The Staffymum's Book Nook: True Stories

Amazon (out of print)
Published: 23rd December 2011

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Jack Knife is the story of Paul Horner’s journey as a fully operational police officer working at some for the busiest and hardest police stations within the State of New South Wales (NSW) in which I had the privilege of being both an apprentice and a leader.

Paul discusses his career from beginning to end and the failing of the system which he trusted and believed in as a result of the lessons learned and instilled whilst at the police academy.

Jack Knife is about trust. It is about loyalty. It is about mateship. It is about courage and determination. It is about trusting others with your life and others trusting you with theirs.

Jack Knife not only discusses integrity and human rights, but raises questions relating to ‘normal standards’ within our society, and debates them from a logistical aspect and environment in which I was subjected to.

Jack Knife contains a range of operational police stories varying between saving peoples lives through to almost losing his own and an array of stories in between. His story gives the reader an insight into his life as a policeman and his demise thereafter. He discusses issues that he has personally lived through and been apart of, and in many cases most people have only seen on television.

Ultimately Jack Knife has been written to educate, not only serving police officers and their families, but the general public. This book is the TRUTH as to what really goes on behind the front line of the policing world. Paul has written this book with the intention of assisting those that have been diagnosed with PTSD. In addition he wishes to put positive pressure on every Police Force within Australia to change their ways so that the engine room of the force is looked after the way in which they deserve to be looked after and treated with respect, just as the management expect our police to treat members of the public.

After all police are human too and deserve to be treated like human beings as opposed to the robots we are publicly, at times, made out to be by police management and the media.

Jack Knife is an all inspiring book about, not only the NSW Police Force, but a policeman with two arms, two legs and a heartbeat. In other words a regular human being just doing his best to serve his State the only way he knew how.

MY THOUGHTS:

Where do I start to review such a book? I cannot say "story" because it is so much more than that. It's one of endurance, of suffering in silence, of trauma, of self discovery and self worth; it's a journey to hell and back through the mire and coming out the other side, a little bedraggled and a little worse for wear but alive. JACK KNIFE is filled with adrenaline-pumping action from the front line and the toll it took. Why? Because of the failure to ensure their officers were at all times safe, both physically and mentally, and to provide adequate support when needed. It's a story that needs to be told so that no one else has to go through what ex-Senior Constable Paul Horner had to.

JACK KNIFE opens with the promise of dreams as Paul recounted his lifelong dream to be a police officer, despite his ineligibility at the time due to not attaining his Higher School Certificate (HSC) which was a requirement to enter the police academy. He did, however, go on to do other jobs - some he enjoyed, others he hated. But it was his employment as a prison officer with the NSW Corrective Services that gave him the adequate experience to enter the police academy and therefore pursue his lifelong dream of becoming that police officer.

Paul recounts his time in the academy and through its various phases, some of which was surprising given the level of dedication that was ultimately required by all serving officers upon graduation and, after a probationary period, becoming a constable of police. He recounts throughout the "police family" of which he was told about who would "have his back" and that he was now part of a bigger family. This gave him the confidence to go out into the big wide world and undertake his duties as a serving police officer, with his first posting at Mt Druitt Police station. Anyone from this part of western Sydney will be familiar with the stigma around Mt Druitt and its suburbs, therefore making this police station one of the busiest...particularly in western Sydney. I'm guessing it was an eye opener but at the same time it was nothing compared with what was to come.

After serving three years at Mt Druitt, Paul and his fiance (also a serving police officer) moved to Bourke in the NSW Central West and pretty much the middle of nowhere for the three year tenure. I doubt I could last three days, let alone three years there! If I thought Mt Druitt was an eye opener, what did that make Bourke? I can't begin to outline what he endured out there but I'm guessing it was like a council estate (in the outback no less) on steroids. The violence, the disrespect, the crime, the hate and did I mention the violence? It goes without saying that criminals generally have little respect for police and that only just scratches the surface here. The hate within the community (some of which were segregated) is so ingrain, so deep for those they see as "intruders", and particularly towards police, that the level of violence that they face on a daily...or rather a nightly basis...is nothing if not short of mind-blowing. I had heard vague stories alluded to but having it depicted first hand just left me speechless. And it is no wonder Paul found himself in the position down the track that he did. I found myself wishing him out of Bourke myself and couldn't wait till he finished his three years and moved on to greener pastures on the north coast in beautiful Byron Bay. But by then, the damage had already been done.

And so the story unravels through the most common means of all - alcohol. And Paul begins the biggest fight of his life...for his life and his career, but most of all, for himself.

JACK KNIFE tells a no holds barred story of one man's dream that became a reality and turned into a nightmare. And when he needed the support from management (top brass), there was none. Where was this so-called family? Nowhere to be found. The same people who demanded results by any means turned their backs on him when he suffered as a result of delivering them what they wanted. It's all about arse-covering and looking out for oneself. There is no brotherhood, no family to be found there. And no support network in a place where it is needed most for those who have to see and deal with situations none of us couldn't even ever dream of.

I recall the fact that police officers who took their own lives (as a direct result of the work they undertook as serving officers) were forbidden to be included on the police Wall of Remembrance. I was outraged on their behalf. Only those who died in the line of duty were listed there. But what is putting your service pistol into your mouth and blowing your head off because you can't erase those images, those smells, those horrors from being imprinted on your brain? So instead you choose to blow them all over the wall? What is that (albeit indirectly) if not in the line of duty? If they had never witnessed those atrocities and scenes, they would never have needed to pull the trigger? So why could they not be included on the Wall of Remembrance too? They damn well deserve it!

Thankfully Paul did not take his life, despite coming close to it. Instead he has drawn on his experiences to help educate others and in the process try and make a change to the system that just doesn't care about anyone but themselves. Paul's journey is horrendous and heartbreaking and I found myself in tears many a time...and by the end I could hardly see for the mistiness in my eyes. What makes this story all the more heartfelt is I know Paul. Or rather, I knew him. I was at the same school as him and he was one of my brother's best friends. I remember him as a little guy who used to goof around with my brother. I can hardly articulate him as the same guy who experienced these atrocities - both in the line of duty and by the service that swears to protect others but funnily enough, not each other.

His story follows his journey through PTSD as a result of doing the job he so loved doing. It's a tough job and it's a hard job, and it's not for everyone. And after reading this, I'm so glad I never followed my own (passing) childish dreams of becoming a police officer...because it is one in which I know I would never have survived. Not after reading this. My view of the NSW Police was dimmed after reading Gary Jubelin's eye opening "I Catch Killers" and the appalling treatment he received by the so-called police family when they threw him under the bus after thirty years of loyal service. I can safely say my view is even more dimmed now. I have always respected police and the job they did, the crap that is thrown at them on a daily basis. But it is so hard to respect a service that fails to protect or look after it's own when they really need it. They all turn out in droves to pay tribute and farewell those who gave their lives in the line of duty but where are they when those same officers turn to them for help or support?

The defence forces are filled with people who are given accolades for their service to their country and so much support is thrown at them for those that return suffering PTSD as a result. Yet there is no such support for a service that is in place to protect the public and everyone in our own country! Why not? Police officers are subjected to horrific sights just as the defence forces are and their experiences should not be minimised in any way just because we do not live in a war zone. Although I would think Bourke sometimes resembled a war zone by the behaviour, violence and hate directed towards police there.

At the time of publication, there wasn't the support that was so needed by Paul and some of his colleagues who needed it. There may well be something in place now but as to what extent, I've no idea. Given how quickly they shafted Gary Jubelin just a few years ago, I'd say not a lot has changed in management.

I found JACK KNIFE to be an enlightening, if not harrowing, read at times and my heart went out to Paul reading all that he experienced and the loneliness he felt throughout those times. It is such a shame that this book is now out of print and I had to hunt around for a copy before finally finding one on eBay. If you can get your hands on this book, whether on eBay or browsing a secondhand bookshop, I urge you to grab it and read it. You won't be sorry.

Thank you Paul, for letting us into your world and witnessing your journey from that idealistic young boy to the disillusioned man before becoming the positive influence your experience has made you today.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

My name is Paul Horner. I am an Ex Senior Constable of 11 years with the NSW Police Force. I was medically discharged following a diagnosis of PTSD as a result of the violence and trauma I experienced in my duties as a fully operational police officer. I have since written a book of my experiences, my diagnosis of PTSD and my medical discharge which unfortunately so many police have fallen victim too. I have written this book with the best of intentions, that being to educate police and their families about PTSD, how one accumulates it, and how to tell the warning signs and treat it so that others don’t go through what I and so many others have gone through.

Social media links:

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Thursday, 18 August 2022

REVIEW: Inside Job by Dr Rebecca Myers

Inside Job by Dr Rebecca Myers

Genre: Biography & Memoirs, Non Fiction, True Crime, True Stories

Read: 18th August 2022

Published: 18th August 2022

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

And here I am. Totally alone in a cell with a convicted sex offender who is free to do what he wants. There is no officer. No handcuffs. No radio. Only the man across the desk and me. He looks more petrified than I do.

HMP Graymoor. One of the UK’s most notorious prisons. Home to nearly 800 murderers, rapists and child molesters.

Reporting for her first shift inside is Rebecca: twenty-two, newly graduated – and about to sit down with some of the country’s most dangerous criminals.

In this gripping, hard-hitting memoir, forensic psychologist Dr Rebecca Myers revisits her time in the ‘Hot Seat’ with Graymoor’s infamous inmates – who might not be as different to us as we think.

This is as close as we can get to knowing what really goes on inside the damaged minds behinds bars.

MY THOUGHTS:

EXTRACT: "Society does not want or welcome sexual violence and child abuse, and rightly so. Incarcerated men who have committed sexual offences, especially against children, are seen as the scum of society. My experience has taught me that underneath it all they are not so different from the rest of us.

However, I wouldn't want my compassionate view of the men as being (whatever is) normal, worthwhile and deserving of a second chance to be misinterpreted as sympathy or condoning their actions. It certainly is not. Yet if we can try and treat men who committed sexual offences this way, then we stand a much better chance of success. And so do they. We know that vilifying, stigmatising and ostracising these men does not help. If we shun and isolate them, deny them jobs and a sense of purpose, then the paradox is that they are MORE likely to reoffend...

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of men convicted of sexual offences desist (stop) naturally.

Your new neighbour might be someone who was neglected, sexually abused, mercilessly beaten and made to watch his mother being raped while he was tied to a radiator. And all before the age of ten years old, while his impressionable brain was still growing. I have absolutely no doubt you have rescued him from such a cruel horror as a young child if you could. Damaged children grow up. Now that child is an adult, can you find it in yourself to lay a role in helping him live safely in our society? It is a question we ALL need to be asking ourselves, and with the bigger picture in mind: the prevention of sexual violence."

Just wow! This has to be one of the most powerful books I have ever read. And non-fiction is usually my genre as I tend to fall asleep at the drone of factual text, but INSIDE JOB is presented in such a way we as the reader are drawn in from the start. We are made to feel a part of the programme in which these men are a part. It is eye-opening, raw and traumatic on many levels. These men are the scum of society and yet they are human too. This book takes us inside the Sexual Offenders Treatment Programme that was run throughout the UK prison system with Dr Rebecca Myers facilitating and then training further facilitators. We get to see first-hand how taxing it is for those who run the programme and how it changes their perception of the world around them too.

INSIDE JOB is honest, insightful and even disturbing at times but also challenges the reader in any pre-conceived perceptions they may have. Myers' account of her experience is astute and honest as she freely admits to the mistakes she made, both personally and professionally, in her early years as a prison psychologist at the Category A HMP Graymoor, one of the UK's most notorious prisons. She worked solely with sex offenders and murderers, running the Core-SOTP and Extended SOTP, a CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) rehabilitation programme designed for offenders to recognise their behaviours and those that lead to their offending. The accounts of each of the men in the SOTP groups are harrowing, disturbing but incredibly raw. No one is left untouched by the disturbing darkness that descends of the horrors that then change the way that they see the world outside of the prison walls.

It is interesting to note the struggle that Myers herself was faced with, finding the crimes abhorrent whilst still conducting her job with an unbiased perspective. And that despite their heinous crimes, they are still human beings. Focusing on the SOTP brought these men to the forefront and through Myers' account she was able to humanise most of them as they went through the arduous and often harrowing treatment programme. We then begin to see beyond their offences, as abhorrent as they are, to the men and before that to the children they had once been...not as an excuse but often recognising them as the defining moments in the life of an impressionably aged young child. It definitely pulls at the heartstrings in places though none of what took place before excuses their offences...however, it does lead to an explanation of certain behaviours which are learnt at those impressionable young ages.

As a societal taboo, it is also widely perceived and accepted that these offenders cannot be rehabilitated but the truth is that in many cases they can be. Through SOTP they are given a sense of understanding of their behaviours which lead to their offences and why. Of course, not all offenders can be rehabilitated as they aren't open to the treatment being offered them. In actual fact, some treat it as a joke. Kyle is one point in case. Some make little progress while others come on leaps and bounds. I especially like how Myers focused on a particular group of men that we follow throughout the course of the book and as the reader we watch them unravel the puzzle, draw their life maps and gain an understanding as to their behaviour and the effects it had on their victims. Again, it is raw and insightful.

Throughout the book, Myers shows compassion and humanity and understanding as she develops something akin to a relationship with these men, as well as her wisdom in perceiving the parallels with her own life and how in many ways she saw herself as being like those men she was treating. Her own behavioural patterns were not so far from theirs and she found that both eye-opening and humbling.

Myers concludes her account with reports of the problems the SOTP faced along with its changes and modifications. To cease all types of treatment programmes would be redundant because the overall idea behind prison is for addressing offending behaviour and rehabilitation as well as punishment. To just punish would serve no purpose. INSIDE JOB is an eye opening and insightful read about the often dangerous offenders behind bars and the efforts in trying to change their behaviour and reduce sexual offending.

INSIDE JOB is a fascinating and engrossing read that just blew me away. It is not an easy read by any means, given the subject matter, but it is insightful and informative with achingly honest, raw and reflective. I liked how she ended with the outcome of some of those she encountered at that time, though it is a shame we never learnt the outcome of them all. I would have been interested to see how well, or not, some of those truly fared.

Overall, I highly recommend INSIDE JOB but it not for the faint hearted. Be prepared that this is not a glossed over account. It is in depth, raw and disturbing in places as it is not for everybody. I highlight the fact that it most definitely comes with trigger warnings such as descriptions of rape, murder and child abuse as well as psychopathy, sexual crimes and misogyny.

I would like to thank #DrRebeccaMyers, #NetGalley and #HarperCollinsUK for an ARC of #InsideJob in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Dr Rebeccca Myers is a forensic psychologist. Possessing only an undergraduate degree in psychology, she went straight into working in a male maximum-security prison, providing intensive therapy to rapists, child molesters and murderers. She has since spent 25 years assessing, treating and researching high-risk men who have committed violent and sexual crimes and, as such, has a rare insight into their mindset. She also trains and supervises staff/trainee psychologists and has disseminated and published her research at a national and international level.

Friday, 27 May 2022

REVIEW: Ashes by Christopher de Vinck

Ashes by Christopher de Vinck

Genre: Historical fiction, True Stories, Fact with Fiction, Holocaust

Read: 27th May 2022

Published: 18th August 2020

★★★ 3.5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

A deeply touching novel about two young women whose differences, which once united them, will tear them apart forever, during Hitler’s Nazi occupation of Belgium and France. Based on true events.

For fans of All The Light We Cannot See and The Tattooist of Auschwitz.

Belgium, July 1939: Simone Lyon is the daughter of a Belgium national hero, the famous General Joseph Lyon. Her best friend Hava Daniels, is the eldest daughter of a devout Jewish family. Despite growing up in different worlds, they are inseparable.

But when, in the spring of 1940, Nazi planes and tanks begin bombing Brussels, their resilience and strength are tested. Hava and Simone find themselves caught in the advancing onslaught and are forced to flee.

In an emotionally-charged race for survival, even the most harrowing horrors cannot break their bonds of love and friendship. The two teenage girls, will see their innocence fall, against the ugly backdrop of a war dictating that theirs was a friendship that should never have been.

MY THOUGHTS:

Inspired by true events, ASHES is the touching tale of two women and the bond of friendship between them. Simone is the daughter of a war hero, General Joseph Lyon, whereas Hava is the eldest daughter of a Jewish family.

Despite growing up in vastly different families, the two girls were inseparable. But then in the spring of 1940, the Germans invade Belgium and the friends are separated from their families with only each other for support. Forced to flee the only life they've known, they then find themselves caught in the crossfire of the Germans' onslaught but not even war can break the bonds of friendship.

In a heartwrenching tale of hope and horror in equal measure, ASHES begins powerfully as we follow the two friends' journey, their strength and resilence, their joys and sorrows. The tale tells of the differences that once united them and how they are now torn apart by Hitler's Nazi occupation.

Well written and at times heartwrenching, ASHES is well paced and keeps the reader engaged throughout. The ending, however, was a little rushed but it still left us with a poignant memory of the horrors of war and the resilient journey of these two women.

I may have been half-hearted in my enjoyment of this story because I have read so many similar tales in recent times that I just feel a little overwhelmed and all Nazi-occupation-taled-out. Had it not been for that factor I may have enjoyed it more...though it was still a good read.

I would like to thank #ChristopherDeVinck, #NetGalley and #HarperInspire for an ARC of #Ashes in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Christopher de Vinck is a teacher and the author of eleven books and numerous articles and essays for publications such as the Wall Street Journal and Reader’s Digest. He delivers speeches on faith, disabilities, fatherhood, and writing, and has been invited to speak at the Vatican. He is the father of three and lives in New Jersey with his wife.

His essays on everyday life have been published in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, Reader’s Digest, Good Housekeeping, The Chicago Tribune, The Dallas Morning News, The National Catholic Reporter, and used in high school and college textbooks as samples of good writing.

He has won two Christopher Awards, which celebrates authors whose work looks at the ‘highest values of the human spirit’. His essays have been selected three times for ‘Best Column’ by the National Catholic Press Association. His essay The Power of the Powerless praised by, among many others President Ronald Reagan, was selected by Christianity Today as one of the ten ‘Best Biographies and/or Autobiographies’ of this past century, which also included the works of C.S. Lewis, Thomas Merton, and Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn.

Friday, 11 February 2022

REVIEW: The White Rose Network by Ellie Midwood

The White Rose Network by Ellie Midwood

Genre: Historical fiction, WW2, True stories

Read: 4th February 2022

Published: 9th February 2022

★★★ 3 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Based on a true story, an unputdownable and utterly heartbreaking World War 2 page-turner

1943, Germany: “I won’t be able to live if anything happens to you,” she whispered into his ear as they said goodbye, not knowing if they would ever see each other again. The White Rose Network brings to life the incredible true story of Sophie Scholl––one of history’s bravest women, who risked everything to lead a revolution against darkness.

Sophie was born to be a rebel, raised by parents who challenged the brutal Nazi regime. Determined to follow in their footsteps, she leaves for university, defying Hitler’s command for women to stay at home.

On her first day in Munich, Sophie’s brother Hans introduces her to his dear friend. When she meets Alexander, with his raven-black hair and brooding eyes, she knows instantly that she isn’t alone. There are more courageous souls like her, who will fight against evil.

Together, and with others who also refuse to back down, they form the White Rose Network. In an underground vault, Sophie and Alexander conspire in whispers, falling in love as they plot against Hitler. Promising her heart to Alexander is the most dangerous act of all––with each risk they take, they get closer to capture.

As snowflakes fall on a frosty February morning, Sophie and her brother scatter Munich University with leaflets calling for resistance: “We will not be silent; we will not leave you in peace!”

But their lives hang in the balance, with the secret police offering a reward to anyone with information on the White Rose Network. It is only a matter of time before the Gestapo closes in… And when Sophie is imprisoned in an interrogation room, staring a Nazi officer in the eye, will she take their secrets to her grave? Will she sacrifice her freedom for love?

Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Alice Network and The Lilac Girls will be completely gripped by this heartbreaking and addictive page-turner. This inspirational tale shows that, in the face of evil, giving up is not an option…

MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Ellie Midwood's heartbreaking tale #TheWhiteRoseNetwork.

Based on true events, THE WHITE ROSE NETWORK is the fictionalised story of Hans and Sophie Scholl, resistance fighters campaigning against the Nazi fascist regime during Hitler's reign during World War 2. Raised on truth and justice, their parents instilled in them the courage to challenge the injustice which they then found themselves in.

Hans, already in the Wehrmacht as medical aid (so he does not have to spill the blood of another human being), lives in Munich where his sister Sophie would join him as one of the very few women allowed to attend university. Upon moving to Munich, Sophie then meets her brother's friends who thus make up the White Rose network and is excited to join them in the cause, fighting for Germany's freedom. Amongst the friends is Alexander, half Russian and half German, with whom Sophie falls in love with despite being engaged to another away fighting at the Front. This is primarily her story.

Beginning in February 1943 after her capture for distributing a shower of leaflets at the university alongside Hans, Sophie is interrogated by KriminalKommissioner Robert Mohr who, as a vetran in the police, now works as a highly skilled interrogator with the Gestapo. His job is to elicit the truth and the wider expanse of their network. But what he experiences in her presence makes him question himself and his very reason for being there. Sophie is an extraordinary young woman, courageous beyond belief, and is not afraid to stand up for her belief in the injustice facing their country. Their tête-a-têtes in the interrogation room are some of the best scenes in the book as his truths versus hers are challenged creating something of an enigmatic contradiction in its place.

I had heard of Sophie Scholl and the White Rose network before picking up this book, but this story delves deeper into the lives of both Hans and Sophie and the depth of their involvement right up to the end. Although we know how the story ends, it doesn't stop the reader from hoping for the best whilst knowing without a doubt to expect the worst.

An inspirational story of a time long since past but never forgotten, THE WHITE ROSE NETWORK is a tribute of sorts to those men and women who gave up their lives for the social injustices that shrouded their much-loved country through Hitler's fascism. They gave their lives so that Germany may have a better future...in freedom.

As thought-provoking and heartfelt as it was, I found the story itself a little too political...and yet, that is exactly what the White Rose were fighting against. But that is just a reflection of my own personal tastes. It was certainly inspiration and heartfelt, but yes...too political for my tastes. But don't let that dissuade you because it is an incredible story of bravery and courage in the midst of injustice.

However, my favourite part of the entire book is the very last page...revealing that the heart and soul of the White Rose truly lived on.

I would like to thank #EllieMidwood, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheWhiteRoseNetwork in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Ellie Midwood is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning historical fiction author. She owes her interest in the history of the Second World War to her grandfather, Junior Sergeant in the 2nd Guards Tank Army of the First Belorussian Front, who began telling her about his experiences on the frontline when she was a young girl. Growing up, her interest in history only deepened and transformed from reading about the war to writing about it. After obtaining her BA in Linguistics, Ellie decided to make writing her full-time career and began working on her first full-length historical novel, The Girl from Berlin.' Ellie is continuously enriching her library with new research material and feeds her passion for WWII and Holocaust history by collecting rare memorabilia and documents.

In her free time, Ellie is a health-obsessed yoga enthusiast, neat freak, adventurer, Nazi Germany history expert, polyglot, philosopher, a proud Jew, and a doggie mama. Ellie lives in New York with her fiancé and their Chihuahua named Shark Bait.

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Thursday, 20 January 2022

REVIEW: The Hidden Village by Imogen Matthews

The Hidden Village (Wartime Holland #1) by Imogen Matthews

Genre: Historical fiction, Holocaust, WW2

Read: 14th January 2022

Published: 17th January 2022

★★★★ 4.5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

A Nazi soldier slams his rifle into her father’s head. From her hiding place, Sofie stifles a scream as tears roll down her face. Suddenly she can’t take it any more. ‘Stop, stop!’ she sobs, rushing out and pushing the soldier away. And then freezes, as he snarls and whips the gun round to point at her…

Holland, 1943: the Nazis are in occupation. German soldiers patrol the streets, and each week more families disappear without trace, never to be seen again. So when armed soldiers storm Sofie’s house and threaten her father at gunpoint, she knows their time – and luck – has run out.

Fleeing in the middle of the night to hide in a neighbour’s secret attic, the constant threat of a German raid means they can’t stay long. So Sofie’s parents make the heart-rending decision to send their daughter away. Concealed in the woods is a secret village, built by the town as a haven for Jewish families like Sofie’s. Remote, cold and bleak, yet filled with the hopeful laughter of children playing, it is the one place Sofie has the chance to live.

But rumours of the hidden village have been swirling, and the Nazis are determined to find it. As soldiers patrol the woods in ever-greater numbers, snow cuts the villagers off from the outside world and starvation sets in. Sofie knows what she must do, even though it means putting herself in danger. And when the worst happens, Sofie is faced with a terrible decision – save the village, or save herself…

An absolutely heart-breaking and gripping WWII historical novel based on the true story of an entire town who put themselves in danger to keep strangers safe. What happens will restore your faith in humanity. Fans of Fiona Valpy, The Tattooist of Auschwitz and The Choice will never forget this incredibly moving tale and the real-life heroes who inspired it.

MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Imogen Matthews' inspiring tale of THE HIDDEN VILLAGE.

Upon reading the premise for THE HIDDEN VILLAGE I immediately became intrigued as it offered something a little different than your usual Holocaust stories. The author was inspired by her own Dutch family's tales of their personal experiences during wartime Holland and though based on actual events, it is otherwise entirely fictional.

A compelling tale, THE HIDDEN VILLAGE comes across as an easy read for young adults to understand which is what I particularly liked as it wasn't bogged down with historical facts that tend to lose me in the quagmire. It was written in an easy to understand way featuring all young children and adults as the main perspectives.

It is not clear which year what year it is when the story begins, as with most books of this genre, so it is therefore left to the reader's imagination. It starts of with the innocence of childhood as Sofie, a young Jewish Dutch girl, grumbles about the teacher overlooking her abilities despite her topping her class in a maths test. She is too busy harbouring a resentment for Oscar with whom she shares a teenage affection and flits between being annoyed with him and being in love with him. Her best friend Liesbeth nudges her playfully which only makes Sofie frown more.

Oscar is the same age as Sofie and though he is not Jewish, he and his family do not welcome the Nazi occupation. His father Max is strict but reasonably fair as he works for the underground movement in helping to keep those in danger from the Germans safe. His mother Sara is English and while she is not involved in the underground she silently supports it. No one wants or welcomes a Nazi regime in Holland. And while Oscar yearns to see more of Sofie, circumstances soon make that impossible.

Then there is Oscar's 11 year old brother Jan, a young tearaway who gets himself into mischief with his two friends Nico and Lex. Together they roam the woods, despite being told countless times by his mother not to, looking for fun and adventure. Fate brings fallen pilots to their den in the woods as Jan endeavours to help the airmen. And while the woods are not teeming with Germans yet, they could be and so Jan brings the pilot home to keep him safe. Was that a wise move? Jan didn't care because now he was playing a part in a big adventure and for him it was exciting.

Then when the net closes in and Germans begin to steal the Jews away, forbidding them any birthright or privilege, the villagers know the time has come when they must hide them. And so plans are made...

A secret purpose-built village deep in the Veluwe woods called Berkenhout. There dozens of persecuted people, mostly Jews, were sheltered in the underground huts that soon became home for them. They were helped by a community of men, women and children from the nearby village who gather food and other necessities for all those who were hidden there. The need for secrecy was paramount and instilled in anyone who knew of its existence...for a betrayal could cost many of them their lives.

Sofie was one of the first to be hidden in Berkenhout where she moved in with a family of strangers who soon became a second family to her. Her own parents went to a Dutch family who only had room for two of them, thereby paving the way for Sofie to live in Berkenhout. There she learnt how to cook under surrogate mum Corrie's guidance and even set up a little school alongside Laura, another girl her age who was from Ghent in Belgium. Together they taught the younger children and created activities to keep them occupied. It was not an easy life but it was one they adapted to. And all the while, Sofie longed to see Oscar and spend a few moments alone with him.

Oscar and his family worked tirelessly with others to keep Berkenhout and its inhabitants secret and safe. Even Sofie's best friend Liesbeth helped with gathering supplies for the village. Jan longed to be privy to whatever secrets were being kept from him and his yearning to help often put them in danger. Berkenhout must remain secret; its inhabitants kept safe.

But little did they know that trouble was a lot closer than they thought...

The easy style of this story made it an enjoyable quick read I devoured in a day. I wondered how on earth you could hide an entire village from discovery but the people of this village did just that to all intents and purposes. And that's what compelled me to read this story as it didn't read like any other Holocaust tale I have come across. I have read many Auschwitz like stories and after a while they all become too similar...so I was after something similar but different. And THE HIDDEN VILLAGE is just that.

The sheer terror at being discovered by the Germans is felt upon the pages - by both adults and children alike. Such as when Jan hides in the woods from the Nazi officers he encounters. So it was difficult to appreciate their courage as well as their fears in helping those in this hidden village.

I thoroughly enjoyed THE HIDDEN VILLAGE but I do however have one complaint. The ending. The story was unfolding at a perfect pace with the reveal of a major event when suddenly the last chapter jumps twenty years to a whole other era and I felt like...what just happened? It felt rushed and unexplained and it almost leaves the reader feeling a little bit cheated having invested so much in getting to know the characters. I don't even know what happened to some of them. And one explanation from Henk Hauer was just unbelievable. Just no. Maybe we'll get more answers in the sequel "Hidden in the Shadows"...

Despite this, THE HIDDEN VILLAGE is a thoroughly engrossing read and a very easy one at that. Perfect for fans of historical fiction, particularly those surrounding the Holocaust and the underground movement working against the Nazi regime.

I would like to thank #ImogenMatthews, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheHiddenVillage in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Imogen Matthews writes novels based on true stories about the Netherlands during the German occupation in World War 2. Some stories she discovered by chance, others are based on her Dutch mother's own experiences of hardship and survival during the Hunger Winter of 1944-45.

Her first novel, The Hidden Village, is set in the Veluwe woods, a beautiful part of Holland that Imogen has visited frequently over the past 30 years. It was in these woods that she discovered the story of the real hidden village which provided shelter in underground huts for Jews during WW2. Imogen retells the story of the hidden village with characters drawn from real life and from her imagination.

Within weeks of publication in 2017, The Hidden Village became an international bestseller, ranking at the top of a number Amazon's most-read book lists.

Following on from The Hidden Village comes Hidden in the Shadows, which has the pace of a thriller yet is also a love story. It tells the story about two young people who are brutally torn apart and must find a way to be together against all odds.

Imogen's third WW2 novel, The Girl Across the Wire Fence, is set in Amersfoort, Netherlands, and is based on the unforgettable tale of two young lovers who risked everything to keep hope alive in the very depths of hell - the little known Dutch concentration camp called Kamp Amersfoort.

Imogen's WW2 novels are published by Bookouture, a digital imprint of Hachette.

Learn more about Imogen's story in this video.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

Saturday, 23 October 2021

REVIEW: When the Nightingale Sings by Suzanne Kelman

When the Nightingale Sings by Suzanne Kelman

Genre: Historical fiction, Wartime fiction, True story, WW2

Read: 20th October 2021

Published: 21st October 2021

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

1937, Europe and America. Based on a true story, this powerful novel about wartime courage and extraordinary friendship, tells how two women changed the fate of the Second World War and the course of history.

When an impossibly shy young woman named Judy Morgan finishes her studies in Physics at Cambridge University, it is with dreams of changing the world for the better.

Meanwhile, a beautiful, young Jewish woman decides to flee her beloved Austria, changing her name to Hedy Lamarr, and risking everything to get to America, as far away from the Nazi threat as possible.

A powerful friendship is formed when the two women meet in pre-war London—with Judy’s passion for science a perfect match for Hedy’s brilliant talent for invention. So when the world is gripped by a war that nobody could have imagined in their worst nightmares, both Hedy and Judy know they must act now.

As their lives repeatedly collide, in Cambridge, California, Pearl Harbor and beyond—throwing both their lives into danger and tragedy—Judy and Hedy both find themselves seeking ways to end the war.

But neither of them will know that one of them is on a path of tragedy. A path that could change the outcome of the war, but also threaten their friendship forever…

Fans of The Ragged Edge of Night, My Name is Eva and Beneath a Scarlet Sky, will love this unforgettable story about love, courage and devastation set in World War Two Britain, Hollywood and Pearl Harbor. Based on two true stories of amazing ‘hidden women’ who changed the world, this novel shows the power of friendship in the darkest hours of history.

MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Suzanne Kelman's unforgettable story of friendship and courage WHEN THE NIGHTINGALE SINGS.

This story begins in part in Cambridge where a young Welsh physicist studied for a degree she was not permitted to receive, gaining only a certificate to confirm her completion of studies. She went on to work at the Cavendish Lab in Cambridge, developing the technology to confuse the enemy through radar during WW2. That woman was Joan Curran, who was portrayed in this heartwarming and heartbreaking story as Judy Morgan. A woman of great courage, great spirit and great mind who found a special kinship in someone who loved science as she did. Someone who was known as "the most beautiful woman in the world" but largely unknown for the technology she herself invented.

Hedwig Keisler was an unknown Jewish woman from Austria, escaping not only the approaching Nazi regime but a husband with ties to the Third Reich. She found her way to Hollywood via London where she became known as "the most beautiful woman in the world" but she wanted to be known for than that. She had an analytical mind and an interest in physics and invention. It was her and a fellow inventor who came up with the idea of signal hopping - the very foundation upon which Bluetooth, WiFi and cellular technology is based. However, being a woman made it difficult for such innovations to be taken seriously and her "invention" was shelved until the patent ran out, which therefore meant she was largely unrecognised for the design and received no royalties for which she was entitled. She was finally recognised for it in the 1990s but died in 2000 without any royalties. That technology today is worth billions and billions of USD and it was all down to an idea that a woman came up with based upon a piano that plays itself in the 1940s. That woman was the famous actress Hedy Lamarr.

Both women made significant discoveries which would aid the Allies in the fight against the enemy but struggled to be taken seriously or recognised for their worth. Kelman has written before accounts based on true events and fictionalised them but each story is a powerful tale of courage, strength and resilience. WHEN THE NIGHINGALE SINGS is one such story in which a friendship is forged between two women who fought against the odds to be recognised for who they were and on their own merits.

At the beginning of the story, we meet an elderly woman now in her 80s ruminating over the years since past as she prepares for an honourary award of a degree she earned sixty years ago. Although now frail, Judy Jenkins ponders over what has gone before and longs for a reconciliation with her closest friend with whom she had lost contact just before victory over the Japanese was declared in 1945. So many years, so many memories, so much has already passed...but one thing Judy longest for before she too left this earth was to reconcile with Hedy. Just one more time.

Cambridge 1937: Young and shy student Judy Morgan was feeling excited and nervous about completing her studies. She knew she would not be awarded a degree, although she'd earned it, but her greatest wish now was to get a job at the Cavendish Laboratory as a research scientist. En route home to Wales, she decides to visit the Science Museum in London which she has never seen and there she meets Hedwig. The two women find a kinship in one another over their shared love of science and invention and spend an interesting afternoon in a cafe sharing thoughts and ideas. But as the time ticks on, Judy is aware of the last train home to Cardiff is approaching and bids farewell to Hedwig. Before parting, the women exchange addresses with the firm intention to correspond with one another.

Judy returns to Wales and to a letter awaiting her, offering her a position at the Cavendish Lab. She is ecstatic and upon arriving back in Cambridge to begin her new job she is shocked at the attitude of the man she is to be working under, Professor Finnegan, who believes a woman's place is in the home. He pairs her with Tom Jenkins, a similarly shy and self-confident man, but the two form a working relationship that soon becomes a friendship before Tom stutteringly proposes. Judy, of course, accepts and shares her exciting news with Hedwig in her next letter. But life isn't to be easy for Judy - neither in the professional nor the personal front and her struggles soon pave the way for an even bigger event that will change her life.

Austria 1937: Trapped in a loveless marriage to a cruel man, Hedwig Kiesler escapes its confines one night with the help of her maid. She flees first to Paris where she catches up with best friend Stefan, a journalist, before travelling to London in the hope to become an actress. There she meets Judy at the Science Museum and sees in her a woman with whom she shares more than just an interest. It was with a fleeting thought that she suggested they exchange addresses so as to correspond with someone who appreciated her mind and for who she was - more than just a face.

Using most of her the money she could glean from selling some jewellery her maid had expertly sewn into her coat, she bought a passage on the Normandie for America where she attracted the attention of Louis B. Mayer who immediately signed her up with a seven year contract with MGM Studios upon arriving in Los Angeles. But her name was a bit of a mouthful. And it was then that Hedy Lamarr was born.

Over the years, Hedy made a name for herself filming opposite already established and well-known Hollywood names such as Clark Gable and Jimmy Stewart. But she longed to find someone to love her just for her. She rushed into a second marriage after a whirlwind romance with a scriptwriter lasting only two years. She swore off marriage instead focusing on her career but jumped into another marriage with a British actor she'd worked alongside in her first Hollywood movie Algiers some years before. That too didn't last and Hedy was once again left bereft.

Through it all she had her friendship with Judy and was thrilled when she and husband Tom moved to the US to work outside Berkeley on a top secret project for the US military. But in a cruel twist of fate, the two women came face to face with something that came between them and threatened to destroy their friendship. Both Judy and Hedy were strong and resilient and rose above whatever life threw at them, but each of them continued to struggle with things neither of them could or would share...except with each other. Except they couldn't. And so life went on...

I've been a fan of Suzanne Kelman since her historical WW2 fiction debut "A View Across the Rooftops" and have enjoyed each of them since. Well-researched and in a mix of fact and fiction, she weaves a heartbreaking tale of two women who struggled to be recognised for more than who they were seen as. WHEN THE NIGHTINGALE SINGS is an epic tale of their friendship, their resilience, courage and strength in a time when women were not recognised as individuals. While some of the scientific parts went over my head a little, I was still able to appreciate their contributions in the efforts both women made in the inventions of chaff (Judy aka Joan Curran) and signal hopping (Hedy Lamarr).

Of course, I knew the name Hedy Lamarr but I soon found myself googling several times to learn a little bit more about her since I only knew her as a famous Hollywood actress of the 30s and 40s. But as I was to discover, she certainly was more than just "the most beautiful woman in the world". WHEN THE NIGHTINGALE SINGS brings both women's story to life in a heartbreaking way as they each fought battles of their own.

A story of life-long friendships, love, resilience and courage against the backdrop of war, WHEN THE NIGHTINGALE SINGS is a fascinating re-telling of two women's fight to be more than they are seen as, their friendship and the inventions they developed that changed the world.

Perfect for fans of historical wartime fiction and those interested in reading about the unsung heroes of history.

I would like to thank #SuzanneKelman, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #WhenTheNightingaleSings in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Suzanne Kelman is an Amazon International Bestselling author in America, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Her WW2 historical fiction books "A View Across the Rooftops" and "When We Were Brave," together have sold over 150,000 copies and are published by Bookouture - an imprint for Hachette U.K. Her third WW2 Book, Under A Sky on Fire, publishes October 13th, 2020. Kelman's books have also been translated into five languages.

She is also the author of the bestselling book, "The Rejected Writers' Book Club", published by Lake Union, which is the first book in the Southlea Bay series. Other books in the series include, "Rejected Writers Take the Stage" and "The Rejected Writers' Christmas Wedding".

Kelman is an award-winning writer/screenwriter whose accolades include the Best Comedy Feature Screenplay Award from the L.A. International Film Festival, the Gold Award from the California Film Awards, and the Van Gogh Award from the Amsterdam Film Festival.

In 2015 her script, Held, was recognized by the Academy of Motion Pictures and was shortlisted to the top ten in the Academy Of Motion Pictures Nichols Fellowship competition.

As well as a screenwriter and a published author, Suzanne is also a playwright, and her award-winning comedy play, "Over My Dead Body", had its World Premiere at Outcast Theatre in Washington, Fall 2019.

Born in the United Kingdom, Suzanne now resides in Washington State.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

Friday, 8 October 2021

REVIEW: The Girl on the Platform by Ellie Midwood

The Girl on the Platform by Ellie Midwood

Genre: Historical fiction, True story, Wartime fiction, WW2

Read: 3rd October 2021

Published: 13th October 2021

★★★ 3 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Berlin, 1939: The inspiring true story of Libby Schulze-Boysen, a German girl who refused to back down to the Nazis. In the face of evil, she vowed to live by the truth––or die by it.

“Be brave. Don’t run. Fight.” With her eyes tightly shut, tears rolling from under her dark lashes, she felt his lips gently touch her burning cheek. The train on the platform whistled, and he disappeared into the steam.

Libby moves to Berlin to start a new life––as far away as possible from her family and their alliance with the Nazis. But in the city, there’s no escape from Hitler’s brutal regime. And when Libby’s friend vanishes into thin air, she decides she cannot stand back and do nothing…

After Libby makes connections with fellow anti-Nazis, she’s introduced to Harro. Instantly, she knows there’s a story behind his cornflower-blue eyes. The whip marks on his back, scars from the SS, tell his secret: he is a resistance fighter.

Harro draws Libby into the world of the resistance, and as they fall in love, their life grows increasingly dangerous. Becoming a double agent, Libby infiltrates the Ministry of Propaganda. By day, they smuggle classified documents. By night, they hold clandestine meetings by candlelight and plot Hitler’s downfall.

But in the frostbitten winter of 1942, Libby fears that the Gestapo is stalking them––their every move watched, their phone calls recorded. And one day, Harro simply disappears. Will they ever be reunited? Or will everything they’ve risked their lives for be in vain?

Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Alice Network and The Lilac Girls will be utterly gripped by this heartbreaking page-turner. Based on a true story, this beautiful novel shows that even when our freedom is stolen, we still have a choice…

MY REVIEW:

There are a countless amount of books set within or around Germany during the rise and fall of Hitler and the second world war. Many are pure fiction whilst others are fictionalised accounts based on true events and people. Each of them are heartbreaking in their heartfelt recounting of life in Germany under Hitler's harsh regime or in the concentration camps such as Auschwitz. But THE GIRL ON THE PLATFORM is a little different in the fact that is based on the inspiring true story of one woman's refusal to live by the Nazi regime or to back down to them. Through her comes the story of a brave resistance fought to the bitter end as she lived up to her name - Libertas, a freedom fighter - for Germany's freedom.

She was just 19 years old when Libertas (Libs) moved to Berlin in search of freedom from her otherwise suffocating family. But what she finds there is a city under seige by the Nazis. A harsh regime that takes away freedom and liberties from those classified as sub-human - Jews, homosexuals, communists - and "deporting" or rehoming them to death camps or just killing them where they stand for the fun of it. Jewish books are burned, as are those who do not meet the Nazi propaganda requirements, shops are smashed and looted and innocent people disappear without a trace.

Libs gets a job working as a publicist for MGM studios, liaising with journalists and editors. She is horrified to see the stars and famous faces being pulled from the gallery and their nameplates removed only to be replaced with those supporting the new regime under which Germany now finds itself, simply for being or having Jewish ties. Libs believes in freedom but is quickly learning that in the new Germany there is no such thing.

Then whilst sunbathing on her friend's boat one day, wearing a two piece bathing suit made illegal under the new regime as it goes against the Nazi's personification of the good German woman, she meets Harro. Almost at once, the couple are dazzled by the other and begin an affair of sorts living a bohemian lifestyle, also frowned upon by the new regime. Libs know there is more to Harro than his dazzling smile and his blue eyes. The scars on his back, whipped by the SS, tell their own story. Harro is a resistance fighter. and together they will make Germany the people's again.

Working for the Air Ministry, Harro rises through the ranks, infiltrating Nazi secrets. He cringes each time he must laugh at their racist jokes and share in their combined thoughts unified to make Germany great again under the Nazi regime. His position is imperative to gain inside intel into government secrets which he can then move on through their resistance cell to stop Hitler's advance to power. Together, Harro and Libs smuggle classified documents and hold clandestine meetings with blackout curtains under the cover of darkness. And then, they begin to distribute leaflets exposing the Nazi's lies, sending them all over the city and beyond in the hope they will tear down the regime that now strangles their once beloved country.

But after nearly ten years of resistance fighting and three years at war, Libs begins to notice strange occurrences. The same man outside their apartment each night seemingly reading a newspaper, a click on their phone line, a prickling sensation that tells her they are being watched.

And then the unthinkable...Harro disappears. And Libs is frantic with worry trying to find out where he may be. Nothing else matters as long as she can see him again...and only then will they decide what is more important - to be free or to be brave?

THE GIRL ON THE PLATFORM is not what I expected, though I'm not sure what I did expect. After reading "The Girl in the Striped Dress" which I totally loved and bawled my way through, I guess I was expecting something similar, but this story is a different one. It is absorbing as you step into the past and live alongside Libs and Harro but I found it didn't engage me quite as much as "The Girl in the Striped Dress". It is slow to start as Libs begins work with MGM and I wondered what the significance of that was, and in some parts I did find the story drag a little. However, that being said, it is still a heartbreaking story where its end is inevitable, though I didn't find myself reaching for the tissues as I have in other similar tales.

Overall, THE GIRL ON THE PLATFORM is an eye-opening account of life as a resistance fighter living under the radar of the Nazi regime with the threat of death should you be caught. It is most certainly not a life I would embrace but it is one that I admire. They stood up for the truth, for the people and for the good of the Germany they loved and weren't afraid of the consequences. It was most certainly brave and very admirable.

THE GIRL ON THE PLATFORM is perfect for fans of historical fiction who enjoy stories surrounding the Holocaust and wartime Germany and readers of Suzanne Kelman, Lily Graham and Marion Kummerow.

I would like to thank #EllieMidwood, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheGirlOnThePlatform in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Social Media links:

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