The Rose Code: A Novel
Written by Kate Quinn
Narrated by Saskia Maarleveld
4.5/5
()
About this audiobook
“The hidden history of Bletchley Park has been waiting for a master storyteller like Kate Quinn to bring it to life. THE ROSE CODE effortlessly evokes the frantic, nervy, exuberant world of the Enigma codebreakers through the eyes of three extraordinary women who work in tireless secrecy to defeat the Nazis. Quinn’s meticulous research and impeccable characterization shine through this gripping and beautifully executed novel.”
Beatriz Williams, New York Times bestselling author of HER LAST FLIGHT
The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Huntress and The Alice Network returns with another heart-stopping World War II story of three female code breakers at Bletchley Park and the spy they must root out after the war is over.
1940. As England prepares to fight the Nazis, three very different women answer the call to mysterious country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes. Vivacious debutante Osla is the girl who has everything—beauty, wealth, and the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses—but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, and puts her fluent German to use as a translator of decoded enemy secrets. Imperious self-made Mab, product of east-end London poverty, works the legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and looks for a socially advantageous husband. Both Osla and Mab are quick to see the potential in local village spinster Beth, whose shyness conceals a brilliant facility with puzzles, and soon Beth spreads her wings as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts. But war, loss, and the impossible pressure of secrecy will tear the three apart.
1947. As the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip whips post-war Britain into a fever, three friends-turned-enemies are reunited by a mysterious encrypted letter--the key to which lies buried in the long-ago betrayal that destroyed their friendship and left one of them confined to an asylum. A mysterious traitor has emerged from the shadows of their Bletchley Park past, and now Osla, Mab, and Beth must resurrect their old alliance and crack one last code together. But each petal they remove from the rose code brings danger--and their true enemy--closer...
Editor's Note
Code breaking spy thriller…
“The Alice Network” author Kate Quinn has clearly cracked the code to creating thrilling, espionage historical fiction because she’s done it again with “The Rose Code.” Working as Enigma code breakers during World War II, three very different women (debutante Osla, ambitious working-class Mab, and shy genius Beth) race to uncover a traitor in their midst. For any readers not already in at “code breaking spy thriller,” did we mention the stakes include a royal wedding?
Kate Quinn
Kate Quinn is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. A native of Southern California, she attended Boston University, where she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in classical voice. A lifelong history buff, she has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga and two books set in the Italian Renaissance before turning to the 20th century with The Alice Network, The Huntress, The Rose Code, and The Diamond Eye. All have been translated into multiple languages. She and her husband now live in California with three black rescue dogs.
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Reviews for The Rose Code
1,947 ratings122 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I am not a war time story fan, but this is a delishious story and so vividly written it is a must read for all. Great characters, gripping storyline and a glimpse into what it was like during WW2 without that being the focus. I loved it thus the 5 stars. I don't often give that.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Not a good author.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Sheer perfection. Best book of 2021 so far. I’m in awe.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The first 1/3 took me a bit “to get in to” but then I was riveted. Near the middle, the loss was searing but further enriched the story. The ending was so satisfying that I wish I’d pushed through faster. Excellent tale of women and their contributions because and in spite of their place in the world during this pivotal time in history.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Exciting historical fiction. Love the book, love that it wraps itself around real life events. I like learning about history even in a fictional book
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I couldn’t stop listening. It was riveting and the reader does a phenomenal job!
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The writing and narration were superb! The story line development was gripping and its narrator danced with the plot between edge of your seat unknowns to poignant discoveries and delights. The final factual review was an added bonus.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fantastic story with detailed characters and an extremely enjoyable plot. The voice actor did an amazing job, bringing the book to life. It was hard to press pause!
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Indeed a very good and rich plot, well written, well narrated.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Loved it! Better then get last which was fabulous too!
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Absolutely sensational. The three women, their lives , the underlying hunt for a traitor so well done.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The narrator on this one was terrible. I tried to listen to this book several times and couldn’t. But I did end up reading it and it was absolutely an amazing book!
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Some of Quinn’s books aren’t great...but this one is fantastic! Loved it!
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Oh my…what a ride. This book took my breath away. Wonderful.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Rose Code is an interesting book. I liked how this book is a mix of a historical fiction novel and a mystery. World War II is my favorite time to read about the aspect of trying to figure out who is responsible for one of them entering an asylum. I was intrigued by the dual timeline between past and present. In the past, women are developing a friendship and learned how to break codes. In the present, women have to work together and put their differences aside. They each have to decide if the one in the asylum belongs there and what happened in the years they didn’t talk. The Rose Code kept me thinking throughout the book. All of the characters are interesting and use their different talents toward the same goal. Osla, Mab, and Beth are incredibly unique characters but easily develop a friendship.
Just a tip for potential readers: if you are looking for historical accuracy you should not read a fiction book.
There are a few things that I expect from a fiction book, and if I have to name just two, I would say plausibility and entertainment. And I got it with this one.
If there is a word that I rarely use to describe a book, that word is riveting. And that word fits this book perfectly.
I was captivated from the very beginning, mostly because of the author’s writing style. It was gripping. She made everything so vivid, so believable. The characters are amazing and the dialogues were excellent.
Ah… the characters!
I fell in love with Osla.
I loved Mab and I wished that I could comfort her.
I sympathized with and cared for Beth and I wanted to slap her mother, who was a hypocritical religious person and a very selfish one.
This is a great drama that I read as if I were watching a TV series or a soap opera. It has all the right ingredients.
The structure, storyline line, and development are superb.
But the author’s talent for telling a story is what makes this book so great.
Having read her previous books I can say that her talent has exceeded my expectations.
What else can I say?
Read it and see (feel) it for yourself.
my-5-stars.1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wow... I loved this book! It's my second Kate Quinn (after The Alice Network) and I am now a fan.
I loooove historical novels and this is one of the best ones I've read in a while. At first, I feared it might be too long but I never lost interest. The narrator is amazing and the scenes have even more life thanks to her work.
This book left me feeling happy, a bit gooey and super inspired about I-don't-know-what. I felt the same way after The Alice Network.1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I thought this book was Amazing. Absolutely topping. And that’s no slush!
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Spellbinding.
Kate Quinn wins my vote!
The audiobook version is a big plus with voice inflections, as well.1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The characters were so brave! I loved reading about how women contributed so much during WWII.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5What an amazing story, I have always been fascinated with BP, this book was perfect.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Gripping story that kept me guessing until the end! One of the best historical suspense/espionage novels I’ve read.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Thrilling. Based on a true story. Great book for a long weekend. It is hard to stop reading it.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Another one of Kate Quinn’s amazingly researched books. Not as fast paced as some of her others but still an exciting one. My only quibble as a Brit myself was the mispronunciation of place names. Keswick is pronounced Keh-sic. I ask Harper Collins Audio people to do their research a bit better on that one as I’m sure the author probably knew this!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The story, the characters, the reader… all of it is amazing. I’ve heard it three times and every time hear things I’d missed the other times. Beautiful story. Thank you
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Kept my attention till the very end of the story
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Enthralling! I couldn’t put it down. Great characters and a captivating story line.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This was a very enjoyable book. This is the 2nd I've read/listened to by this author and I love her character development. I felt like I could have been there and could have been friends with these ladies.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A walk into the past. A book written with the utmost care/respect and narrated in such a beautiful manner. I felt like I was right there with all the characters. Kate Quinn and Saskia Maarleveld make quite a pair of literature goddesses. I have enjoyed all 3 historical books (The Rose Code/The Alice Network/The Huntress) written and narrated by both.
A tear or two might have dropped. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Totally enthralling read and listen! Made for great book club discussion , too.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Long book but worth it because so much goes into developing multiple characters and seeing things from every angle. Love that it’s a historical fiction