Embers in the London Sky

I have read almost everything that Sarah Sundin has written.  Her newest book is a bit different from her other offerings, but still every bit as intriguing.  

Aleida is planning her escape with her son, Theo, from her abusive husband Sebastiaan.  When Sebastiaan comes home early and tells Aleida to pack, they are leaving the Netherlands, Aleida feels she has lost her opportunity to escape him. On the trip to the coast where they will be picked up by boat and transported to Great Britain, Sebastiaan steals Theo from Aleida and gives him to a couple to take on ahead to London without finding out who they were or where they lived.  While Aleida is trying to find out where Theo was, a German air attack passes over where they were and their strafing bullets hit Sebastiaan and kill him.  

Now Aleida has to make her way to London on her own, but when she checks the back of the car, she finds a suitcase full of gold which will provide her a way to get to London.  Once in London, she begins searching for her son.  As she works for the Ministry of Health, she begins compiling lists of children who have been evacuated from London to the countryside, in hopes that she will find her beloved Theo. Her supervisor is not enamored with her desire to compile the lists of children who have been evacuated and the people who are billeting the children. 

In addition to working for the Ministry of Health, she is also an air raid warden for her neighborhood, making sure blackout conditions are kept and everyone gets to shelters in a timely fashion during air raids. It is in carrying out these duties that she meets Hugh Collingswood.  He supports her search for Theo and even helps her out in her quest, at the same time on a quest of his own to find out who murdered his uncle. 

There is mystery and intrigue worked into this novel, and it's got murder and mayhem as well.  There are characters the reader will love and empathize with, and there are characters the reader will love to hate because of their actions and attitudes. Sarah hones and improves her craft with every book she writes.  This book is no exception to that assumption. It is hard to put down and easy to lose sleep over. 

Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and an Oli the Elephant stuffed toy. 

Revell Publishing provided the copy I read for this review.  All opinions expressed are solely my own.