I would like to thank Netgalley and Headline for a review copy of Hope for Tomorrow the third novel to feature Lieutenant Hope Stapleford of the wartime SIS.

Undercover as a liaison officer Hope is sent to an airbase in the north of Scotland, where her former asset, Harvey, is already working, to investigate strange goings on like pilfered tools, tales of sightings in the air and damaged fuselages.

I have not read this or the previous series before, but ever one for new authors and experiences I requested to read it. I did miss not knowing the background to the characters and their relationships but otherwise I thoroughly enjoyed Hope for Tomorrow and will be seeking out the back catalogue for further reading.

The novel is a straightforward adventure and pure entertainment and as such works very well with Hope Stapleford as the protagonist. She is a most unusual young woman with a wealth of experience under belt at the age of 22. In fact if I didn’t know she was so young I would have guessed at early 30s. She is smart, resourceful and, above all, logical. At times this latter trait comes across as unfeeling, but she has a lot of emotional turmoil in this novel and her reaction negates that impression.

The plot itself meanders through various experiences for Hope before getting to the airbase. Once there she talks to a lot of people, gets involved in a couple of side gigs and finds a solution to the mystery. It’s a bit more complicated than that and had me turning the pages quickly to see what would come next. It’s an easy, fun read with good historical detail and an ending I defy any reader to guess. I also liked the lack of hard resolution which seems to reflect well, the exigencies and ambiguities of war.

Hope for Tomorrow is a fun read that I have no hesitation in recommending.