Welcome to the blog tour to celebrate the release of Kathleen McGurl's historical novel, The Girl from Bletchley Park, today on November 3rd by HQ Digital.
A country at war. A heartbreaking betrayal.
1942. Three years into the war, Pam turns down her hard-won
place at Oxford University to become a codebreaker at Bletchley Park. There,
she meets two young men, both keen to impress her, and Pam finds herself
falling hard for one of them. But as the country’s future becomes more
uncertain by the day, a tragic turn of events casts doubt on her choice – and
Pam’s loyalty is pushed to its limits…
Present day. Julia is struggling to juggle her career, two
children and a husband increasingly jealous of her success. Her brother
presents her with the perfect distraction: forgotten photos of their
grandmother as a young woman at Bletchley Park. Why did her grandmother never
speak of her time there? The search for answers leads Julia to an incredible
tale of betrayal and bravery – one that inspires some huge decisions of her
own…
My Thoughts
The chapters alternate between life in 1942 at Bletchley Park, centred on Pam and a present -day narrative about her granddaughter, Julia. At first sight, the two women have very different lives and pressures, but as the stories develop, you can see that there are similarities around family life, the effect of marriage on a woman's career and trust in relationships. At first, I was more interested in the modern storyline but found that I was quickly hooked in and wanted to learn more about life at Bletchley Park.
This is one of those stories where you will people to wake up and notice what seems pretty obvious to the reader. However, I think both Pam and Julia became so engrossed in their work that that became their focus. The two women are interesting characters who reflect the times they live in. Pam's desire to 'do her bit' for the Country is inspiring and a testament to the courage of the people who worked at Bletchley Park. Julia seems very much of her time too with so much to do in her work and home roles. As secrets are uncovered, you feel the effect on both women and I believed in both characters.
In short: Trust and loyalty are paramount
About the Author
Kathleen McGurl lives near the coast in Christchurch,
England. She writes dual timeline novels in which a historical mystery is
uncovered and resolved in the present day. She is married to an Irishman and
has two adult sons. She enjoys travelling, especially in her motorhome around
Europe.
You can read my review of these books by Kathleen here:
Thanks to Kathleen McGurl, HQ Digital and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.
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