"Landscape of Shadows", by Kevin Doherty

Dinon, France 1941 under the German occupation

Max Duval, the mayor and owner of Hotel Picardie, encourages his citizens to accept the presence of the Germans. His most important resident is Major Egon Wolff, German commandant. All went well till the day a resistance team kills two German troopers. One of the assassins is Sophie Carriere who took refuge in the Hotel. Max keeps her safe even if it doesn’t approve of what she has done.

Soon, Sophie accuses him of being a collaborator and instrumental behind the attacks but unknown to her Max is far from being a collaborator. He has his own methods of resistance....and this hot head has come in the way.....What is going on at Hotel Picardie right under the nose of a high rank Nazi.....the story tells us.

I love reading about resistance, it could take many forms: sabotage, publication and distribution of leaflets. This story brings forward the operation of secret escape lines that enable stranded Allied airmen and others to escape from Nazi-occupied territory. These people put their lives in danger for not only France but for all of us.

“In “Landscape of Shadow” we see a mayor having to make peace with the Major so his residents might survive the war. We also see how conflicted these people are with the resistance. When the question comes up to handle Sophie to the German rather than to let the Nazi kill dozen of citizens in retribution the tension is more than palpable. What a dilemma these people had to face very touching and really painful. The author’s words convey the terror and uncertainty each day brought...

Even if I had read more than my share of WW11 stories, Mr. Doherty’s version is far from being boring and gives different view and has its own twists. This is a fast moving story one that kept my attention from the opening page. The energy in this plot has also teased my fingers to flip rapidly pages to see the outcome. I felt transported to a time of anxiety and fear a place I hope never to experience....

Well-done and said

This ARC was provided by Oceanview Publishing via Netgalley for my thoughts.