Nonesuch
London, 1939. Iris Hawkins is a secretary for stockbrokers Cornellis & Blome, but she’s a would-be financier and the only person at the firm who knows how to work the teleprinter. By night she’s a thrill seeker, but one evening, with the country on the brink of war, she gets more than she bargained for when she meets Geoff, a BBC technician. What should have been a one-night stand takes a bizarre turn, and she finds herself in grave danger. Before long she’s running for her life, and the only person she can turn to for help is Geoff, to see if he can tell her what (not who) is after her and why.
The level of detail is magnificent, not just in the portrayal of the magical realm where angels dwell but in the colours, sights and sounds of London as it transforms from a vibrant, carefree city to a place of devastation due to the relentlessness of the air raids, night after sleepless night; also in the development of Iris’s relationship with Geoff, which changes her forever, in more ways than one.
This novel can be described in four words: cinematic, spectacular, terrifying and devastating. It fits into the ‘secret history’ sub-genre of historical fantasy. Iris also has her own secret history – something happened in her past that influenced her behaviour, which shaped the woman she became. It remains to be seen whether decisions she makes now will irrevocably alter her path, for this is not a standalone; the story is to be continued. I can’t help wondering whether the sequel will contain an alternative version of the events in this novel as a result of the drastic decision Iris makes at the end of it. Highly recommended.
