The Rose Code is a fascinating novel with many unexpected turns. I also appreciated the extensive Author’s Note in the end, where Quinn explains all of her research, including people who inspired the book, photos of Bletchley Park and real enigma machines, as well as a recommended list for further reading and entertainment. I constantly found myself looking things up and was so excited to learn that many of the characters are based, in part, on real people. I was entertained by the constant twists and loved how different each of the female characters were. The Rose Code brilliantly brought to life a part of history without making it feel boring or like a history lesson. The second half of the book flew by, and I found myself anxiously turning the pages late at night to find out what exactly tore the women apart and how each character was involved. The first half of the book moved at a slower pace for me than the second half but provides a lot of background and sets the tone for the historical timeframe it takes place in. The Rose Code really has it all-mystery, love, strong female leads, friendship, and suspense, which is why it would appeal to many different types of readers. As the days lead up to the royal wedding, the three women are reunited and must crack one last code together in order to “free” them all.

As the pressure of secrecy tears the three women apart, one of them is wrongfully sent to an asylum. The dual timeframe switches between WWII and the events leading up to Queen Elizabeth’s marriage to Prince Phillip. As England prepares to fight the Nazis in WWII, three very different women who are unlikely to be friends are recruited to work at the mysterious Bletchley Park, where they form a bond working in secrecy to decode German messages. The Rose Code is a must read for historical fiction lovers! The story is creatively told in dual timelines, 19, with multiple points of views. We read The Rose Code together last month and absolutely loved it! With over 600 pages, I was surprised with how many people in the group actually finished the book and enjoyed it. I became an immediate fan of Quinn’s writing and decided to return to her work once more in honor of my book club’s one year anniversary.

I’m so grateful to Kate Quinn because she re-instilled my love for reading a year ago, with the first book I chose to read with my book club- The Alice Network.

Author of the rose code