Wow. After finishing Kate Quinn’s The Rose Code, I was breathless. I have read many historical fiction novels about WWII, but this is by far, at the top of my favorites list.

The novel alternates between two timelines; the first is roughly at the start of WWII, and the second is just before the royal wedding of Prince Phillip and Princess Elizabeth. Osla, Mab, and Beth – three very different young women – find themselves working at Bletchley Park, the main center of allied codebreaking during WWII. In the later timeline, Beth has been locked up in an inhumane mental hospital while the other two women have moved on with their lives. For reasons that I will not divulge, major events in the novel resulted in the women ending their friendship. However, it becomes apparent that during their work at Bletchley Park, there was a traitor in their midst. They must reunite to find this person or risk the welfare of one of them.

What is very special about this story is the precision with which the tale is told. The details created by the author truly bring the reader into the lives of these characters. The dialogue reminded me of a well-written stage play, enabling me to visualize the action as it unfolded. I am usually able to predict the events of such a novel, but in this case, I was not! This was a pleasant surprise; I could not put the book down, nor could I prevent gasping as more and more details unfolded. This book is more than a WWII historical fiction novel; it addresses the role of the codebreakers and what they had to endure, the role of women in the fight against the Nazis, and the power of friendship during unimaginably difficult times.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow/Custom House for an advance reader’s copy of this book! I highly recommend it!

I really enjoy Kate Quinn's books in the past and this is no different! You would think that books about WW2 would get old, but throw in lady code-breakers and it feels new again. I loved all three main characters. They were so different and well fleshed out. The ups and downs of their relationship felt organic. The romances were lovely as well, but not as detailed but understandable in the context of the story and keeping the mystery going. Im ready for the next book by Quinn already!

Normally, I roll my eyes at yet another WWII fiction title with a woman not showing her face on the cover of a book. (What IS that all about, publishers? Show us her face already--World War II is over, she's not hiding any more secrets.)
HOWEVER.
Kate Quinn is a QUEEN, and I will read just about anything that comes out of her storytelling mind. She's known for exceptionally witty dialogue, vivid female characters, and badass women who don't do as their told but aim for justice. The Rose Code is not an exception to that rule, I'm relieved to say. There has been some fiction aimed at telling the stories of the heroes of Bletchley Park in England, the ordinary everyday code breakers that discovered Nazi and Italian/Fascist war plans before they struck. The stories of Osla, Mab, and Beth are heart-wrenching, but very human. (Mab is my favorite. Such a female warrior.) I loved learning about the female code-breakers who were seen by male colleagues as exceptional for their intelligent minds but then wondered at how they were able to keep such secrets for decades--generations even--in the name of state secrets.
Highly recommended to all fiction readers, Quinn writes with her usual flair but with increasingly intense purpose. I'd love to see her write about unknown women from a different era than WWII next time!

There are probably fewer than 5 authors I will pay money to read their books sight unseen. (I work at a library.) Kate Quinn is at the top of this list. I've never been disappointed in one of her novels, and her Mistress of Rome series is one of the best series I've ever read. I've really been enjoying her somewhat more modern novels, so The Rose Code, set during World War II, is a welcome addition to my shelf.

We follow the story of three women who eventually wind up working at Bletchley Park, attempting to break enemy codes. The novel jumps back and forth in time, leaving the reader to untangle the threads of the story, much like the main characters do with enemy codes. I was quite tense reading this at times, hoping that characters I liked weren't the traitor, but the book was written so well it wasn't obvious, yet the final reveal not totally unforeseen.

Fair warning, this is the kind of book that makes you want to read up on Bletchley Park and Alan Turing, or at the very least, watch The Imitation Game.

At times thrilling, scary, lovely and sad. This will be a must read for historical fiction enthusiasts.

As the Nazis try to smash and conquer the free world, three women answer the call to do their part at Bletchley Park. These women are in charge of deciphering Nazi codes, if they succeed, they will change the course of history. Mab, who comes from a poverty ridden background. She wants to defeat Hitler, and find a rich husband while she does so. Osla is a wealthy, society sweetheart who would rather use her formidable intelligence to help the allies than court a prince. Beth is a shy, unmarried woman who will use her ability to solve puzzles to help the war effort and find herself at the same time. But these three friends become enemies during the course of their time at Bletchley. Can an encrypted letter and a royal wedding 3 years after the end of the war reunite them?