Every now and then I’m successful when I put up my hand to review one of the advance, uncorrected proof copies of books offered by the team at Better Reading, that’s due for publication in a few months’ time. The books are novels or short story collections, and usually by lesser known or emerging writers – probably because the well-known names really don’t need the publicity. Their books will sell anyway.
That said ‘The Whisperer’s War’ is by the very well known Australian writer, Jackie French, who is arguably even better known for the many books she’s written for children and young adults. Her latest novel is for adults and is proving to be a very easy read that suggests there were more Nazi sympathisers among the UK’s aristocracy during the 1930s and 1940s than is claimed in the conventional history books.
Having grown up hearing stories of my parents’ wartime lives in the RAAF, WWll stories have always held a fascination, and I frequently borrowed books of the era’s heroes and heroines from my older brother’s bookshelves. I don’t recall reading anything much about too many Nazi sympathisers though – other than the well-known, and subsequently disgraced Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
Jackie French has suggested there were rather more admirers of Hitler among England’s upper classes in her latest book, and who better to gather intelligence about these admirers – and pass on the information to help the war effort - than one of their own. In other words, our heroine is titled lady and a spy – albeit an unconventional one.
While I’m still only part way through reading the book it’s clearly going to be rollicking tale with heroes and villains and a good dollop of romance. In our modern world that also appears to be heading for hell in a handbasket, it’s a tale for our times – although I suspect the novel will ultimately have a happier ending than one that currntly seems far from certain in the real world.
Thank goodness we can all still escape into the world of fiction.
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