are a few of them:

The Heart Stone by Judith Barrow 

A Matter of Conscience by Judith Arnopp

The White Rajah by Tom Williams

Trashlands by Alison Stine

Faring Forth Again on the Shoe by Val Poore

Catch Me If I Fall by Nikki Rodwell

For those I gave 4.5*, please click HERE.

Here are a few of them...

Mists and Megaliths by Catherine McCarthy

Near Death by Richard Wall

Black Irish Blues by Andrew Cotto

Later by Stephen King

...and here are some more I've loved - I hope you will discover some of my recommendations for yourself.

Happy reading!

Click HERE for review

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