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The Girl from Bletchley Park
Will love lead her to a devastating choice?
1942. Three years into the war, Pam turns down her hard-won place at Oxford University to become a codebreaker at Bletchley Park. There, she meets two young men, both keen to impress her, and Pam finds herself falling hard for one of them. But as the country’s future becomes more uncertain by the day, a tragic turn of events casts doubt on her choice – and Pam’s loyalty is pushed to its limits…
Present day. Julia is struggling to juggle her career, two children and a husband increasingly jealous of her success. Her brother presents her with the perfect forgotten photos of their grandmother as a young woman at Bletchley Park. Why did her grandmother never speak of her time there? The search for answers leads Julia to an incredible tale of betrayal and bravery – one that inspires some huge decisions of her own…
Gripping historical fiction perfect for fans of The Girl from Berlin, The Rose Code and When We Were Brave.
1942. Three years into the war, Pam turns down her hard-won place at Oxford University to become a codebreaker at Bletchley Park. There, she meets two young men, both keen to impress her, and Pam finds herself falling hard for one of them. But as the country’s future becomes more uncertain by the day, a tragic turn of events casts doubt on her choice – and Pam’s loyalty is pushed to its limits…
Present day. Julia is struggling to juggle her career, two children and a husband increasingly jealous of her success. Her brother presents her with the perfect forgotten photos of their grandmother as a young woman at Bletchley Park. Why did her grandmother never speak of her time there? The search for answers leads Julia to an incredible tale of betrayal and bravery – one that inspires some huge decisions of her own…
Gripping historical fiction perfect for fans of The Girl from Berlin, The Rose Code and When We Were Brave.
326 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 3, 2021
About the author
Kathleen McGurl
21 books411 followersKathleen McGurl lives in Bournemouth with her husband and cat. She has two grown-up sons who have now left home. She always wanted to write, and for many years was waiting until she had the time. Eventually she came to the bitter realisation that no one would pay her for a year off work to write a book, so she sat down and started to write one anyway. Since then she has sold dozens of short stories to women's magazines and written three books for writers. These days she is concentrating on longer fiction and has published several dual timeline novels with CarinaUK and HQ. She works full time in the IT industry and when she's not writing, she's often out running, slowly.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 297 reviews
September 22, 2021
A dual time line story, we have Julia in 2019, who is a soft wear developer, a wife and mother with her own business. Pamela, her grandmother, is in 1943. She is a mathematician with a place at Oxford but goes to work in Bletchley for the war years.
This dragged for me from the start. Both women were very naïve. Julia, a successful, intelligent woman couldn't see what was staring her in the face. Pamela was a bit one dimensional. I never really got immersed in her story. The love story wasn't very interesting. None of the characters were fleshed out enough. We didn't get to know enough about them to care about them.
I would have liked a lot more about Bletchley as I find it a fascinating piece of history and it's one of the main reasons I was drawn to the book. Instead we get too much about Julia's job, way more than we needed.
Having thoroughly enjoyed this author's last book I was expecting great things. Unfortunately it missed the mark for me.
Thanks to HQ Digital and Netgalley for an early copy of this book.
This dragged for me from the start. Both women were very naïve. Julia, a successful, intelligent woman couldn't see what was staring her in the face. Pamela was a bit one dimensional. I never really got immersed in her story. The love story wasn't very interesting. None of the characters were fleshed out enough. We didn't get to know enough about them to care about them.
I would have liked a lot more about Bletchley as I find it a fascinating piece of history and it's one of the main reasons I was drawn to the book. Instead we get too much about Julia's job, way more than we needed.
Having thoroughly enjoyed this author's last book I was expecting great things. Unfortunately it missed the mark for me.
Thanks to HQ Digital and Netgalley for an early copy of this book.
August 22, 2023
Pamela Jackson is about to finish school in 1942, she’s extremely smart and she receives an offer to attend Oxford University. She puts this on hold due to the war and Pamela’s interviewed to be a codebreaker at Bletchley Park and she joins the Wrens. Here she meets Clarissa Morton, Norah Clarke, Edwin Denham and Frank Miller. One of the men is extremely friendly and charming to Pamela, and then she begins to have second thoughts about him, his loyalty to England and has he been lying to her?
Julia has been married to Marc for fifteen years, they have two sons and she runs her own IT company. Julia’s busy juggling her work, two children, and their after school actives. Her husband Marc has always been negative about her career, he doesn’t help her with daily tasks at home, and he’s become very distant. Her brother Bob is cleaning out his house, he gives Julia photos of their grandmother and she worked at the English country house called Bletchley Park. Julia’s grandmother never spoke about what she did during the war years, with her being good a math and languages, and it makes sense to Julia why her grandmother was given the opportunity.
Julia discovers what her grandmother did at Bletchley Park, from having to sign the official secrets act, not being able to speak to anyone about her work, using the huge digital electronic computer called Colossus, and how being able to decipher the German messages, reduced the length of the war by several years. Julia gains strength from her grandmother’s experiences, it helps her deal with the problems in her own life, to keep going during the tough times, and she defiantly takes after her grandmother.
The Girl from Bletchley Park is a dual timeline story about two intelligent women, and I found reading about Bletchley Park fascinating, I liked the two main female characters of Pamela and Julia, and I despised Marc's character. A slightly different writing style and story line to Kathleen McGurl's previous books, a nice change, thanks to NetGalley for my copy, and five stars from me.
Julia has been married to Marc for fifteen years, they have two sons and she runs her own IT company. Julia’s busy juggling her work, two children, and their after school actives. Her husband Marc has always been negative about her career, he doesn’t help her with daily tasks at home, and he’s become very distant. Her brother Bob is cleaning out his house, he gives Julia photos of their grandmother and she worked at the English country house called Bletchley Park. Julia’s grandmother never spoke about what she did during the war years, with her being good a math and languages, and it makes sense to Julia why her grandmother was given the opportunity.
Julia discovers what her grandmother did at Bletchley Park, from having to sign the official secrets act, not being able to speak to anyone about her work, using the huge digital electronic computer called Colossus, and how being able to decipher the German messages, reduced the length of the war by several years. Julia gains strength from her grandmother’s experiences, it helps her deal with the problems in her own life, to keep going during the tough times, and she defiantly takes after her grandmother.
The Girl from Bletchley Park is a dual timeline story about two intelligent women, and I found reading about Bletchley Park fascinating, I liked the two main female characters of Pamela and Julia, and I despised Marc's character. A slightly different writing style and story line to Kathleen McGurl's previous books, a nice change, thanks to NetGalley for my copy, and five stars from me.
November 7, 2021
There is a continuing fascination with the work carried out at Bletchley Park during World War 2, work which we now know proved of great significance to the war effort. The author takes us “behind the scenes” at Bletchley Park through the story of Pamela, a promising student of mathematics who is persuaded to defer her place at university and instead put her skills to work in the service of her country. During her time at Bletchley Park, Pamela makes friendships that will last a lifetime but also learns in the most dramatic way possible that not everyone is quite what they seem, the author deftly playing with the reader’s doubts and suspicions.
Interwoven with Pamela’s experiences is the present day story of Julia, Pamela’s granddaughter. As the book progresses the similarities between the situations the two women face become increasingly apparent. For example, a neat touch is that Julia runs her own IT business whilst Pamela worked on what could be considered an early version of a computer. In different ways, both Pamela and Julia experience betrayal by those they have come to trust but also find help from unexpected quarters. Along the way ties of friendship and affection are tested and both women have to summon up all their strength to protect those they care about.
I really liked the way Julia’s relationship with her two sons, Oscar and Ryan, was portrayed and how they progress from being stroppy teenagers to showing signs of becoming fine young men. Julia’s brother, Bob, and Drew, the husband of Julia’s business partner, act as counterpoints to other less than admirable examples of the male species. And, in the earlier timeline, Clarissa proves a steadfast friend to Pamela whose warnings, as it turns out, Pamela would have done well to heed.
The Girl from Bletchley Park will appeal to fans of dual timeline stories with an element of mystery, and those with an interest in the contribution, often largely unsung, of women to the war effort.
Interwoven with Pamela’s experiences is the present day story of Julia, Pamela’s granddaughter. As the book progresses the similarities between the situations the two women face become increasingly apparent. For example, a neat touch is that Julia runs her own IT business whilst Pamela worked on what could be considered an early version of a computer. In different ways, both Pamela and Julia experience betrayal by those they have come to trust but also find help from unexpected quarters. Along the way ties of friendship and affection are tested and both women have to summon up all their strength to protect those they care about.
I really liked the way Julia’s relationship with her two sons, Oscar and Ryan, was portrayed and how they progress from being stroppy teenagers to showing signs of becoming fine young men. Julia’s brother, Bob, and Drew, the husband of Julia’s business partner, act as counterpoints to other less than admirable examples of the male species. And, in the earlier timeline, Clarissa proves a steadfast friend to Pamela whose warnings, as it turns out, Pamela would have done well to heed.
The Girl from Bletchley Park will appeal to fans of dual timeline stories with an element of mystery, and those with an interest in the contribution, often largely unsung, of women to the war effort.
October 23, 2023
4 Star rating for the present day ( 2019)
5 Star rating for the past (1942-1945)
I really enjoyed this book, I know that it has mixed ratings on Goodreads but I didn't read any reviews of it, I will once I finish my review of it!! I truly enjoy Kathleen McGurls' writing style and I think this is the seventh one that I've read and loved them all!! They're so very different from each other which I think is great! My brother gave me this book to learn about Bletchley Park during WW2 and I learned a lot. I read a book called The Bletchley Women by Patricia Adrian before I received this one and both are fantastic!! What I didn't learn from one book, I learned from the other which is wonderful because I enjoy learning new things 😀!
There's much I could write, however I am in a bit of a rush, so I will be as concise as possible for a well rounded review. This story takes place in England.
In the present day, we have Julia, her husband Marc and two sons, Oscar (14 years old) and Ryan (12 years old) . Happy to say that both boys were well adjusted teenagers and respectful of their parents!! Julia works at home in a company with her friend/ partner Ian and she's a workaholic. She really should have been paying more attention to her marriage than to her job. No spoiler alerts! 🤫!
Eventually everything around Julia starts falling apart. She has a very close relationship with her brother, Bob. There's a mystery to solve regarding Bletchley Park and their grandmother, Pamela ( we'll meet her in the past). One day, Bob brought Julia a box of photos and a Box Brownie Camera with the film still in it from their grandparents house. Hence the mystery starts!
The present day was a bit too predictable for me and that's why the 4 star rating. I figured out the mystery way before they did. Trigger warning ⚠️ Some swearing sporitcally throughout this part of the story. I considered not finishing it, so I prayed about it and since there's not a lot, I felt okay reading it!
In the past, we have Pamela, her parents and her brother, Geoff. This is where the book excelled!!! I would love to give it a 20 star rating!!!!
Pam is excellent at math, speaks French and German fluently. I really liked Pam's character!! She is 19, beautiful, intelligent and just all around sweet and fun!!! She was offered a place at Oxford University and had it deferred to work at Bletchley Park!! 😁 She quickly makes friends, works with the Colossus machine, which is one of the machines used to decode messages from Germany to help win the war!! These women and men that worked on these machines, helped shorten the war by a few years. Everything about Bletchley Park is top secret! She falls in love with a guy named Frank, who I personally didn't trust from the beginning! There's a really wonderful guy named Edwin who I thought would be great for Pam. So as the story unfolds, I really learned so very much more about Bletchley Park than ever! I so much want to tell you about all of it, but I really don't want to spoil anything for whoever wants to read it!! Read this book for the knowledge alone!! It definitely worth it and doesn't disappoint! It's a bit slow in the beginning, but when it gets going, it keeps going on to the end! YAY!! So action packed and enjoyable for everyone!!! It's well written, flows easily from the past to the present and all the characters are well rounded and fully developed! Thanks you so very very very much to my wonderful brother for this gift which I loved 🩵!! I very highly recommend this fantastic book!! Please read the Authors Notes to learn how this amazing book came to be!!
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫✨
5 Star rating for the past (1942-1945)
I really enjoyed this book, I know that it has mixed ratings on Goodreads but I didn't read any reviews of it, I will once I finish my review of it!! I truly enjoy Kathleen McGurls' writing style and I think this is the seventh one that I've read and loved them all!! They're so very different from each other which I think is great! My brother gave me this book to learn about Bletchley Park during WW2 and I learned a lot. I read a book called The Bletchley Women by Patricia Adrian before I received this one and both are fantastic!! What I didn't learn from one book, I learned from the other which is wonderful because I enjoy learning new things 😀!
There's much I could write, however I am in a bit of a rush, so I will be as concise as possible for a well rounded review. This story takes place in England.
In the present day, we have Julia, her husband Marc and two sons, Oscar (14 years old) and Ryan (12 years old) . Happy to say that both boys were well adjusted teenagers and respectful of their parents!! Julia works at home in a company with her friend/ partner Ian and she's a workaholic. She really should have been paying more attention to her marriage than to her job. No spoiler alerts! 🤫!
Eventually everything around Julia starts falling apart. She has a very close relationship with her brother, Bob. There's a mystery to solve regarding Bletchley Park and their grandmother, Pamela ( we'll meet her in the past). One day, Bob brought Julia a box of photos and a Box Brownie Camera with the film still in it from their grandparents house. Hence the mystery starts!
The present day was a bit too predictable for me and that's why the 4 star rating. I figured out the mystery way before they did. Trigger warning ⚠️ Some swearing sporitcally throughout this part of the story. I considered not finishing it, so I prayed about it and since there's not a lot, I felt okay reading it!
In the past, we have Pamela, her parents and her brother, Geoff. This is where the book excelled!!! I would love to give it a 20 star rating!!!!
Pam is excellent at math, speaks French and German fluently. I really liked Pam's character!! She is 19, beautiful, intelligent and just all around sweet and fun!!! She was offered a place at Oxford University and had it deferred to work at Bletchley Park!! 😁 She quickly makes friends, works with the Colossus machine, which is one of the machines used to decode messages from Germany to help win the war!! These women and men that worked on these machines, helped shorten the war by a few years. Everything about Bletchley Park is top secret! She falls in love with a guy named Frank, who I personally didn't trust from the beginning! There's a really wonderful guy named Edwin who I thought would be great for Pam. So as the story unfolds, I really learned so very much more about Bletchley Park than ever! I so much want to tell you about all of it, but I really don't want to spoil anything for whoever wants to read it!! Read this book for the knowledge alone!! It definitely worth it and doesn't disappoint! It's a bit slow in the beginning, but when it gets going, it keeps going on to the end! YAY!! So action packed and enjoyable for everyone!!! It's well written, flows easily from the past to the present and all the characters are well rounded and fully developed! Thanks you so very very very much to my wonderful brother for this gift which I loved 🩵!! I very highly recommend this fantastic book!! Please read the Authors Notes to learn how this amazing book came to be!!
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫✨
October 1, 2021
“Could you love someone without trusting them?"
Each protagonist in this dual timeline asks herself the same question. The two narratives mirror each woman’s frustration with a partner whom they can’t trust. One has a husband she can’t trust to pull his weight in the family home nor can she trust him with finances. The other has a boyfriend with ties to the Nazi party. Successful careers for both depend on them trusting their partners. Readers have a front-row seat to see how each deals with the issue at hand.
“But there was no amount of computer code that could get them out of this problem.”
While I love Kathleen McGurl’s work, I was disappointed with this one mainly because of my own expectations. Please keep this in mind – MY expectations. I was hoping to read about the details of life in Bletchley Park but instead read about the lives of those who worked there. Being a STEM teacher, I was hoping to read more about math and code-breaking and the strong women who aided Britain in bringing a swift end to the war. Disappointment aside, I was intrigued to read about the Colossus story because it often takes a backseat to Alan Turning’s fame in breaking the Enigma code. I commend the author for bringing to light a lesser-known but equally important part of history - those involved with breaking the Tunny code. I loved the sections with Pam and Edwin setting up and running the Colossus and wanted more detail. In fact, I felt this narrative was stronger and more interesting and could have held its own. The author did a superb job in making sure her readers knew the angst these codebreakers experienced in not sharing details of the work they did at Bletchley Park. They were instrumental in bringing a swift end to the war, but no one could know about their role in the success. Thanks to this book, visiting the birthplace of modern computing and learning more about the top-secret home of the World War Two code breakers is on my bucket list.
I would have loved to have seen a tauter narrative as I found myself grazing for facts that were relevant to the plot. I also would have loved to have seen stronger protagonists as I found it difficult to believe that smart women would have been so naïve.
While packing up to move this year, the author discovered two Box Brownie cameras in her mother’s possessions. Her writer-brain questioned what if the cameras had contained film and what if the developed photos raised questions about her family history. Running with this idea, she paired it with her desire to write about Bletchley Park and planned on focusing on Travis and Tommy Flowers who designed the Colossus computer. I love hearing how ideas for books come about! Congratulations to the graphic designer for such a fantastic cover!
McGurl has two more historical fiction books in the works for 2022; one set in Chamonix and one set in Dublin.
Publishes November 3, 2021.
I was gifted this advance copy by Kathleen McGurl, HQ Digital, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Each protagonist in this dual timeline asks herself the same question. The two narratives mirror each woman’s frustration with a partner whom they can’t trust. One has a husband she can’t trust to pull his weight in the family home nor can she trust him with finances. The other has a boyfriend with ties to the Nazi party. Successful careers for both depend on them trusting their partners. Readers have a front-row seat to see how each deals with the issue at hand.
“But there was no amount of computer code that could get them out of this problem.”
While I love Kathleen McGurl’s work, I was disappointed with this one mainly because of my own expectations. Please keep this in mind – MY expectations. I was hoping to read about the details of life in Bletchley Park but instead read about the lives of those who worked there. Being a STEM teacher, I was hoping to read more about math and code-breaking and the strong women who aided Britain in bringing a swift end to the war. Disappointment aside, I was intrigued to read about the Colossus story because it often takes a backseat to Alan Turning’s fame in breaking the Enigma code. I commend the author for bringing to light a lesser-known but equally important part of history - those involved with breaking the Tunny code. I loved the sections with Pam and Edwin setting up and running the Colossus and wanted more detail. In fact, I felt this narrative was stronger and more interesting and could have held its own. The author did a superb job in making sure her readers knew the angst these codebreakers experienced in not sharing details of the work they did at Bletchley Park. They were instrumental in bringing a swift end to the war, but no one could know about their role in the success. Thanks to this book, visiting the birthplace of modern computing and learning more about the top-secret home of the World War Two code breakers is on my bucket list.
I would have loved to have seen a tauter narrative as I found myself grazing for facts that were relevant to the plot. I also would have loved to have seen stronger protagonists as I found it difficult to believe that smart women would have been so naïve.
While packing up to move this year, the author discovered two Box Brownie cameras in her mother’s possessions. Her writer-brain questioned what if the cameras had contained film and what if the developed photos raised questions about her family history. Running with this idea, she paired it with her desire to write about Bletchley Park and planned on focusing on Travis and Tommy Flowers who designed the Colossus computer. I love hearing how ideas for books come about! Congratulations to the graphic designer for such a fantastic cover!
McGurl has two more historical fiction books in the works for 2022; one set in Chamonix and one set in Dublin.
Publishes November 3, 2021.
I was gifted this advance copy by Kathleen McGurl, HQ Digital, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
February 21, 2024
I really enjoyed this story because of the dual-timelines. Both stories were equally engaging and I think this is another great read from this author.
I have recently read a story set at Bletchley Park and I think I have got my interest piqued! This story is about the code-breaking that took place, with mathematical genuises pulled from around the country. Pam is one of those workers and I liked how the writer referenced historical figures that were a part of this significant movement of the war. However, it does not make for dry reading as the plot explores Pam’s connections with those around her, the pressure of not revealing any information and who she can trust. Although I could foresee how the story would develop, I still enjoyed reading about what would happen next.
The theme of secrecy continues in the present day narrative with Julia and I liked how McGurl establishes these parallels between the two timelines. For Julia, life seems to be going very well with her own business being increasingly successful and a seemingly happy marriage. Yet, secrets from her husband, children (to an extent) and work colleague means that life for Julia changes irrevocably. Personally, I think this is for the best and exactly what her character needed; I was satisfied by her story’s conclusion and the optimism she feels.
Along the way, Julia begins to learn more about her grandmother, Pam. Pam’s best friend, Clarissa, wrote a journal of her life and from digital scans, she explores the importance of Pam’s past. I thought this cross-over between characters added further depth to the plot, especially when Julia visits Bletchley Park with her family. The importance of knowing one’s family history is emphasised and I felt this meant that Julia’s grandmother was more alive and relevant in the present.
This was another great read from McGurl and, whilst I have read many historical books during the Second World War, I think the combination with Julia’s life made a really engaging plot and one I highly recommend.
With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I have recently read a story set at Bletchley Park and I think I have got my interest piqued! This story is about the code-breaking that took place, with mathematical genuises pulled from around the country. Pam is one of those workers and I liked how the writer referenced historical figures that were a part of this significant movement of the war. However, it does not make for dry reading as the plot explores Pam’s connections with those around her, the pressure of not revealing any information and who she can trust. Although I could foresee how the story would develop, I still enjoyed reading about what would happen next.
The theme of secrecy continues in the present day narrative with Julia and I liked how McGurl establishes these parallels between the two timelines. For Julia, life seems to be going very well with her own business being increasingly successful and a seemingly happy marriage. Yet, secrets from her husband, children (to an extent) and work colleague means that life for Julia changes irrevocably. Personally, I think this is for the best and exactly what her character needed; I was satisfied by her story’s conclusion and the optimism she feels.
Along the way, Julia begins to learn more about her grandmother, Pam. Pam’s best friend, Clarissa, wrote a journal of her life and from digital scans, she explores the importance of Pam’s past. I thought this cross-over between characters added further depth to the plot, especially when Julia visits Bletchley Park with her family. The importance of knowing one’s family history is emphasised and I felt this meant that Julia’s grandmother was more alive and relevant in the present.
This was another great read from McGurl and, whilst I have read many historical books during the Second World War, I think the combination with Julia’s life made a really engaging plot and one I highly recommend.
With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 29, 2021
It was a good read. But It did not pull at my heartstrings
November 5, 2023
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My review on my blog here
What an excellent read. I've had this in my tbr pile for several years and I'm so glad I finally had a chance to get to it. A beautiful time-slip historical fiction novel taking place in 1942, Bletchley Park and modern times. I know when I read a time-slip I usually connect with one of the time periods more but in this book, I've enjoyed reading both time periods equally.
A young married woman, Julia is frustrated. She has two young boys, an inattentive husband, jealous of her being the breadwinner in the family. He just doesn't seem to have the time or interest in her anymore though she tries to hold it all together, cooking, cleaning, being super Mom, working and being there for her husband. Her brother thinks he'll help distract her and gives her forgotten photos of her grandmother during a family clean out after her death. Once she starts investigating, she finds out so much.
Pamela, her grandmother has given up a fantastic schooling offer at Oxford University to become a codebreaker at Bletchley Park. Julia had no idea her grandmother had done this because she never once spoke of this. The older generation kept secrets of this tragic time they were told to never talk about even to family members and their secrets died with them.
While at Bletchley Park, two men vie for her attention, but she makes her choice and the other remains her friend. As Julia finds out more information from her grandmother's best friends daughter things become clearer. The secrets are slowly unwrapped like tissue paper, not too much is revealed at a time. Each story progresses in its time period, I could hardly put this down and read it in one day. Some very surprising events happened to each woman, but these women are strong and have the support of family. They know what's important is not themselves but their family. Heartbreaking but the light shines through with these women's resilience.
Pub Date 03 Nov 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
My review on my blog here
What an excellent read. I've had this in my tbr pile for several years and I'm so glad I finally had a chance to get to it. A beautiful time-slip historical fiction novel taking place in 1942, Bletchley Park and modern times. I know when I read a time-slip I usually connect with one of the time periods more but in this book, I've enjoyed reading both time periods equally.
A young married woman, Julia is frustrated. She has two young boys, an inattentive husband, jealous of her being the breadwinner in the family. He just doesn't seem to have the time or interest in her anymore though she tries to hold it all together, cooking, cleaning, being super Mom, working and being there for her husband. Her brother thinks he'll help distract her and gives her forgotten photos of her grandmother during a family clean out after her death. Once she starts investigating, she finds out so much.
Pamela, her grandmother has given up a fantastic schooling offer at Oxford University to become a codebreaker at Bletchley Park. Julia had no idea her grandmother had done this because she never once spoke of this. The older generation kept secrets of this tragic time they were told to never talk about even to family members and their secrets died with them.
While at Bletchley Park, two men vie for her attention, but she makes her choice and the other remains her friend. As Julia finds out more information from her grandmother's best friends daughter things become clearer. The secrets are slowly unwrapped like tissue paper, not too much is revealed at a time. Each story progresses in its time period, I could hardly put this down and read it in one day. Some very surprising events happened to each woman, but these women are strong and have the support of family. They know what's important is not themselves but their family. Heartbreaking but the light shines through with these women's resilience.
Pub Date 03 Nov 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
August 15, 2022
This historical fiction novel has a dual timeline set in both 1942 and the present day. Julia is a mom, wife, and business owner struggling to juggle it all when she learns her grandmother could have played an important role in her country's battle against Germany during WWII. Pamela is a young woman who loves mathematics and gives up an opportunity at Oxford to serve her country as a codebreaker at Bletchley Park.
I found this story to be incredibly predictable from the very beginning. There was no question where the story was going and it was difficult to sympathize with either timeline. I think it would have been more interesting if the author had focused on Bletchley Park and given those characters great depth.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I found this story to be incredibly predictable from the very beginning. There was no question where the story was going and it was difficult to sympathize with either timeline. I think it would have been more interesting if the author had focused on Bletchley Park and given those characters great depth.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
May 6, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.
I love books about Bletchley Park...but this one not so much.
The historical parts with Pamela were ok but the modern parts with Julia and her family were absolutely horrible. What a doormat she was!
I love books about Bletchley Park...but this one not so much.
The historical parts with Pamela were ok but the modern parts with Julia and her family were absolutely horrible. What a doormat she was!
November 3, 2021
Historical fiction with a bit of mystery, romance and intrigue. A story that is filled with lies and betrayals, both in the past and the present.
Bletchley Park was the secret code breaking headquarters in England during WWII and the work that was done there has been said to have shortened the war by several years. I was drawn to this title because I have been interested in Bletchley Park since I first saw the film, "The Imitation Game" in 2014, based on the biography of Alan Turing. This book however was less about the work that went on at Bletchley Park and more about the lives of some of the people who worked in and around this historical location. But, I was not disappointed.
Written in dual timelines, it is the story of Pamela, in 1943, who accepts a job at the mysterious Bletchley Park along with numerous other women who are handpicked for their intellect, skill at math and languages, and their eagerness to contribute to the war effort. She finds new challenges, as well as friendships and love. In 2019, Julia, Pamela's granddaughter who runs her own IT business with a friend, learns about her grandmother's long held secrets and life at Bletchley Park. At the same time, Julia is struggling with her own challenges at home and at work.
I normally prefer stories that are written in a linear format. When books are written in dual timelines I usually end up liking one storyline better than the other, and this book was no different. However, I became more invested in both storylines as the book progressed. I can honestly say that I am now a new fan of this author, Kathleen McGurl. I will certainly be reading some of her earlier books, and if they are anything like this one than I can look forward to a lot of good reading.
Many thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. #TheGirlfromBletchleyPark #NetGalley
Publication date: November 3, 2021
Bletchley Park was the secret code breaking headquarters in England during WWII and the work that was done there has been said to have shortened the war by several years. I was drawn to this title because I have been interested in Bletchley Park since I first saw the film, "The Imitation Game" in 2014, based on the biography of Alan Turing. This book however was less about the work that went on at Bletchley Park and more about the lives of some of the people who worked in and around this historical location. But, I was not disappointed.
Written in dual timelines, it is the story of Pamela, in 1943, who accepts a job at the mysterious Bletchley Park along with numerous other women who are handpicked for their intellect, skill at math and languages, and their eagerness to contribute to the war effort. She finds new challenges, as well as friendships and love. In 2019, Julia, Pamela's granddaughter who runs her own IT business with a friend, learns about her grandmother's long held secrets and life at Bletchley Park. At the same time, Julia is struggling with her own challenges at home and at work.
I normally prefer stories that are written in a linear format. When books are written in dual timelines I usually end up liking one storyline better than the other, and this book was no different. However, I became more invested in both storylines as the book progressed. I can honestly say that I am now a new fan of this author, Kathleen McGurl. I will certainly be reading some of her earlier books, and if they are anything like this one than I can look forward to a lot of good reading.
Many thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. #TheGirlfromBletchleyPark #NetGalley
Publication date: November 3, 2021
December 30, 2022
I have no idea why this is rated so highly. Every character is annoying, the plot is so predictable, and the writing is awful. I find history about Bletchley Park so interesting, but this isn’t it. I only finished it because I was traveling without service and didn’t have anything better to do.
November 3, 2021
★★★★ 4.5 stars
I first discovered Kathleen McGurl a couple of years ago with "The Forgotten Secret" and absolutely loved it. I have since read and also enjoyed "The Lost Sister" and now I can add THE GIRL FROM BLETCHLEY PARK to the list. Of course most people know about Bletchley Park's involvement during the second world war, so with that in mind it also ticked the box of being wartime fiction as well as my much favoured dual timeline story. Unlike other dual timelines though, THE GIRL FROM BLETCHLEY PARK weaves two compelling tales together that, whilst being entwined, are also completely separate. Intrigued?
The story begins in the present day with Julia, mother of two boys Oscar (14) and Ryan (12), juggling her flailing marriage and a successful IT business. The downside of running such a business, particularly when it is situated in the home, is that you never really leave work behind at the end of the day. And as much as Julia tried to do so things had a way of grabbing her attention and thus her then having to deal with it. It was one thing her husband of fifteen years Marc loathed, feeling as though she was never really present even when she was. But he also as jealous of the fact that she was the main breadwinner in the family with her salary purchasing their substantial home as well as paying the mortgage. He never outwardly admitted it but the sentiment was there, as were his frequent absences citing work as his excuse.
It was during one of these absences that Julia's brother Bob, who was a commercial pilot, popped in for a visit with a treasure trove of goodies for his sister that he'd found stashed in the home he inherited in Devon. Bob had decided to sell since he was never there and came across some old photos and mementos he thought his sister might be interested in. Some were photos of their late grandmother with the renowned Bletchley Park in the background. The photos, having been taken during the war years, left them wondering what it was their grandmother Pamela had been doing there since it certainly wouldn't have been open to the public during the war years.
Bletchley Park was the site of one of Britain's most prolific secret code breaking headquarters during the war. Anyone who had worked there had to sign the Offical Secrets Act and were sworn to absolute secrecy about the work they had done there...even long after the war had ended. So upon seeing their grandmother standing in front of Bletchley House with a few friends, one of which was also their grandfather, intrigued Julia and Bob wondering just how involved they were at Bletchley. Julia endeavoured to look into it in an attempt to uncover her grandmother's role during the war. When she contacted her gran's best friend's daughter Caroline, she was excited to learn that Caroline's mother Clarissa, with whom Pamela had worked alongside at Bletchley, had written a memoir in the 1990's revealing the nature of their work and lives in and around Bletchley.
It's 1942 and Pamela had just finished school and was preparing to take her place at Oxford reading mathematics when her teacher had called her aside and offered her something in which she could both use her mathematical brain and do something for the war effort for Britain. She gave her a name and instructions to follow up and without telling her parents Pamela made her way to Buckinghamshire for an interview. She was offered the job immediately and signed the Official Secrets Act and was inducted along with her fellow interviewees to become Wrens, beginning work in just a few days' time.
Deferring university until the end of the war, Pamela could only tell her family that she had joined the Wrens and would be working for the war effort. They seemed to understand the need for secrecy and respected that. Her brother Geoff had joined the RAF and was training as a fighter pilot, which worried both her and her parents alike as the life expectancy for a fighter pilot was very short.
Upon arrival at Bletchley, Pamela became friends with Clarissa whom she met at the interviews, and the two women were billeted together at nearby Woburn Abbey, a former stately home, though their jobs within Bletchley were at different ends of the scale. Not long after beginning work there, Pam met a handsome blonde man she'd seen lurking nearby on the day of her interview. She'd caught his eye on more than one occasion and he had offered her a tentative smile. She soon discovered he was a gardener at the house in which she was billeted unable to fight due to his asthma and his name was Frank Miller. The couple soon began to step out together, meeting up on days off whenever they could, and Pam felt herself beginning to fall for Frank. But when he started asking questions about her work, she could do nothing but fob him off with the answer they had been instructed to give. She was a secretary. He seemed satisfied with that and said no more.
Pamela was not without her suitors because although she was stepping out with Frank, she also held the interest of a much shyer and quieter colleague Edwin Denham. So much so Clarissa teased her about it. Pamela enjoyed Edwin's friendship but it was Frank she was enamoured with; a fact that was made obvious when they went to their first dance and while she had promised to dance with Edwin, it was with Frank she had spent most of her time. I kind of felt a little sorry for Edwin, fading into the background against the flashier more charismatic Frank.
But when it came down to it, Pamela found that it was Edwin she called on for help and advice. It was Edwin whose advice she valued and trusted. So then in the face of it, who would Pamela choose out of her two suitors?
THE GIRL FROM BLETCHLEY PARK is an easy and enjoyable read but I must say it is so difficult to review without the hint of spoilers! lol I love dual timeline stories but generally when reading them there is always one story I'm invested in more than the other...and that's usually the historical one. And I have to admit that when Julia's story began I was somewhat irritated by her lazy family's attitude, expecting her to pick up after them and wait on them whilst running her own business. Then to be bamboozled by the ins and outs of her IT business. I had little interest...until it began to get interesting. And then it had my attention. I couldn't decide then which timeline I preferred and both stories were equally compelling and intriguing. I did, however, find the technical aspects of Bletchley a little above my head and the very unmathematical part of was a little lost in part but the rest of the story was wholly engrossing.
The story unfolds in alternate chapters between Julia and Pam respectively, each revealing just a little bit more with each chapter. It was in part largely predictable but not unenjoyable. The twists weren't unexpected and I correctly figured them out along the way but then this wasn't a mystery either. I did find it similar in storyline to "The Secrets of Latimer House" by Jules Wake which I read a couple of months ago and thoroughly enjoyed...maybe a little more than this one, admittedly. But having said that, THE GIRL FROM BLETCHLEY PARK is still wonderfully written with the right amount of suspense and intrigue interwoven with the historical aspect.
Overall, THE GIRL FROM BLETCHLEY PARK is captivating and compelling with both timeline plots interwoven seamlessly in relation to the other.The conclusion I felt was a little rushed and would have preferred to end on the historical timeline rather than Julia's. That and the slow start to Julia's story knocks off just a meagre half star as the rest of the story made up for it.
Perfect for fans of dual timelines and authors such as Lorna Cook, Suzanne Kelman and Suzanne Goldring.
I would like to thank #KathleenMcGurl, #Netgalley, #HQStories and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #TheGirlFromBletchleyPark in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
I first discovered Kathleen McGurl a couple of years ago with "The Forgotten Secret" and absolutely loved it. I have since read and also enjoyed "The Lost Sister" and now I can add THE GIRL FROM BLETCHLEY PARK to the list. Of course most people know about Bletchley Park's involvement during the second world war, so with that in mind it also ticked the box of being wartime fiction as well as my much favoured dual timeline story. Unlike other dual timelines though, THE GIRL FROM BLETCHLEY PARK weaves two compelling tales together that, whilst being entwined, are also completely separate. Intrigued?
The story begins in the present day with Julia, mother of two boys Oscar (14) and Ryan (12), juggling her flailing marriage and a successful IT business. The downside of running such a business, particularly when it is situated in the home, is that you never really leave work behind at the end of the day. And as much as Julia tried to do so things had a way of grabbing her attention and thus her then having to deal with it. It was one thing her husband of fifteen years Marc loathed, feeling as though she was never really present even when she was. But he also as jealous of the fact that she was the main breadwinner in the family with her salary purchasing their substantial home as well as paying the mortgage. He never outwardly admitted it but the sentiment was there, as were his frequent absences citing work as his excuse.
It was during one of these absences that Julia's brother Bob, who was a commercial pilot, popped in for a visit with a treasure trove of goodies for his sister that he'd found stashed in the home he inherited in Devon. Bob had decided to sell since he was never there and came across some old photos and mementos he thought his sister might be interested in. Some were photos of their late grandmother with the renowned Bletchley Park in the background. The photos, having been taken during the war years, left them wondering what it was their grandmother Pamela had been doing there since it certainly wouldn't have been open to the public during the war years.
Bletchley Park was the site of one of Britain's most prolific secret code breaking headquarters during the war. Anyone who had worked there had to sign the Offical Secrets Act and were sworn to absolute secrecy about the work they had done there...even long after the war had ended. So upon seeing their grandmother standing in front of Bletchley House with a few friends, one of which was also their grandfather, intrigued Julia and Bob wondering just how involved they were at Bletchley. Julia endeavoured to look into it in an attempt to uncover her grandmother's role during the war. When she contacted her gran's best friend's daughter Caroline, she was excited to learn that Caroline's mother Clarissa, with whom Pamela had worked alongside at Bletchley, had written a memoir in the 1990's revealing the nature of their work and lives in and around Bletchley.
It's 1942 and Pamela had just finished school and was preparing to take her place at Oxford reading mathematics when her teacher had called her aside and offered her something in which she could both use her mathematical brain and do something for the war effort for Britain. She gave her a name and instructions to follow up and without telling her parents Pamela made her way to Buckinghamshire for an interview. She was offered the job immediately and signed the Official Secrets Act and was inducted along with her fellow interviewees to become Wrens, beginning work in just a few days' time.
Deferring university until the end of the war, Pamela could only tell her family that she had joined the Wrens and would be working for the war effort. They seemed to understand the need for secrecy and respected that. Her brother Geoff had joined the RAF and was training as a fighter pilot, which worried both her and her parents alike as the life expectancy for a fighter pilot was very short.
Upon arrival at Bletchley, Pamela became friends with Clarissa whom she met at the interviews, and the two women were billeted together at nearby Woburn Abbey, a former stately home, though their jobs within Bletchley were at different ends of the scale. Not long after beginning work there, Pam met a handsome blonde man she'd seen lurking nearby on the day of her interview. She'd caught his eye on more than one occasion and he had offered her a tentative smile. She soon discovered he was a gardener at the house in which she was billeted unable to fight due to his asthma and his name was Frank Miller. The couple soon began to step out together, meeting up on days off whenever they could, and Pam felt herself beginning to fall for Frank. But when he started asking questions about her work, she could do nothing but fob him off with the answer they had been instructed to give. She was a secretary. He seemed satisfied with that and said no more.
Pamela was not without her suitors because although she was stepping out with Frank, she also held the interest of a much shyer and quieter colleague Edwin Denham. So much so Clarissa teased her about it. Pamela enjoyed Edwin's friendship but it was Frank she was enamoured with; a fact that was made obvious when they went to their first dance and while she had promised to dance with Edwin, it was with Frank she had spent most of her time. I kind of felt a little sorry for Edwin, fading into the background against the flashier more charismatic Frank.
But when it came down to it, Pamela found that it was Edwin she called on for help and advice. It was Edwin whose advice she valued and trusted. So then in the face of it, who would Pamela choose out of her two suitors?
THE GIRL FROM BLETCHLEY PARK is an easy and enjoyable read but I must say it is so difficult to review without the hint of spoilers! lol I love dual timeline stories but generally when reading them there is always one story I'm invested in more than the other...and that's usually the historical one. And I have to admit that when Julia's story began I was somewhat irritated by her lazy family's attitude, expecting her to pick up after them and wait on them whilst running her own business. Then to be bamboozled by the ins and outs of her IT business. I had little interest...until it began to get interesting. And then it had my attention. I couldn't decide then which timeline I preferred and both stories were equally compelling and intriguing. I did, however, find the technical aspects of Bletchley a little above my head and the very unmathematical part of was a little lost in part but the rest of the story was wholly engrossing.
The story unfolds in alternate chapters between Julia and Pam respectively, each revealing just a little bit more with each chapter. It was in part largely predictable but not unenjoyable. The twists weren't unexpected and I correctly figured them out along the way but then this wasn't a mystery either. I did find it similar in storyline to "The Secrets of Latimer House" by Jules Wake which I read a couple of months ago and thoroughly enjoyed...maybe a little more than this one, admittedly. But having said that, THE GIRL FROM BLETCHLEY PARK is still wonderfully written with the right amount of suspense and intrigue interwoven with the historical aspect.
Overall, THE GIRL FROM BLETCHLEY PARK is captivating and compelling with both timeline plots interwoven seamlessly in relation to the other.The conclusion I felt was a little rushed and would have preferred to end on the historical timeline rather than Julia's. That and the slow start to Julia's story knocks off just a meagre half star as the rest of the story made up for it.
Perfect for fans of dual timelines and authors such as Lorna Cook, Suzanne Kelman and Suzanne Goldring.
I would like to thank #KathleenMcGurl, #Netgalley, #HQStories and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #TheGirlFromBletchleyPark in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
November 14, 2021
I’ve read a few of this author’s books now and I’ve always found them to be interesting and captivating reads, blending history and modern day in a dual timeline. This book takes us back to the Second World War and the secrets of Bletchley Park. The modern day aspect introduces us to Julia who discovers lost photos of her grandmother, Pam as a young woman working at Bletchley Park and sets about finding out what role her grandmother had during the war.
I love the dual timelines in this book, you feel like you reading two different stories and getting the best of both worlds! Julia is a likeable character and one which I did feel sorry for. She has a lot of stresses in her life, with most of them brought about by the people closest to her, and delving into her family history brings her a little bit of escapism which she obviously needs! Her grandmother, Pam’s storyline was fascinating and I was really interested in how one ended up working in Bletchley Park and what ‘hush-hush’ work went on there. Pam is another likeable character and, similarly to her granddaughter several decades later, she has her own stresses to deal with, although made somewhat more difficult because of the war.
I was hooked into the storyline early on and enjoyed the alternating chapters between Pam and Julia. I usually find I prefer one character to another in these types of books but found myself liking them both equally. The storyline flowed along at a good pace, holding my interest throughout, and I loved the facts and figures, not just about Bletchley Park but also about the situation with Julia’s business. There are a few twists and turns through both stories and whilst it’s easy to work out where the stories are going, they were still gripping enough to keep you in suspense! Overall this was a very enjoyable read which I would definitely recommend!
I love the dual timelines in this book, you feel like you reading two different stories and getting the best of both worlds! Julia is a likeable character and one which I did feel sorry for. She has a lot of stresses in her life, with most of them brought about by the people closest to her, and delving into her family history brings her a little bit of escapism which she obviously needs! Her grandmother, Pam’s storyline was fascinating and I was really interested in how one ended up working in Bletchley Park and what ‘hush-hush’ work went on there. Pam is another likeable character and, similarly to her granddaughter several decades later, she has her own stresses to deal with, although made somewhat more difficult because of the war.
I was hooked into the storyline early on and enjoyed the alternating chapters between Pam and Julia. I usually find I prefer one character to another in these types of books but found myself liking them both equally. The storyline flowed along at a good pace, holding my interest throughout, and I loved the facts and figures, not just about Bletchley Park but also about the situation with Julia’s business. There are a few twists and turns through both stories and whilst it’s easy to work out where the stories are going, they were still gripping enough to keep you in suspense! Overall this was a very enjoyable read which I would definitely recommend!
November 12, 2021
Pam is an extremely bright young woman, with a place at Oxford to study mathematics, who defers her university place to do top secret work at Bletchley Park in World War 2.
Julia is Pam's grand-daughter. She is a successful businesswoman, a wife and mother of two boys.
We see Pam leave home and start work at Bletchley Park where she has two admirers, Edwin who works with her on the Colossus project and Frank, the gardener at Woburn Abbey where the women are billeted.
In the present day, Julia is struggling with having it all, running a business from an office at the bottom of her garden, doing the work, running a house and supporting her husband and sons. Her brother decides to sell the family house in Devon which he inherited and brings a lot of family documents and photos to Julia because he knows she likes that sort of thing. When Julia has an old roll of film developed she finds photographs of her grandmother and her grandmother's friends at Bletchley Park. The family never knew that Pam had worked there during the war and Julia is intrigued to find out more.
Told in alternating time periods, this was pleasant enough, if hugely predictable and not very original. Frankly, Pam might just as well have been a typist (as she told friends and family when they asked about her job), because there was so little depth about how she allegedly used her maths and languages skills.
I would probably have given the book three and a half stars, but the end made me so angry that I deducted half a star.
I think the book suffered by being told from two time frames, neither was in depth, and therefore it felt a bit superficial.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
Julia is Pam's grand-daughter. She is a successful businesswoman, a wife and mother of two boys.
We see Pam leave home and start work at Bletchley Park where she has two admirers, Edwin who works with her on the Colossus project and Frank, the gardener at Woburn Abbey where the women are billeted.
In the present day, Julia is struggling with having it all, running a business from an office at the bottom of her garden, doing the work, running a house and supporting her husband and sons. Her brother decides to sell the family house in Devon which he inherited and brings a lot of family documents and photos to Julia because he knows she likes that sort of thing. When Julia has an old roll of film developed she finds photographs of her grandmother and her grandmother's friends at Bletchley Park. The family never knew that Pam had worked there during the war and Julia is intrigued to find out more.
Told in alternating time periods, this was pleasant enough, if hugely predictable and not very original. Frankly, Pam might just as well have been a typist (as she told friends and family when they asked about her job), because there was so little depth about how she allegedly used her maths and languages skills.
I would probably have given the book three and a half stars, but the end made me so angry that I deducted half a star.
I think the book suffered by being told from two time frames, neither was in depth, and therefore it felt a bit superficial.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
October 13, 2021
I am fascinated by Bletchley Park and everything they did during WWII so this book was right up my street. I liked the two different timelines and each main character had a distinctive voice, however, I felt like sometimes the switch was too abrupt and I could have used another chapter with one character before switching back to the other. Also, the way that they spoke about Clarissa being just their grandmothers close friend when she turned out to be her sister in law was a bit odd. I know the author was trying to make that a surprise but it read weirdly and was especially odd after finding out that the big reveal at the end. But, other than that- I loved it!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2021
I truly appreciated and enjoyed Kathleen McGurl’s The Girl From Bletchley Park for it addresses the power and bondage of secrets, unexpected betrayals, the challenge of trust issues, close quarter friendships, love and attraction, appearances and reality, females struggling for achievement in a man’s world, sacrifices in business leadership and the pressure of family expectations. But it also covers the positive power of choice in both the past and present timelines and how sometimes hard decisions have to be made.
This beautiful generational dual timeline novel contains Julia’s view point set in 2019 and Pamela’s in 1943. Although the book begins with Julia’s, I will address Pamela’s first since the heart of the story is in the book’s title. In 1943, Pamela has earned a well-deserved spot at Oxford University. She is a brilliant mathematician but an opportunity arises that leads her in another direction. She is presented with the chance to do her part for the war and to use her skills for a worthwhile cause. She is assured she can reclaim her Uni placement once these important tasks are completed. She decides to take a leap of faith into the unknown and become one of the codebreakers at Bletchley Park. At the same time, her brother leaves home to be trained as a war pilot in the fight for freedom. Both siblings are doing their part to help but one has the higher risk.
The 1943 setting of Bletchley Park focuses on the British government’s cryptological establishment that operated during World War II. It carried a hefty responsibility of decoding the enemy's secret messages, particularly those encrypted with the German Enigma and Tunny cipher machines. The workers were required to sign an agreement to never discuss what went on inside the facility. This novel covers the agony and weight of such secrets: when they must be kept and how strong one must be to maintain such a task. The story makes you question: could you do this, if you had to? Well, the codebreakers chosen at Bletchley Park for their special mental skills had to follow the iron clad requirement. It is interesting to note that three quarters of these positions were filled by women. The job had its challenges for even after the war ended, the participants had to remain silent, until the mid 1970’s when the secrets of their work became known after the British government released the information.
Before reading this novel, I watched the Bletchley Circle television series to gain insight of what it might have been like to work in this role and I also read some true accounts by the women who participated. I believe Kathleen has done an excellent job giving us a bird’s eye view of the inside activities. Not only has she shown us a glimpse of the workings of Bletchley Park but also the social scene that was fairly active and how it offered support to those who would have otherwise led a lonely existence. Working together closely in this facility led to some strong bonds between these ladies and men, since they could only talk among themselves about their secret ventures.
As it would have been for many ladies in this situation, our main character Pamela faces even bigger issues when keeping secrets of her work spills over into her personal life. She is caught in a tug of war of feelings between her quiet steady minded co-worker, Edwin, and her exciting attractive gardener boyfriend, Frank. Because of Edwin’s position, she can talk to him about anything and she is at ease in his presence. But she cannot share her activities with Frank who is the outsider. Yet she is attracted to this seemingly charming man. Until certain events cause her to wonder what secrets he may be hiding. Then suspicions and fears begin to mushroom and torch her trust in him when she discovers some distressing evidence. What should she do with this new found knowledge?
We see very clearly in this novel how the greatest enemy of trust is doubt. And when suspicions begin to loom large, hard decisions must be made.
Then there is the comparison of secrets in the modern day relationship with couple Marc and Julia. It appears they are going in different directions. The strain between business and family responsibilities intensifies. Julia is working hard to keep everything afloat in her business. She has had a successful career in IT but trust in her business partner and friend, Ian, becomes challenged when she runs into some unexpected financial issues. And then her relationship with her husband wobbles because her business consumes so much of her time. Is he jealous or feeling left out? Are her children being neglected? Julia does make the effort to maintain both facets of her life. But there just aren’t enough hours in a day. Sacrifices are made that pinch the other party. And both her personal life and business venture come unravelled. Some naked truths surface that become hard for Julia to shoulder.
But in the midst of Julia’s troubles, one silver lining reveals itself. Bob, her airline pilot brother (a great parallel to the past of Pamela and Geoff) diverts the stress by giving her a box of their grandmother’s personal items. This leads Julia on a mission of discovery to uncover the story of why Pamela never discussed her position at Bletchley Park. I found this part of the story particularly intriguing.
Like Pamela, Julia becomes lost for a while in a state of self-doubt, as suspicion slowly erodes her faith and confidence in her long standing unions— personally and professionally. Will she find a way through the tangled mess? I’m delighted to say that Kathleen weaves all lines together with appropriate resolutions. I found the novel gained an exhilarating momentum as it headed toward a satisfying climax. I did not want to put it down until I reached the end.
In each timeline, we see issues surrounding women of strength. With the present, it’s the complications that can arise when a woman’s work capacity outshines her husband’s. Once jealousy rears its ugly head, it can cause the loss of love if it leads a person into another direction. What lies at the heart of this green-eyed monster? The feeling of being threatened by another person’s success or income can create a lot of negative emotions and self-doubt. This can sometimes drive people to do unexpected things to make them feel good about themselves. But here lies the danger: what direction will a person go? And what are the consequences?
In the past timeline, we see how strong a Bletchley woman can be as well. And even though women had less choices in the 40s, those who fought hard for their rights, gained in limited measure, a few seeds of satisfaction. For the self-assured female would not let convention rule her heart and life. In this, Pamela is an excellent example.
Trust is a big cornerstone in relationships and I felt Kathleen explored this well in The Girl From Bletchley Park. George MacDonald once said: ‘To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved.’ Pick up a copy of this insightful gem when released on November 3rd. I highly recommend this to lovers of intriguing dual timeline fiction. 5 Stars from me.
Many thanks to Kathleen McGurl and HarperCollins for a copy to read and review.
This beautiful generational dual timeline novel contains Julia’s view point set in 2019 and Pamela’s in 1943. Although the book begins with Julia’s, I will address Pamela’s first since the heart of the story is in the book’s title. In 1943, Pamela has earned a well-deserved spot at Oxford University. She is a brilliant mathematician but an opportunity arises that leads her in another direction. She is presented with the chance to do her part for the war and to use her skills for a worthwhile cause. She is assured she can reclaim her Uni placement once these important tasks are completed. She decides to take a leap of faith into the unknown and become one of the codebreakers at Bletchley Park. At the same time, her brother leaves home to be trained as a war pilot in the fight for freedom. Both siblings are doing their part to help but one has the higher risk.
The 1943 setting of Bletchley Park focuses on the British government’s cryptological establishment that operated during World War II. It carried a hefty responsibility of decoding the enemy's secret messages, particularly those encrypted with the German Enigma and Tunny cipher machines. The workers were required to sign an agreement to never discuss what went on inside the facility. This novel covers the agony and weight of such secrets: when they must be kept and how strong one must be to maintain such a task. The story makes you question: could you do this, if you had to? Well, the codebreakers chosen at Bletchley Park for their special mental skills had to follow the iron clad requirement. It is interesting to note that three quarters of these positions were filled by women. The job had its challenges for even after the war ended, the participants had to remain silent, until the mid 1970’s when the secrets of their work became known after the British government released the information.
Before reading this novel, I watched the Bletchley Circle television series to gain insight of what it might have been like to work in this role and I also read some true accounts by the women who participated. I believe Kathleen has done an excellent job giving us a bird’s eye view of the inside activities. Not only has she shown us a glimpse of the workings of Bletchley Park but also the social scene that was fairly active and how it offered support to those who would have otherwise led a lonely existence. Working together closely in this facility led to some strong bonds between these ladies and men, since they could only talk among themselves about their secret ventures.
As it would have been for many ladies in this situation, our main character Pamela faces even bigger issues when keeping secrets of her work spills over into her personal life. She is caught in a tug of war of feelings between her quiet steady minded co-worker, Edwin, and her exciting attractive gardener boyfriend, Frank. Because of Edwin’s position, she can talk to him about anything and she is at ease in his presence. But she cannot share her activities with Frank who is the outsider. Yet she is attracted to this seemingly charming man. Until certain events cause her to wonder what secrets he may be hiding. Then suspicions and fears begin to mushroom and torch her trust in him when she discovers some distressing evidence. What should she do with this new found knowledge?
We see very clearly in this novel how the greatest enemy of trust is doubt. And when suspicions begin to loom large, hard decisions must be made.
Then there is the comparison of secrets in the modern day relationship with couple Marc and Julia. It appears they are going in different directions. The strain between business and family responsibilities intensifies. Julia is working hard to keep everything afloat in her business. She has had a successful career in IT but trust in her business partner and friend, Ian, becomes challenged when she runs into some unexpected financial issues. And then her relationship with her husband wobbles because her business consumes so much of her time. Is he jealous or feeling left out? Are her children being neglected? Julia does make the effort to maintain both facets of her life. But there just aren’t enough hours in a day. Sacrifices are made that pinch the other party. And both her personal life and business venture come unravelled. Some naked truths surface that become hard for Julia to shoulder.
But in the midst of Julia’s troubles, one silver lining reveals itself. Bob, her airline pilot brother (a great parallel to the past of Pamela and Geoff) diverts the stress by giving her a box of their grandmother’s personal items. This leads Julia on a mission of discovery to uncover the story of why Pamela never discussed her position at Bletchley Park. I found this part of the story particularly intriguing.
Like Pamela, Julia becomes lost for a while in a state of self-doubt, as suspicion slowly erodes her faith and confidence in her long standing unions— personally and professionally. Will she find a way through the tangled mess? I’m delighted to say that Kathleen weaves all lines together with appropriate resolutions. I found the novel gained an exhilarating momentum as it headed toward a satisfying climax. I did not want to put it down until I reached the end.
In each timeline, we see issues surrounding women of strength. With the present, it’s the complications that can arise when a woman’s work capacity outshines her husband’s. Once jealousy rears its ugly head, it can cause the loss of love if it leads a person into another direction. What lies at the heart of this green-eyed monster? The feeling of being threatened by another person’s success or income can create a lot of negative emotions and self-doubt. This can sometimes drive people to do unexpected things to make them feel good about themselves. But here lies the danger: what direction will a person go? And what are the consequences?
In the past timeline, we see how strong a Bletchley woman can be as well. And even though women had less choices in the 40s, those who fought hard for their rights, gained in limited measure, a few seeds of satisfaction. For the self-assured female would not let convention rule her heart and life. In this, Pamela is an excellent example.
Trust is a big cornerstone in relationships and I felt Kathleen explored this well in The Girl From Bletchley Park. George MacDonald once said: ‘To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved.’ Pick up a copy of this insightful gem when released on November 3rd. I highly recommend this to lovers of intriguing dual timeline fiction. 5 Stars from me.
Many thanks to Kathleen McGurl and HarperCollins for a copy to read and review.
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October 29, 2021Book reviews on www.snazzybooks.com
The Girl From Bletchley Park is a sweet, easy to read novel set across dual timelines. The present-day narrative focuses on mum of two Julia as she tries to deal with her difficult marriage and struggling business. We also move back in time to the 1940s, as Julia’s grandmother Pam joins the Wrens to help with the war effort as a top-secret codebreaker.
Both storylines are easy to read and enjoyable. They’re quite different…but in many ways similar too – I felt frustrated with both Julia and Pam who seemed so ridiculously naive as to not see what was obviously staring them in the face. I wanted them to have a bit more spark about them sometimes. However, I really enjoyed reading about Julia and Pam, and though I would have liked to read more detail about the code-breaking parts in the 1940s timeframe, I liked the balance of modern-day and wartime narratives. Although Julia missed a lot of what was staring her in the face, she was a really likeable, down to earth person who I really warmed to!
This book also really made me want to visit Bletchley Park – somewhere I’ve wanted to visit for a long time! The history of that building is amazing and I’ll always enjoy reading books set in that location – this one being no exception. Also, what a gorgeous cover this book has! 😍
It’s a great book for curling up on the sofa with – pair with a cup of tea!
Many thanks to the publisher for proving a copy of this novel on which I chose to write an honest review .
The Girl From Bletchley Park is a sweet, easy to read novel set across dual timelines. The present-day narrative focuses on mum of two Julia as she tries to deal with her difficult marriage and struggling business. We also move back in time to the 1940s, as Julia’s grandmother Pam joins the Wrens to help with the war effort as a top-secret codebreaker.
Both storylines are easy to read and enjoyable. They’re quite different…but in many ways similar too – I felt frustrated with both Julia and Pam who seemed so ridiculously naive as to not see what was obviously staring them in the face. I wanted them to have a bit more spark about them sometimes. However, I really enjoyed reading about Julia and Pam, and though I would have liked to read more detail about the code-breaking parts in the 1940s timeframe, I liked the balance of modern-day and wartime narratives. Although Julia missed a lot of what was staring her in the face, she was a really likeable, down to earth person who I really warmed to!
This book also really made me want to visit Bletchley Park – somewhere I’ve wanted to visit for a long time! The history of that building is amazing and I’ll always enjoy reading books set in that location – this one being no exception. Also, what a gorgeous cover this book has! 😍
It’s a great book for curling up on the sofa with – pair with a cup of tea!
Many thanks to the publisher for proving a copy of this novel on which I chose to write an honest review .
November 8, 2021
When brother Bob gives Julia a box
A mystery from their gran's past it unlocks.
Sending Julia on a quest to discover more
About her gran, Pam, and what happened before.
Sometimes looking to the past
Can help you decide what to do at last.
This is a dual timeline family tale
Where about their lives Julia and Pam each regale.
It gives an insight into events in the war
As some secrets were kept forever more
But secrets are also kept in the present
Their revelations may cause dissent.
This is a family drama in two different times
But both involve betrayal and crimes.
I found it a real page turner, a fascinating read,
One that had me hoping these ladies would succeed!
I thoroughly enjoyed this gorgeous read
If you try it I'm sure you'll accede.
This author is the dual timeline queen
Writing the best in this genre that I've seen.
For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
I throughly enjoyed reading it and this is my honest review.
A mystery from their gran's past it unlocks.
Sending Julia on a quest to discover more
About her gran, Pam, and what happened before.
Sometimes looking to the past
Can help you decide what to do at last.
This is a dual timeline family tale
Where about their lives Julia and Pam each regale.
It gives an insight into events in the war
As some secrets were kept forever more
But secrets are also kept in the present
Their revelations may cause dissent.
This is a family drama in two different times
But both involve betrayal and crimes.
I found it a real page turner, a fascinating read,
One that had me hoping these ladies would succeed!
I thoroughly enjoyed this gorgeous read
If you try it I'm sure you'll accede.
This author is the dual timeline queen
Writing the best in this genre that I've seen.
For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
I throughly enjoyed reading it and this is my honest review.
May 5, 2024
This was a pleasant surprise. I had this book for ages on my kobo and never got round to it but when I saw it was free on the library as an audiobook I decided to listen to it. Such a good narration imo. I liked both timelines, was slightly irritated with how both women were around the men; for someone portrayed as very intelligent, they were both very naïve. But other than that, I really enjoyed reading about how life was at Bletchley Park during WW2
April 9, 2022
Enjoyed this dual timeline mystery, the first I've read by the author. I found the stories atmospheric and liked learning more about life at Bletchley Park.
July 10, 2022
I have read quite a few books about the women of Bletchley Park, both fiction and non-fiction. This one is a novel which features an appealing woman who takes the secrecy of her job very seriously, for her entire life. The other line of narrative is about her granddaughter who is running a IT company while also serving as wife and mother to two teens. There are a couple of minor mysteries on both time lines, although the one in the present was pretty obvious (to everyone but the granddaughter). Not great literature, but I enjoyed it.
January 8, 2022
Kathleen McGurl is a new author to me. I absolutely loved this book and can highly recommend.
I've always been fasinated about Bletchley Park and all the secrets, we know about Alan Turing and the Egnima code, and I have often wondered what other people did at Bletchley Park.
This is a time slip so we are going from present day to WW11. And it all starts with a brown box camera and some undeveloped photos, and a spy. I can't reveal anymore because it would spoil the book.
I've always been fasinated about Bletchley Park and all the secrets, we know about Alan Turing and the Egnima code, and I have often wondered what other people did at Bletchley Park.
This is a time slip so we are going from present day to WW11. And it all starts with a brown box camera and some undeveloped photos, and a spy. I can't reveal anymore because it would spoil the book.
December 13, 2021
A dual timeline historical novel. Just what I typically love. This one didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I didn’t feel like it gave enough of the history of Bletchley Park rather it used Bletchley Park to tell Pam’s love story. Pam’s story takes place during WW11 and Julia’s (Pam’s granddaughter) story takes place in present time. It wasn’t a bad read just not great. A very predictable read. I felt the characters to be flat and the story in both time lines superficial. The ending….. everybody lived ever after.
November 29, 2021
I didn't want it to end!
I loved this dual timeline, and Bletchley Park has always fascinated me, so this book really hit the spot. Set in the present day and spanning back to WWII.
Brilliantly written and researched, with credible characters, some likeable, others no so.
I can happily recommend this book to lovers of this genre.
I loved this dual timeline, and Bletchley Park has always fascinated me, so this book really hit the spot. Set in the present day and spanning back to WWII.
Brilliantly written and researched, with credible characters, some likeable, others no so.
I can happily recommend this book to lovers of this genre.
July 31, 2022
This book was so predictable and had such an ending I had to take some insulin for my glucose coma. I enjoyed the small amount of information on the role Bletchley Park played in the war so I’d give it a 2.5 rating. I’d skip this one pal.
February 12, 2022
I'm a sucker for a book set in Bletchley Park, but dual timelines are really not for me.
February 9, 2023
Julia was dumber than a box of rocks for most of the book, but I liked it.
March 10, 2022
Secrets, Spies & Lies--Smart women shine in Kathleen McGurl’s dual timeline family tale of secrets decoded and lies exposed, “The Girl from Bletchley Park.”
All was not as it appeared in the life of 1940s recent high school graduate mathematics whiz kid, Pamela, when she accepted her first job working as a top secret code-breaker for British Intelligence.
She had to lie and tell everyone that she was a secretary because of secrecy. However, that was what most people would expect from a young woman in the ‘40s since it was “presumed that women could not manage work of any importance.” Under oath by the Official Secrets Act, even family and friends were forbidden to know the specific nature of her job.
Pam’s life and heart were soon in peril when she began to question the integrity of the man she loved and thought she would marry. Could he be a traitor? A spy? Had she broken her oath by saying something to him that she shouldn't have?
Years later, her granddaughter, Julia, also a computer specialist, has no idea about her grandmother’s highly classified work during WWII. Although the two were close during her grandmother's lifetime, Pamela, never discussed her clandestine position—even after the 50-years rule allowing her to speak more freely.
Only by chance, while clearing out some old family possessions, did some photos turned-up showing Grandmother Pam at Bletchley Park the British Intelligence WWII Code-Breaking Center. From there begins Julie’s family sleuthing expedition to learn all that they can of the family matriarch’s work as as intelligence officer.
Although completely fascinated by the intriguing notion of her grandmother’s wartime activities, Julie's small IT company is extraordinarily busy; her clients need their proposals yesterday; her business partner isn't taking care of the finances properly; she's working tons of hours; her husband is acting suspiciously; and kids feel neglected. Life is pretty crazy, even for a smart and organized woman like her.
Between trying to balance stresses from work and home, Julie craves the brief respites of quiet time when she can manage to digest the fascinating snippets of information that she receives periodically about her grandmother from a distant cousin’s family records—which are pretty intriguing!
Pamela’s fictional contributions to the war effort in “The Girl from Bletchley Park,” along with those of her friends and colleagues, paint an extraordinary picture of many true geniuses—unsung heroes behind the scenes—that helped shorten the duration of World War II and saved countless lives in the process. This aspect of the novel I found fascinating and truly inspiring.
However, the modern-day aspects of this dual timeline story are just a big ‘ol mess of headaches for character Julie. Of course, her being a supermom and her grandmother's genetic descendant, everything resolves itself pretty quickly. That being said, I will admit that this storyline does provide some positive and useful information for women going through similar situations.
=====================///=======================
The Book Maven’s Journal—Reviews for Word Connoisseurs
STAR RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️
“The Girl from Bletchley Park”
Author: Kathleen McGurl
Genre: | Historical Fiction (Adult) | Women's Fiction | General Fiction
Publication Date: 02 November 2021
Publisher: HQ An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd.
With Sincerest Appreciation to NetGalley, Author Kathleen McGurl and HQ, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd., for Providing this Advance Reader’s Copy for Review.
All was not as it appeared in the life of 1940s recent high school graduate mathematics whiz kid, Pamela, when she accepted her first job working as a top secret code-breaker for British Intelligence.
She had to lie and tell everyone that she was a secretary because of secrecy. However, that was what most people would expect from a young woman in the ‘40s since it was “presumed that women could not manage work of any importance.” Under oath by the Official Secrets Act, even family and friends were forbidden to know the specific nature of her job.
Pam’s life and heart were soon in peril when she began to question the integrity of the man she loved and thought she would marry. Could he be a traitor? A spy? Had she broken her oath by saying something to him that she shouldn't have?
Years later, her granddaughter, Julia, also a computer specialist, has no idea about her grandmother’s highly classified work during WWII. Although the two were close during her grandmother's lifetime, Pamela, never discussed her clandestine position—even after the 50-years rule allowing her to speak more freely.
Only by chance, while clearing out some old family possessions, did some photos turned-up showing Grandmother Pam at Bletchley Park the British Intelligence WWII Code-Breaking Center. From there begins Julie’s family sleuthing expedition to learn all that they can of the family matriarch’s work as as intelligence officer.
Although completely fascinated by the intriguing notion of her grandmother’s wartime activities, Julie's small IT company is extraordinarily busy; her clients need their proposals yesterday; her business partner isn't taking care of the finances properly; she's working tons of hours; her husband is acting suspiciously; and kids feel neglected. Life is pretty crazy, even for a smart and organized woman like her.
Between trying to balance stresses from work and home, Julie craves the brief respites of quiet time when she can manage to digest the fascinating snippets of information that she receives periodically about her grandmother from a distant cousin’s family records—which are pretty intriguing!
Pamela’s fictional contributions to the war effort in “The Girl from Bletchley Park,” along with those of her friends and colleagues, paint an extraordinary picture of many true geniuses—unsung heroes behind the scenes—that helped shorten the duration of World War II and saved countless lives in the process. This aspect of the novel I found fascinating and truly inspiring.
However, the modern-day aspects of this dual timeline story are just a big ‘ol mess of headaches for character Julie. Of course, her being a supermom and her grandmother's genetic descendant, everything resolves itself pretty quickly. That being said, I will admit that this storyline does provide some positive and useful information for women going through similar situations.
=====================///=======================
The Book Maven’s Journal—Reviews for Word Connoisseurs
STAR RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️
“The Girl from Bletchley Park”
Author: Kathleen McGurl
Genre: | Historical Fiction (Adult) | Women's Fiction | General Fiction
Publication Date: 02 November 2021
Publisher: HQ An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd.
With Sincerest Appreciation to NetGalley, Author Kathleen McGurl and HQ, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd., for Providing this Advance Reader’s Copy for Review.
December 30, 2021
4.5 stars
I’m a huge fan of dual timeline stories so this book instantly appealed to me. I was not disappointed as I found this a hugely enjoyable and compelling read.
The story is set in 1943 and the present day which I always love as it’s great fun trying to solve war time mysteries. I keep hoping I might find a war time diary one day like Julie in the book so it was fun to live precariously through Julie as she learns more about her grandmother Pamela’s war time work. I must admit I did enjoy the wartime story line a bit more than the present day one but I think that mainly down to my fascination with Bletchley Park. It was interesting to see how the two women’s stories seemed to mirror each other and how they gradually came together which I thought was very clever.
I thought the research in this book was fantastic and I loved learning more about the wartime work at Bletchley Park. The author really made the place come to life and I often felt like I was actually there experiencing everything alongside the characters which I always enjoy. It was also very interesting to get to know the characters more and they soon started feeling like old friends so the reader feels everything that happens to them as if they were experiencing everything themselves.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be recommending it to others. The story had a great pace to it and there was always something happening to keep my interest. I very much look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me onto the blog tour and to HQ stories for my copy of this book via netgalley.
I’m a huge fan of dual timeline stories so this book instantly appealed to me. I was not disappointed as I found this a hugely enjoyable and compelling read.
The story is set in 1943 and the present day which I always love as it’s great fun trying to solve war time mysteries. I keep hoping I might find a war time diary one day like Julie in the book so it was fun to live precariously through Julie as she learns more about her grandmother Pamela’s war time work. I must admit I did enjoy the wartime story line a bit more than the present day one but I think that mainly down to my fascination with Bletchley Park. It was interesting to see how the two women’s stories seemed to mirror each other and how they gradually came together which I thought was very clever.
I thought the research in this book was fantastic and I loved learning more about the wartime work at Bletchley Park. The author really made the place come to life and I often felt like I was actually there experiencing everything alongside the characters which I always enjoy. It was also very interesting to get to know the characters more and they soon started feeling like old friends so the reader feels everything that happens to them as if they were experiencing everything themselves.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be recommending it to others. The story had a great pace to it and there was always something happening to keep my interest. I very much look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me onto the blog tour and to HQ stories for my copy of this book via netgalley.
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