The War Pianist (Mandy Robotham)

This story, set in London and Amsterdam during the early years of World War 2, is a real immersive and gripping read.
In London, during the Blitz, Marnie finds herself involved in helping the Dutch resistance. Besides her job at the BBC, she becomes a secret radio operator who communicates, codes and decodes messages, a war pianist. This is a skilled and risky activity because radio communication must be quick and effective so the signal does not get picked up by the enemy.
In Amsterdam, Marnie has her contact, Corrie. Corrie is an active member of the resistance in occupied Amsterdam. She is also a war pianist.
But things go wrong for Corrie and Marnie finds herself involved in this war much deeper than she had planned.
I could not put down this book. I learned a lot about the war pianists and how crucial their role was. I also learned about the very special role the Artis Zoo in Amsterdam played during the war, and how it saved many people.
The writing and pace was excellent and brought to life how people felt in London during the blitz, being bombed time after time, and in Amsterdam, having to live with the enemy’s permanent presence, intimidation and cruelty. Descriptions are very vivid, with sights, sounds and scents, the characters are strong and the plot keeps the reader engaged until the last sentence.
It was my first read by Many Robotham. What a great author. I will definitely read her again.