I’ll admit, I was drawn to this by Matthew Sweet’s name as while he is probably better known as a journalist over here, he has done quite a bit of work regarding that finest of television shows, Doctor Who. Primarily documentaries on video releases, but he has also written a number of stories for Big Finish, and us Whovians/Wholigans need to stick together.

But having heard his Big Finish work, I really wasn’t sure what to expect, as they are fairly atypical scripts, due to the more complex themes therein – Proust, for example in the bizarre The Year Of The Pig. They are never less than fascinating and enjoyable – one highlight is The Magic Mousetrap – but you do feel that you’re probably missing, in the case of the Pig, a bunch of incredibly clever Proust jokes.

But this was surprisingly normal. The world building is great, with the characters fully drawn with depth and backstories that never get in the way of the main narrative. The history of the time and the feeling of life in England at this turning point in the war felt particularly real and well done. I did find Jack just a little too good to be true, and I’d have thought more than one person would have noticed “Jack and Jill”, but you feel like you know these people, with the strengths and weaknesses. And yet it never strays far from the mystery plot, whether it be the identity of the traitor, or the murderer (or both – well done for mentioning quite early that they are not necessarily the same person).

I’d have liked some more solid cluing – Jill even says that she solves one part by a little logic and a lot of guesswork – but that is extremely rare in books these days, and this makes up for it by being a very entertaining, engrossing and, at times, moving book, that doesn’t shy away from darkness where necessary. Hopefully there will be more from Jack and Jill in the future.

A crime mystery set in a quiet New Forest village toward the end of WW2. Great period detail, the author captures the intense claustrophobia of a small community. Lots of twists, interesting characters and a tender romance. I enjoyed the novel very much.

I thought this was a great modern take on Golden Age detective stories set in WWII - the novel opens in a field in France before quickly flicking to a quiet English village, highlighting that the war is much closer than it might seem.

There was good period detailing without feeling like the author was trying to prove how much research they'd done. I would have liked to see more of Henry's story and how the spy network realised that they'd been rumbled. Nevertheless, the core characters of Jill and Jack created a good energy for the plot and there were some surprising twists along the way so it was a satisfying read. I also felt that the surrounding cast of characters came together well and were easy to distinguish from each other - often an issue in detective fiction!

I look forward to seeing what comes next from the village of Larkwhistle!

"Summer 1944.

The tide of war is turning. The Allies are at the gates of Paris. But the Nazis have one last chance of victory – and its success depends on a traitor in the quiet English village of Larkwhistle in the New Forest.

When Jill Metcalfe receives the news of her brother Henry’s death from his friend, US Air Force officer Jack Strafford, she learns of more than just his loss – she is recruited to continue his mission."

Within the first chapter of this book I was hooked.
Somehow that author made me feel that I knew what the community was like the politics of village life and the impact of the pressures of 5 years of war.
I was completely immersed in finding out who the traitor Commoner was and I was in that village trying to help.
Highly recommend

Solid crime mystery set in a small New Forest village during WW2, bringing together crime, spies / special operations and romance. Whilst written with a modern eye, i can imagine finding a similar tale in my pile of unread penguins- there’s a traditional feel to the narrative and writing. Matthew Sweet is familar to me from social media and Doctor who videos, this novel feels rather in character. Quietly enjoyable, with well drawn characters and a believable setting.

The tide of war is turning. The Allies are at the gates of Paris. But the Nazis have one last chance of victory – and its success depends on a traitor in the quiet English village of Larkwhistle in the New Forest.

When Jill Metcalfe receives the news of her brother Henry’s death from his friend, US Air Force officer Jack Strafford, she learns of more than just his loss – she is recruited to continue his mission.
Jack has come to the village in the hope that Henry’s cryptic last words will reveal the identity of the traitor he is hunting. With Jill at his side, they begin to investigate. 
But someone doesn’t want them looking into what happened to Henry. And when a body is discovered, it seems like there might be more to this little village – and its inhabitants – than first meets the eye. 
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC, in exchange for an honest review. Quite the ride! Very cinematic in scope and very much had been guessing till the very end.