A Name Unknown - Book Review

A few months ago I reviewed The Codebreakers series by Roseanna M. White. Over the next few weeks I'll focus on the prequel series, Shadows Over England. This series gives the stories of the side characters in The Codebreakers books. The first book, A Name Unknown, takes place right before WWI. If you loved The Number of Love, On Wings of Devotion, or A Portrait of Loyalty by White, you'll love A Name Unknown.

Plot Summary

Rosemary Gresham found her own family in a team of thieves who steal from the rich, who won't miss a few pieces of their wealth. When she's hired by a mysterious man to determine the loyalty of Peter Holstein, a man with German origins, she disguises herself as a librarian and takes on the daunting task of going through library. But the further she searches, the less she's convinced that Peter is disloyal to England.

Peter needs to prove he's loyalty to the Crown so he can write his novels in peace and live without being suspected as a spy. The looming war with Germany increases the pressure he's under as tensions mount between him and the citizens of his town. As his new librarian searches his records, someone begins to threaten him and his household. Rosemary and Peter will need to work together if they are going to prove Peter's innocence and explore the possibility of a relationship between them.

Personal Thoughts

At first I questioned if Rosemary and Peter would make a good couple. Rosemary was a practical street thief hardened by life, while Peter lived in his head with his characters and was a little clueless. But the opposites worked for them. It was humorous when Peter disappeared into his own little world and I loved how he and Rosemary passed notes back and forth.

At times the plot dragged a little, but overall it was interesting. I sympathized with Peter's plight and couldn't wait for his loyalty to be proven. It was wonderful to see Rosemary soften up and loose some of her rough edges. I also loved the side characters and looked forward to finding out more about them in future books.

Notes

Steam Level: 💋💋💋

This is the first book in the Shadows Over England series.

For those of you who have read A Name Unknown, what did you think of it? For those of you who have not read it, would you? Tell me in the comments below!