Blitz by Daniel O’Malley
September, 1940. Three women of the Checquy, the secret organization tasked with protecting Britain from supernatural threats, stand in the sky above London and watch German aircraft approach. Forbidden by law to interfere, all they can do is watch as their city is bombed.
Until Pamela, the most sensible of them, suddenly breaks all the rules and brings down a Nazi bomber with her bare hands. The three resolve to tell no one about it, but they soon learn that a crew member is missing from the downed bomber. Charred corpses are discovered in nearby houses and it becomes apparent that the women have unwittingly unleashed a monster.
Through a city torn by the Blitz, the friends must hunt the enemy before he kills again. Their task will take them from the tunnels of the Underground to the halls of power, where they will discover the secrets that a secret organization must keep even from itself.
Today. Lynette Binns, a librarian with a husband and child, is a late recruit to the Checquy, having discovered only as an adult her ability to electrify everyday objects with her touch.
After completing her training, she is assigned to examine a string of brutal murders of London criminals and quickly realizes that all bear the unmistakable hallmark of her own unique power. Unable to provide an alibi and determined to prove her innocence, she flees, leaving behind her family to venture into the London underworld to find answers. But now she is prey, being tracked by her own frighteningly capable comrades.
As Lyn fights off powered thugs and her own vengeful colleagues, she will find that the solution to the murders and to the mystery of her own past lies in the events of World War II, and the covert actions of three young women during the Blitz.
For the Reading Challenge(s):
2024 Series Enders Challenge
2024 Finishing the Series Challenge
2024 Audiobook Challenge
2024 Library Love Challenge
The Reason
I read the first two books – The Rook and Stiletto – and loved them, and so had to read this one too!
The Quotes
“Over the centuries, many Pawns had fallen prey to the seductive charms of succubi, incubi, and, in several memorable and bewildering instances, incunabula.”
“In their day to day lives apprentices were always under pressure to remain discreet, concealing their true nature from the civilians around them. It was heady to be plunged into a situation where everyone knew the truth of matters and there was no need to hide.”
“Until I was eleven, I lived with a Checquy Pawn and her husband in Oxford,” Pamela told me. “They were lovely—I still write to them. They schooled me and three other girls in the basic skills of reading, writing, firearms, arithmetic, religious education, history, unarmed combat, science, sketching and watercolors, armed combat, and, of course, the core skill of any Checquy operative.” “Which is?” I asked her. “Keeping one’s abilities secret.”
The Narrator
Moira Quirk. Same narrator as the second book, and this time there’s no weird spaces in between chapters so that was great!
My Thoughts
The author tells a great story and I loved this one too, but I have to admit I’m disappointed that it’s not a continuation of the previous books. I feel like I had the wrong idea of the three books out in this series, because I thought they were going to be the same story – the second book didn’t focus on the first book’s main character, but the stories still seemed linked together more than this one did. There were things that happened in the first two books that I was looking forward to getting a resolution on, and obviously didn’t get one from this book.
I still think this story is great in itself, and I’m glad I read it. Pamela, Bridget, and Usha (I’m not sure if I got the spellings right!) took me on a great adventure, and I loved Lynn’s story too. I think I might love Lynn’s story a little more. I love how things tied up at the end, but I feel like there’s more story to be told for these ladies. Which makes things difficult for me because I’m realizing now that the next books (if there are more books to come – that’s not clear at the moment) might not even revisit the same characters.
I’m good with taking a break from this series for now though, and if and when there is a new book, I’ll know better what to expect when going in.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
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