Parallel Lives

The Girl From Bletchley Park by Kathleen McGurl is a marvellous timeslip novel that captivated me from the start.

The story is set in 1943 and present day as a granddaughter slowly uncovers her grandmother’s wartime experiences. A lifetime of keeping secrets means her granddaughter was surprised by her discovery.

Even without having to keep secrets, we see that many characters keep their own. What is hidden will have to surface sooner or later.

We witness betrayal in both time periods. Betrayal hurts especially when it appears as a bolt from the blue. The reader has their suspicions way before the characters do. As we read we can feel the tension rising within us.

Wartime is hard. Losses are felt not just by the characters but by the reader too – I did gasp out loud in one place. Kathleen McGurl is clearly a masterful story-teller as my emotions were completely invested in the book.