I love reading historical fiction, particularly anything which revolves around World War II, and this was no exception. Set in a small town in Sussex, close to Brighton, John Cook fought in World War I and now, during the Second World War, he becomes part of an auxiliary unit in the countryside, ready to take on the Germans, should they manage to get across the English Channel.
Considering the subject matter, The Last Line was pretty lighthearted and easy to read, John Cook, with all the best intentions, seems to tackle every situation like a bull at a gate, head down and hoping for the best! John, Margaret and Eric were brilliant characters. I loved them and everything they stood for. Take down the baddies at any cost!
Check the trigger warnings before you buy this book, but if you enjoy historical fiction, particularly WWII, then I’d thoroughly recommend it. I gather there is another book in the series on the way and I can’t wait to read that one next.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read and review The Last Line by Stephen Ronson.
About the Book
THE LAST LINE is a blistering action thriller combined with a smart noir mystery, played out expertly against the taut backdrop of the British home front.
May 1940.
With Nazi forces sweeping across France, invasion seems imminent. The English Channel has never felt so narrow.
In rural Sussex, war veteran John Cook has been tasked with preparing the resistance effort, should the worst happen.
But even as the foreign threat looms, it's rumours of a missing child that are troubling Cook. A twelve-year-old girl was evacuated from London and never seen again, and she's just the tip of the iceberg - countless evacuees haven't made it to their host families.
As Cook investigates, he uncovers a dark conspiracy that reaches to the highest ranks of society. He will do whatever it takes to make the culprits pay. There are some lines you just don't cross.
Stephen Ronson grew up in Sussex, and spent a large part of his childhood exploring the woods and fields around Uckfield, many of which were still dotted with reminders of WW2 - pill boxes, tank traps, nissen huts, and graffiti left by soldiers awaiting D-Day.
He is a passionate student of local history, and when he learnt about Auxiliary Units - groups of men who were instructed to lay low during the predicted nazi invasion and lead the fight back, he knew he had to write about a Sussex farmer, one with a love of the land, and a natural desire and ability to get the job done.
Many of the locations and characters in the John Cook series are inspired by real places and real people. In particular, Stephen was inspired by his grandparents, Eric, Bessie, Peter and Vera, each of whom did their bit on the home front.
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