The Enigma Game

By: Elizabeth Wein

Narrated by: Elizabeth Wein, Angela Ness

Featuring beloved characters from Code Name Verity and The Pearl Thief, as well as a remarkable new voice, this brilliant, breathlessly plotted novel by award-winning author Elizabeth Wein is a must-listen.

"The hair stood up at the back of my neck. Those letters meant something. And with the cipher machine, I'd worked it out myself."

1940. Facing a seemingly endless war, 15-year-old Louisa Adair wants to fight back, make a difference, do something-anything to escape the Blitz and the ghosts of her parents, who were killed by enemy action. But when she accepts a position caring for an elderly German woman in the small village of Windyedge, Scotland, it hardly seems like a meaningful contribution. Still, the war feels closer than ever in Windyedge, where Ellen McEwen, a volunteer driver with the Royal Air Force, and Jamie Beaufort-Stuart, a flight leader for the 648 Squadron, are facing a barrage of unbreakable code and enemy attacks they can't anticipate.

Their paths converge when a German pilot lands in Windyedge under mysterious circumstances and plants a key that leads Louisa to an unparalleled discovery: an Enigma machine that translates German code. Louisa, Ellen, and Jamie must work together to unravel a puzzle that could turn the tide of the war? but doing so will put them directly in the cross-hairs of the enemy.

©2020 Elizabeth Gatland (P)2020 Bolinda Publishing

Critic reviews

'Wein truly demonstrates her masterful hand.' (Booklist)

Wonderful YA Historical Fiction!

I have come to expect great writing, engaging characters and amazing plots from Elizabeth Wein, and this book ticked all the boxes! I loved the characters, and the story was amazing! The narrator also did a fantastic job, creating distinct accent and voices for everyone - and I loved that she could actually sing! That added so much, in a novel featuring several musicians!

Highly recommended!

Wonderful!

The reading of this book was wonderful! The author included amazing details and the narrator was so enjoyable!

Disappointing

I loved Code Name Verity, and wanted to love this "prequel." However, the author couldn't seem to decide whose point of view she wanted to tell the story from, so she switches--sometimes paragraph by paragraph--amongst her three narrators, resulting in a sort of narrative whiplash. And too many of the situations/reactions felt cliched or unrealistically forced.

Gripping story

I’ve enjoyed the other books by Elizabeth Wein in this sequence, but I think this one is the most amazing yet. It’s really brought to life by the three different voices created by a single narrator. It’s a real pleasure to listen to her read.

A great listen

The characters are so well developed, enjoyable and authentic. The story is tight, well written and engaging. And if you do not come a way with just a little better sense of how lucky we are to be standing on the shoulders of great, noble men and woman of all backgrounds, that gave their lives. Thank you Elizabeth Wein!