⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars
No spoilers.
I don’t typically read spy or World War II era fiction, but this one drew me in by the title and cover. And then it hooked me with a riveting opening. Right away, our hero, British spy Michael York proves to be daring, thoughtful, and passionate. Each risk he takes is calculated. Michael finds himself in Berlin, Germany, on a high-risk mission – and finds himself immersed in a whirlwind romance just as life-threatening, if not more.
There’s a sense of ominous foreboding that hangs over the story, even in the slower scenes. High tension and unpredictability. Readers not only explore York’s life, but we get a glimpse into the lives of good people stuck in troubling and terrifying times, each with their own story. It separates the country and culture of Germany away from the notorious Nazis. Even during this tumultuous and horrific time, real humans lived in Germany. Miller also brings 1940s Berlin to life in his descriptions. Sometimes the setting descriptions went on for a little too long, in my opinion, but it didn’t rob much from the story. I found it fascinating to be immersed in such a time of history.
Violinist Amanda Hamilton becomes not only an inside source of Nazi information, being married to one of the higher ups in the organization, but she also steals Michael’s heart. Readers get a glimpse into her loveless, cruel, and heartbreaking marriage to a narcissistic Nazi while she and Michael, realizing no one else will help them, plan a daring escape from the ruins of war. Does the woman who lives in Satan’s shadow escape to find happiness? Can the man who finds himself in too deep and facing a traitor that had his predecessor killed make one last escape for his life, and the others he tries to rescue along the way?
I did guess who the traitor was partway through, but I attribute that to how well set up the plot was overall. By the end, everything made sense. The reader anticipates a climax that will either devastate or delight. The climax could have gone so many ways based on the plot setup. It was the escape where whatever could go wrong, did.
My only other critique of this story is that it did far more telling than showing, and there were many spots where I felt showing would have made more of an emotional impact. I felt like it skipped over a few scenes that were important, and the ending post-climax felt a tad rushed. Otherwise, I enjoyed this story of survival, beating the odds, and love persevering over evil.
