The Secret Messenger

This book really touched me. I felt the main characters were multi-dimensional and really cared about their fate. Very well written and insightful.

This is the second book I have read by this author in a month and they are both wonderful. This book is set during WWII but unlike most books it takes place in Venice. It switches between WWII and present day, with Luisa looking to find out exactly what her grandmother Stella did during the war. She knew her as a fun grandmother whose daughter, her mother, didn’t get a long with. Luisa’s grief over her mother’s death led her on the trail which led her to the real story The characters are beautifully described so I felt like I knew them all and I found myself rooting for them. This story is about war, loyalty to your country and friends, possibilities and love. Even if you think you have read enough war books this year I strongly recommend you read this one. Refreshingly different.

In World War II Venice, Stella Jilani is working as a typist for the Nazi war machine, but at night, she works with the Resistance, smuggling secrets and supplies and writing an underground newspaper that recounts what’s really happening on her typewriter. If she’s caught, she will be killed immediately, and she has caught the attention of General Breugal. It would appear that Stella’s time is up. In the present, Luisa Belmont finds Stella’s typewriter in her attic. Something about the old machine pulls at her and Luisa becomes obsessed with finding out its story and the story of the woman who used it. I loved this story, and I think that we are all so taken with stories of World War II is because it was a time when people were honorable and brave. Willing to risk everything to make the right again, something we are in sadly short supply of today

Thankyou to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author, Mandy Robotham, for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of The Secret Messenger in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
I thought this book was really well thought out and written. The characters are well drawn and compelling. It was like being a part of the actual drama, the settings were that well described. I was hooked from the start.
Well worth a read.

Was a good read

The Secret Messenger is a book about the resistance during WWII in Venice Italy. It follows a story of a Luisa who finds an old typewriter in the attic and inside is a picture of her grandmother. She goes to Venice on a quest to find out about the history of her grandmother during WWII.

The second story the book tells is about Luisa's grandmother Stella during the war. This is a really good story and the really interesting part of the book. Stella works for the resistance along with her best friend Mimi. Stella is a messenger , than she writes for the resistance newspaper, and finally works as a typist at the German headquarters in Venice. There are dark night rows across the water to visit Jack, nights sneaking home after curfew, her brother being caught by the Nazi's, the odd officer at the German headquarters Christian . A typewriter with the broken letter E causes the Nazi's to put out wanted posters for the author of the newspaper and a hunt for the typewriter. When they suspect Stella they search her apartment but no typewriter is found although earlier she hid it there. Who took the typewriter? Does Stella get caught or does she get away from the Nazi's? Who is the mysterious Jack she visits? These questions and more as well as escapes and near disasters are addressed within the pages of this book.

It was a good book and I enjoyed reading it. I liked the story of Stella. I was not so thrilled with the story of Luisa. I kept skipping through those pages to get back to Stella's story. I think I would have just liked the book to be about Stella without the Luisa story.

It is a good book and I couldn't wait to get back to it and find out what happened next. I would recommend the book.

Thanks to Mandy Robotham, Avon Books UK, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and advanced copy of the book.

This book tells the story of the Resistance in Venice during ww2 Luisa sets out to learn more about the history of her grandmothers life during the war.A lovely story that draws you in i loved it.5*

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was my second novel by this author and loved it just like the first. This was a historical WWII fiction novel about the resistance in Venice told in dual timelines. I loved the mystery of how the main character Stella was found out through a type writer and I had figured out who was behind "saving" Stella and that type writer. This was a great read and I hope to read more by this author!!!

This was my first book by this author, It was pretty enjoyable. I would give this book a 4.5 star rating! It was a pretty Quick and easy read!

The Secret Messenger by Mandy Robotham is a suspenseful, harrowing dual timeline historical fiction novel written between 2017 Luisa and WWII era Italy with (Louisa’s grandmother) Stella whom was involved with the resistance.

It was an interesting angle to incorporate the occupation, war, bands of resistance, as well as the female involvement with it in Venice during the latter years of WWII (1944-45). Many books are written involving the geographical regions and descriptions of other occupied countries and incorporating Italy as the main backdrop gives this novel an interesting flare to set it a part from the others.

I enjoyed the suspense, the intrigue, and complicated situations that Stella found herself in again and again in her quest to save herself, her loved ones, and her ideals. It definitely kept me on my toes.

I enjoyed Stella’s story more so the Luisa’s, however the majority of the book is concerning Stella, so that worked out well for my interests.

A great read.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this great ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this to my GR account immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Bookbub, and B&N accounts upon publication. (The GR account link is added below).

Thankyou to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author, Mandy Robotham, for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of The Secret Messenger in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
This is the second book from Mandy and after adoring the first I was so excited to get stuck into this. The Secret Messenger is a book about the resistance during WWII in Venice Italy, we follow the courageous Stella, doing all she can in the fight. Undercover as a typist in the Nazi office, she gathers information and acts as messenger for the resistance whilst on her own trusted typewriter she channels her passion to unite against the Nazis for an underground publication. The pressure mounts to find the typewriter in the hope it will lead to the author of the secret newspaper.
In modern day, we follow the story of Luisa, Stellas grandchild as she grieves for her Mother. She finds an old typewriter, photographs and snatches of her family’s history which leaves her wanting to discover more.
I thought this was very well written, with fantastic characters. Stella is so spirited, brave and passionate; a true fighter who took risks for what she believed. I wondered who would be the one to help her and if that same person would be the one who captured her heart.
If I’m entirely honest, I didn’t fully connect with Luisa. I felt sorry for her poor husband and was quite pleased the chapters on her story were quite short and relatively few.
A fantastic, historical story with added romance and intrigue, a brilliant read that I would recommend to all.

The Secret Messenger by Mandy Robotham is the kind of historical fiction that I love- its a dual timeline of past and present which I like. I love a good historical fiction and the setting of World War II always captures my interest. Pair this with excellent writing and you won’t see me for a while, I’ll be busy reading.

Venice, 1943
The world is at war, and Stella Jilani is leading a double life. By day she works in the lion’s den as a typist for the Reich office; by night, she risks her life as a messenger for the Italian resistance. Against all odds, Stella must impart Nazi secrets, smuggle essential supplies across the city, and produce an underground newspaper on her beloved typewriter.

But when German commander, General Breugal, becomes suspicious, it seems he will stop at nothing to find the mole, and Stella knows she faces an uncertain future…

London, 2017
Years later, grieving Luisa Belmont finds a mysterious old typewriter in her attic. Determined to find out who it belonged to, Luisa delves into the past, and uncovers a story of fierce love, unimaginable sacrifice, and, ultimately, the worst kind of betrayal…

I loved learning more about Italy and appreciated the amount of research that went into this book. I felt drawn to the story of Stella and really enjoyed her chapters. The whole book was very good and I highly recommend it!

Due out on December 12, pre-order here.

I thought this was very well done. The writing is exceptional and the story is compelling. Thank you to netgalley for the ARC.

A granddaughter, and old dusty typewriter and a picture lead you into World War II Venice. The grandmother's story of her role in the Resistance, her loves, her fears and heartache draw you deeper into the little known struggles of the people of Venice. It's a gripping novel you can't put down. You are left with many emotions and the question that has never been answered. How could these horrors have happened in what was once a civilized world? The power of evil lurks just under the surface and is still rearing its ugly head today

Really enjoyed reading this book. You just imagined being in the winter all sucked in by the wonderful way it’s written. Great plot. Wondering how it’s going to play out for the characters. Very good

From the author of The German Midwife, this is a story following a Venetian woman leading a double life during a time of war.

By day, Stella works as a translator in a high ranking Nazi officers office. By night, she is a member of the Resistance working in the basement of a bar to churn out a forbidden, resistance newspaper. Stella walks a fine line each and every day as she relays information she finds out from the Nazi communications she translates to those fighting for a pre-war Venice.

Woven into the story is Luisa, Stellas granddaughter who is on a quest to uncover the true story of her grandparents during the war.

It’s hard to write a review without giving away a lot of vital details so let me take a second and tell you why I struggled with it and when I reached the turning point that had me hooked. The first half of the book, I felt, moved quite slowly and actually seemed to move around in a circular pattern. Then I realized that in the early days of WWII, things moved slowly and taking it one day a time was the only thing to really do. Once I hit the midpoint, things started to get exciting and I found myself not being able to put it down.

Another thing I struggled with was the language or vocabulary. I could definitely tell the author was not American so I had to reread a few things to understand what I was reading. I realized I was trying too hard at that and just let my eyes find the words on the page and that made a huge difference.

Definitely worth the read, if only to experience occupied Venice during WWII.

The historical part of this book is set during WWII in Venice.It is the story of Stella Jilani who is a typist for the Nazis.It has a parallel storyline set in modern day and it follows her granddaughter who finds her typewriter.
Loved reading the history of happenings at that time and the intrigue keeps you glued to the book.A good read,well written.
Thankyou Netgalley for this ARC

A fascinating read set during the second world war. Full of intrigue and tension. The characters were all really well written and I could really picture them in my mind. I love a good historical read and this didn't disappoint.

This gripping tale of a girl caught between two worlds had me riveted. So much feeling, love, and sorrow wrapped up into one story that crosses the generations, reminding us of the sacrifices and tragedies that were a daily part of the lives of real men and women not so long ago.

Loved the dual timeframe! This story of the resistance in Venice during WWII is fascinating. The characters are interesting and real. Stella's bravery and loyalty to the resistance is notable. Louisa is such a sad character and struggles to find meaning. Their stories together make for an interesting book. Recommended!

I really enjoyed this book! Not quite as much as The German Midwife but it was still very good! It is always so refreshing to read a war story that you don't hear too much of...in this case the resistance in Venice.
I would recommend it to any of my friends who love a good WW2 book! Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Over the last few years, I have read WWII books based in London, Berlin, Poland, and Auschwitz, but this is the first one I've seen based on the Resistance in Vienna. It is said that Vienna had a "soft war" because it escaped much of the bombing experienced in other cities, but Vienna fought it's own version of the war that was not less horrific.

Luisa's mother passed away in London in 2017. While going through her mother's house, she happens upon an old portable typewriter. Under it are old boxes, one of whom contains an old photo of a couple in Venice. The back was labeled "S and C, San Marco June 1950". Underneath are more photographs, scraps of paper, and copies of Venezia Liberare. It's a mystery, and as a writer there is nothing Luisa enjoys more than a mystery that might become a story. it is especially poignant that this mystery might help her know more about her grandparents and her mother.

The book tells the story of Stella, Luisa's grandmother, and the work she and others did with the Resistance in Vienna as she also worked in a Natzi office. It tells how Stella uses the typewriter found in the attic to inform and motivate the people in the Resistance. Occasionally, you'll read of Luisa's unravelling of the mystery her grandmother had hidden for years. There is a very surprising ending. If you like WWII stories, this is a must read. It is not as graphic as some other WWII historical fiction books.

This book was an amazing look at another part of World War II. The characters were in depth and interesting to read about. Stella is a typist in Venice, who works for the Nazi regime, but is an undercover messenger for the resistance. She spends the war constantly watching her back and helping as many people as she can. The author also integrated Stella's granddaughter into the story and had the motivation to want to know and learn more about her grandmother and her involvement in the resistance during World War II.
Tied into this story was also the beauty of Venice and a love story intertwined within the story of a typist who is trying to help with the resistance, balance her family and figure out the feelings she is having for this man in her life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It took me a bit longer to read this book, but I was engrossed in the story from the beginning. I admit my Slovenian grandmother's WWII story and her encounter with the Italian fascists as a child piqued my interest in the novel, however, I felt an unexpected connection to these interesting and admirable Resistance characters. With its Venetian setting, which I personally hadn't encountered before in a WWII historical fiction work, it was an opportunity for me to learn about a side of the war I knew little of. 

While a majority of this story takes place in the early 40s, it does jump to the present-day, as well. As a young genealogist who spends the majority of my free time researching my family's history, I felt akin to Luisa and the pull that overcame her to uncover her grandmother Stella's wartime past. 

There were so many brilliant moments in the novel---places that utterly caught my breath, my heart racing, and my eyes scanning the pages to see what came next. Encounters with Nazis when you've something to hide in plain sight. Stealing sweet and emotionally perplexing moments with the "enemy." Not knowing what's become of your family member. Then from Luisa's perspective, wondering who your grandmother really was and most importantly, what you're really made of because of their actions and legacy. After all, that's the reason most of us end up venturing into ancestral research, isn't it? To find ourselves?

The Secret Messenger really had all the workings of an awesome historical fiction novel: a refreshingly exhilarating plot, strong characters, excellent tone and craft, a hint of romance, and suspense. I simply loved this book.

I really enjoyed this historical fiction book centered upon Luisa and Stella. Luisa in present day London and Stella in 1940's Venice, Italy. I liked hearing about Venice during the WW2 as its not something I know anything about and even though they had a "soft war" it was interesting to read about what the resistance did in Venice.

I didn't really understand why Luisa's mother and Luisa didn't seem to have a better relationship i didn't think that was explained very well. But I enjoyed that Luisa had good memories of her grandmother, Stella.

I thought the chapters regarding Stella were more interesting and flushed out until the last few ones where Luisa went to Venice and figured out the mystery of her grandmother.

This was a great read and I couldn't put it down. Pick it up if you would too like to learn more about Venice and WW2.

I enjoyed this historical fiction book about WW2 in Venice as it’s not a setting you usually see for WW2 books. I found the present story running through it a little unnecessary and thought this was not needed as the story set in WW2 and just after was enough. I liked the characters and the realism of the war element of the story.

Thanks for letting me review this book

This book scored a hat trick for me. Historical fiction: Check! Set during WWII: Check! Women working for the Resistance: Check! I was captivated by Stella's story just from reading the summary. My fascination with brave men and women who were willing to risk everything to suppress evil has been mainly limited to France with a just a smattering of Italy. I had not heard anything about the Resistance movement in Venice. To hear that a great majority of people believed that the Venetians had experienced a "soft war" was disheartening. At first, I was not a fan of Luisa but, as I read on, I empathized with her need to find out about her grandmother's past. I liked the occasional twists and turns as the story unfolds. I look forward to more "untold" stories that contributed to the freedoms that we enjoy today.

Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Secret Messenger by Mandy Robotham provides a new twist on novels about resistance fighters during World War II. While recently I have read and enjoyed novels about the resistance set in Germany and France, this particular novel is set in Venice. In addition to a new setting and the added twist of Fascists and Nazis, there is also a split time aspect which makes this novel most enjoyable.

Stella has a day job as a typist in the local Nazi office which allows her to collect intelligence information. Outside of work, she is active in the local resistance efforts--particularly in helping to publish an underground newspaper and pass messages. Significant to the story is her typewriter which has a distinctive dropped letter e. As required in any good World War II novel, there are love interests and numerous times when Stella is nearly caught.

In modern day, Luisa find her grandmother Stella's typewriter and a box of papers while cleaning out her deceased mother's attic in England. Knowing that her mother and grandmother did not have a good relationship, Luisa sets out to find the truth of her grandmother's background. She is particularly perplexed by two pictures of her grandmother with gentlemen--one labeled "C" and the other "Geo." Luisa travels to Venice on a off-chance she might find someone who can shed light on the pictures and her family history.

The Secret Messenger has exactly the right mix of intrigue regarding the resistance movement, combined with a background romance regarding the two gentleman in Stella's life that is not resolved until the end of the book. Luisa's desire to learn more about her grandmother provides a nice backdrop to unfold the story and provides some extra twists to the plot. This marvelous and highly recommended story on a little known aspect of World War II is already an international bestseller!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received The Secret Messenger via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am rating it 4 stars.

Stella’s character was incredibly brave and I was always so curious about what she would do next. Also, my interest was piqued by Christian’s character as well. I wanted him to not be the Fascist and Nazi supporter that he seemed, and found the ending extremely satisfying in regards to his character.

Thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest review
First time reading this Author and was highly impressed love a good ww2 book and this certainly did not disappoint good storyline and held my attention throughout can recommend

The story is mostly based on Stella in 1934 who has her first glimpse of Hitler with her popsa ( grandad)

The book also reverts to modern day and covers the story of Lisa. Her mum died after 2 weeks of diagnosis and she is left in shock and bereft. She finds some letters which led her to find out about her history.
It is based on the war from a venice view which is unusual and how the woman in Venice carried out ways to help in the war effort in the resistance. They took risks on a daily basis and lived double lives .

The cover is very eye catching and the writing style is easy to follow. This is the 2nd novel I have read by this author and look forward to more.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Mandy Robotham and Avon for the advance copy .

I loved this book because it's well written and poignant but also because it talks about the Italian Resistance and my father was an Italian resistant.
I appreciated the two parts: the historical one, well researched and realistic, and the contemporary one, poignant and engrossing.
The characters are well thought, the historical background is vivid and well described, and the plot is gripping.
An excellent read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

As a lover of historical fiction I was immediately drawn to The Secret Messenger by Mandy Rotham. Set largely during the Second World War, it is the story of Stella, a young Venetian woman living under German occupation. While being active in the Resistance as a messenger, she is working as a typist in the Reich Office, constantly at risk of discovery as she seeks out snippets of vital information , smuggles supplies, or writes for the underground newspaper. When things come to a head and it seems like Stella's secrets will be discovered, she no longer knows who she can trust, but it seems like the only course of action is to flee before she is caught.
Many years later , her grand daughter Luisa finds her typewriter and a cache of photographs while clearing out her deceased mother's attic and decides to travel to Venice in search of her family history.
While I really enjoyed the sections of the book dedicated to Stella's story and her life under occupation in Venice, I found the chapters dedicated to Luisa were almost an irrelevance, and they certainly added nothing to the book as a whole. The trope of a family member from the modern day finding an object from a past era, a photo, a book etc and deciding to uncover their family history is certainly common in this genre of fiction, and I don't object to it when that aspect of the story is strong enough to add to the book as a whole , but here that was not the case.
I liked the setting,I have not read too many other books set in Italy during that era, so that felt somewhat new and original to me and I knew little about the history or the involvement of women in the Italian resistance so that was a very interesting aspect of the book for me . I really liked Stella as a character but Luisa felt like something of an afterthought which is something of a shame.
I also wanted to add a note to compliment the cover design, which fit the book so well,

thank NetGalley and Avon books for a copy of The Secret messenger by Mandy Robotham. I have read her previous novel The Woman at war, so I was intrigued to see how this panned out.

Set in Nazi occupied Venice in the 1940's Stella Jilani is a typist in the Reich office during the day and at night she is a messenger for the Italian resistance and risks her life crossing the city passing on secrets and other things to help win the war. She is also a typist typing an underground newsletter to help win the war with her beloved typewriter.

2017 Luisa Stella's granddaughter finds the typewriter in the attic and some black and white photos after the death of mother that intrigues Luisa to find out more.

Although I enjoyed this book from Mandy Robotham and I thought that this was beautifully written and a great story, I thought that the descriptions of the places in Venice just went on far too long and unnecessary and I started skimming paragraphs to the more important parts of the story. 3.5 stars from me.

Totally brilliant !!
This my second book by Mandy Robotham and it’s just as good as her first book if not better. Set in Venice 1944 it’s the story of Stella Jilani who works as a translator for the Nazi’s whilst secretly she risks her life by working for the Italian resistance taking more and more risks as time goes on.
While in London 2017 Luisa Belmont after the death of her mother finds an old typewriter, photos and other artefacts that she thinks must have been her grandmother’s and her curiosity is heightened by the fact her mother had never spoken about her own mothers past so Luisa is determined to find out more.
This book is so beautifully written and the descriptions of wartime Venice are both sad but it also shows it’s a time that is full of hope and loyalty.
It’s a read that is full of detail and very compulsive as it goes from past to present with Stella getting in deeper with the resistance and Luisa travelling to Venice to see if she can find out more about her grandmother.
I loved the book it was a joy to read and I really look forward to reading more from the super talented Mandy Robotham as she sure as hell can write a brilliant story.
My thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to Avon Books and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this book. This is a very well-written story, mostly about the Italian Resistance in Venice during WW II. Stella, who lived in Venice in 1943, is leading a double life. She is a typist for the Reich during the day, but she is also smuggling information to the Italian Resistance. The present day character is Luisa Belmont. She finds a typewriter and that begins her journey to find out who it belonged to and why it was important. Although I liked both characters, Stella's storyline was more interesting to me. I liked the way the author connected the characters and the story. I highly recommend this book if you like historical fiction-lots of excitement and twists and turns as well as some romance!

This book is storytelling at its best, and so well written. I was riveted by Stella’s story of her young life as a Resistance operative in Venice during the Nazi occupation years in the 1940s. Her double life is exhausting, stressful and highly dangerous, and the tension is unrelenting when Stella’s story gets going. Her efforts to juggle her day job as an undercover agent in the heart of the Reich offices, translating and smuggling out details to pass on to others in the Resistance network, her evenings spent typing up an undercover newspaper, and finding time to visit and reassure her ageing parents puts immense strain on Stella and her family.

The characterisation of Stella is so strong that she easily dominates the book.
Stella’s story forms the majority of a dual timeline narrative, and is by far the more fascinating and immersive part. The level of research required for this has clearly been exhaustive, as it is so detailed and authentic, taking the reader back in time to those war-torn years, and the terror and privations endured by so many ordinary people. In truth, there were so many extraordinary people, displaying extraordinary courage and determination, which is so well portrayed in this story.

By contrast, Louisa’s story, set in 2017, beginning in England, is almost pedestrian. I got very little ‘sense’ of Louisa, and what I did get was not appealing. The narrative of Louisa’s search for her grandmother was plodding and repetitive, with nothing much happening until the last few chapters. Whenever the story flipped to Louisa, I could not wait to get back to Stella’s life to find out what happened next. In truth I don’t feel that Louisa’s story added very much to Stella’s story, hence my four star rating.

This is an excellent book which I enjoyed immensely. I will look for more of this author’s work. My thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this title.

Stella leads a double life in WW2 Venice. She works in a Reich office as a translator by day, but by night she is a member of the Resistance. She writes for an underground Resistance newspaper and serves as a messenger, helping to move valuable information around the city. Her role in the Resistance is dangerous and she is constantly trying to maintain her safety and that of her family.

This book was hit or miss for me. I typically love a WW2 historical fiction novel and have read many books of this type. This book is told from a dual point of view, Stella's during WW2 and her granddaughter Luisa's in present day. Luisa is trying to piece together Stella's story many years later.

What worked for me/what I liked:
-I enjoyed the setting in Venice. This was the first WW2 book I read that was set in Venice and it was nice to get a different perspective of the war.

What didn't work:
-The dual point of view seemed almost as if it was an afterthought in this book. The amount of the story told from Stella's point of view was disproportionate to that from Luisa's. I think the story would have been equally effective without the present day point of view.
-This book was a slow start for me. It took nearly 2/3rds of the book before I really felt the book picked up steam. The last portion of the book was much more intriguing to me than the rest of the book and the final storyline was the most captivating overall.

I would have rated this book a solid 3, but would increase to 3.5 with the final storyline.

The Secret Messenger by Mandy Robotham is Historical Thriller Fiction. A Split Time novel of 1942 Venice and 2017 London. It is a story of brave women and men working to change the outcome of war. Exciting but sometimes deadly adventures with resistance activities involving every part of their lives. A writer's passion is both a blessing and a curse in Nazi controlled Venice. A granddaughter‘s admiration and need to research her grandmother’s history. Unexpected family joys, sorrows and secrets are discovered. Happy I was chosen to read this beautiful story. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book. 5 Stars

This is a story following a Venetian woman leading a double life during the second world war. During the day, Stella works as a translator in a Reich office. During the evenings she is a messenger for the Resistance and helps to type out a forbidden, resistance newspaper.

The story kept my interest, the wartime characters were well drawn but I found I didn't really care for Luisa and her story could have been left out.

This story will appeal to lovers of historical fiction.

Set between German-occupied 1940s Venice and modern-day London. Stella worked in the office of a German officer during the day but then worked for the Resistance at night. Luisa is clearing out her mother's belongings when she discovers an old typewriter that belonged to her grandmother, Stella. Stella was just one of the many people who put their lives at risk. She's constantly trying to keep her family safe. Luisa decides to travel to Venice in search of her family history.

The story focuses in the 1940s. There is great detail in what Venice was like during the Nazi occupation. It was interesting to find out exactly what the Resistance achieved in Venice. The story is told from a dual timeline and we get a different perspective on the war. Stella's story was definitely the better part of the book. Luisa needed to k ow what had happened in her grandmother's past. There were some twists as the story unfolded. A very enjoyable read.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author Mandy Robotham for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big of fan of historical fiction books and this being the third Mandy Robotham book that I've read I was not disappointed by 'The Secret Messenger'.

Set in Italy during WW2 Stella is a member of the Italian resistance who has found herself working undercover at the heart of the Nazi and Fascist authorities as a spy. Jumping forward in time to 2017 her grandaughter Luisa comes across some of Stella's papers and photos and realises that she knows very little of her grandmother's history. Having recently lost her mother Luisa makes it her mission to find out more about Stella's past life in Italy.

Flashing between two timelines we learn more of the dangerous double life that Stella encountered in her role as a resistance messenger during a very violence filled and troubled time. Will her clandestine secret missions lead her into danger and will the ones that she loves be safe? What will become of her secret dalliances with English soldier Jack and Nazi officer Christian?

I reallye enjoyed this book and found the main characters very likeable. I did find myself more enthralled with Stella's chapters than Luisa's but overall the two separate timelines were very effective.

All in a all a fantastic read!

There is a story and a sub-story here....the main story takes place in Venice 1944 and surrounds a young woman who types a newspaper for the underground resistance. She is in danger of being caught due to a defective typewriter. The sub-story is of her granddaughter, who has found this hidden history of her grandmother's secret past. I found the historical aspects of the book interesting, but occasionally got lost in the details. The sub-story doesn't really start to feel like part of the book until the second half, and it was difficult to plow through the first half of the book. However, if you make it through the first half, you'll really enjoy the second half.

Another excellent book about German occupation that made me stop and think . I felt connected to the characters and felt plot was good

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an egalley in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed the author's debut novel "The German Midwife" and this WWII dual timeline kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. In the present timeline, a grieving Luisa Belmont stumbles upon some intriguing family heirlooms buried in her recently deceased mother's attic that sets her on a journey to find out more about the grandmother she so dearly loved. It is a journey that will take her from London to Italy.

In 1943, Stella Jilani is a member of the Resistance in Venice, Italy working in an underground newspaper, meeting members of the Resistance and also gaining access to information in the Reich office where she works. But with so many people watching, the stakes are high and if caught, Stella will lose her life.

I love my historical fiction and this book was no exception. I appreciated the shift to Italy where as the author states the Resistance movement is often overlooked in favor of other countries .such as, France. The only part I didn't care for was the " hail mary" at the end of the story where a happy ending seems to be needed. Other than that, I would certainly recommend to any historical fiction fan.


Goodreads review published 03/12/19
Publication Date 12/12/19

I really enjoyed this book. I like reading interesting historical fiction stories. This book held my interest the whole way through. I got caught up in the lives of the characters and I loved the setting. This is the first book about World War 2 that I read that is set in Venice. It is a beautiful city and it was lovely to visualise it.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

In 1944, Venice, Stella is a member of the Venice Resistance Central Brigade, who has taken up a job working in Nazi headquarters to help pass information to the resistance. Working for the enemy, Stella is asked to translate a document that will change her future and cause her to choose between her country or her family.

In 2017, Bristol, Luisa's mother has died, after going through her things Luisa finds artifacts that relate to her grandmother. Not having the best relationship with her own mother, Luisa falls down a spiral of uncovering answers about who she is and the roots of her maternal family.

I really enjoyed this book and even though it is fiction I really learnt a lot about Venice and it's time during World War 2.
I did enjoy reading from Stella's story more than I did Luisa's. I enjoyed getting to know Stella, her thinking and reasons behind her actions. I enjoyed the romance side of the book and felt like it did not take away the main point of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Mandy Robotham for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

A beautifully written book from the author of 'The German Midwife', This time the author uses Venice 1943 as the setting for the story of Stella Jilani a young member of the Resistance, but who also works as a typist in the local Nazi HQ.

There is also a dual timeline with Bristol 2017, when Stella's grandmother - Luisa Belmont finds an old typewriter in an attic and sets out to trace the owner/story behind it

Anyway, back to Stella in Venice which, to be frank, were the most interesting and exciting parts of the book. Sometimes I skimmed past Luisa's story. Little bits of romance, trust and plenty of risk taking gave me a most satisfactory read.

The author is obviously a huge Venice fan with wonderful descriptions of the city where Stella runs errands etc. I work with a girl who is married to an Italian and Venice has to be visited at different times of the year - which the author evokes brilliantly.

With the Luisa 'bits' rather unnecessary, I can only give the book 4 stars.

Thanks to Net Galley and Avon Books for the chance to read and review.

This was a very good historical set in Italy. I loved Stella. I have always loved WW2 stories. The duel timelines made it interesting although I preferred Stella's story. I would recommend it to everyone who loves historical fiction.

Set in two time periods, modern day and wartime Italy, I adored this book. I just didn’t want it to end but at the same time needed to know how the story ended. It’s a very beautiful story about family, love, history, danger and bravery. It’s a read again and again for me,


Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.

The Secret Messenger by Mandy Robotham is a dual timeline novel set in Venice during WWII. Stella worked as a typist for the Nazi regime but after hours she worked for the Resistence, producing an underground newspaper. The typewriter has a distinguishing feature and the Nazis are hunting for the typewriter that was used. The second time period takes place in 2017 when Luisa’s mother dies and she begins to go through her things. She unearths a trove of artifacts that relate to her grandmother in her mother’s attic. Luisa seeks to find answers about who she is and the roots of her maternal family. Having read so many WWII books lately, this one was a bit different as the setting was in Venice. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a story of World War 2vin a different context to those I normally read. It's based on the Italian resistance which is something I wasn't familiar with so found it interesting. But it's also a story of love and survival, interspersed with the up to date story of Luisa discovering her grandmother's Italian roots and then researching everything about her.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by this author

Truly a moving story of the effect WWII had on Venice. I read a lot of war genre novels but this was the first set in Venice and I really enjoyed it. I will be looking for future books from this author.

Dramatic and yet full of feeling. Despite being set during the horrors of war or maybe because of that, this story is rich in love, camaraderie and caring.
I was drawn into this book and the warmth the people of the city shared together in their fight to survive the war. Interspersed throughout the book we are fast forwarded to the 21st Century where the granddaughter of our wartime heroine is seeking out the truth about her grandmother. Even so, I was always keen to get back to what felt like the real story.
It’s beautifully written and the ending was not what I had imagined - it was more perfect than that. This book touched me.

'𝒘𝒂𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒇 𝑴𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒕𝒔.'⁣ ⁣ ⁣
🗞🗞🗞🗞🗞🗞🗞⁣ ⁣
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𝑯𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒐 @𝒓𝒐𝒃𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 @𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒏_𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔 .⁣ 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 @𝒏𝒆𝒕𝒈𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒑𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚! 𝑰 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒇𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕. ⁣ ⁣⁣
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✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️⁣⁣
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𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒂 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒐𝒇 1943 𝑽𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒆. 𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑵𝒂𝒛𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑽𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒔. 𝑾𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚. 𝑰𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒘𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔. 𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒂 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆, 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒐𝒎, 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒚𝒂𝒍, 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒖𝒓𝒈𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒊𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒏.
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🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡⁣⁣
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𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒆𝒅 𝑽𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒘𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 1943 𝒂𝒏𝒅 2017. 𝑰𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔. ⁣ 𝑮𝒆𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒑𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚!!! ⁣ ⁣
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📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚⁣ ⁣

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‘𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 – 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆’𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒕𝒘𝒐-𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕.’

Set in 2 timelines - 1944 Venice with Stella and 2017 Venice with Luisa. In 1944 Stella works as a translator for the Germans but also on the side for the Resistance AND a propaganda newspaper where stella writes a love story which infuriates her German bosses and he even puts out wanted posters with a reward.

Stella comes across many different characters, Paolo, Sergio, Mimi (her best friend), Vito (her brother who is disabled but still works undercover with a different part of the Resistance to Stella and the boyfriend of Mimi), Cristiano, (her boss), Jack (a parachutist who is injured through a bad landing and is in hiding with the nuns) and more besides.

So much is going on as Stella dashes around Venice with secret messages with lots of tension and worry for the reader. Will Stella get caught?

Great story with an overwhelming power of description and atmosphere from Mandy (the author of this book). Another must read from the second world war genre.

Highly recommended

The Secret Messenger was not only a very good read but I learned alot not only about Venice but Venice's part in the war.

Stella is a leading a double life, part of the Resitance , carrying messages, publishing a newspaper while during the day she is working for the Nazi's translating.

The Secret Messenger has a dual timeline featuring her granddaughter Luisa as she tries to uncover her Grandmother's past.

I found myself thinking about this book when I wasn't reading and just wanting to get back to the story.

I highly recommend you pick up your copy of The Secret Messenger and if you have not read The German Midwife get that at the same time.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK , Avon for letting me get wrapped up in Stella's world.

This is a dual time line novel where the historical part- Venice during WWII- is much more inserting than the modern one - London 2017. It's framed by Luisa's discovery of a typewriter and her quest to learn more about her grandmother Stella. This is the first novel I've read where the heroine is part of the resistance in Italy, which made this a treat. Stella worked for the Reich as a typist by day and the for the resistance by night. She shares the secrets she learns via a newsletter. Unfortunately, the typewriter she uses has a distinctive flaw and when the Nazis realize this, they go on the hunt. There's some wonderful atmospherics of Venice, interesting information about the war in Italy (I found myself looking for more info), and good characters. There's also a romance for those who want love in their historical fiction but it's not a big part of the novel. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A very good read.

This book captured my attention in the first few sentences. I like a book that intertwines present time with things that happened in the past. This story starts with Luisa in 2017 trying to settle her mother's estate, and she comes across a box with an old typewriter and old pictures. And there starts her hunt for her history. I guess that is why I was immediately caught up in this book. I enjoy tracing family history, and the pictures Luisa found intrigued me.

This story is mostly told in WWII in Venice. I have read many books about WWII and a couple have been based in Italy, but this was the first I had read that been about Venice. Stella, Luisa's grandmother, is working for the Nazis by day and for the resistance by night. It is about her life, the lives of those around her, and ultimately the stories Stella is able to tell to keep the moral of the resistance up as well as hope for the people of Venice.

I enjoyed this book, and I think the author told a good story from the perspective of Stella. I would have like to have had a little more about Luisa in the book, but it was not a deal breaker for me. A good read with a couple of twists here and there, which made for a fast, fun book.

Thank you to @netgalley and @avon_uk for this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Secret Messenger is a fantastic historical novel in the Italian Resistance in WW2.The book is well written and has well developed characters. It is emotional and a must read.

Thanks to NetGalley, Avon UK and Mandy Robotham for my copy of her new book: The Secret Messenger.

Venice 1943, the city has been invaded by the Nazis, the people of Venice do what they can to fight back and most are involved in the resistance. Woman all over Venice are helping by smuggling notes and messages around the city and right under the German's noses. Hidden in prams, bags, babies nappies, shoes and in ladies underwear. People living in Venice are really struggling, food is scarce, everyone has lost weight, the cities population has almost doubled due to a influx of refugees, the water supply is low due to pipes being damaged during allied bombing raids and the only ones with full stomachs are the Germans.

Stella Jilani starts work at the Nazi headquarters in the office, she speaks fluent German and her job involves translating documents for the Germans. Stella has a great memory, she's the perfect person to pass on vital information to the resistance, she takes regular bathroom breaks and hides notes in a secret compartment in her shoe. She's a messenger for the Italian resistance, she's also involved in the publication of a local underground newspaper. she writes at night using her portable Olivetti typewriter and she doesn't get a lot of sleep. People think she's a collaborator, but she and her younger brother Vito are both involved in fight to free Venice. Stella increases her resistance work, the Partisans need outside information on how the war is going and soon she's smuggling vital radio parts.

As she's typing away at work, she can hear the German General Breugal going off in his office, a fascist called Christian de Luca is working for the Germans, he has to deal with the generals moods and yelling. Stella becomes one of the most wanted fugitives in Venice, her work with the publication of the newspaper, also her main feature in the paper is a love story that gives the locals some hope, all over Venice people are reading it and talking about it. This makes the General Breugal furious, he has posters printed, a reward will be given for any information leading to the capture of the mole, he also starts having random people arrested and shot to show the locals that he means business. The only clue he has, is the person typing up the articles is using a typewriter and it drops a letter.


Bristol London 2017, Luisa Belmont mother has just passed away, from a short illness, her mother was rather cold and not very loving. She inherits her mothers house and while going through her mothers things in the attic, she finds a mysterious old typewriter, old pictures and crumbling documents. Luisa starts looking into the past, she has memories of her grandparents and she knows they once lived in Venice? Luisa uncovers a story about life in Venice during WW II, her grandparents secrets, it's' about espionage, reprisal, revenge and most of all finding love.

The Secret Messenger has a dual timeline, it works well, I had no trouble following it and going between the two time frames. I knew nothing about life in Venice during WW II, the beautiful city was taken over by the Nazis and by reading the book you can almost hear the jack boots marching on the cities pavers.
The residents of Venice during WW II, suffered years of terror, violence, fear and abuse.

I enjoyed reading The Secret Messenger, I gave it four stars, I have also read the authors previous book called, The Woman Of War and I highly recommend reading both.

If you loved Mandy Robotham’s the German midwife than you will love her second book the secret messenger.
This book was an amazing read that keeps you engaged the whole way through.
And what I love about this author is that the endings in her books don’t feel rushed, there’s an explanation to everything so your not always wondering.
This book is about the resistance in Venice during WWII and how the war affected the Venetian people. I definitely recommend this book for all you historical fiction lovers.

1943, Stella Jilani is living a double life. By day she work's as a typist/translator for the Reich in occupied Venice. By night she is a prominent member of the resistance working as a typist/journalist and messenger.

In 2017 Luisa Belmont is clearing the house after her Mothers' passing, when she finds a mysterious old typewriter. She is inexplicably drawn to the object and determined to find out who it belonged to. As she knows for sure that it wasn't her Mother's.

Her quest for information leads her to Italy, where she begins to unravel the complex origins of the typewriter and it's previous owner, and discovers far more than she ever dreamed possible.

Luisa's grandmother, Stella was in a member of the resistance during the Second World War, working for the Reich during the day, and rebelling against her bosses by night. She risks her life every single day for the war effort, and her family have no idea.

Luisa also makes another discovery, when she finds an old photo of her Grandmother and this leads to even more questions about her Grandmother's life, both during and after the war.

The Secret Messenger is a thrilling read, with brilliant characters, and I cannot wait for Mandy Robotham's next.

This was a great book! Although I will admit I wasn’t to fond of the present day character Luisa for the first half of the book. It’s not told from her perspective and it was strange at first and didn’t make sense to the story. But about half way through is when the modern day story and the past really connects, and it really starts to work with what’s going on. I loved the entirety of Stella’s story from the past! It was perfect and could have honestly been a complete book by itself. I loved that the story took place in Venice which is not a popular location for WWII historical fictions so it was wonderful to read about the war from another place. Overall I loved how everything came together at the ending and there was definitely a surprise! 4.5 stars

A fascinating story about resistance movement in Venice during the Second World War. The characters were so believable and you can imagine their struggle to get their beloved country back from the Nazi's.
This is the second book that I've read from the author and I've thoroughly enjoyed them both.

I really enjoyed the duet between the MC and her grandfather. The ending was quite clever too. My first time reading this author and I would definitely pick up another of from the author again.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher Avon of Harper Collins Publishing, through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

World War II is an era of history that most captivates me. One reason I believe is because it seems so close in our history and yet such a time of unbelievable horror and atrocities that it couldn't possibly have been a part of our recent past. I'm most interested in the resistors. The ordinary men, women and sometimes children who risked their lives to defy the cruel and powerful Nazi Reich. I've read of the French, Polish and German resistance but haven't read much regarding the Italian resistance and the even less in Venice. Which has the reputation of living through a 'soft war'.

When I was introduced to the newest book from author Mandy Robotham called “The Secret Messenger ”, I knew I had to read it. I knew very little of the Staffettas; a large army primary of female resistors. This is the premise of her new book.

Author Mandy Robotham clearly has a talent for writing. Her words are captivating and sometimes poetic. Her first novel, “The German Midwife” hooked me from the very first page and had me in a puddle of tears by its end. To be completely honest, “The Secret Messenger” did not draw me in as quickly. Some of the excessive descriptive details of the city and daily life on each page took some effort on my part to keep reading.  But the story was promising and the characters are intriguing. I just had to know what was going to happen and I'm so glad I didn't give up on this one!

It's 1943 and Venice is a sea of green and grey uniforms; Mussolini's fascists and Hitler's Nazis. Life for ordinary Venetians is uncertain; missing neighbors, food shortages,curfews, check points and the possibility of loosing a loved one was all apart of daily life in Venice. Reputed to be experiencing a 'soft War' as they are primarily spared from bombings and the destruction of their beautiful floating island, this is far from the truth as Mandy Robotham brings to life a history of the war in Venice that is rarely told. On the surface, Venice appears to be compliant and relenting to its German occupiers. But underneath a perfectly placed facade, Venice is teaming with thousands of ordinary people thwarting Nazi efficiency and remaining a constant thorn in their side. Stella Jilani, is one such secret resister. With a expression of indifference and an appearance as a loyal collaborator, she works as a typist for the Reich. Its here in the lions den that she meets Christian De Luca, a seemingly dedicated member of Mussolini's fascist party. Hating all he stands for yet drawn to him none the less she finds it difficult to completely shut him out. But even as she works along side the enemy, she secretly memorizes crucial information for the resistance which she passes onto her fellow Staffettas, dispatching messages and supplies throughout Venice and dodging German and Italian soldiers at every turn. Twice a week, Stella also helps produce a weekly underground paper Venezia Liberare with its promise of liberty and freedom. With the assistance of her beloved typewriter, Stella also begins to write a story of love bringing hope to her fellow Venetians but also fury to the already anxious Nazis as they become more and more aware of their decreasing power and control, putting Stella's life in even more risk.

In another time, London 2017, grieving Louisa Belmont finds a box among her mother things. An old photograph, pages of a worn and brittle newspaper bearing the name Venezia Liberare and a well used typewriter. Determined to uncover the mystery, Louisa delves into the past and uncovers more then she could have ever imagined.

Although a duel timeline, Stella's role clearly take the spotlight. I enjoyed both as it brought depth and mystery to the story but a majority of the book is focused on the past. We clearly see the authors incredible love for Venice in this book. Her extensive research into the past and life in Venice during the war is nothing short of amazing. The immense contribution of ordinary Venetian's small acts of resistance made a great impact towards liberation and victory over the Nazis is brought to light within the pages of this book. Although a work of fiction, this historical depiction can not be far from reality. The characters are brilliant and I can't help but imagine a 'Stella' among the brave women who bravely risked their lives for Venice. I couldn't agree more with the author's sentiments “there is no such thing as a 'soft war' when one person loses a life,one mother a son.” The author sets out to pay homage to the brave Venetians, especially the women of the war, and I definitely think she has done that!

My review is posted on Goodreads, Amazon and my instagram page Lost_in_a_book_reviewer

If you have ONE book to grab before the end of 2019 – grab this one! I was enchanted with Robotham’s writing in our first encounter with A Woman of War – a story of a woman who worked as a midwife pre-war, and after finding herself afoul of the “Nazi” rulemakers, was brought to a camp- then used for her skills in the mountain retreat – even with her ‘loyalty’ being a question. From an alternate perspective peppered with actual events, the author made connecting to and understanding the heroine’s motives clear and compelling. And she’s done the same in this dual-timeline story that begins with Luisa, grieving a mother who was remote at best, now in possession of clues that seem to lead to a dramatic life for her beloved Grandmother, Stella. Through a photograph of a man with her grandmother that Luisa doesn’t recognize, and a few other clues – she wants to discover just what her grandmother did during the war, and why her mother (or grandmother) never mentioned it.

Stella’s story from 1943 Venice is equally compelling, Venetian by birth and steeped in the ‘tradition” of Venice first, with a family that was most assuredly anti-Fascist, her movement from a city works department into the ‘command center’ of the Nazis in Venice, along with her facility with language and her typing make her a perfect messenger and worker for the Resistance. When you add in the fact that her grandfather was a huge proponent of free speech and democratic values, and many of his friends were ‘captains’ in the anti-fascist resistance, she was a natural fit.

From Stella’s story and the questions and dangers she faces to Luisa’s trying to discover the truths of her grandmother’s life and find people who knew her some 70 years earlier – the story is told in alternating moments, each one building the tension and impact of the other. Truly this story transported me to Venice now and then, as well as the information about the clever ways they ‘tricked’ the Nazis, along with the lovely inclusion of a story or hope into the local paper produced with ‘real news’ gleaned from the BBC World Services – the character of Stella comes alive and fuels the interest in Luisa and her search. Truly, Robotham has done a masterful job of creating characters and giving them the questions, traits and courage that we all hope for in our ancestors, and bringing the information about a Resistance fight that many didn’t know existed on such an embedded and integral scale. I love what this author brings to history, mixing fiction and fact together to bring a story that instantly places readers into the “what would I do or risk” mindset, making this story one that should be read for the sheer enjoyment and it’s ability to transport.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-aAi/” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

I was on that high, you know when you finish a book and finally find out what happened? Now I’m hitting the low of “ I don’t want it to be over!”
Another great read from Robotham. I had high hopes getting stuck into this one because The German Midwife was so good and I was not disappointed.

A time slip novel that goes back and forth between Stella In Venice during 1943 and Luisa in London during 2017.

1943 - Stella is living a double live, by day she is a typist for Reich and by night she is a loyal Italian Resistance fighter carrying important information and messages to help the cause and writing for their underground newspaper.

2017 - Luisa’s mother recently passed away and as she is clearing out her house she finds old pictures and a typewriter in her attic that cause her to question where she actually comes from.

A well told story of bravery, loyalty and the role the women of the resistance played.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️





Thank you to Net Galley and Avon Books UK for the advance copy!

The Secret Messenger has dual settings and main characters. It focuses on the character of resistance fighter Stella in Venice during World War II and of her grandaughter in present day London. I really enjoyed this book, particularly the character of Stella. I thought the ending was very clever and look forward to reading more from the author in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC

Set in two time lines 1943 and 2017. Also set in two different cities - Venice and London, this was another stellar write up of the War and the part played by the Resistance to block, hinder and obstruct in any which way possible the Nazi advance.

We have Stella Jilani - who poses as a fascist right in the heart of the Nazi offices, secreting documents and information which would be useful in any way to the Resistance and then we have Luisa decades later trying to piece her family history after discovering a pile of documents in the attic after her mother's death. Luisa knows her grandparents are of Italian origin, who came to England during WWII but beyond that knows nothing, as her mother was not willing to reveal any history.

Luisa's yearning to know her past takes her back to the city of origin in Venice and here she slowly uncovers her grandmother's rich and convoluted past and her no small role in the liberation of Venice.

As usual WW both I and II have given us innumerable books on every aspect of the wars and the way it affected the ordinary man on the street and how these very same people were determined not to allow their countries to be taken over completely by the Nazi tide. This is another excellent read and the setting of Venice is stunning.

The Secret Messenger grabbed my attention right away. I liked the characters and the dual timeline added to the storyline.

This novel engaged me right away and kept me engaged throughout. Loved both of the main characters - Stella, living in Venice in 1944, an active participant in the resistance, and Louisa, her granddaughter, trying to learn more about her family. Both storylines are compellingly told, most especially Stella’s. I have longed to travel to Venice and this novel only strengthened that desire. It seems like such a magical place, but certainly not during the Nazi occupation. It was so well written at times I felt anxiety for Stella, urging her to be careful in my mind. Also enjoyed all of the auxiliary characters, including Jack and Christian. My favorite genre is historical fiction and my favorite within that genre are those which open my eyes to the time frame and broaden my understanding of the characters’ motivations and actions. This is one of my favorites. Job well done Mandy Robotham! Please keep writing! Many thanks to Mandy Robotham, Avon, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this just published novel. Please read this novel!

Staffettas - a whole army of largely female (often mothers and older women) Resistance workers who are used to move vital secret written messages from one Resistance worker to another. It's merely a piece of paper but the consequences of discovery by Nazi or fascist patrols are grave.

This new-to-me author delivered an incredibly well written novel set in Venice during World War II. I never knew that Venice was controlled by both Nazis and Fascists (think Benito Mussolini) at the same time during World War II. Both were equally horrific to the people of Venice.

This is a split time novel in which both of the time periods captured my attention from start to finish. They are connected through an old typewriter. Stella is a young woman fluent in two languages: Italian and German. She is already deeply involved in helping write the Resistance newspaper when she is drafted by the Germans to work in their staff headquarters as a communications translator which puts her in the perfect spot as far as her Resistance work. The current timeline involves Luisa who discovers the old typewriter when she is cleaning out her mother's house after her death. With it are lots of papers and photos that make no sense to Luisa with the knowledge she has of her Italian grandmother. She begins to delve into her grandmother's past to discover more about her as well as her mother.

Fascinating read into an area of World War II that I knew little to nothing about. This book kept my attention from start to finish with incredible descriptions of Vienna, absorbing characters, and a surprise ending.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harper Collins Publishers through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

THE SECRET MESSENGER; A GRIPPING WAR TIME READ

If you follow my blog you’ll know I love historic fiction, especially fiction focusing on the two world wars. Yes, these novels are fiction but they are often born out of fact and real lives lived. Hence I love how these books educate me and continually teach me about true humanity, compassion and love.

The Secret Messenger by Mandy Robotham is one such novel.

Set in Venice during World War 2, this is a novel that taught me about a history I had know idea of; the history of the Venetian Resistance. Robotham’s storytelling of this particular conflict, which is apparently often portrayed in the history books as the ‘so-called ‘soft’ war of Venice‘ educated me, made my cry a lot and because I’m a sucker for a good romance, excited me. I finished it earlier today and yes, it’s left me with a book hangover!

The Secret Messenger is Stella’s story; a young Venetian woman, an anti-fascist and member of the Venetian Resistance. On the surface Stella plays the part of a ‘grateful collaborator, a Venetian glad to have the protection of‘ the Italians’ ‘bigger German cousins.’ She is sent to work at Nazi High Command as a typist and translator. Here she encounters the mysterious Cristian De Luca, a dedicated member of Mussolini’s fascist party.

Stella is also a Staffetta – ‘a whole army of largely female Resistance workers‘ who are tasked with moving vital secret messages across Italian cities and towns in the fight against fascism and the Nazis. In this role, she saves lives by putting her own life at risk on a daily basis.

This is a truly is a powerful novel as it vividly portrays the vital role that real life Staffettas played in helping the Allies win the war. These woman often put themselves in serious danger by hiding contraband in their shopping bags and prams. At times The Secret Messenger was a brilliantly tense read vividly depicting this risk. I swear, I could feel the raw tension build up within me and I was left gasping for breath.

In a sense The Secret Messenger is also a love letter to Venice. Mandy Robotham’s descriptions of the city clearly portray her love for it and her respect for its history and its people. I’ve never been to Venice but I really want to go now after reading this beautiful book.

The Secret Messenger has only recently been published – 12th December 2019; so if you’re looking for something good to read over Christmas, especially if you’re a lover of historic fiction, I definitely recommend you read this. Just remember to have your tissues close to hand!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for my advance copy.

Stunning. I loved this book. Written today with Luisa's story and back in the 1940's during WW2 in Venice for Stella's story. Luisa goes on a search to find her Grandmothers history. A story of bravery, deceit, suspicion and love. A really gripping story. I loved it.

WWII dual timeline kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. Most of the story centers around the past, when we read about Stella Jilani, who is leading a double life. In the present timeline, a grieving Luisa Belmont stumbles upon some intriguing family heirlooms buried in her recently deceased mother's attic that sets her on a journey to find out more about the grandmother she so dearly loved. I thought the cover art is fantastic, and made me want to keep reading.