Description

‘Thrilling, terrifying and entertaining in equal measure’ Liz Nugent, Number One Bestselling author of Strange Sally Diamond

February 1944. Six months since Nazi forces occupied Rome.

Inside the beleaguered city, the Contessa Giovanna Landini is a member of the band of Escape Line activists known as ‘The Choir’. Their mission is to smuggle refugees to safety and help Allied soldiers, all under the nose of Gestapo boss Paul Hauptmann.

During a ferocious morning air raid a mysterious parachutist lands in Rome and disappears into the backstreets. Is he an ally or an imposter? His fate will come to put the whole Escape Line at risk.

Meanwhile, Hauptmann’s attention has landed on the Contessa. As his fascination grows, she is pulled into a dangerous game with him – one where the consequences could be lethal.

‘As thrilling, beautiful and sensational a novel as you’ll read this year or any year’ Donal Ryan,, Sunday Times

‘Vivid and moving’ Guardian

‘Excellent…rings so emotionally true and clear… The writing has the energy and tension of a thriller, yet the language is rich, visual and beautiful’ Sunday Independent

Publisher Review

There is no finer writer of historical fiction than Joseph O’Connor. . . Beautifully written, warm and witty, this story of a terrorised city is a must-read. Thrilling, terrifying and entertaining in equal measure. — Liz Nugent, Number One Bestselling author of STRANGE SALLY DIAMOND It was hard to turn pages fast enough to keep up with the rapid-fire pace of The Ghosts of Rome. Joseph O’Connor lures readers into a little known, but important, facet of World War II history and keeps them hooked until the very last page. — Marie Benedict, New York Times bestselling author of THE MYSTERY OF MRS. CHRISTIE Pulse-pounding. . . O’Connor captivates with his vigorous portrayal of wartime Rome * Publishers Weekly * Breathtakingly good writing – O’Connor puts you right there, centre stage in the story and never lets you go — Peter James, on MY FATHER’S HOUSE O’Connor is on stellar form with this ensemble thriller…an expert storyteller * Daily Mail, on MY FATHER’S HOUSE * A masterwork… so urgent, so incredibly alive… A searing and beautiful example of storytelling’s infinite importance — Donal Ryan, on MY FATHER’S HOUSE Impressive and pleasurable…evokes a city in peril with wonderful vitality * Financial Times, on MY FATHER’S HOUSE * A literary thriller of the highest order…his razor-sharp dialogue is to be savoured, and he employs dark humour to great effect. The plot twists keep on coming * Observer, on MY FATHER’S HOUSE * A mesmerising, tragic, horrifying, utterly unputdownable story. . . A deeply affecting read with an ending that’s sad yet life affirming, this is an outstanding choice for fans of WWII fiction and of writers like Anthony Doerr * Booklist *