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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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Summary

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

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

Ghosts of Rome - a triumph

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Some stories are meant to be told over and over again. This is one of them

Unforgettable

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Loved everything about this and the previous book. The descriptive language the author uses transport’s the reader to 1940’s Rome. All the narration was good but Stephen Hogan raises the books to another level, just wonderful listening.

Fantastic story and narration.

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Joseph O' Connor is one of the world's greatest writers. This second novel in the Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty trilogy is a breathtakingly thrilling continuation of the trilogy's story. I cannot wait for the final installment. O'Connor's penmanship is second to none in every aspect of the writing which is defined by the exquisitely gorgeous use of language and turns of phrase. He's a monumentally valuable writer.

Outstanding in its literary beauty.

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Having already listened to the first book in the series and knowing how the ‘fate’ of the characters I wasn’t sure how this would unfold - however an in depth story about the countess and the horrid Nazi Paul is a believable storyline with the other known characters taking a backseat is genuinely good with new characters coming in makes this book another winner ! A good choice and definitely recommended - I would say it’s not as hard work as My Fathers House but worth the read - lovely narration too.

Excellent

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