This is a new author for me. I’ve become quite a fan of historical fiction over the past couple of years and wanted to read this because it’s about Bletchley Park which I am aware of but only have passing knowledge of. The Rose Code appealed to me because I thought it would be different from other historical fiction I’ve read. I thought this was a terrific book. It’s well written and completely hooked me from the start with its mix of historical fiction and mystery. I was impressed by the level of detail in the book and how much research has been done. This is a terrific book.

My thanks to HarperCollins U.K. for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Rose Code’ by Kate Quinn in exchange for an honest review. As I began reading on publication day, I purchased its unabridged audiobook edition, narrated by Saskia Maarleveld, for an immersive read/listen.

This work of historical fiction follows the lives of three very different women in two timelines, during and after WWII and their involvement with the code-breaking work at Bletchley Park.

In 1940, debutante Osla Kendall is wealthy and well connected, and even is being courted by a prince - Philip of Greece. Yet she is keen to prove herself as more than a society girl and wants to contribute to the war effort. As she is fluent in German she is recruited as a translator of decoded enemy secrets.

Mab Churt is from Shoreditch and grew up in poverty and now seeks to improve her position in life. She also is selected to do administrative work at Bletchley Park. She and Osla bond on the train journey and are billeted together. They meet Beth Finch, their landlady’s daughter, who is awkward and shy but brilliant with puzzles. She is also recruited and joins Dilly Knox’s elite team of women codebreakers. We follow their work and personal lives throughout the war.

The other timeline is in 1947 as the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip grips the nation. I want to avoid spoilers but will say that the three friends are now estranged and clearly Osla and Philip are no longer courting. We learn what destroyed the friendship between the women. There’s also an espionage element to this part of the narrative.

I enjoyed this very much. I was impressed by Kate Quinn’s level of research into Britain in the 1940s and also that there were hardly any trace of Americanisms (only one word jumped out). There are a number of cameos in the novel from historical figures, such as Winston Churchill and Alan Turing, though Quinn’s focus is squarely upon the women who worked behind the scenes.

Quinn’s Author’s Notes proved fascinating. She advises that her Osla Kendall is based on Osla Benning, the real heiress who had been Prince Philip’s girlfriend during the war. Quinn renamed her out of respect for her still living children and also changed other aspects of her later life. Both Beth and Mab are composite figures inspired by the real women of Bletchley Park.

Quinn rounds out the novel with a few photos, a list of Reading Group Questions and Suggestions for Further Reading including Fictional and TV/Film.

I zoomed through this as it proved such an engaging read and included some nail-biting action.

I would expect that ‘The Rose Code’ will prove a popular choice with reading groups. After this very positive experience I am now keen to check out Kate Quinn’s back catalogue.

This is a definite prompt to read more of Kate Quinn’s books! I lived each moment with the characters and events and afterwards felt hugely compelled to read more widely about this topic.
A historical novel centred around the day to day trials of a group of women working at Bletchley in the Second World War this incorporated an intriguing twist that holds the reader to the end.
This will appeal to a wide range of readers as it includes plenty of emotion and technical details.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishers for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Kate Quinn is not a name I have heard of before, but Bletchley Park and the Enigma code is something I have and it has fascinated me for many years. So when I got the opportunity to read this book, I was delighted and set about solving the mystery. 

Osla, debutante with the world at her feet as well as all the men and the thought that she doesn't really need to work, just make the right match, makes you think of some privileged posh person. Osla is anything but. Determined to do her bit she suddenly finds herself on a train to some big house in the middle of Buckinghamshire. 

Mab, feels she has worked hard to get where she is. She wants something better in her life not just for her but her little sister Lucy as well. She is on the look out for someone to get her out of what she grew up in. But in the meantime she has to distract herself with the work at this big house in the middle of Buckinghamshire. 

The third main female character in this novel is Beth. Daughter of the landlady where Osla and Mab lodge at. Beth is downtrodden, under the thumb of her Methodist preaching mother and will ever remain the spinster of the parish. But her quick thinking brain in solving crosswords and puzzles also leads her through the gates to the big house in the middle of Buckinghamshire. 

Bletchley Park or BP as it is referred to by the 'inmates' within the story holds many secrets, no one knows what anyone else is doing but everyone knows it is something important. But it is not just the secrets they are working on, it is the secrets these three women have brought to the BP, their lives are going to be inexplicably changed by what they discover amongst the codes in front of them and what they most importantly discover about themselves. 

In an interesting dual narrative, the different thread of the story is really only some 6-7 years after the main storyline. The days in the run up to the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten in Novembers 1947.

Osla finds herself having to attend the wedding of the year when she is called to revisit her recent past when a code arrives.

Mab was planning a party where she could fold some napkins into swans to listen to the wedding on the wireless when a code arrives for her and it seems she needs to confront her past as well. 

For Beth, she has remained in the past, there was one last code to break and in her mind she has never had the chance to crack it and reveal the truth about the past. 


Can these three women come together and solve this final piece of the puzzle?

This book drew me straight in, I have been fortunate to visit Bletchley Park (and so want to go back) that I really did feel like I was walking through those gates, hunkering down in a hut with nothing but a jumble of letters and paper and pencils to crack something unknowable. What an experience it must have been and Kate Quinn brings that experience so much to life in this book. 

This is a long novel but so worth it, to get so involved with everything, whether it be the light hearted moments, or the thrill of the chase when it came to cracking a code or experiencing life as a debutante in war torn London. 

Whilst I did think at times some of the timeline seemed a bit wrong from my knowledge of the time, it was only manipulated to suit the story and was explained fully at the end of the book. The author also explains the basis of where some of these characters have come from and who they are based on, though there are a lot that you will recognise

One of the best historical novels I have read in a long time and one that I could happily reread.

This was a wonderful book. It was extremely well written and had me hooked from the beginning, Fascinating to read about BP and the people who worked there. The ending was a real page turner and had me on the edge of my seat. Excellent.

Absolutely superb tale of 3 women from completely different walks of life who come together during the Second World War at the codebreaking centre at Bletchley Park. It's told in 2 time lines - During the war; and 1947, just prior to Princess Elizabeth's wedding to Philip.
Behind it all lurks a mystery as one of the women is in a sanatorium for psychatric patients and the others are barely on speaking terms. As well as the riveting personal stories (and romances), there are fascinating details about the location, personalities, machines and methods used to crack the codes used by Germany, Italy and Russia at that time - and the wartime events aided or prevented by the use of the information gleaned.
It was personally hard to think of Philip of Greece as a romantic figure, (but more easily accepted if you blot out the 'gaffes' and blunders he's made since, in real life!)
Towards the end particulaly, this was so exciting I could barely put it down. A few 'Americanisms' jump out: People"'writing each other" - Philip even said this about 'Lilibet'; Or"8th through 10th November". However nothing a good UK publisher/editor won't' (hopefully) correct.
Nothing deters from giving this 5 stars though. One of the best books I've read in a long time - it flows easily even when describing coding machines and devices aiding the deciphering of code. The fashions, attitudes and a lot of the 'slang' language is of the time. I loved it and recommend it highly.

An enchanting and enthralling piece of literary historic fiction. The story of Bletchley Park told through the relationship of 3 women from very different backgrounds who work to decipher the wartime messages. You live through their trials and tribulations in life and work feeling their individual angst and joy.
A wonderful read

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn is a fascinating historical fiction book which follows three very different women starting in 1940.
1940 when three women answer the call to a mysterious country Estate, Bletchley Park. A place where the best minds train to break German military codes. We meet the debutante Osla, a girl that has it all, wealth, beauty and even roses from Prince Philip of Greece...which she burns! To make a point that she is more than a society girl! Then puts her fluent German into excellent use to help translate decoded enemy secrets. Mab, a product of East End London poverty works the code breaking machines while she hides old wounds and searches for a husband eho will be socially advantagous for her. Then there is shy Beth a local girl that hides her brilliance for cracking puzzles rather well. The story propels to 1947 and the country is gripped with Royal wedding fever of the Princess Elizabeth to Prince Philip of Greece. The three women who have; in the past, suffered a betrayal that broke their friendship and left one confine to an asylum, are reunited by a mysterious encrypted letter they have to crack one more puzzle as a team ...but can they?
I am a history nerd and this story had me from the cover! I loved all three women, every one of them where as different as you could think of and none perfect so as real as you get. The fact they also gave us access to the different areas that Bletchley Park had was off course fascinating for me. This sort of historical fiction always intrigues me, the jobs women did and no-one got credit for it at the time it was just 'they did their bit for the war'. The briliance of all three women shines through and the differences we see when they are at work, for example Beth, a shy retiring woman who prefers to stay in the shadows comes alive cracking code what a woman. I really was happy to see Alan Turing and Churchill turn up as well.
I was so into this story and knowing how important and unique the work was at Bletchley during that time I was as frustrated as they were if a code wasn't for cracking. Then when we got to 1947 and the women get back together to crack a code that will tell them who the traitor is from their years at Bletchley I was as tense as anything willing them on to crack one more! A brilliant story that has been written so well by Kate Quinn. The amount of research that has gone into this story is very present and her depiction of working in the most important building of the second world war is spot on I would say.
Massive thanks to Anne Cater for asking me on this book tour, Harper Collins and NetGalley for my copy of the book.

A fascinating story going behind the scenes at Bletchley Park during WWII. As well as writing a fascinating novel, Kate Quinn exposes how the lives of normal people were changed forever by their Bletchley experience and how the secrecy at the time was in the main kept by all involved until after their death. Some faced animosity, anger and ridicule by their family, friends and the public for not wearing a military uniform.
The story is loosely based on real people and the Authors Note at the end puts the characters and stories perfectly in context.

Highly recommended read.

I was given a copy of The Rose Code by NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

This captured my attention from the beginning. I love a good WW2 story.

Following the lives of Osla, a debutante who wants to prove she is more than fancy clothes and from posh stock, Mab - a working class girl from London who wants to make a better life for herself and shy downtrodden Beth - a brilliant mind that is belittled by her family.

Their journeys as they make it to Bletchley Park and undertake different work associated with code breaking along with the friends, family and relationships that they form and the impact the official secrets act has on those relationships made this book one I struggled to put down!

Mystery, intrigue, romance, betrayal, devastation and closure are all experienced through this story which brought the time period and work to life for me. I loved it!

1940. As England prepares to fight the Nazis, three very different women answer the call to the mysterious country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes.

The Rose Code is just terrific. It starts a bit slow as the characters are introduced. There are essentially 3 protagonists so setting the scene takes a bit of extra time. It is all worth it though. I learned so much from this novel. Ms Quinn does a dynamite job with her research giving us a wonderfully detailed picture of the happenings at Bletchley Park where German military codes are broken and our characters work. Mab, Osla, and Beth could not be more different. Despite that, their work binds them for life, through thick and thin, through multiple betrayals and tragedies.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

When war is declared in September 1939, glamorous debutante Osla Kendall can’t get back to England from Montreal fast enough to help with the war effort. After a few exhausting weeks building Hurricanes, Osla is headhunted for her language skills and finds herself in Bletchley Park alongside Mab Churt, a working class girl who can type better than anyone. The two of them lodge with Mrs Finch, a ghastly woman whose daughter, the quiet and withdrawn Beth, has an extraordinary gift for solving puzzles. The three of them are soon at home in Bletchley Park, a place where genius and madness co-exist and whose inhabitants will go to astonishing lengths to break life-saving codes. But there is still time for Osla to dance the night away with her beau, Prince Philip of Greece, when he’s home on leave from the navy.

After the war, while she waits for her prince to marry another woman, Osla receives a message from her past. The three friends are no longer close, on the contrary, and one of them is in an asylum. The three must work together once more to fight another threat. The clues to it can be found in their time together at Bletchley Park, a time of secrets, friendships and war.

I knew that I wanted to read The Rose Code the moment I heard about it. I really enjoyed Lady of the Eternal City (which couldn’t be more different!) and so I knew that the story of the women who worked at Bletchley Park, alongside their more famous male counterparts, would be in safe hands. I absolutely loved it!

Our three heroines are drawn from different classes and backgrounds, with Osla hailing from the very heights of society, and yet all three have to face the very real challenges of leading independent, working lives at a time when society viewed such women with suspicion. War changes society and it undoubtedly gave women such as these a new lease of freedom. But it’s at such a cost, as can be seen by our tantalising glimpses of the secretive work going on in these mysterious huts to prevent U-boat attacks and quicken the end to war. But it’s outside those huts that the novel really comes alive as the three women get to know one another and embark on their own adventures – love affairs, marriage, fighting back, friendships with such fascinating and charismatic men. We know from the premise and the sections of the novel that are set a few years later in the days leading up to the marriage of Prince Philip and the Princess Elizabeth that there is darkness and treachery in their future and the reader never loses their desire to find out exactly what happens.

The atmosphere of puzzles and secrecy mixes here with a mood of grabbing what fun one can in a world where everything could be ended by a bomb, or where a loved one can be lost on a ship at sea, a victim of the U-boats that the de-coders are trying to stop. Osla in particular is full of life and I loved spending time with her, especially when she’s with the gallant Prince Philip. We know, of course, that this is a doomed love but it adds such a fun dash of romance to the novel, not to mention a delicious morsel of royal intrigue. The scenes set after the war in the Yorkshire asylum are distressing and disturbing and means that for much of the novel we wonder what on earth could have gone so wrong with these friends.

Kate Quinn writes so well and is wonderful at creating women who feel so real and genuine, even if they are highly unusual. The prose is compelling, the dialogue witty, and the story is fabulous. Bletchley Park isn’t an uncommon setting for a novel these days but it’s certainly viewed from a fresh perspective here – I loved the account of Churchill’s visit! The Rose Code is not a short book but it is a pleasure to read from start to finish.

Other review
Lady of the Eternal City

Every now and again on social media you will see a conversation which asks the question "are there too many WWII books?" or "do we need yet another WWII book?". I do understand why people might have these thoughts because there are a lot out there, but when you read a book like this then the answer is no there aren't too many and yes we do! There are still so many fascinating stories to be told, often based on true stories.

In this book we are taken into the super secret world at Bletchley Park, home of the British code breakers during WWII. Two young women meet on the train as they take up their appointment at Bletchley, with no idea what their work will be. Canadian Osla is a young debutante whose well-to-do mother keeps a suite at Claridges just in case, and who is currently dating a dashing young Prince Philip. She has a good grasp of languages including German and wants to be seen as something more than a "dim-witted deb". Mab comes from the East End of London, and she has done everything she could to improve her lot in life, and that of her mother and sister. She's taught herself to talk differently, to dress like a lady and is always working to become a better version of herself.

Once at Bletchley the two women sign documents to say that they will never speak of the work that they do, even amongst themselves.





Do not talk at meals. Do not talk in the transport. Do not talk travelling. Do not talk in the billet. Do not talk by your own fireside. Be careful even in your hut.




They are billeted with the dysfunctional Finch family. Daughter Bethan is firmly under the thumb of her abusive, controlling mother. Whilst Beth has very little in the way of social or life skills, she is able to solve crosswords very quickly. Soon she too is working at Bletchley, using her particular mental strengths working hard to solve the puzzles of the Enigma code. If they can break the codes they will know exactly what the Germans are up to and can save lives.

The code breakers work hard - very hard. Beth isn't the only code breaker who works days on end, round the clock to find the key to the code, unlocking the secrets. But within the park, there are also the opportunities to play hard. Illicit romances, pranks, book clubs and more are the things that help keep everyone sane. Not to mention the newsletter whose author seems to have their finger on the pulse of everything that is going on at Bletchley.

The German's are not the only ones with secrets. Even though they are working closely together, there are still so many things that the women hide from their friends and co-workers.

There are two strands of this story, the first during WWII and the other in the lead up to the marriage of then Princess Elizabeth to Prince Philip of Greece. A couple of weeks before the wedding that the whole nation is determined to celebrate, Osla and Mab receive a coded message which leads them back to their code-breaking days, and to each other. Together they have to try and unveil a traitor. The war might be over, but the damage caused by the traitor still resonates in the everyday life of the three women.

I really enjoyed how the author slowly unveiled the story with great skill. As the story progresses, for example, we know that the one of the women is married with kids but she tells us the story without revealing the name of her husband. Whilst in this case, his lack of identity isn't crucial to the story by using this technique in multiple scenarios, there are several moments of genuine surprise when those identities are revealed.

I really enjoyed Mab's war time love story. She was so determined to bag herself an educated man who could provide her with a degree of financial security so she made very clinical decisions, so it was a delight to watch her as her feelings began to grow. In fact, all the women grow albeit because of different circumstances.

We also got a glimpse inside the walls of a mental institution in the 1940 - cold, brutal and experimenting with new surgical techniques such as lobotomies. In fact, there are several other issues that are explored within the pages of this excellent book, including the role of women before and during the war, racism, trauma and loss and so much more.

This book has so much to offer. It has a fascinating story, great characters, interesting history, drama, loss and so much more. I had previously listened to The Alice Network, which I enjoyed, but I loved this one, and now I really need to read The Huntress.

Rating 4.5/5

I loved this! I’ve never read Kate Quinn before, although she has been recommended to me several times, so I’m pleased that my first experience of her work has been such a good one. The Rose Code wasn’t a perfect book, but the few flaws that I noted were quickly outweighed by the gripping plot, strong characters and interesting historical setting.

The story takes place in and around Bletchley Park, the English country house which became the home of Britain’s World War II codebreakers, and follows three of the young women who work there. Two of them, Osla Kendall and Mab Churt, meet on the train in 1940 as they travel to Bletchley Park, unsure as to what their new jobs will involve but determined to do their best to help the war effort. Osla, a beautiful, wealthy young socialite, is desperate to prove that she is more than just a ‘silly debutante’; the outspoken and fiercely independent Mab is a working class girl from the East End of London who, having escaped from a life of poverty, wants to make a better future for herself. At Bletchley Park, both will find the opportunities they need to change their lives – and so does a third young woman, Beth Finch. Beth has grown up under the thumb of her domineering mother and looks set to remain a spinster all her life, but when Osla and Mab notice her special gift for crosswords and puzzles, they encourage her to overcome her shyness and join them at Bletchley.

Although most of the novel is set during the war years, we occasionally jump forward in time to 1947. On the eve of the royal wedding between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, two of the three Bletchley Park women have received a summons for help from the third, who has been confined to an asylum. However, the friendship between the three of them broke down before the war ended and the two women who are free aren’t sure if they really want to help the one who is imprisoned. What happened to destroy their friendship? Was there really a traitor within Bletchley Park? And will the mysterious Rose Code ever be solved?

The Rose Code is a long novel, but was quicker to read than I’d expected because I became so engrossed in the stories of Osla, Mab and Beth. Their work at Bletchley Park is fascinating to read about, particularly Beth’s as a cryptanalyst, working with the legendary Dilly Knox. Although it all sounds very complicated – and I’m pleased the Allies didn’t have to rely on me to break the Enigma codes – Kate Quinn does a good job of explaining how the various machines were used and what the different decryption methods involved. She also explores the psychological impact of carrying out such highly confidential work; all of the codebreakers sign up to the Official Secrets Act and are banned from discussing their work with friends and family or even with people from different departments within Bletchley Park itself. This raises the interesting question of whether it’s ever acceptable to break your oath of secrecy – and if not, what sort of strain will that put on your relationships with other people?

Several real historical figures appear in The Rose Code. I have already mentioned Dilly Knox, but we also briefly meet Alan Turing, Winston Churchill…and Prince Philip, who is romantically involved with Osla before his marriage to Princess Elizabeth (the future Queen). This isn’t as far-fetched as it might seem, as Kate Quinn apparently based the character of Osla Kendall on the real life Osla Benning, who really was a Canadian debutante who worked at Bletchley Park and was Prince Philip’s girlfriend – but I don’t personally feel comfortable reading fictional portrayals of people who are still alive and this whole storyline felt unnecessary to me. I couldn’t imagine the real Philip saying some of the things he says in the book either; in fact, although I did appreciate the author’s attempts to use the slang of the time, the language in general didn’t always feel quite right to me – and there are a few annoying references to England when it should be Britain.

Still, even the Philip storyline didn’t stop me from enjoying this book because the rest of it was so interesting and compelling. There was even one scene that made me cry and I think that’s always a sign that the author has done something right! I’m sure I will be reading more books by Kate Quinn.

I knew that I would love this book based on the description alone and boy I was right. Any sort of book or piece of media centred around Bletchley has me immediately interested as it is something I always want to learn more about and seeing it from the perspective of Mab, Osla and Beth was just wonderful.

The three women I just mentioned are wonderful main characters, they provided such different things to the story and together they make an unstoppable team and that was incredible to see. From the three of them, we got to see different aspects of Bletchley form the code-breaking room itself to the running of the machines which cracked the code to the people translating the cracked codes into English. Of course, all the other characters like Prince Phillip (which was interesting to see him in a different light) and Harry and Peggy and Giles e.t.c were brilliant characters too, even Alan Turing made some appearances!

The plot, which was of course following the war at Bletchley and the three girls later in life in the run-up to the marriage of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip and it allowed us to see what happened to them a couple of years after their work at Bletchley was put to an end and it was incredibly fun as well as heartbreaking at times. I had tears in my eyes at several points as I felt the pain that the characters went through as they experienced loss and anger and heartbreak. I did love seeing the intimate workings of Bletchley as well because I am a massive history nerd and it was so much fun to read and watch it all happen.

The writing was wonderful, it was engaging and funny and heartbreaking and just so good. I will definitely be checking out some more of Kate Quinn's writing because I cannot wait to see what else she has written and what she will write in the future!

If you like historical fiction set around WW2 and women then this is the book for you.

What an immersive story. We follow three women who are all from different backgrounds as they carry out their work during World War Two in Bletchley Park.
There is Queen Mab, Osla, and Beth all very different characters who all find themselves embroiled in war work and there is a strong sense of community, camaraderie, and friendship which comes across in the author's writing. There are love stories weaved through the novel and the secrets that both bind and separate the women in their lives. It is a coming of age story for all three women and there are twists and turn in this story in unexpected places. It is a tale of how to love and also the uncovering of secrets.
I gave this 5 stars, the storytelling is superb and the sense of place of being in the middle of a war was just perfect. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Three very different girls are recruited to decipher codes at Bletchley Park. They work well together but something happens to destroy their friendship. Years later, two of them receive a heartfelt plea for help (in code) from the third girl. Great characters you really care for and a strong plot make this a gripping read.

Bletchley Park is a place that too many people are still unaware of and the crucial role it filled during WWII. For me, it is a place of legends and this book does a great job of revealing just a small part of what everyone working in BP achieved.

A fascinating tale wrapped around three women from vastly different backgrounds who would never have become friends in peacetime. A Debutante, a Cockney and a mouse all recognised for their ability to contribute and the way that they went on to do so. Coupled with their discovery that that each had more to offer to the war effort and their friends than they would have though possible. With a timeline divided between 1940 and 1947, a war at one end and a royal wedding at the other it really is a fascinating story that is a truly spiffing read.

I have vacillated between a 4 and a 5 star rating and have chosen 4 because this excellent story had a total of four expletives which I felt were completely unnecessary, although the use of the last one had some justification.

My advice is to buy The Rose Code and lock yourself away from the world so that you can enjoy it without interruption; it is that good a book.

Kate Quinn allows you to step inside the secret world of the Bletchley Park code breakers in this dazzling WW2 historical novel where boffins rub shoulders with debutantes, where gender is inconsequential and where loyalty to king and country is paramount, even if it’s to the detriment of family life, love and friendships. Fascinating and brilliantly immersive, full of captivating characters, this novel promises to transport you to another era, to a place previously shrouded in mystery. These walls are finally spilling their secrets, openly inviting you into this inner sanctum where our three female protagonists are racing against the clock to crack the most complex code they’ve ever encountered. Welcome to The Rose Code where you will meet our three inspiring, admirable, formidable and heroic young women who take us on an enthralling journey through wartime Britain from when they first cross paths in 1940 right up to 1947 and the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth to Prince Philip. With cameo appearances by the likes of Alan Turing, Winston Churchill, Lord Mountbatten and a more substantial role for Dilly Knox, this is a piece of historical fiction to relish.

The author treats us to a then and now version of our three protagonists. Osla Kendall, now writing for Tatler magazine is a Canadian whose return to Britain heralds a determination to shrug off her silly socialite, dizzy deb persona as she plays her part in the war effort. Her wealthy background is in stark contrast to that of fellow Bletchley Park newcomer Maud Churt, or Queen Mab as she prefers to be known. Rising up from humble beginnings, this now mother of two is an unlikely friend for the upper class Osla whose circle of friends includes the dashing young Prince Philip with whom she will conduct an ill fated dalliance. However, this pair click immediately upon meeting aboard the train bound for Bletchley and when billeted with the devoutly religious vile Mrs Finch, shy retiring daughter Beth, presumed slow witted yet fiendishly good at crosswords completes the friendship triangle.

These friendships which would probably never materialise back in ordinary civilian life, given their disparate backgrounds are the lifeblood of this novel and the reason why it is so riveting. The author carries us along on a tidal wave of nostalgia amid a typical wartime mentality and gung ho attitude displayed by our fearless trio as they steer their way through countless trials and tribulations. At a time when every emotion is heightened there’s a fervency to these women’s personal lives that one cannot imagine experiencing in peace time. Secret trysts, declarations of love, passionate romances leading to hasty marriages, and an abundance of heartache, tragedy and loss are counterbalanced by snatched moments of happiness, much laughter and camaraderie. From a handsome stranger acting as a knight in shining armour, to a dashing prince, to a taciturn poet, and a fellow like minded code breaker Osla, Mab and Beth will all enjoy their fair share of love and happiness however temporary it may prove to be. With writing that adheres to the norms of the day and the position women held in society, these three women are given a rare opportunity to prove themselves in an otherwise male dominated world and it’s most gratifying to witness them succeed!!

The cataloguing of their personal highs and lows is coupled with an in depth insider view of the technical aspect of the code breakers work which is shown to be tedious, dull, frustrating but oh so rewarding and exhilarating whenever an important breakthrough is made. Quite beyond my technical comprehension but fascinating nonetheless! All with varying roles to play, Osla, Mab and Beth are vital cogs in a machine that works around the clock in a bid to defeat the enemy with punishingly long hours offering little respite from the arduous tasks in hand but that doesn’t deter these individuals from uniting together, forever bound by loyalty to the crown and to each other, one huge family. Fatigue, mental exhaustion verging sometimes towards complete breakdown are considered hazards of an otherwise fulfilling job. It is an environment in which the mousy Beth especially thrives and comes alive, finding her true calling as one of Dilly Knox’s harem of fillies, ultimately proving to be his star cryptanalyst. As Beth disappears down a rabbit hole time and time again, much like Alice and her adventures in wonderland, in her quest to crack enemy codes there is a definite nod to Lewis Carroll in the narrative. Monthly mad hatter tea parties bring together numerous Bletchley Park recruits as they discuss and invariably disagree over the books in question and the Alice theme is continued by the way time runs curiously at Bletchley Park and is indeed running out for this particular friendship. Against the backdrop of a bombing raid ending in tragedy, betrayal and suspicion one lone act of divided loyalty fractures their friendship and has dire consequences for one member of the group. Silenced by the oath of secrecy undertaken by all Bletchley Park recruits but now believed to be broken incarceration at Clockwell sanatorium follows, a reminder of the dark ages in dealing with troublesome or hysteric women when lunatic asylums were full of inpatients who didn’t deserve to be there. The mention of invasive surgery such as lobotomies sent shudders right through me but will this institution manage to break this woman’s fighting spirit? I rather feel her sheer brilliance can never be diminished.

I enjoyed the dual timeline aspect of this novel especially initially when you’re unsure who is incarcerated in the sanatorium begging to be rescued. You forever feel as if this will be a race against time, wondering and hoping and praying this cry for help will finally be answered. That the fate of one woman lies in the hands of her two former friends leads to an expectation that all will come good but past mistakes may have shattered previously strong loyalties so you can take nothing for granted. A certain amount of subterfuge and assistance from fellow Bletchley Park colleagues is required before secrets which have been on the cusp of exposure prior to the friends estrangement can finally be unravelled revealing a traitor hiding within the Bletchley Park circle. The final push towards enlightenment as wedding vows are being exchanged at the abbey is exhilarating and tense and immensely satisfying. Although glitz and glamour are in short supply, landmark victory celebrations coupled with a nation gripped by wedding fever adds a spritz of sparkle and a hopefulness that the country is on the brink of a brighter future. What a time to be alive!

The Rose Code is a spellbinding, glittering triumph of a novel in which an engrossing slice of history meets a cracking bally good mystery. A doorstop of a read in terms of length but well worth the hours spent immersing yourself in the lives of these awesome women and the supporting cast of characters, who all display the very essence of the British stiff upper lip when the going gets tough. They are unforgettable given their dogged determination, their indomitable spirit and their invaluable work in the field of code breaking, a fitting tribute to the real men and women of Bletchley Park. I couldn’t help but wonder what lay in store for some of these women returning home to a drab and ordinary life by comparison, sworn to secrecy regarding their involvement in the war effort. How boring life must have felt! This was an absolute pleasure and joy to read and my thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.

i love love that story! a great way to discover the most secret matter of the second world war through the story of 3 amazing women.
three women with nothing in common who will grow together
strongly recommend to read this novel!