The Spies of Shilling Lane

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Jennifer Ryan's latest novel The Spies of Shilling Lane (#840).  She also wrote The Chilbury Ladies' Choir (See my post of 12/27/2017.), which I loved and regretted leaving on my "To Read" pile for so long before I got around to it.  This is yet another World War II novel, but instead of being grim and earnest as so many of them seem to be, this one was infused with humor and warmth.  If you loved the recent Dear Mrs. Bird (See my post of 8/7/2018.), you should definitely add The Spies of Shilling Lane to your reading list.

Mrs. Braithwaite has just been served with divorce papers by her philandering husband. The ladies in her small English village of Ashcombe take this opportunity to push Mrs. Braithwaite out of her position as head of the Women's Volunteer Service League, bossing everyone else around.  When her rival threatens to reveal a secret concerning Mrs. Braithwaite's daughter Betty if she won't step down, she knows that the time has come to go to London to tell Betty that secret before some one else from Ashcombe has the chance to spill the beans.  The problem is, when she arrives in London, Betty's landlord Mr. Norris informs her that Betty has been missing for several days.  Where is she?  And why has no one reported her missing?  Mrs. Braithwaite bullies the timid Mr. Norris into helping her sort out where Betty could be and lands them both in the middle of a dangerous situation...

It's a treat to watch Mrs. Braithwaite change as she is confronted with the daily dangers Londoners face.  There are real spies, indeed!  With Betty in mortal danger, Mrs. B. is also forced to examine her own values and what is most important in life.  She blooms in the midst of the rubble of bombed out London.  I really hated to see this book end, which is the highest compliment I can pay.  I can't wait to see what Ms. Ryan writes about next!