A Song Unheard
Shadows over England Book 2
By Roseanna M. White
Bethany House Publishers
January 2018

Back Cover:

Willa Forsythe is both a violin prodigy and top-notch thief, which makes her the perfect choice for a crucial task at the outset of World War I–to steal a cypher from a famous violinist currently in Wales.

Lukas De Wilde has enjoyed the life of fame he’s won–until now, when being recognized nearly gets him killed. Everyone wants the key to his father’s work as a cryptologist. And Lukas fears that his mother and sister, who have vanished in the wake of the German invasion of Belgium, will pay the price. The only light he finds is meeting the intriguing Willa Forsythe.

But danger presses in from every side, and Willa knows what Lukas doesn’t–that she must betray him and find that cypher, or her own family will pay the price as surely as his has.

My Review:

A thoroughly enjoyable book, A Song Unheard continues the Shadows over England series that follows a family of street urchins (think a nice version of Charles Dicken’s Fagin gang) who steal to provide for themselves. They’ve gained such a reputation as clever thieves that they are recruited by a mysterious “Mr. V” who needs them to steal important documentation for him at the beginning of WWI.

The first book in the series followed Rosemary, an uneducated but passionate reader who poses as a librarian in the home of a potential traitor to the British crown. Her job–to find proof of his ties to Germany. But what she uncovers is a lot more surprising…

The second book follows her “sister” Willa, an untrained but gifted violinist who plays by ear. Her task is to steal a cypher from a famous violinist and the son of a brilliant cryptographer. He immediately falls head-over-heels for her, and proposes marriage, but Willa’s only in it for the mark.

While it’s hard to say that any romance is completely original or that “you didn’t see it coming”, this book just strikes me as very unique and well-crafted. Roseanna White’s characters are all so brilliant; you feel like you are learning about cyphers, music, and lock-picking right along with them.

There is a lot of quick wit and unexpected plot twists that keep you on your toes, while still providing a happy ending and a satisfactory smile on the face of the reader. Highly recommended for people who like classics and historical fiction. It’s a nice twist on both.

Click here to view A Name Unknown (Book 1) on Amazon.

Click here to view A Song Unheard (Book 2) on Amazon.

I would recommend both books in the series, although I would suggest starting with Book 1 if you plan to read it. Book 2 does give away the ending of Book 1, even though it follows a different main character.