By Kate Breslin

I love stories where a character grapples with feelings of inadequacy and a sense of not belonging. This is the case of British Lieutenant Colin Maybry. Handicapped from an injury he suffered during WWII, Colin has found a place serving his country by decoding messages.

He receives an urgent message via carrier pigeon from Jewel Reyer, a woman he thought was dead after he left her behind in France. The message, however, comes from Jewel’s half-sister, Johanna, who works for French Army Intelligence. She convinces Colin that Jewel might still be alive, possibly in the company of a German officer, and needs his help to find her using Jewel’s diary as their only clue. From the outset, readers are drawn into a web of intrigue, love, and redemption, with characters whose motives and loyalties are constantly in question. Colin, dealing with what we now recognize as PTSD and survivor’s guilt, seeks to right his past decisions, while Johanna’s vibrant spirit and bravery capture the heart of the narrative.

. The plot is full of twists and turns that keep the pages turning. Both Colin and Johanna undergo significant personal growth.; Colin wrestles with his feelings for Jewel and the burgeoning connection with Johanna

. Johanna, in her search for a father she barely knows and a sister she’s never met, brings a bright spot into the story. 

This was an enjoyable, educational, and page turning pleasure.