My Father's House by Joseph O'Connor retells the incredible true story of the role played by Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty and his 'choir' in helping Jews and Allied soldiers escape from Nazi-occupied Rome via the neutral state of the Vatican City.

The novel is written as a tightly constructed historical thriller which alternates between gripping present-tense narration of a Christmas Eve mission and retrospective (fictionalised) interviews and accounts from O'Flaherty's collaborators who organise their Escape Line under the cover of choir practices. Alongside the suspense, O'Connor revels in the eccentricity of O'Flaherty's methods but also creates a story of real emotional weight as we come to appreciate the thousands of lives that were saved against the odds.

I found this a brilliant read which has made me more eager to research the true story on which the novel was based. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a DRC to review.

I was reallylooking forward to reading this book having read the blurb. However, i am about 20% through and unfortunately it is not for me. I find the writing style difficult to follow. I rarely give up on books but I am afraid I am not going to continue with this one.

I would like to thank NetGalley for the ARC for which I have given my unbiased view

I was really intrigued by this book and couldn't wait to read it. Sadly, I just couldn't get on with the writing style and DNF.

The pre-launch publicity describes the novel "My Father's House" as a powerful literary thriller from a master of historical fiction. Joseph O'Connor has created an unforgettable novel of love, faith, and sacrifice, and what it means to be truly human in the most extreme circumstances." I struggled with the literary thriller description. I find long literary passages detract from the thriller genre. Short sentences, compact chapters, and tight writing often work better in the thriller space.

I was looking forward to another historical thriller set in World War II based on true events Although I enjoyed the book it failed to grip me for the reasons described above.

The novel vividly describes an Irish priest, Hugh O'Flaherty located in Vatican City who selflessly helps people escape the Nazis. SS officer Paul Hauptmann is in charge of the Nazis in Rome although the Vatican City is "protected" from Nazi occupation providing the Vatican remains neutral. Hauptmann is the worst of the Nazis, and rules with ruthless authority. He suspects O'Flaherty is involved in the Escape Line and takes every opportunity to harass him. O'Flaherty is constantly finding places for people to hide, raising funds, and organising escapes from the city. O'Flaherty is constantly walking a fine line. His supporters and fellow "resistance" workers meet clandestinely at choir practice, and plans are discussed, organised, and implemented at these meetings. Meanwhile, Hauptmann is terrorising the locals with horrible reprisals. Eventually, Hauptmann's wife seeks out O'Flaherty and wishes to leave her husband.

The author uses various devices to narrate the story including interviews, reports, and the views of the characters involved. In the final part of the book, events after the war are relayed and loose ends are tied up. After the war, Hauptmann is in prison, and requests visits from O'Flaherty. After several strange visits, the priest agrees to Hauptmann's conversion to the Catholic faith but refuses to hear his first confession.

Although the Pope was supposed to remain neutral, there were no reflections on the internal Vatican politics during the Nazi occupation of Rome. This would have been an interesting addition to the story. So My Father's House is an interesting read but lacks thrills!

Not many authors can claim to be natural story tellers but Joseph O' Connor most definitely is a natural. His latest novel set in the Vatican during German occupation in 1943 conveys the chaos, confusion and bravery of those fighting fascism by whatever means necessary. Here we have Monsignor O’Flaherty saying mass, following his religious routines while also aiding those seeking refuge from the Nazis. The setting is unique and not many have dared use the Vatican as a back-drop to their story.
It is well written with expert attention to detail and cleverly recalls the accounts of events from several protagonists. O'Connor is the master of building the tension and you really get into the Monsignor's head. My Father's House is original and intriguing. Highly recommended.

I was unable to read this book as there were so many typos in the proof copy that it was impossible to follow the story. A pity, as it looks like an interesting read. If you can send a corrected proof, I would be happy to read and review.

Having heard of the exploits of Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty, I was intrigued to read this account of the detail of his story. With the expertise O'Connor brings to all his work, this is a wonderful telling of the story through a mix of fact and fiction. It is very evocative of the Vatican and Rome and of the times, but above all, it humanises 'Hugh' beyond the title of Monsignor. Like Audrey Magee's 'The Colony', there is a very successful merging of fact and fiction, giving us a plausible account of a specific time in history. The writing is exquisite - especially the use of short, punchy sentences. Highly recommended

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

Hugh O’Flaherty lives and works in neutral Vatican City during WWII. Together with friends he helps the vulnerable escape the wrath of SS officer Paul Hauptmann. They hide people, they save people and raise much needed funds.

Well written and moving novel based on read people and real events relating to The Escape Line. This line and the people managing it is vital but also very dangerous.

Enjoy reading a novel revealing a bit of history.

It is December 1943. Germany occupies Rome. An Irish priest who lives in Vatican City dedicates himself to help people who are escaping the nazi’s.
This book is well written however it was not my type of book and I struggled to get through it. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy this genre.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is the Joseph O'Connor I know and love. I was mighty disappointed by Shadowplay but with My Father's House he is back to his storytelling best.

This novel tells a fictitious version of the real life of Fr. Hugh O'Flaherty who, along with a cast of several others plus the inhabitants of Rome played a central role in getting escapees and the like put from under the noses of the Nazis during the occupation. He, like many others, risked his life to help others during a murderous episode in Rome's past.

That torture and murder occurred is not in doubt; that brave sould risked their lives and often lost them is another given. What Joseph O'Connor weaves in My Father's House (what I believe is going to be the first part of a trilogy) is one version of a true and truly terrifying story but his research of the Monsignor and his "gang" has clearly been done meticulously.

This is a great book and I'd highly recommend it to anyone interested in history or Mr O'Connor's work or even those who simply enjoy a very well written piece of historical fiction.

On a related note if you are interested in the true version of events Mr O'Connor provides further reading at the end of the book and you can visit the statue of Hugh O'Flaherty in Killarney National Park in Kerry (where they do now have crushed ice, tomato ketchup and easy access to garlic - read the book and you'll understand the reference).

Joseph Connor writes a literary WW2 historical novel, inspired by real events and people, set in Nazi German occupied Rome in the run up to Christmas 1943, and the neutral state of the Vatican City. Irish priest, Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty, aka Ugo and Hughdini, is tasked with visiting the horrors of the Italian POW camps, an appointment the Nazis thought would not raise the terrifying conditions as the Irish were known to despise the English. How wrong they were, for the courageous Hugh tries to improve the conditions and raise the morale of the prisoners, many of whom were mere boys, whilst remorselessly castigating those running the nightmare camps. However, he is soon prevented from carrying out his duties by a neutral Vatican fearful of the Nazis threat of occupying their city, although for Hugh, neutrality is an extremist stance, without which no tyranny can flourish.

O'Connor immerses the reader in a Rome so completely that you feel as if you are right there, contrasting the city before the war to the hunger, bitter cold, curfews, terror, paranoia, and fear of the present, run by the powerful and ruthless Gestapo Obersturmbannfuhrer Paul Hauptmann. A man facing the not inconsiderable pressures of a Himmler expecting him to destroy the Escape Line through which so many are spirited out of the city and the country. Running the escape line is the incredibly tough and organised Hugh, code name Golf, and his 'Choir', he understands the need for silence, given the Nazis extensive use of microphones and their network of informants. It has come to their notice that Christmas Eve may represent a huge opportunity to move the so many hidden within the many rooms of the Vatican City. Operation 'Rendimento' is planned but suffers a serious setback when it becomes clear the person leading it, Major Sam Reed, is in no position to carry out the dangerous mission. And the Nazis and Hauptmann are snapping at Hugh's heels, certain of his involvement in the escape line.

In a narrative that shifts from 1943 and the future, we are given insights and experiences of the period through the perspectives in the 1960s of the widely disparate and fascinating cast of the Choir, that included the likes of Sir Guy D'Arcy Osborne, the wily John May who can get his hands on almost anything, the beautiful and grieving Contessa Landini and 40 year old singer and diplomat's wife, Delia Kiernan. The characterisation is superb, you get a real feel for the distinctiveness of each member of the Choir, and the exceptional character and personality of Hugh himself, a man who knows Rome like the back of his hand, for whom the city is his true home. This highly imaginative and informative novel is full of suspense and tension whilst celebrating the qualities of humanity, compassion, love, faith, tenacity and the resilience of those willing to risk their lives to save those at risk in the city of Rome during WW2. Without doubt a stellar historical read that I recommend highly. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

Oh my goodness, what a book. I love how Joseph O'Connor blends backstory and a tense present day plot so seamlessly. I was worried there has been a saturation of WWII novels, but this one really adds a new perspective through the occupation of the Vatican City.

I know a lot of reviews have given 1 star because of the formatting, but that has been sorted now, and this is definitely a five star read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC.

Italian Occupation and a Resistance Group formed by an Irish priest

This was an extremely taut and disturbing thriller set during the German occupation of Rome in 1943. It became incrementally tauter and more disturbing when I took on board that though O’Connor has turned this into a novel, the major characters within that resistance group, were all real people, and the events described, happened.

In 1943, the Nazis invaded Italy. Pius XII had taken a position of neutrality – so the Vatican City was neutral territory. Although the Pope took a neutral stand, there were of course members of the clergy who allied with the Resistance. An Irish priest Monsignor Hugh O’ Flaherty, living within the Vatican, under the guise of forming a Choir, created a group of dedicated resisters, helping to hide and smuggle out of the country those who were in danger – Jews, members of the Resistance and Allied Soldiers. O’ Flaherty, who gained the nickname “The Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican” for his reputation for evading capture by the SS, and all the others who risked their own lives, and the lives of those near and dear to them, by their action, must have been extraordinary people.

I don’t wish to spoil anyone’s enjoyment of this, and would suggest that any search for the named members of the Choir, on Google or anywhere else, should be avoided until the reader has finished the book. Even if it will mean that your level of anxiety becomes increasingly unbearable!

The only reason I have dropped a star, is that sometimes – the story is told in different voices, by various members of the choir – O’Connor’s skill at dialogue, with some characters, is clunky or unbelievable.

I nearly did not continue reading, fairly early, because the voice of one of the women in the group, appearing very early, seemed distinctly a male voice. On chapters later on in the book, her voice her voice seemed more gender neutral, at least, not at odds with being a woman’s voice. There is also the British Ambassador to the Holy See in the group – and his butler (both real people) The butler, in his early point of view chapters has almost a caricature of a cockney made good geezer. I think both first outings of a POV voice needed some refinement and nuance in their ‘lines’.

Otherwise – a gripping, absorbing and enlightening novel. I was lucky to read this as a digital ARC

My Father's House brought tears to my eyes and filled my heart with gratitude at the courage of Irish priest Hugh O'Flaherty.. His compassion and conviction to do the right thing fuels his risk-taking for the good of others. We read about the safe place that is created in Vatican City and the unlikely band of friends who hide vulnerable people. Based on a true story, My Father's house is a must read. It is a tender and nail-biting thriller. It puts a spotlight on love, humanity, sacrifice, faith, and acceptance. In extreme circumstances, this is the place to go for inspiration. Seamlessly weaving between different decades brings more reality to what is a masterpiece. Joseph O' Connor has created something truly special.

An enthralling read. Occupied Rome is vividly rendered and the characters are well drawn and distinct. The dual timeline structure feeds cleverly into the narrative, giving us access to information that the 1943 characters don’t yet know, and this helps O’Connor to conjure a great deal of tension, culminating in a pulse pounding night time journey through the city. The final revelation that it is based on a true story is the cherry on the cake.

It is September 1943 and World War 11is raging. Irish priest, Hugh O'Flaherty, is representing Ireland and living quietly in the Vatican City. German soldiers have invaded Rome under the evil guidance of SS officer Paul Hauptmann. The Vatican City is the world’s smallest state, totally neutral and an independent country within Rome itself. The invading German forces therefore do not have a controlling influence over the entire state. Thousands of displaced peoples are hiding in many different places within The Vatican and Hugh O'Flaherty is determined to help them escape to safety.
The Nazi patrols around the roads and lanes of Rome are spying on the Romans, gathering formation that may be useful. When Hugh O'Flaherty leaves the Vatican at nighttime, the Nazi forces question why he is breaking the curfew and he tells them it a necessary part of his priestly duty to help Catholics in distress anywhere and anytime they need him. He decides to initiate a plan to liberate the Jews and other minorities the German forces despise and want to round up and send to concentration camps or kill them on the spot. He decides to build a network of likeminded locals to help him deliver his courageous plan. They meet as a choir and practice under the guidance of Hugh. The programme they make is a performance due to be ready for Christmas Eve. Secretly they arrange an Escape Line to smuggle those in danger away from their hiding places and take them to safety where the Nazis won’t be able to find them. They will be liberated, and they will be able to make their way home. It is an audacious and very brave plan, but the conditions become critical, and time is running out. Their plan must be achieved by Christmas. The show must go on.
Much later on, when the war is over and people have got over the trauma of war, the initial story is fleshed out by BBC interviews whereby the choir members of 1943 are asked for their reflections of what happened in their own experiences. This then becomes complete.
‘My Father’s House’ is based on a true story and Joseph O’Conner has used his imagination to create a tense and well researched thriller. He has shown mankind with faith, compassion, empathy and courage, but also with blood lust, savagery, inhumanity and brutality. It is the first World War11 novel that I have read based solely on Rome. I found out lots of information I did not already know. The true story really impressed me. The love, endurance, tenacity and sheer grit of those wonderful and selfless people was so inspirational.
I received this title through my membership of NetGalley and from publisher Vintage Digital, all in return for an honest review. This novel is called ‘The Rome Escape Line Trilogy Book’, suggesting either a new series or a sequel. This is my 3.5* review. If you enjoy historical fiction based on meaty true-life stories this is the story for you. I recommended it as a good read.

This book was interesting and based on a true story.. I did learn a lot but I struggled to remember who everyone was and found it overly descriptive.

The tale of a priest, based in Vatican City, during the war based on a true story.

Exciting, scary, sad . Well worth reading. The well known author definitely knows how to pull a punch and tension threaded through the book to the end

Not the easiest book to read but the descriptions of Rome were so vivid that it brought back memories of time spent there.

Not an easy story to tell and at times the jump of perspective of the different narrators made it feel a little disjointed but overall a good and interesting story especially as it's based on reality

Very sorry but couldn't read this book properly as the formatting was dreadful. Missing letters, random characters scattered throughout the text. I researched the true story it is based on and it sounds absolutely fascinating but sadly I couldn't read it properly.
The rating is nothing to do with the author but how the book is being presented. I would love to read it minus all the errors