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Smoke Signal

A Novella

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Smoke Signal

By: Marie Benedict, Kate Quinn
Narrated by: Nicola Barber, Saskia Maarleveld
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About this listen

Best-selling authors Marie Benedict (The Mystery of Mrs. Christie) and Kate Quinn (The Rose Code) join forces to tell the captivating story of how history's most famous mystery writer crossed paths with one of Britain's top-secret codebreakers in the throes of World War II.

Recruited as a codebreaker of enemy ciphers, ex-debutante Osla Kendall spends her days translating Axis military messages and her nights reading mystery novels. When Osla gets her hands on Agatha Christie's most recent work, N or M?, a mysterious signal within its pages catches her eye, and she and her eccentric book club get in touch with the famous but reclusive writer. Osla's outreach is a welcome distraction for Agatha, who feels restless and underestimated toiling away in a London pharmacy while men like her husband can contribute to the war effort from the frontlines.

So begins the story of an unlikely friendship and the secrets that bind two brave women embroiled in war. Based on true events and told by two beloved authors and champions of history's heroines, Smoke Signal is a breathtaking novella of espionage and the unforgettable women who risked everything to serve their country.

To learn more about Osla Kendall and Agatha Christie, see Marie Benedict's The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, a novel of Agatha Christie's disappearance in 1926, and Kate Quinn's forthcoming The Rose Code, a novel of the female codebreakers of Bletchley Park.

©2021 Marie Benedict and Kate Quinn (P)2021 Audible Originals, LLC.
World War II Fiction War Feel-Good Mystery
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What listeners say about Smoke Signal

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Very cute!

A sweet little diversion which did leave me wondering how much was fact & fiction! Nice change of pace in-between books while I did some chores, I enjoyed it :)

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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For Rose Code Fans

Loved this short novella that picks up on Osla’s encounter with one Agatha Christie. Not sure how well this works as a stand-alone story for anyone who hasn’t read The Rose Code, but definitely lovely bonus content for fans!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Not terrible, but certainly not good

The best thing I can say about this audiobook is that it only lasts a little over one hour.
Probably I didn’t understand what the authors were trying to achieve, even though I thought the plot was clever, the result for me was very dull and boring.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Intriguing, gently paced novella but not much to it

Good if you need something gentle in the background as you do housework or walk the dog. Evoked the era well and it is interesting to view through Agatha Christie’s own eyes rather than her characters. Osla was likeable and witty. But it isn’t really a mystery and feels unfinished with the ending as it is. I was expecting some sort of twist where their actions had an impact upon the war or Bletchley Park but it just sort-of faded. I’m glad it was free as with running time just over an hour, it wouldn’t be worth the usual fees for a whole book.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Great read

Loved the book , especially when relevant characters from authors other books are included. Makes for a well rounded read. Most enjoyable.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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What was the story?

I listened all through it I couldn’t actually get what the story was - it only seemed to develop in the last 10 mins and was very thin. Perhaps one to do the ironing to..,,

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Great as an extra chapter of the Rose Code

I loved Osla in the Rose Code, so it was great to hear more of that story and those characters & also so interesting to cross paths with Agatha Christie

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Teasing

None of this will make any meaningful sense if you’ve not read The Rose Code which is one of my favourite books. I do wish though, that we’d been privy to Osla and Agatha’s 1975 meeting.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Possible secrets or educated guesses

Interesting ideas of secrecy boredom and keeping your brain active
Dangers of sympathetic people to the enemy

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Not for me

I’ve listened to some great free titles but this sounds amateurish and is rather a slow story.

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