A new recruit to the most powerful supernatural intelligence agency on Earth is accused of going rogue and must go on the run to clear her name.
September, 1940. Three women of the Checquy, the secret organization tasked with protecting Britain from supernatural threats, stand in the sky above London and see German aircraft approach. Forbidden by law to interfere, all they can do is watch as their city is bombed. Until Pamela, the most sensible of them, breaks all the rules and brings down a Nazi bomber with her bare hands. The three resolve to tell no one about it, but they soon learn that a crew member is missing from the downed bomber. Charred corpses are discovered in nearby houses and it becomes apparent that the women have unwittingly unleashed a monster.
Through a city torn by the Blitz, the friends must hunt the enemy before he kills again. Their task will take them from the tunnels of the Underground to the halls of power, where they will discover the secrets that a secret organization must keep even from itself.
Today. Lynette Binns, a librarian with a husband and child, is a late recruit to the Checquy, having discovered only as an adult her ability to electrify everyday objects with her touch. After completing her training, she is assigned to examine a string of brutal murders and quickly realizes that all bear the unmistakable hallmark of her own unique power. Unable to provide an alibi and determined to prove her innocence, she flees, venturing into the London underworld to find answers. But now she is prey, being tracked by her own frighteningly capable comrades.
As Lyn fights off powered thugs and her own vengeful colleagues, she will find that the solution to the murders and to the mystery of her own past lies in the events of World War II, and the covert actions of three young women during the Blitz.
Blitz is an urban fantasy novel by Daniel O’Malley, and it is the third installment in the Checquy Files series. The series centers on a secret organization called the Chequy, which battles various supernatural forces in Britain. In “Blitz”, the book introduces new characters, with only a brief appearance by the protagonist from the first novel, Myfanwy Thomas.
So, is the book any good? I simply don’t have the desire to invest the time and effort in crafting a review for something I didn’t enjoy. So yes, I felt that Blitz was good and can easily recommend it and the Checquy series in general.
Daniel O’Malley composes “Blitz” of two interwoven storylines. one narrative takes place in 1940, following three Checquy operatives during the historical Blitz bombing campaign in London. The other story centers around Lynette Brins, a modern-day librarian, who discovers her supernatural powers and the Checquy organization draws her into their world. The novel’s primary mystery lies in how these two storylines are connected.
I found the story of “Blitz” to be captivating and the conclusion satisfying. However, the author devotes a significant portion of the book to developing the mythology and rules of the Checquy universe. This could be a sign that the author, Daniel O’Malley, has more stories to tell in this series. While I appreciate the detail, I also noticed that some urban fantasy authors are able to build their worlds in a more nuanced and natural way.
In summary, “Blitz” is a well-written novel, but it does not quite reach the heights of the series opener, “The Rook.”
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