Kate Quinn once again enthralls with her latest piece of historical fiction, a mystery set in WW2 and the famous code breaking site of Bletchley Park, focusing on the close friendship between three extraordinary young women from hugely different backgrounds, determined to more than do their bit to fight the enemy. Wealthy heiress and debutante Osla Kendall has returned from Canada, and as a fluent German speaker translates the codes, she catches the eye of Prince Philip and falls head over heels for him. The flinty, hard as nails, impoverished East End Londoner, the tall Mab Churt, aka Queen Mab, sees to the machines that help break the codes, set on improving herself, reading the 100 top literary reads to ensnare herself a wealthy husband and provide for her younger sister, Lucy. The downtrodden, shy and timid Beth Finch has a hideous and emotionally abusive mother who has her believing she is good for nothing, but she turns out to be the star code breaker working for Dilly Knox who believes in her.

It is 1947 in London and the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth to Prince Philip is approaching, and Tatler writer, Osla, is struggling to handle this, and for convenience sake has acquired a fiance of her own to ensure that she is not a object of pity. Out of the blue, she gets a message from Beth, incarcerated in Clockwell Sanatorium, asking for her and Mab's help and to identify a traitor from their Bletchley Park days. Is Beth crazy or could she possibly be telling the truth? The friendship between the 3 women had broken apart on D-day with betrayal and recriminations. Osla knows it is going to take a lot of persuasion to get Mab, now married with 2 young children, to join forces and meet Beth to find out if there really is a traitor at large. In a narrative that goes back and forth in time, we become acquainted with the spirit of adventure and excitement in the women's lives, along with the passion, joy, love, loss, terror, fear, rage, despair, tragedies, and grief in their time as codebreakers, can they come back together one last time to crack the Rose code?

Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland is a running motif in Quinn's novel, the time in Bletchley Park us referred to as falling down the rabbit hole, the literary club are named The Mad Hatters, and desperate Beth herself is known as Alice Liddell in Clockwell, wanting to avoid the upcoming lobotomy planned for her. From being a gifted cryptographer, she is unjustly framed and has to spend three and a half years amidst the horrors and torture of a regime that punished and drugged her, believing her to be insane. It is incredible that she managed to survive and found a way of getting in touch with her old friends, her resilience and memories of what she achieved provides her with a strength of spirit that would have defeated so many others. This is a thrilling historical read, engaging, entertaining and riveting, loaded with the class distinctions and social norms and attitudes of the time when it comes to women and race. Highly recommended. Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.

The Rose Code is an enjoyable read. It interweaves two different time periods (during and post-war) and gradually the reader learns about the lives of three women of very different backgrounds, thrown together at Bletchley Park to help break codes in WW2.

The story opens with a plea for help from one of the women, and the book rushes towards to that moment from the time when the three women first meet.

The narrative is bookended, somewhat incongruously, by the love life of Prince Philip, who falls for one of the protagonists at the beginning and then is marrying QEII by the end.

A brilliant journey through the workings of Bletchley Park during the heights of it's operations during World war 2. The fact that we all know what went on there now, makes it hard to imagine how secret it's operations were, even to people living in the village, so young men are abused for not doing their bit in the war effort, when they are really saving the lives of thousands. Our three ladies are as different as you can get, Isla, who is trying to break the mould of being a socialite, whilst still having Prince Philip as her boyfriend. Mab, who is determined to marry well and won't let anyone drag her back down into her poverty driven past. And Beth, who has been told she is only good enough to look after her demanding mother, but is an actual code breaking genius. We have the wonderful story of their work and loves during the war interwoven with 1947, where they are no longer friends and Beth has been declared insane, however she has reached out to the two people she knows are enemies knowing they are the only two people that she trusts. Because there is a traitor, and they are still out there... Or is she really mad after all? Absolutely terrific read, great characters, cracking pace, and gave a real feel for what it was like working at Bletchley Park in its heyday

Very good. Full of intrigue and romance. The story focuses on the friendship between 3 women who were based at Bletchley Park during the war and how their friendship lasted after the war and how some secrets will affect this relationship.

I love reading historical fiction about places I’ve been and The Rose Code didn’t disappoint. The description within the plot was spot on, I could picture it all which enabled the story to come alive from the pages. The author did this without over doing it which some writers can do.
The characters were believable, the story flowed and I couldn’t get enough.
I would highly recommend this book to friends to read and enjoy. I was sorry it ended. Please write a sequel.

This was a brilliant book or "topping" to quote one of the characters. I stayed up late needing to finish it. Beth Mab and Osla are unlikely billet mates during the second World War, but they join in the war effort, and the novel becomes so exciting that, as I said, I had to finish. It is a real page turner, and I would recommend it to anyone wanting a good novel, since it would appeal to most people. Thank you for giving me a free copy to netgalley and the publishers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me an early copy of one of my most anticipated books of this year.

Kate Quinn is one of my favourite authors, and she did not disappoint with this latest edition of historical fiction and set in WWII - I’m actually writing this review whilst listening to my ol’ favourite Glenn Miller.
Whilst this was not as gut wrenching as The Alice Network nor were the characters as compelling as those in The Huntress (my hear beats for Nina alone) this was an absolutely stunning piece of historical fiction, and in my eyes, another triumph by the ever wonderful Kate Quinn. There were plot twists, most of which I could see coming, but there were a few that felt like a punch to the gut when they did surface. My dog had to comfort me numerous times.

The friendship and found family aspect of Osla, Beth and Mab was a lovely thing to be mixed into, the romances were believable and not shoved down our throats, The historical details and the precision with which Quinn delivers them to the page made confusing things such as the Enigma code cracking seem relatively easy - you can tell the amount of research that went into this book and it was just a delight from beginning to end.

Kate Quinn is one author I would happily read for the rest of my life.

Trigger Warnings for racial slurs, sexist slurs, attempted gang rape, domestic violence between parent and child, poor conditions in sanatoriums towards mental health patients, in depth descriptions of bomb injuries, and loss of loved ones.

An engrossing and fascinating book exploring the secret lives of the women at Bletchley Park, many of whom have never divulged they worked there. Three very different women are thrown together having been chosen to work at a mysterious place in the middle of nowhere. Osla a society heiress who ends up dating a Greek Prince named Phillip, Mab from the east end who is determined to make something of herself and Beth the spinster daughter of the house they are sent to lodge at. War and enforced secrecy bring pressures to their relationship - those who work at Bletchley only know what they do not what anyone else does. The appalling working conditions ,pressures and odd characters are all beautifully realised and you can imagine yourself amongst them at times. The novel starts with a mysterious coded letter sent to Osla after the war demanding help ,we learn then that the three are estranged but need to work together to expose the traitor in their midst. The dual timeline helps rack up the tension especially towards the end - will the message be deciphered using the Rose Code, which needs unfurling petal by petal.

So this book for me took a while to take off, at no point did I want to give up on it though it was just a little slow but totally picked up at the end to the point I couldn’t put it down. Didn’t see it coming but well worth a read

This was excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed this. Clever, well written and pitch perfect setting the scenes and bringing out the characters. Highly recommended.

My thanks to Kate Quinn, Harper Collins and Net Galley for the ARC of THE ROSE CODE. I loved it. A wonderful story about the clandestine world of Bletchley Park during the Second World War, and the lives of three girls, Osla, Mab, and Beth. Each comes from an entirely different background from the other, making for an interesting premise. My one big question mark is over Beth's decision. Would she or wouldn't she? Should she have or was it hypocritical? Read it and you decide. 5 super stars!

A compelling, albeit it long, read about 3 very different characters, Mab, Osla and Beth, who were based at Bletchley Park during the war. There is an incident with a tragic consequence, which forces the the girls to go their separate ways, but they later reconcile in order to solve the mystery that lead to the forementioned incident.

I thoroughly enjoyed this wartime historical fiction as it was very well researched and totally believable with the exception of the Prince Phillip connection, which I found far fetched.

Another cracking read from Kate Quinn 4.5*

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

An excellent novel. Very engrossing and evocative of a time of great peril. Real page turner. Kept me hooked from start to finish

Thee young women Osla, Mab and Beth come together at Bletchley Park. Sworn to secrecy they work in separate sections. In the present it is 1947 and a royal wedding is taking place. The three women have fallen out, one is in an asylum. What happened, is there a spy, can they break the code. Brilliant from start to finish would recommend

After reading the superb book ‘The Huntress’ by this talented author, I was delighted to be offered Kate Quinn’s The Rose Code. Set in the top secret Bletchley Park throughout the war and it’s aftermath, this book is a beautifully written story of three young ladies thrown together to make a difference in the war torn country. From very different backgrounds, they become firm friends and although they must never speak of the work they do, they find their common plight a bond. The story begins after the war, with Beth in an asylum, Mab living in York with her family and Osla in London preparing for the Royal Wedding of our current Queen. The events that lead up to this scenario are expertly told with the fashions, speech, manners and ways of life becoming vivid imagery in the mind of the reader. The in depth research of the work done at Bletchley is interspersed with the personal stories, hardships and dramas of the staff there. Fact meets fiction with members of the Royal Family, Churchill and real staff of Bletchley mingling seamlessly with the fictional characters of the author’s imagination. I loved the characters, so different yet all typical of the time. Some may find some of the language unacceptable these days, but it is a true reflection of the ignorance shown almost 80 years ago. A lengthy book but one I found difficult to put down and as I said with The Huntress, this is not a genre I usually read but Kate Quinn is so talented, I can’t wait for the next one.

Synopsis
++1940, Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire++
Three very different women are recruited to the mysterious Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes.
Vivacious debutante Osla has the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses – but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, working to translate decoded enemy secrets. Self-made Mab masters the legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and the poverty of her East-End London upbringing. And shy local girl Beth is the outsider who trains as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts.

++1947, London++
Seven years after they first meet, on the eve of the royal wedding between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, disaster threatens. Osla, Mab and Beth are estranged, their friendship torn apart by secrets and betrayal. Yet now they must race against the clock to crack one final code together, before it’s too late, for them and for their country.

I have read Kate Quinn's Second World War books and adored them all this was no exception. When I was given the chance to read this by Netgalley and the publishers I was overjoyed.

These characters are all working at Bletchley Park. Osla is from a wealthy family and is dating Prince Philip I dont know why he was chosen and it did feel odd to imagine him young and / or romantic. Mab is from the East End of London and Beth is a shy girl from the village where Osla and Mab stay to be near Bletchley.
This is a long book which i loved as it gave me more time with the characters I loved every second and especially the finding a traitor element.
I think I will reread The Alice Network and The Huntress again and would so love this in audiobook so I can listen to it as well
I would highly highly recommend and hope Kate Quinn will bring out another book soon

Thank you Netgalley and publishers I am so so grateful

This is a brilliant novel about three very different girls who find themselves working at Bletchley Park during WW2. The period is vividly brought to life by Kate Quinn and the girls all have real personalities and varying backgrounds. There is a lot of detail about how results were achieved at BP and I had never previously considered how physically and mentally demanding the work was. It's no wonder that staff suffered from burn out but then they were really dedicated, especially when there was a "big push" on.

There are a number of historical figures in the story, at least one of whom is still alive, but I didn't really mind that as there is so much factual information that it would not be possible to omit some of them. How could you have a substantial novel (600+ pages) set at Bletchley Park without even a mention of Alan Turing?

People living during these times mostly tried to live life to the full because they had no idea what disaster might shortly befall them. There is thus a lot happening in the story in a fairly short time frame as the girls try to juggle a busy work schedule with some sort of social life.

This is recommended reading, as is a visit to Bletchley Park. The Rose Code is even better than The Huntress.

My gratitude to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

"The Rose Code" by Kate Quinn is an epic, exhilarating story which justifiably recognises the heroic contributions made by the women who worked tirelessly at the famed Bletchley Park facility cracking enemy codes during WWII.

Much has been made in other accounts about the geniuses who built the famous code breaking machines, but this story is an account of the women mostly who worked on the machines to ensure the intercepts were decrypted successfully.

The three main characters, Beth, Mab and Osla from very different backgrounds work in separate sections but find themselves in the same accommodation. They become allies and friends at work and in their personal lives. The Official Secrets Act puts them under immense pressure as they are unable to discuss even with each other the things they come across whilst working.

I flew through the 600+ pages of this book in a few of days with no dip in the tension that sometimes can happen with longer books. The storylines flow together expertly with one or two sweet twists near the end to look forward to.

I had heard Kate Quinn,’s name on the wind whenever any of my bookish pals spoke of Historical Fiction, so I was intrigued by this book.

I sat down and found I had read it in two huge gulps and I cannot recommend it any higher than to say - You forget you are reading a book and are sucked into the lives of some brilliantly formed women and into the hallowed huts at Bletchley Park. Itself. You feel the secrecy, you hear the sounds of brains and wheels whirring. You feel like a spy into a very special world, one that we are still only just truly learning about now.

A great Royal Cameo that does not feel inauthentic despite it’’s inclusion which in another author’s hands might have felt shoe horned. Another rather lovely appearance made me very happy and yet left a feeling of light melancholy This melding of history with a rip roaring adventure that swept me along has made me a fan of Miss Quinn and I will be using the the clock analogy whenever I need to feel clever at a party!

There are few authors for whom I unhesitatingly accept a new manuscript , to read in exchange for a review. Why me? I always ask myself. "Are they desperate for reviewers, because no one else likes it? What am I going to say about it if it's awful?" I have no such fears when it comes to Kate Quinn. I don't think there's a book of hers I haven't loved. (<a href="https://bevbouwer.blogspot.com/2018/07/the-alice-network-by-kate-quinn.html">The Alice Network</a>, <a href="http://bevbouwer.blogspot.com/2018/03/mistress-of-rome-by-kate-quinn.html">The Mistress of Rome</a> being two of my favourites, but <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40245700-the-huntress">The Huntress </a>being outstanding - there are not enough words for how much I loved that book).</p>

With this one, I didn't even read the blurb, I just dived right in. How deliciously refreshing and fabulously entertaining this was.
Set in 1940, in England, we meet dazzling and brilliant Osla who is a whiz at languages - underestimate her at your peril; the rather drab Mab, who has exceptional typing and shorthand skills and thought it "better to live an old maid with a shiny desk and a salary in the bank, proudly achieved through the sweat of her own efforts, than end up disappointed and old before her time thanks to long factory hours and too much childbirth" and Beth, who can solve crossword puzzles in a jiffy. All spinsters, and guess where they land up together? In Buckinghamshire, at Bletchley Park, no other.

For those of you (like me) bingeing on The Crown on Netflix, there's also a dalliance with Prince Phillip, some references to old Dickie (Mountbatten) and many references to the actual characters featuring in that mysterious court of codebreaking, guard of military secrets and house of spies.
Not to mention the royal wedding in 1947 - Prince Philip and Princess Elizabeth. And a race to break some code, and rescue a friend trapped in the Clockwell Sanitorium. All rather exciting stuff for three brainy girls. Who woulda guessed they also had a part to play in the war and its aftermath.

With Kate Quinn, there is always enough mystery, romance, plot, danger and intrigue to keep you glued. Not to mention the intricate and complex relationships between heroines with no end of talent for adventure. Which is as well, because at 656 pages this had me loving every one.

5 scintillating stars from me.