The Mozart Code is a kind-of sequel to The London Restoration.
The two main characters of The London Restoration also feature as minor characters in The Mozart Code, and the characters all know each other (and have done since the War).
It’s also a kind-of sequel in that both novels are set in post-World War II Europe. Both feature characters who worked at Bletchley Park. Both feature couples in unconventional marriages. Both flit between the post-war setting, and scenes before or during the war. And both stories are ostensibly Christian, but the themes are subtle. Very subtle (I’ve read general market historical fiction with more obvious faith elements).
I listened to the audiobook version of The London Restoration, and found it very slow. However, that’s a common issue I have with audiobooks, so I put it down to the fact audiobooks (even on double speed) are slower than I read. I also found aspects of the story difficult to follow, but again put that down to the audiobook experience. I know a lot of people love audiobooks. I am not one of them, but that’s on me, not the author.
I therefore made a conscious choice to read The Mozart Code, not listen to the audiobook. Unfortunately, I found that I had the same issues with the written version.
The writing is beautiful. Outstanding.
But the story was slow, and the book didn’t deliver what I was expecting: suspense and espionage in post-war Europe. The book description suggests the story is about Sophia searching for Mozart’s death mask for two competing clients, but there was little searching or investigating. Instead, there was a lot of focus on Mozart (not unexpected, given the title), chess, and Simon’s background, and nothing to show what Sophia was or wasn’t doing to find the mask.
I’ve read and very much enjoyed Rachel McMillan’s contemporary romance novels. But I’m not a fan of her historic novels, despite the beautiful and literary style of writing. Or perhaps because the beautiful and literary style of writing got in the way of delivering on the plot promised in the book description.
Finally, I will add a content warning: there was some torture, which I skipped/skimmed. That came late in the story, so didn’t impact on my view of the novel.
Thanks to Thomas Nelson for providing a free ebook for review.
About Rachel McMillan
Rachel McMillan is the author of the Herringford and Watts mysteries, the Three Quarter Time series of contemporary romances set in opulent Vienna, and the Van Buren and DeLuca mysteries praised for bringing an authentic 1930’s Boston world to life while normalizing the fictional conversation surrounding mental illness. She is also the author of Dream, Plan and Go: A Romantic’s Guide to Independent Travel and A Very Merry Holiday Movie Guide: which explores her love of made-for-TV Christmas movies. Her upcoming historical romances The London Restoration and The Mozart Code (Harper Collins) take readers deep into an atmospheric look of post-war London, Vienna and Prague. Rachel lives in Toronto, Canada.
Find Rachel online at:
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About The Mozart Code
No matter how you might try to hide in a war to escape your past, it is always close at hand.
Simon Barrington, the illegitimate heir of one of Sussex’s oldest estates, used the previous war to hide his insecurities about his past. Now, he uses his high breeding to gain access to all four allied quarters of the ruined city in an attempt to slow the fall of the Iron Curtain. He has been in love with Sophie Villiers since the moment he met her, and a marriage of convenience to save Simon’s estate has always kept her close. Until now, when Sophie’s mysterious client in Prague forces him to wonder if her allegiance to him—and their cause—is in question. Torn between his loyalty to his cause and his heart, Simon seeks answers about Sophie only to learn that everything he thought he knew about his involvement in both wars is based on a lie.
You can find The Mozart Code online at:
Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong
