The Rose Code

By Kate Quinn

Halfway through this, I knew it was destined to be one of my favorite books.

Even though I’ve read countless books about code breaking and cracking the Enigma, I learned much more through this book about the varied efforts of Bletchley Park. I can’t recall a story where deciphering codes carried so much drama.

You can tell this author takes her research seriously. The historical descriptions were so vivid detailed that I could picture every scene.

The characters were fully- developed personalities, each with their own secrets and flaws. The three main characters had such a complex relationship as the story progressed. The dialogue was fluid and witty, particularly during their arguments.

The story had so many twists and surprises that my book club is still talking about them. Yet every one was believable enough that each person I’ve talked to guessed a different combination of the secrets.

I usually don’t enjoy seeing real people co-opted as side characters, but the famous figures who popped up here (no spoilers) were done with a combination of respect, awe, and accuracy.

I cannot recommend this highly enough if you enjoy strong female characters, World War II stories, and puzzles. The tension and emotion will keep you glued to the story.