A dangerous mission is underway in Occupied Rome, right under the noses of the Gestapo. The acclaimed wartime thriller from the award-winning and internationally bestselling author of My Father's House.
May 1944. Rome is still ruled by the Gestapo, but the Allies are closing in.
As tensions rise, John May s work smuggling escaped prisoners of war to safety through the Vatican Escape Line grows ever more treacherous.
When a hijacked strongbox of Nazi money is discovered, May s Escape Line comrades hope to use it to help their cause. But the money has been stolen by an infamous Roman criminal: a man whispered about for his legendary ruthlessness.
May s mission to recover the looted cash will take him to dangerous extremes. As rumours infect the beleaguered city, Gestapo boss Paul Hauptmann s behaviour becomes increasingly desperate. Soon the pair are set on a deadly collision course which will test May s courage to its limit.
PRAISE FOR JOSEPH O CONNOR
'As thrilling, beautiful and sensational a novel as you'll read this year or any year' Sunday Times
'Combines the pleasures of the ideal holiday read with those of a literary masterpiece' Fintan O'Toole, Irish Times
A superb testament to humankind s bravery and resilience . . . moving and immersive Guardian, Books of the Year
