My Father's House: AS SEEN ON BBC BETWEEN THE COVERS (The Rome Escape Line, 1)

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That torture and murder occurred is not in doubt; that brave sould risked their lives and often lost them is another given. It is hard not to be captivated by his presence in this hugely satisfying book, from its explosive beginning to its bittersweet end. What we have here is a slice of the workings of the Rome Escape Line and Hugh's very necessary and risky involvement in the escape line. Thrilling… Based on true events, this tense, gripping narrative is rendered in beautifully evocative prose.

Expertly plotted… Brilliantly paced… O’Connor brings vividly to life a man who stands up to be counted. His home is Vatican City, the world's smallest state, a neutral, independent country within Rome where the occupiers hold no sway. Regardless, I was in awe of his courage on command and his ability to fuel others, albeit a quirky cast, to join the cause. Beautifully crafted, his razor-sharp dialogue is to be savoured, and he employs dark humour to great effect.There are also brilliant little details about life in neutral Vatican City such as the fact it was necessary for residents to apply for a haircut pass the leave its boundaries. At great risk to themselves and family, some Romans helped escaped Allied prisoners and Jews, providing train tickets in false names, which helped them flee to Switzerland.

Based on a true story, My Father's House is a powerful thriller from a master of historical fiction. However, these sections sometimes feel like a cheat in that they are used to convey information that these individuals wouldn't have been privy to. The goose-stepping troops armed with machine guns and gripping growling dogs keep control with spies and surveillance, adding to the horror.He is the author of the novels Cowboys and Indians (short-listed for the Whitbread Prize), Desperadoes, The Salesman, Inishowen, Star of the Sea and Redemption Falls, as well as a number of bestselling works of non-fiction. It was also interesting to be presented with the response to Rome’s capture by the Nazi’s and the consequences for the Vatican. This novel revolves around Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, based in Rome during WWII and the organiser of an escape route for prisoners of war.

What an ensemble of narrators: Aoife Duffin; Gertrude Toma; Barry Barnes; Stephen Hogan; Barnaby Edwards; Laurence Bouvard; David John; Roberto Davide; Thomas Hill. The story of the Roman Escape Line was told in dual timelines, the days leading up to the Rendimento on December 23, 1943 and 20 years later in 1963, as revisited by members of the Choir. This fast paced novel describes the heroic efforts of a group headed by an Irish priest working in the Vatican to provide the Escape Line by which escaped Allied POW’s and Jewish prisoners were transported out of Rome. I appreciate stories that shed light on that era, even more so when I’m learning something new from them.My Father’s House is set in Rome, more precisely in the Vatican, during the Nazi occupation and is described by the publishers as a ‘WWII-era “great escape” novel’.