Such a sleepy village, except for the few occupation-German soldiers stationed there, one would doubt there was a war on. Mayor Maxx Duval, a compelling character, guides the citizens of Dinon to live peaceably with their enemy until two of the soldiers are killed. Tension grows as one assassin is sought. Readers need to beware, it becomes increasingly difficult to stop reading once they’ve passed the mid-point. Excellent!

In 1941, the small town of Dinon France is being taken over by German Occupation. When the Resistance kills two German soldiers the town is shattered. This is a very easy paced read. Very enlightening to the second world war. I enjoyed the characters in this book as well as the story/plot

This book was definitely an interesting one! I loved the depth and the story, but I needed a little more! I did enjoy reading this book.

When the Germans occupy the township of Dinon-sur-Authie; Max Duval, the widowed mayor, makes an arrangement with Major Wolff , the officer in charge ,which allows a precarious truce to take place between the residents and their occupiers . Unfortunately, the resistance leaders in Paris see this as a form of collaboration.

However, Paris is unaware that Max and several cohorts play a part in a secret network that smuggles shot down Allied airmen out of France.

Meanwhile, the resistance leaders decide to send two untrained assassins to Dino’s-sur-Authie; their actions bring deadly repercussions down on Max’s town. Incidentally one of the assassins, Sophie, a young Jewish woman seeking revenge for her family, hides at the
Hôtel Picardie which Duval just happens to own .Sophie’s presences there forces Max to make difficult decisions.
Finally, , Landscape of Shadows offers a different perspective on the French resistance then most readers are familiar with. Overall, it’s a good book, but contains a few unbelievable events.

This book was really a mindwarp for me. I really enjoyed how lucid the language was and the depth that the characters go into.

The whole book was a solid read for me but I needed a little more. I can't put my finger on what was missing per se but i just felt a little underwhelmed at the end. It may just have been my mood but something was missing for me. 3.5 stars because the problem was definitely not the writing.

Landscape of Shadows by Kevin Doherty was an interesting historical thriller which was set in France in 1941 in a small town of Dinon which is under German occupation. Max Duval, its mayor, and he appears to have accepted the German presence and encourages his citizens to do the same. He owns the main Hôtel Picardie, whose most important resident is Major Egon Wolff—German commandant.

When a local Resistance team kills two German troopers, the uneasy calm of Dinon is shattered. One of the assassins, the headstrong and beautiful Sophie Carrière, takes refuge in the Hôtel Picardie. Despite his disapproval of the assassinations, Max keeps her safe. Sophie accuses Max of collaborating with the Germans, but Max is no collaborator—he has his own secret methods of resistance, which Sophie has now jeopardised.

Danger escalates when Sophie discovers the truth about Max's resistance work, she and Max are drawn to one another. Egon Wolff decrees that ten citizens will be executed unless the missing assassin is surrendered. Max faces a terrible choice: sacrifice Sophie and betray the cause of freedom for which they are both working—or let innocent citizens go to their deaths.

This book was a really good read and I really enjoyed this book especially as Kevin Doherty is a new author to me as well

Resistance VS Resistance

A story of resistance in the French city of Dinon during the German occupation of France. Two different resistance teams clash with each other when one team jeopardizes not only the other team but the townspeople of Dinon.

An assassin team of two from a Paris resistance group comes to Dinon and assassinates two German soldiers. One is killed and one escapes. The Escaped assassin Sophie takes refuge in hotel Picardie which is run by Max the mayor of the city of Dinon. He hides Sophie, but he is running his own resistance group and when Sophie finds out it jeopardizes his movement.

Then the German Egon Wolff declares that 10 townspeople will be murdered in retaliation unless the assassin is turned over to the Germans what will Max do? Will he sacrifice Sophie to the Germans or will he find another way?

It's a good story and I enjoyed reading it. I would recommend it.

Thanks to Kevin Doherty for writing a good story, to Ocean View Publishing for publishing it and to NetGalley for providing me with a copy to read and review.

When the Germans approached Dinon-sur-Authie they were met by Max Duval, the town’s mayor. Knowing that the German arrival was imminent, Max had persuaded the townspeople to offer no resistance. He swears to Major Egon Wolff, the area commandant, that they will co-operate. Although the citizens of Dinon suffer with food shortages, restrictions and a constant bombardment of propaganda, their lives are relatively peaceful until two assassins arrive from Paris. Two German troopers are killed along with one of the assassins. Sophie, the second assassin, escapes.

Outside of the town is the ancestral estate of the Ducs de Dinon. Converted to a hotel, it is run by Max and Major Wolff and his aide are the primary residents. As the Germans search for Sophie, Max finds her in the estate’s barn. He decides that the safest place to hide her is in the hotel. It has already been searched and Max has quarters that are a distance from the guest rooms. When Wolff announces that ten citizens will be executed in retaliation Max is torn between protecting the citizens of Dinon and saving Sophie.

Sophie accuses Max of being a collaborator when she is hidden at the hotel. Although he is hosting Wolff and benefits from the food rations that Wolff requires, appearances can be deceiving. Max is the head of a cell responsible for aiding the escape of downed pilots and Jewish refugees. Sophie’s arrival and the heightened German activity to find the assassin puts his latest operation in danger. It falls to Max to find a way to prevent the executions and protect their resistance activities. Kevin Doherty’s Landscape of Shadows is recommended for fans of WWII historical fiction and the novels of Alan Furst. I would like to thank NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for providing this book for my review.

Occupied France, the village of Dinon, is an unwilling host to German troops and their Commandant, Major Wolff.
Mayor Max Duval owns the Hotel Picardie where the Major is billeted. He also runs an escape line, and hides shot down pilots in said hotel, right under the noses of the Germans. Max is torn between wanting a peaceful war for the villagers of Dinon, by accepting the presence of the soldiers, and continuing his resistance work in secret.
A group of German soldiers are shot in the village. One fighter is shot dead, the other, Sophie Carriere hides in the grounds of the hotel.
Retribution will be swift, either the outsider is handed over to the Germans, or civilians will be shot, Max included. The dilemma is, hand over Sophie or let innocent villagers be shot. Someone in Dinon is passing information to the Major, is it possible that Dinon has a traitor?
An interesting read, seen from the viewpoint of the Resistance, not all involved were blowing up train lines, bridges, and airfields, some quietly formed escape lines, to get pilots, and soldiers back to Britain, to continue the fighting. Max also tries to protect his staff at the Hotel, and insists on goodwill being shown by both sides in Dinon.
A thriller, and a page turner, very engaging and full of historical research. It shows sympathy to both sides, just because a person works for an evil regime, doesn’t mean that person in inherently bad themselves. Thoughtful and informative, it made me think about both sides of the War.
My thanks to Netgalley and Oceanview publishers, for my digital copy, freely given in exchange for my honest review. A five star read. I will put a copy of this to Amazon when the page is open.

In 1941 the small town of Dinon, France is under German occupation. When the Resistance kills two German soldiers the uneasy calm of the town is shattered.

This is very well-written. It has an air of the truth making it a terrific read with believable characters and a great, well-paced story. This book tries to give us an insight into the bravery of the members of the various resistance movements during the Second World War. It shows that resistance was not always about blowing up bridges or railway lines. Much of the work involved keeping their citizens alive. Thoroughly enjoyable read.

My thanks to #NetGalley and #Oceanviewpublishing for this free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The will to survive extraordinary circumstances is a powerful thing. Told in three parts, compelling Landscape of Shadows is a beautifully-written Historical Fiction about living through and after WWII in German-occupied Dinon, France. Interestingly, protagonist mayor of Dinon encourages residents to allow Germans to live there which offers them a degree of protection. German kommandant Major Egon Wolff is housed under his own hotel roof which is scary and intense, especially when assassin Sophie enters the scene. Life changes for everyone when two Germans are killed and an impossible sacrifice must be made. The cost of war is brutal and terrible and the innocent suffer.

The characters who caught my attention the most were the chef and doctor. Resistance and courage come in many forms and the tension at times was practically anxiety inducing...in a good way. Details such as the blackout shades and food rationing are always informative to read about in Historical Fiction. The pace is quick and snappy.

Those who are intrigued by a unique WWII perspective and writing style ought to seek this out, well worth your time.

My sincere thank you to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this riveting book.

Author of historic thrillers, Kevin Doherty’s latest book is set in France during World war Two. With the German army occupying the small town of Dinon, the Mayor, Max Duval is forced to work with Major Egon Wolff to protect his citizens. As the owner of the Hotel Picardie, Max has to accommodate Major Wolff and his personal assistant. Their uneasy relationship is tested when two German soldiers are assassinated. One of the resistance fighters is killed, whilst the other escapes, setting off a town lockdown and manhunt, which leads to harsh recriminations. When the local community fails to identify or assist in locating the wanted fugitive, a most draconian option is placed on the mayor: Max has to decide the cost of one life compared to many and how to resolve such a terrible moral choice. A truly enjoyable, insightful story with intriguing characters, building tension and the solution to the ultimate ethical dilemma. Continuing the tradition of these fine historic tales, this is a four star read rating. With thanks to Oceanview Publishing and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.

Dinon, France 1941 under the German occupation

Max Duval, the mayor and owner of Hotel Picardie, encourages his citizens to accept the presence of the Germans. His most important resident is Major Egon Wolff, German commandant. All went well till the day a resistance team kills two German troopers. One of the assassins is Sophie Carriere who took refuge in the Hotel. Max keeps her safe even if it doesn’t approve of what she has done.

Soon, Sophie accuses him of being a collaborator and instrumental behind the attacks but unknown to her Max is far from being a collaborator. He has his own methods of resistance....and this hot head has come in the way.....What is going on at Hotel Picardie right under the nose of a high rank Nazi.....the story tells us.

I love reading about resistance, it could take many forms: sabotage, publication and distribution of leaflets. This story brings forward the operation of secret escape lines that enable stranded Allied airmen and others to escape from Nazi-occupied territory. These people put their lives in danger for not only France but for all of us.

“In “Landscape of Shadow” we see a mayor having to make peace with the Major so his residents might survive the war. We also see how conflicted these people are with the resistance. When the question comes up to handle Sophie to the German rather than to let the Nazi kill dozen of citizens in retribution the tension is more than palpable. What a dilemma these people had to face very touching and really painful. The author’s words convey the terror and uncertainty each day brought...

Even if I had read more than my share of WW11 stories, Mr. Doherty’s version is far from being boring and gives different view and has its own twists. This is a fast moving story one that kept my attention from the opening page. The energy in this plot has also teased my fingers to flip rapidly pages to see the outcome. I felt transported to a time of anxiety and fear a place I hope never to experience....

Well-done and said

Landscape of Shadows by Kevin Doherty

In 1941, the French small town of Dinon is occupied by the German commander Major Egon Wolff and his men. Max Duval is Dinon's mayor and owner of the Hotel Picardie. Max is also the leader of the small resistance cell that helps those who need to get out of France to safety. It's a fine line that Max walks, having to cater to Wolff and his men while pretending not to despise everything they stand for. Only the people in his cell know the work they are doing and even those people don't know all the others involved in their clandestine work. On the outside, it looks as if Max and the townsfolk are collaborating with the Germans but that is the way it needs to look. Max's way of resistance is a less violent kind than other resistance groups that are blowing up places and things and committing assassinations.

Twenty year old Sophie Carriere is a young Jewish woman who has lost so much. The resistance in Paris has convinced her that violence is the only answer and she and a partner are in Dinon to to get revenge on the Germans. But things go wrong and now the citizens of Dinon are going to pay with their lives for what the pair has done. Major Wolff wants the assassin that is still alive turned over to him or else ten townspeople will be executed and more executions will occur until the assassin is in his hands.

I've read several books that portray the way the French village people were treated by their occupiers. There are so many true stories of citizens losing their lives for big and little things that the resistance did. With this story we get to see things from the inside. We see a mayor having to appease the commander who occupies his city so that the townspeople might get to survive the war. We see how those resisting the occupation are at odds with each other on how to go about resisting. What one group does can do great damage to another. There is an odd bit of instant attraction in this story that felt like it didn't belong but it wasn't taken too far, which I appreciate. In this story we get to see how everyday people fight back and save lives despite almost impossible odds.

Thank you to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.

The little town of Dinon is where The Landscape of Shadows is located during the Nazi occupation of France. This book moved quickly and kept my attention. Although the book didn’t break any new ground in terms of World War II novels, I believed it had an intriguing plot and enough energy to keep readers turning the pages. He kept the pace just fast enough such that I was never bored and not too fast that I lost track of what was going on. The scene was ideal for a WWII thriller. It is excellent at conveying the tense atmosphere of the period and setting—the French town of Dinon and its tenacious mayor vs the Occupation.

It does a superb job of transporting you to a time of dread and persecution while also demonstrating how individuals are doing their part to defend one another. I’ve read a tonne of World War II-related novels, both fiction and nonfiction, but this is the first one that puts me in the position of the French Resistance. I could feel the pressure and problems this book is about. I liked a few of the plot’s unexpected turns, and it moved along nicely. It does a superb job of transporting you to a time of dread and persecution while also demonstrating how individuals are doing their part to defend one another.

Doherty is a skilled storyteller who does an excellent job of fusing history and fiction. A good historical suspense novel This features an appealing cast of characters, an intriguing plot, and a solid mystery. The tale is excellent on its own, so some of the romance felt superfluous, but overall, this is a fantastic book that will interest both fans of WWII history and those who like suspense. A reminder of a moment that we’d like to believe will never return and that we must never forget. I believed the characters were well-developed and the plot was plausible. Additionally, this book demonstrates that you can produce a good, thrilling book in only 300 pages!

Thanks to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for providing me with a free advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I have read a lot of books about WW2, both fiction and non-fiction, and this book is the first that I have read that really puts me in the shoes of the French Resistance and I could feel the pressure and issues that are related in this book. It begins with the botched killing of two German soldiers as they leave a brothel in the town of Dinon, France. Both soldiers eventually die and one of the resistance fighters is able to make it away from the scene, but not out of town. She is eventually found by the head of the Dinon resistance group, and we get to see the different and uncoordinated tactics of those in Paris and Dinon. Local leader Max is able to hide Sophie for a few days but then the order comes out: Either turn over the "assassin" or 4 notable leaders and 6 ordinary citizens will be executed at midnight.. The tension is great, the dilemma is worse. Do you let 10 die or turn over Sophie to be killed. And in the midst of that 3 British airmen show up and need to be hidden. Just a wonderful, fast paced book that makes you understand the issues that were faced and made me appreciate the dilemmas that war produces, even among supposedly allied resistance groups. I thought the plot was believable and the characters were relatable and well crafted. Plus this book shows that you write a fine and suspenseful book in about 300 pages! Kudos Mr. Doherty for a job well done and a very good book,

honestly this is my first book by Kevin Doherty and honestly i need more who does not love a good thriller ..this is a definite 5 star for me .Thank you Netgalley and the author

3 stars. While a fast-paced read, I felt some portions a little too contrived (the romance) that didn't propel the book or characters forward in a way that the author was hoping for.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early peek at the novel. My views are my own.

I loved this book and it explores the challenges faced under occupied France. The resistance come into Dinon at night and kill two German soldiers. One of the team is killed the other escapes and ends up hiding in the hotel run by the local mayor. The book highlights that resistance comes in different forms and not seeing doesn’t mean things aren’t being done!! The head of the Germans in Dinon states ten citizens will die unless the killer is surrendered. The book explores the moral dilemmas faced by those that know, the dangers it holds on an escape route and then how can they avoid the executions. Fascinating and brilliant. Would really recommend.

The Landscape of Shadows is set in Nazi-occupied France in the small town of Dinon. Our protagonist, Max, is the mayor and owner of the Hotel Picardie where the overseeing German officer, Egon Wolff, has decided to take up residence. Max does his best to keep his citizens safe, complying with what he must, but always wary. Things have been quiet during the proceeding years after occupation, until one night two outsiders assassinate German soldiers. One of the gunman dies from returned fire, while the other escapes into the night only to be found by Max and given refuge. There are dangerous consequences to these assassinations and Max must make a choice - will he give up this outsider or stand up to the German occupation?

This novel was fast-paced and engaging. While there was nothing groundbreaking in terms of World War II novels, I thought the author created an interesting story and enough momentum to keep the pages turning. However, I do feel like the added romance wasn’t necessary - they were interesting characters as individuals and the added chemistry wasn’t necessary to propel the plot forward. That being said, I still enjoyed the novel and recommend for anyone looking for a fast-paced historical fiction.