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A review by okevamae
Northern Spy by Flynn Berry
4.0
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
BBC producer and single mom Tessa and her sister Marian live in Northern Ireland, where despite peace having been officially reached decades earlier, the IRA is still active and tensions in the community remain high. One day, much to Tessa’s shock and confusion, Marian is caught on video participating in an armed robbery. Police believe Marian has joined the IRA, but the very idea of this goes against everything Tessa knows about her sister, with whom she has a very close relationship.
The plot and pacing of the story get more intense as Tessa slowly becomes embroiled in a world of espionage and her life spins out of her control. But through it all she remains focused on what is most important to her – the through line guiding all of her actions is her love and concern for her son, Finn. Tessa’s fear and desperation are palpable, as is her love for her family. The book contains beautiful depictions of motherhood, and captures the devotion (and frustration) of sisterhood, as well as including some gorgeous descriptions of the Irish scenery. This book was beautifully written, and the plot kept me flying through the pages. It’s the first book I’ve read by Flynn Berry, but now I’m definitely interested in looking into her other works.
BBC producer and single mom Tessa and her sister Marian live in Northern Ireland, where despite peace having been officially reached decades earlier, the IRA is still active and tensions in the community remain high. One day, much to Tessa’s shock and confusion, Marian is caught on video participating in an armed robbery. Police believe Marian has joined the IRA, but the very idea of this goes against everything Tessa knows about her sister, with whom she has a very close relationship.
The plot and pacing of the story get more intense as Tessa slowly becomes embroiled in a world of espionage and her life spins out of her control. But through it all she remains focused on what is most important to her – the through line guiding all of her actions is her love and concern for her son, Finn. Tessa’s fear and desperation are palpable, as is her love for her family. The book contains beautiful depictions of motherhood, and captures the devotion (and frustration) of sisterhood, as well as including some gorgeous descriptions of the Irish scenery. This book was beautifully written, and the plot kept me flying through the pages. It’s the first book I’ve read by Flynn Berry, but now I’m definitely interested in looking into her other works.