The Last Night in London. Karen White

Published: Simon & Shuster – Australia.
Date: 5th May 2021
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

London, 1939. Beautiful and ambitious Eva Harlow and her American best friend, Precious Dubose, are trying to make their way as fashion models. When Eva falls in love with Graham St. John, an aristocrat and Royal Air Force pilot, she can’t believe her luck – she’s getting everything she ever wanted. Then the Blitz devastates her world, and Eva finds herself slipping into a web of intrigue, spies and secrets. As Eva struggles to protect everything she holds dear, all it takes is one unwary moment to change their lives forever.

London, 2019. American journalist Maddie Warner travels to London to interview Precious about her life in pre-WWII London. Maddie, healing from past trauma and careful to close herself off to others, finds herself drawn to both Precious and to Colin, Precious’ enigmatic surrogate nephew. As Maddie gets closer to her, she begins to unravel Precious’ haunting past – and the secrets she swore she’d never reveal …

The Last Night in London by Karen White tells a very poignant story of two women during World War 11 in London, as well as a 2019 link with one of the women.  It is one of the best dual time lines that I have read, it goes together so seamlessly.

The story has mystery – what happened back in those early war times. What happened to some of the people who seem to have been wiped from the  face of the earth.  And in 2019 Cassie seems to be hiding something, there is an air of mystery to her as well.  It wasn’t until I had finished this book that I discovered Cassie had been a part of two previous books, and I had read the first one. I intend going back and reading that, then the second and then this one again! This one is a standalone book, but will be the richer for reading the three I do believe!

For readers who are fascinated by the fashion industry back just before the war and on into it. And if you love old houses and London that will help too. As the story develops, the clues emerge  slowly. There are a couple of twists that make this so worth hanging in with.

The characters are well developed and I really felt for them. I felt saddened by some of the war events, and chuckled at some of the gentle humour at other times.  There are secrets, some betrayal, love that endures and heartbreak. Well really this book has so much to offer.