Rosemary Gresham has no family beyond the band of former urchins that helped her survive as a girl in the mean streets of London. Grown now, they concentrate on stealing high-value items and have learned how to blend into upper-class society. But when Rosemary must determine whether a certain wealthy gentleman is loyal to Britain or to Germany, she is in for the challenge of a lifetime. How does one steal a family’s history, their very name?
Peter Holstein, given his family’s German blood, writes his popular series of adventure novels under a pen name. With European politics boiling and his own neighbors suspicious of him, Peter debates whether it might be best to change his name for good. When Rosemary shows up at his door pretending to be a historian and offering to help him trace his family history, his question might be answered.
But as the two work together and Rosemary sees his gracious reaction to his neighbors’ scornful attacks, she wonders if her assignment is going down the wrong path. Is it too late to help him prove that he’s more than his name?
Wow! Roseanna M. White’s newest book A Name Unknown is a book like no other. I love historical fiction, and White has reached new heights of excitement and suspense in this story. It’s not just a story of love in the midst of war, although it is – but it’s about political loyalties, chosen professions, the role of faith in our lives, and how money affects our integrity and place in society.
I love those unique angles. I’ve never before heard of internment camps for Germans living in England when World War I was declared, but that reality plays a large role in this story. The fact that popular fiction writers were asked to put certain themes into their work during this time does, too – and who knew?
A Name Unknown contains deep theological themes, too. White writes about redemption and forgiveness, but also about the importance of prayer and the way that we share our personal faith. I enjoyed the way that she made Peter’s faith real and alive and natural so that just overflowed out of him onto everything around. Isn’t that a great example of how we should internalize our faith, as well?
White has written a story that’s exciting and suspenseful – enough for me to speed through it in a single afternoon – but that’s clean enough to share with my tween daughter. She’s going to love it, too – and I love that I can share it with her.
If you’re a fan of historical fiction at all, put A Name Unknown on your TBR list now.
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