The Berlin Agent is the latest Historical Fiction offering from Stephen Ronson and his hero character, farmer John Cook, introduced in his debut novel The Last Line. The setting is the same, rural Sussex in the early phases of WW2 with the scrambled evacuation from Dunkirk complete and the near certainty of German troops launching an invasion of Britain.
Ronson cleverly uses the tension which much have existed in the country at this time to build the drama and expectation in his fictional story. He creates very believable characters woven together with an intriguing story involving German spies, top secret technology, Nazi sympathizers and rural turf wars. His books are real page turners and difficult to put down so be prepared for some late nights! He is setting the foundation for a lengthy series with his main character, Crook, a seasoned and fearless military veteran recruited into a secret government resistance organization as his country is facing certain peril. In The Berlin Agent we meet a new character, Lady Margaret, a society heiress also in the organization who is both co conspirator and lover to Cook. Together they form a formidable team so I hope she appears in future books.
Lovers of Historical WW2 fiction will love this book. It’s well researched and captures a terrifying time for many people just waiting for the sight of enemy troops on British soil.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for providing pre publication access to this book.

This book follows a previous book I read by the author called The last line. I have to say I’d forgotten a lot of the first book but a few things like the main character and his farm I did remember.

The book is, as with the first book, set during the Second World War, 1940, and John cook is again on a mission to help save Great Britain from his farm. With the help of his friends and new acquaintances he is tasked with carrying out top secret orders to do whatever it takes to help keep the Germans off the British land as long as possible.

For me books set during the war can be hit and miss but as with The last line I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this trip to 40’s Britain and John Cook’s mission. The book is fast paced and kept me wanting to turn the page, with its twists and constant action it’s a must read.

The second novel in the exciting historical thriller series sees WW1 veteran and farmer John Cook and his charismatic lover Lady Margaret await the German invasion. Fast paced, it is a clever and compelling book. The novel is impeccably detailed in its historical research and I hope at some point the series will make it to television. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Thank you Hodder & Stoughton & specially to the author via Netgalley.co.uk for the opportunity to review The Berlin Agent ARC pre publication. This is Stephen Ronson's second outing with John Cook the down to earth farmer with a dearth of experience behind him both in local knowledge, 1st WW trench fighting the Huns and no holds barred when the need arises. First off when reading the authors notes at the end of the story you can feel the depth of knowledge and research that's gone into this novel, factual information with some embellishment like all good stories have. I do enjoy action. thrillers and war and learnt a few things - looking them up to realise for instance that the Aspidistra (yes the front parlour plant so well loved by the UK and the comical song sung by Gracie Fields in 1942 'The biggest Aspidistra in the World') was also used as the name for a secret broadcast generator built in 1942 in Sussex! well you learn something new every day.
In this second outing we learn much about John Cook and his determination to thwart Hitlers invasion of the UK during the 'phoney war' and the tension you can cut with a knife awaiting to see if Hitler will invade, his motto being 'if you want something done , do it yourself'; John gets himself embroiled with 5th Columnists, British sympathisers and anti jew propaganda to infiltrate Hitlers spies dropped in by parachute. Getting himself firmly in the action with huge risks to himself. I can feel that we will read more about John and the balancing act between law and disorder. Book three perhaps.

The Berlin Agent is a seriously clever 5 star compelling read that once I started I just did not want to stop. So atmospheric and written in such a way I felt like I was truly there transported back in time living it all through John Cook.
This maybe fictional but it felt so real and realistic and whilst I'm not an historical expert the storyline was written in a way that was very believable.

It was brilliant to pick up John Cooks life in this second book and after reading The Last Line I had been patiently waiting for book 2.
The Berlin Agent did not disappoint and delivered a highly thrilling, fast paced and totally captivating unforgettable read.
The partnership of John Cook and Lady Margaret was as fascinating dynamic and brilliant as ever.
I found myself trying to slow myself down as it is action packed and fast paced in places I didn't want to miss any details or clues as to how this intriguing story would play out. No spoilers from me but I did not see a lot of it coming and that is down to the intelligent writing and the fascinating characters with their intrigue and many layers within the story.
who to trust? Would you do what ever it takes when called upon?
The bravery, loyalty and sacrifice in the face of an invasion with parachutes landing and enemies hidden amongst them I definitely wouldn't want to be on the opposite team to John Cook that's for sure.
I cant wait for The Berlin Agent to hit the shelves. Stephen Ronson has created a magnificent first class masterpiece that delivers a truly brilliant vivid and unforgettable thrilling reading experience. It is an absolute must read for any historical thriller fan.

My thoughts about Stephen Ronson’s The Berlin Agent is a gripping World War Two thriller that masterfully blends historical accuracy with intense action. Set in England in 1940, the novel follows farmer John Cook and society heiress Lady Margaret as they prepare to resist the looming Nazi invasion. The discovery of a German parachutist’s crate during an air raid sets off a suspenseful chain of events, plunging the characters into a tense game of cat and mouse with a mysterious enemy agent. Stephen Ronson excels at creating an atmosphere of dread and uncertainty, capturing the psychological strain of living under the constant threat of invasion. The characters are well-developed, with Cook and Margaret’s transformation from ordinary citizens to resistance fighters providing a compelling emotional core. The novel’s pacing is tight, balancing moments of quiet tension with bursts of action that keep the reader on edge. The Berlin Agent is a well-crafted, fast-paced read that will appeal to fans of historical fiction and thrillers alike. Ronson’s attention to detail and ability to weave suspense throughout the narrative make this book a standout in the genre. Overall Stephen Ronson’s The Berlin Agent is a masterful blend of historical accuracy and suspense, where every shadow hides a potential threat, and the tension never lets up. A must-read for fans of World War Two thrillers. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥