Thank you Netgalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for access to this arc,


Some things to mention first. These are CW warnings. Charlotte has been consigned by her family to an asylum before though it’s not entirely clear if this is due to actual mental health issues or because her family (her father, really) think Charlotte is “being a nuisance.” She and her godmother might make jokes and call it the “loony bin” but what happened to her there causes Charlotte to fear ever going back. As her friends die, Charlotte begins to “hear” them, in her head, speak to her and respond to her thoughts including one memorable “conversation” when (paraphrased) El asks Charlotte “don’t you think it’s strange that I died in the blitz and I didn’t have a mark on me?” There is an attempted sexual assault when Charlotte is out during the blitz.

Another thing some readers might not care for is that the story is told in third person, present tense. However this makes the book come alive for me and feel very “immediate.” Charlotte is not without her flaws. There are things that she does, or rather that she really doesn’t “think through.” At one point, she talks about going back to her old lodgings and has to have it pointed out to her that for (very good) Reasons, she can’t. Then when she requests to go to a different specific place, she realizes too late that she shouldn’t have. But then she’s only twenty and has just been through a horrible experience so I could cut her some slack.

Charlotte is the daughter of a baronet and knows her upper-class world. At one point she tells her landlady (whom Charlotte likes very much but whom one of Charlotte’s friends referred to as a hobgoblin) and the other boarder that an author they’re reading is an Old Girl – ie, a former student at the exclusive boarding school Charlotte attended. The way she speaks sets her apart from the young man who has noticed her in the park. Her godmother is also a terrible snob who makes a sniffy reference about all the Jewish refugees arriving in England. As distasteful as this is, I believe it to be characteristic of their class then. Meanwhile Tom, who has a physical disability, faces his own challenges as a working class man trying to escape to a better future which keeps being thwarted by the bombing of the buildings at the college that has offered him a scholarship.

I got lost in the effortless details of living through wartime London. Certain areas are hit hard while others are barely scratched. Baths are not only restricted but also lukewarm, undertakers worry about the foreseen lack of coffins, walking at night is hazardous not only because of the German bombs but also due to having to use torches and dodge debris. People quickly sort out what items are essential to take with them to shelter. Getting stuck out in the open when the air raid sirens sound means seeking any shelter you can find and possibly being stuck all night in a close quarters fug with strangers.

But, as much as I enjoyed the historic details and “feel,” there are times when the plot seemed to nearly spin out of control and other times when I felt adrift with no road signs to point me in the right direction. There is a clue to give a hint about one plot thread but it takes until the very end for many disparate things to be put together and resolve the mysteries. Readers without much knowledge of the period might end up befuddled about the motivations of some character’s actions.

“The Midnight News” is a very atmospheric story with interesting characters. It’s a historical, a mystery, a social commentary, a gut wrenching expose of the horrors of mental health treatments, and a romance. Yes, there is a romance here. I desperately wanted to keep reading and also to figure out how all the scattered pieces were going to fit together. They do and it all makes sense but the resolution is more “ah, okay” rather than “AHA!” Also it gets great bonus points from me because Charlotte has the guts, chutzpah, and intelligence to physically defend herself when she needs to and also see and seize opportunities to turn things in her favor. The main issues are resolved; the ending is HFN but I feel that Charlotte’s life is going to be okay from here on out. B

The Midnight News is a beautifully written historical fiction novel that takes readers back to the turbulent times of World War II. Jo Baker masterfully captures the emotions of her characters, bringing to life the fear, grief, and uncertainty of those living through the Blitz in London.

The protagonist, Charlotte Richmond, is a complex and compelling character, still grieving the loss of her brother and struggling to navigate her relationships with her overbearing father and her best friend Elena. As she tries to keep herself out of trouble and hold down a job at the Ministry of Information, she becomes increasingly aware of a sense of foreboding and the threat of someone stalking her and her friends.

Baker weaves a love story amidst the war story, as Charlotte finds unexpected joy in the boy who feeds the birds on her way to work. But as the danger escalates, Charlotte's nerves become frayed and her trust in others is shattered.

Overall, The Midnight News is a gripping and immersive read that transports readers to a time of great upheaval and uncertainty. Historical fiction fans will appreciate Baker's attention to detail and her ability to capture the emotions of her characters. I highly recommend this book and give it a solid 4 stars.

Twenty-year-old Charlotte Richmond, daughter of a high-ranking government official, belongs to an affluent family but now lives on the other side of London, as a boarder (the reasons for which are revealed later in the novel). She mourns the loss of her brother who died on the front. She works as a typist in the Ministry of Information and spends her free time checking up on her friends and colleagues, though doing so is becoming increasingly difficult on account of the restriction imposed as the war rages on. She meets Tom Hawthorne, a young man who she notices daily feeding the birds in the park, and befriends him. Tom, unable to serve on the front due to his physical limitations, works with his father in their family’s undertaking business and is waiting to start classes at the University to pursue higher education, that he believes will enable him to strike out on his own. The sudden deaths of people close to her raise Charlotte’s suspicions and when she notices someone following her on the streets, Charlotte senses that there are sinister forces in play. But everyone around her doubts her suspicions and her sanity. Alone with her thoughts, dealing with her personal losses and the devastation all around, unable to determine whom to trust and dealing with the strained relationships with her family members, she struggles to keep it all together.

The author combines elements of historical fiction, drama and mystery into a masterfully woven narrative that touches upon themes of war and its psychological impact, mental health, love and survival and much more. The narrative is shared from the perspectives of Charlotte and Tom. Needless to say, this is a layered novel with complex characters and a complicated plotline but at no point does it feel overwhelming. The narrative flows seamlessly and the pace is perfect to allow us to absorb the story as it progresses. The novel is set in WWII London during the Blitz, and the author employs vivid imagery to depict how the war impacted the lives of civilians trapped in war-torn London and how they try to maintain a semblance of normalcy and survive the air raids, blackouts and bombings that have become a part of their daily lives. The author describes Charlotte’s state of mind, her self-doubt, uncertainty and her inner resolve with much depth and honesty. The suspense and psychological tension is palpable and I couldn’t wait to see how the story eventually played out. The author also sheds light on how mental health issues were perceived during the time, especially how easy it was for families to institutionalize women who were considered a “nuisance”. The mental health practices described in this novel are disturbing to read. I appreciate that the author chose to end the novel on a hopeful note and though a few aspects of the mystery remained somewhat unresolved, the ending does not feel abrupt or unrealistic in any way. Heartbreaking yet hopeful, insightful and thought-provoking, The Midnight News by Jo Baker is an exceptionally well-written novel that I would not hesitate to recommend to those interested in a story set in WWII England told from a unique perspective.

This is my first Jo Baker novel and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future. Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel is due to be released on May 2, 2023.

Charlotte has fled her father's house to live as a boarder and work as a typist at the Ministry of Information in London- and then the Blitz begins. She's 20 and already experienced the loss of her mother and, more recently, her brother Eddie- a loss that caused her to spin badly. Now her friend El is killed by a bomb and there's a man who seems to be following her. And someone else dies and the man is there- to the point where Charlotte begins to think he is killing the people she loves (all of whom take up residence in her head). Except for Tom, the boy who feeds the birds. Tom, whose family are undertakers, is waiting to begin studies at the university and he's fallen hard for Charlotte who he meets in the park. But then Charlotte goes too far in her quest for answers and , well, no spoilers. This wasn't what I expected- for one thing it's quite twisty. Baker has a way with atmosphere (the dust after bombs, the food, the weak tea, Charlotte's father's mustasche) and put you firmly in her head. Not the usual WWII novel, not at all. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Terrific read.

I read and loved Longbourn, and was excited to read Jo Baker's newest novel set in WWII in London during the Blitz. This was a psychological thriller and a historical fiction novel, two genres that are not often combined, and it was a refreshing twist to find myself in war-torn London with a girl who fears her mind is unraveling. I won't tell you what happens, but instead will urge you to read this fascinating portrait for yourself. It was riveting and I enjoyed every second!

Jo Baker really can write novels that just transport you to the time and place. I loved the views of life at this time in London.

Surprising, and with many unexpected turns this mysterious love story is wonderful. With bright imagery this compelling novel kept me reading from start to finish.



Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for the DRC

The Midnight News is an unusual book. Although set in London during the Blitz, it doesn't feature daring young women volunteering for dangerous war-time jobs, spies, or enlisted men rushing off to the frontlines. This book spotlights people with emotional health problems, physical disabilities, and family issues, struggling in this new reality. It's the story of those who live in big cities but are usually overlooked. Domestic abuse & sexual assaults don't stop because there are bombs dropping. Everyone doesn't become a war hero and sometimes just surviving can be a victory. Charlotte's mental meanderings confused me at times but I'm glad I kept on reading. She's a survivor.

Many thanks to NetGalley & Knopf for the opportunity to read the ARC. The review is my own.

Jo Baker is an author I follow, one I can count on to bring my a story with heart and soul. The Midnight News is another find historical. It is 1940 London, and our 20 year old story teller Charlotte has already suffered the loss of her brother to the war in France. She had a mental breakdown a couple of years before even that, after the death of her mother, and she finds herself divorcing her world from that her her Father, Sir Charles Richmond, an MP and a higher up in the Ministry of Supply where her friend El holds a junior position.

After her release from the mental hospital, Charlotte finds herself living a cut down life, leaving behind her wealthy family to renting a small room and work a small job with the Ministry of Information, Home Intelligence, finding her peace among her friends and acquaintances. Then she loses Elena "El" Hartwell, a dear friend since they were children together, during one of the first nearly-nightly Blitz bombing raids and Charlotte feels it all going out of focus, again. Then her God Mother Saskia is gone before her time. There is a man in grey she is seeing all over London. Marylebone, Chelsea, Gypsy Hill. He follows her, behind and going her way, and her friends die. They die deaths without wounds, without a scratch. That can't be normal. She begins to watch for him, calls him the Shadow Man.

The only normal distraction in her world now is her work and a new acquaintance with the disabled boy who feds the birds, Tom Hawthorne. Her deceased best friend Elena is now a full-time companion in her mind, offering her opinion of this and that and what-have-you. Janet Fuller, Charlotte's co-worker in her information collecting typing job, is lost to another bombing run. Saskia and Janet are added to the mental conversations Charlotte has with El. Charlotte can't get anyone to help her discover if there is a common truth to be found in the deaths of her friends. She knows her actions are all her family needs to have her committed back in the mental hospital. And is the Shadow Man going to save her, or add her to her list of the dead?

So often, stories of the Blitz are all about keeping a stiff upper lip. But Midnight News tackles the other side of the coin, about someone who struggles to keep it all together. Charlotte Richmond has already lost her brother to the war. She's previously suffered a breakdown. She’s now 20, living on her own, holding down a job as a typist at the Ministry of Information. She’s somewhat estranged from her father and stepmother. On her way to and from work, she watches a young man who feeds the pigeons in the park. Tom is an undertaker’s son, with physical ailments that have kept him out of the war. They slowly form a friendship.
The book alternates between the viewpoints of Charlotte and Tom.
I love how Baker gives us the frailty of existence during the Blitz, the worry about others, not just those one is especially close to, but those you merely interact with. Baker truly puts the reader in the scene, giving us a feel for the streets after a raid - how there’s too much light, “too much empty air”.
As the story goes on, Lotte loses more folks close to her and her thoughts take a turn to the macabre. She’s convinced there’s something sinister going on. That there’s another reason people she knows are dying. I’ll admit to being confused at several points in the story. It doesn’t help that Lotte is not a reliable narrator. But the ending ties everything up in a very satisfying way with only one question left hanging.
This is a slow burn of a book, all about the characters. It’s about the constraints placed on young women and what happens when you don’t live within the boundaries set. I’ll admit to being tired of WWII plots but this kept me engaged and anxious. It sort of defies a strict genre definition.
My thanks to Netgalley and Knopf for an advance copy of this book.

The story of a fragile young woman affected by the bombings during WW2, seeing so much destruction and death, is too much for her to bear.

I’m a big fan of Baker and the quality of writing and insight here did not disappoint. What did, however, was the thrilleresque plot and the one dimensional father. Such a baddie, not only betraying the nation but also Lottie’s best friend. And Lottie knows he will be killed and can just go about her business. There’s too much weakness here. But putting it aside, the portrait of the blitz is rich and the incidental characters - though generally a bit too sweet and cuddly - charming. Not her best book, but highly readable nonetheless.

One of Jo Baker’s special talents is her intricate integrated examination of all the tiny revealing details of everyday life that spell out a moment or a life, with the understanding of how the vulnerabilities of our existence play out, whether it be a thin young man on a park bench surreptitiously feeding the birds, or girls in bright coats playing on bleak grey streets, or a cup of tea offered from a frumpy, frightened and gentle landlady. These images of resilience and beauty are of critical importance during the Blitz in England, and Baker has carefully, painfully captured them with an immediacy that dissolves the decades and puts our present-day wars in a tragic continuum. They are viewed through the eyes of Charlotte Richmond, a sensitive 20-year-old typist for the Ministry of Information, who has escaped her titled imperious father and pompous young stepmother for a room of her own, which she can barely afford. Charlotte is still reeling from the overseas war death of her brother; her grief hospitalized her in a psychiatric unit for a while and she has found comfort and belonging, as she has for years, in her girlhood friendship with Elena and her welcoming family. But Elena has been evasive and hard to reach lately and as the nightly bombings begin in earnest, Elena is discovered to be one of the early victims, though her body is strangely unmarred. Charlotte is numb with shock and inconsolable, until she begins hearing the voice of Elena in her mind, with a running, sometimes humorous, commentary that is soon joined by her other female friends, all bombing victims. But are they really?

Charlotte comes to believe that these deaths are connected, caused by someone using the bombing raids as a cover and that she is also being stalked. Her only confidant is Tom, the sweet slight boy with the odd limp who blossoms into a kindred spirit and maybe more. Tom’s POV alternates with Charlotte’s; in contrast to her, he feels smothered by his family’s protective love and defined by his disability. And by this definition, in his mind Charlotte is treasured and unobtainable. In her mind, her unstable past, the questions she has about the mysterious deaths of her friends, and the chorus in her head make her unlovable and isolated. Baker expertly trellises the uncertainty of love with the uncertainty of war for them. Both Tom and Charlotte are fully realized and easily earn our affection and concern.

Tom’s father is an undertaker; he helps in the family business, and the business is brisk; some of the most poignant and searing scenes display the horrific particulars of the bombing raids, from the chilling sirens to the aftermath of hollowed out streets and half buried body parts to the terrified huddled masses and sometimes groping hands in the dark underground subways. The layered historical detail is compelling, especially when it veers into an examination of the shockingly brutal mental health treatments and practices employed in the 1940s for female patients. The plot takes more than one surprising twist and maybe even loses its balance on occasion. I had no idea of what the denouement of the story would look like for Tom’s and Charlotte, which was both thrilling and anxiety provoking. With this, any easy characterization of the novel is lost. Is it a wartime mystery, a character study, a romance, a family drama, all of these, or something else entirely? Thankfully the ending is realistically open ended and to a degree unresolved. This didn’t feel like a sidestep, it felt like life. Recommended.

Charlotte Richmond, the protagonist of Jo Baker’s affecting novel, The Midnight News, seems to carry a curse. The curse doesn’t strike Charlotte directly; instead, it seems to hit the people closest to her. It isn’t until later that we see that the curse didn’t just start when the Blitz commenced in the fall of 1940. This isn’t to say that Charlotte waltzes through the bombardments unscathed. Seeing death take her friends and family sends Charlotte into a tailspin, one that can only be halted when she manages to find people who can give her the kind of help she really needs.

When we first meet Charlotte, she’s doing alright for herself. She has her own room with a very kind landlady. She has a job where she can muddle along until her typing improves. It’s nothing fancy, not like her life with her appalling father, the baronet, and her equally appalling sister. And Charlotte has her friends and work buddies, although neither of them seems to have much time for Charlotte lately. Nor does Charlotte’s Bohemian godmother, who is quarreling with her latest lover when Charlotte drops in for tea and sympathy. Within pages of the beginning of The Midnight News, German bombs start to fall and Charlotte begins to lose people in rapid succession: her best friend, an old schoolmate, her work friend, and her godmother.

Grief can do strange things to people. In Charlotte, grief takes the form of voices in her head and a suspicion that the deaths might not have been the result of bombing injuries. That she can’t get anyone to really believe her makes it all worse, as does the fact that Charlotte had previously been sent to a mental asylum after the death of her mother and brother a few years earlier. Charlotte has known a lot of loss and all everyone can seem to say is some variation on stiff upper lips and offers of tea. Everyone, that is, except for a charming young man named Tom who Charlotte sees feeding the pigeons along her walks through London’s streets. Tom and Charlotte have an instant connection, one that grows deeper once they start to do more than nod to one another while they’re out and about.

The Midnight News kept me guessing for a long time. Was this a mystery? Was it a psychological portrait of a woman breaking down under stress and sadness? Would it be a harrowing account of life in England’s brutal asylums, in the days when psychiatrists were experimenting with dangerous insulin comas and electroconvulsive therapy? Was it a love story? Would there be a bit of espionage? At the risk of saying too much, there are elements of all of these genres in The Midnight News. And I was utterly hooked on this chameleon of a novel.

Readers who like unique historical fiction will enjoy this one. It refuses to do what you expect it to while, at the same time, deliver a satisfying and original story about a protagonist you can’t help but fall a bit in love with.

From the very first page of this unpredictable and gripping novel, I was tucked in Charlotte's pocket, with her for the ride. The way she describes everything she's doing, planning, is strange and touching. We soon learn that she is mourning the loss of her brother in the first days of World War II, and is struggling with her decision to leave her affluent home and make her own way as a typist, renting a room in a boarding house. When the bombing starts she begins losing more of those she loves, and she is certain someone is following her. Considering her shaky mental health in the past, no one buys what she is saying except a young man whose family owns a busy funeral service.

Jo Baker's descriptions of the Blitz are chilling, and people's reactions are equally traumatic. "The Midnight News" keeps you guessing from first page to last. I haven't read anything else by her but I will certainly start. This novel is both twitchy and elegant, which is a great combo for good reading.

Many thanks to Knopf and Netgalley for the digital review copy and hours of excellent reading.