Book info

• Title I Can't Begin to Tell You
• Author Elizabeth Buchan
• Year 2014
• Genre Historical

When the Nazis invade Denmark, British-born Kay Eberstern is sickened when Bror - her husband of twenty-five years - collaborates with the enemy to save his family home. Lured by British Intelligence into a covert world of resistance, her life in the hands of London's code breakers, Kay's betrayal of her husband is complete as she risks her home and children to protect an SOE agent who won't even tell her his name. As her family - especially her headstrong daughter - is drawn further into danger, Kay is faced with a wrenching moral dilemma. Who will be sacrificed next for the cause? Can she and Bror ever find their way back to one another?

Thoughts

This is such a good read. It’s gentle and methodical whilst being full of tension and worry. It follows the exploits of a handful of characters, mostly women, as they do their bit for the war effort in the UK and in Denmark - field agents, codebreakers and those trying to improve the situation for those on the ground and those risking their lives every day. Whilst it doesn’t show the full horrific action-packed impact of war like other fiction does, it shows the real heart of what war does: tearing families apart, making everyone suspicious of everyone and ultimately having innocent people die for no good reason. Beautifully written and achingly sad, but worth every moment.

Rating: 5 / 5