This atmospheric thriller vividly conjures up the claustrophobia and paranoia in which ordinary civilians found themselves living in Germany during the early part of WWII. Clara Vine is an engaging heroine, compassionate, principled and courageous, living as she does in the shadow of the Nazi regime, knowing that despite her acquaintance with the wives and girlfriends of Hitler's inner circle, she could be arrested, tortured and killed at any moment. The potential bleakness of the story is alleviated by touches of dark humour - the only kind available to the characters - and also by the fact that there are people like Clara, her neighbour Doktor Franz Engel and her American journalist friend Mary Harker who are prepared to risk their own lives to protect others more vulnerable than themselves. I like the fact that the book deals with aspects of the Nazi regime that are often overlooked in fiction - like the treatment of orphans and children with physical disabilities, like the secondary heroine 14-year-old Katerina. The only thing I would say is that readers who are not familiar with Jane Thynne's novels should probably start with the first book in the series Black Roses, to avoid plot spoilers. Oh, and the tagline on the front cover is wrong and was obviously not written by the author herself.

lthough this book is the fifth book in the Clara Vine series, it was the first book that I had read. Now, judging by the fact that I didn’t even realise that it was book five, that should let you know that it works perfectly well as a standalone. The book opens with the prologue – Lisbon 1940 and Clara being arrested. We then jump back in time to chapter one and Berlin, 1940. Clara is living in Germany and working as an actress. As World War II is in its infancy, Clara feels very vulnerable. Not only was she a spy, although now she tries to keep her head down, she is also half English, half German, and Jewish by descendant. Clara is an exceptional woman. She is grieving for her lover Leo, whom she had been told was shot and killed trying to flee the country, a lover than no-one knew about. She wants to leave Germany for the safety of England and her family, but that door has been shut tight. She has now found herself in a difficult situation, having to spy for the Germans. Whilst I’m not a great lover of historical novels, there is something about the World Wars that intrigues me. Most books that I have read, barring one earlier this year, have all been set in the UK during the war, so it was nice to be able to see the life of those outside the UK. The main story interweaves itself with numerous secondary plots, the main one being that of Katerina, a young girl living in a children’s home, with a crippled leg. Unless her sister Sonja can be found, Katerina is in serious danger of being killed by the Nazis. I love how these two plots fused with one another. The prologue did its job perfectly and had me hooked. I wanted to know how Clara found herself in the situation she did in Lisbon. I wasn’t disappointed with the answer. Ms. Thynne has done her research meticulously. She brings together all the elements of what the war was like with her vivid descriptions and scenery. She then injects the harsh life of a woman, but one who is most certainly headstrong and brave, to create this wonderful, mesmerising book.

This is the first book I have read by Jane, and it won’t be the last. The meticulous research and extremely polished writing skills combine to make this a very readable novel. Set at the heart of the Nazi elite, actress Clara Vine has infiltrated the high echelons of German command. She is part German, part British and as a spy for the British over the past 7 years, she has had a very fine line to tread. Now, however, she has the ear of Goebbels and ironically he sends her to other European cities – Paris and Lisbon – to work as a spy for the Nazis. She would love to return to England but she is caring for a child and it seems that that relationship is being used leverage, she has no choice but to comply with his wishes. The author weaves several strands into a well rounded narrative, taking her readers from the world of orphanages of the time (all part of the Lebensborn project) to a series of terrifying and random attacks on the Berlin Underground – U Bahn. It is possible that Clara inadvertently stumbled upon the attacker in the early part of the book! ‘Normality’ of the period is really quite shocking for people who know little about the era and the author really brings the reality of the time, the ways of thinking, the little details to sobering life. The Babelsberg Studios, where Clara works, are still a powerhouse of film production – after all, the movies are a good way to disseminate the Nazi creed with a touch of glamour, something all too absent in everyday life for the average German.. “Berlin was a city full of fear” Clara lives in Winterfeldtstrasse, near Nollendorfplatz, which actually exists in the city today. When one visits Berlin, one can really feel history permeating the fabric of the buildings one still sees. There are real echoes of footsteps past. Well researched detail conjures up a colourful history – who knew the Nazis wore phosphorescent lapel badges to show their allegiance in the dark; or that Goering kept lion cubs at home; or that Himmler suggested men take two wives. And particularly relevant for this time of year is that at Hitler’s Obersalzburg residence in the Alps, branches would be left in the salt mines below and extracted at Christmas when they would be covered with a glittering deposit of crystals, making a festive and impressive display. I read this novel whilst in Berlin and it really got me thinking about the history, the people and how there is still such resonance from the war years built into the fabric of the present day city. Highly recommended.