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decembermum's review against another edition
4.0
An enjoyable read, with a mystery and a twist at the end.
spacegrass's review against another edition
2.0
I rarely leave a book unfinished, but I found this one boring, lumbering and not worth the time.
aga89's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
smaravetz's review against another edition
3.0
Not as enjoyable as the last Mills I read, but still good. A mystery set against well-developed historical fiction. I learned a lot about Malta!
gawronma's review against another edition
3.0
A very nice tale of an interestng period of WWII history. Mills is such a visual writer. The reader certainly can picture the people and places.
curtispaulostler's review against another edition
3.0
An entertaining read, especially with the backdrop of WWII. A little convoluted at the end, but enjoyable overall. The lead character was believable - the antagonist, once revealed, not so much so.
karenangela_1's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book,my only complaint is that the ending felt very rushed it could have used another couple of chapters
dmlsexton's review against another edition
4.0
I stopped in Malta briefly during a cruise and became fascinated by the history of this small country. This book really brought to life the importance of this country during World War 2 and the suffering and perseverance of the Maltese.
plantbirdwoman's review against another edition
1.0
What an annoying book this is! The story is muddled. The characters are often just dropped in and never explained. (What purpose does the new member of the Information Office named Pemberton serve in this tale? None, as far as I can see.)
Okay, the story, briefly, is this: In Malta in the summer of 1942, the war effort teeters on the brink of failure. British Information Officer Max Chadwick is the person charged with manipulating the news to keep up the spirit of the inhabitants of the island. Then he learns of the brutal murder of a young Maltese woman, a murder that appears to have been committed by a British officer. If word of this gets out, it threatens the morale of natives and their willingness to work with the British to repulse the Germans. Soon, Max learns that this murder may not have been the only one. It seems that there may be a serial murderer taking advantage of the war to hide his crimes. How can Max stop him and still perform his morale-building duties as Information Officer?
I freely admit that I just never "got" this story. Maybe that is partly a failure on my part as a reader. Perhaps it would appeal to the reader who is enamoured of reading about the World War II period and who doesn't mind lots of loose ends sticking out all over the place. If there is such a reader out there, then here's your book. And welcome to it!
Okay, the story, briefly, is this: In Malta in the summer of 1942, the war effort teeters on the brink of failure. British Information Officer Max Chadwick is the person charged with manipulating the news to keep up the spirit of the inhabitants of the island. Then he learns of the brutal murder of a young Maltese woman, a murder that appears to have been committed by a British officer. If word of this gets out, it threatens the morale of natives and their willingness to work with the British to repulse the Germans. Soon, Max learns that this murder may not have been the only one. It seems that there may be a serial murderer taking advantage of the war to hide his crimes. How can Max stop him and still perform his morale-building duties as Information Officer?
I freely admit that I just never "got" this story. Maybe that is partly a failure on my part as a reader. Perhaps it would appeal to the reader who is enamoured of reading about the World War II period and who doesn't mind lots of loose ends sticking out all over the place. If there is such a reader out there, then here's your book. And welcome to it!
abiofpellinor's review against another edition
4.0
I picked this up randomly when I was volunteering at the BHF, I was in a mood to buy lots of books. I ended up enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would. Set during the war, but not within mainland Europe and with many side plots which aren’t usually explored, it’s a different story to what I’ve been used to and one which will draw you in. A surprisingly good book.