The Ghosts Of Rome

The acclaimed wartime thriller and gripping holiday read

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The Ghosts Of Rome

By: Joseph O'Connor

Narrated by: Stephen Hogan, Barnaby Edwards, Aoife Duffin, David John, Gertrude Thoma, Laurence Bouvard

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Brought to you by Penguin.

February 1944. Six months since Nazi forces occupied Rome.

Inside the beleaguered city, the Contessa Giovanna Landini is a member of the band of Escape Line activists known as ‘The Choir’. Their mission is to smuggle refugees to safety and help Allied soldiers, all under the nose of Gestapo boss Paul Hauptmann.

During a ferocious morning air raid a mysterious parachutist lands in Rome and disappears into the backstreets. Is he an ally or an imposter? His fate will come to put the whole Escape Line at risk.

Meanwhile, Hauptmann’s attention has landed on the Contessa. As his fascination grows, she is pulled into a dangerous game with him – one where the consequences could be lethal.

© Joseph O'Connor 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

Joseph O'ConnorStephen HoganBarnaby EdwardsAoife DuffinDavid JohnGertrude ThomaLaurence BouvardVintage DigitalThe Rome Escape Line Trilogy

20th Century

Biographical Fiction

Genre Fiction

Historical

Historical Fiction

Literary Fiction

Thriller & Suspense

Exciting

Rome

20th Century Biographical Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Thriller & Suspense Exciting Rome

Critic reviews

A superb testament to humankind’s bravery and resilience...moving and immersive

Tremendous and terrifying (Fintan O'Toole)

The tension doesn’t slack an inch… It is haunting, sensuous and immaculately constructed — without sacrificing any thrills

The Ghosts of Rome is both a tribute to the imagination and courage of his remarkable team [of The Escape Line] and a riveting thriller

Blazes with imaginative flair and narrative energy... packed with sensuously evoked reminders of Rome's rich past...haunted and haunting

There is no finer writer of historical fiction than Joseph O’Connor. . . Beautifully written, warm and witty, this story of a terrorised city is a must-read. Thrilling, terrifying and entertaining in equal measure. (Liz Nugent, Number One Bestselling author of STRANGE SALLY DIAMOND)

[A] vivid and moving story, with O’Connor seamlessly combining real characters with imagined ones

As thrilling, beautiful and sensational a novel as you'll read this or any year (Donal Ryan)

Digs ever deeper into the lives of the everyday heroes of a war-ravaged city, unearthing stories of remarkable courage and ingenuity that glitter from the pages of this tense, polyphonic narrative (Sarah Gilmartin)

A stellar piece of storytelling. O'Connor brilliantly captures the sense of the city and its inhabitants in peril

Most relevant

A beautifully crafted, well written and meticulously researched book, highly recommended. Perfectly paced, tension maintained throughout, completely believable account, the characters so easily and authentically portrayed.