• The Rose Code

  • A Novel
  • By: Kate Quinn
  • Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
  • Length: 16 hrs and 2 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (21,940 ratings)

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The Rose Code  By  cover art

The Rose Code

By: Kate Quinn
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
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Publisher's summary

“The hidden history of Bletchley Park has been waiting for a master storyteller like Kate Quinn to bring it to life. The Rose Code effortlessly evokes the frantic, nervy, exuberant world of the Enigma codebreakers through the eyes of three extraordinary women who work in tireless secrecy to defeat the Nazis. Quinn’s meticulous research and impeccable characterization shine through this gripping and beautifully executed novel.” (Beatriz Williams, New York Times best-selling author of Her Last Flight)

The New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of The Huntress and The Alice Network returns with another heart-stopping World War II story of three female code breakers at Bletchley Park and the spy they must root out after the war is over.

The year 1940. As England prepares to fight the Nazis, three very different women answer the call to mysterious country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes. Vivacious debutante Osla is the girl who has everything - beauty, wealth, and the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses - but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl and puts her fluent German to use as a translator of decoded enemy secrets. Imperious, self-made Mab, product of East End London poverty, works the legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and looks for a socially advantageous husband. Both Osla and Mab are quick to see the potential in local village spinster Beth, whose shyness conceals a brilliant facility with puzzles, and soon Beth spreads her wings as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts. But war, loss, and the impossible pressure of secrecy will tear the three apart.

The year 1947. As the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip whips post-war Britain into a fever, three friends-turned-enemies are reunited by a mysterious encrypted letter - the key to which lies buried in the long-ago betrayal that destroyed their friendship and left one of them confined to an asylum. A mysterious traitor has emerged from the shadows of their Bletchley Park past, and now Osla, Mab, and Beth must resurrect their old alliance and crack one last code together. But each petal they remove from the rose code brings danger - and their true enemy - closer....

©2021 Kate Quinn (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

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What listeners say about The Rose Code

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  • Overall
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My Favorite Book!!!

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn is my favorite book! I was immediately pulled into the story of 3 different women who under normal circumstances would never meet. They had the common desire to serve their country. The main 3 characters are young women from different walks of life. (1) Oslo -- nick-named Princess (2) Beth, a young woman who had lack of self confidence (3)Mabe, another woman who wanted to improve her station in life. They meet and work at BP in different capacity. They work on breaking codes. There is deceit, friendships, hope, heartbreak and an awesome twist. I loved the story.The Rose Code by Kate Quinn is one of the best audiobooks that I have listened to this year! I absolutely loved it. Thank you #NetGalley for allowing me to review this book before publication, I loved it so much that I purchased my own copy. The storyline moved so well and the characters were intriguing. The author is fantastic with her imagery and added so many factual details. The narrator, Saskia Maarleveld really brought the characters to life with her voice and emotions. This is a standalone listen by the author of The Alice Network and The Huntress. I loved the twists in this book and learned some things from the time period too. Kudos to the author on not letting me guess who the spy was.

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148 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Enthralling! Beautifully Written & Narrated.

Loved this book ~ couldn't stop listening! I enjoyed The Huntress a lot but I loved The Rose Code. This is one of those books you desperately wish wouldn't end. The female characters are well developed, the suspense is well crafted but ultimately it's the easy dialogue and all the details that keep you immersed in the world of Bletchley Park. Narration is alsmot spot on (I'm picky about narrators, there were only a few slips). There have been so many excellent books about women's roles in WWII lately and I really hope several, like this one, are adapted for the big or little screen. More of the world should know the courageous, ingenious women who came before us.

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82 people found this helpful

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

Not as well organized

Loved Kate Quinn's other books but this one was a bit disjointed and hard to follow. Switched back and forth too much and I was losing my place on who was who. I've "worn out" the Back-30-seconds button because I couldn't remember who was talking! Great story, though. I did enjoy it - might have to read it again to get the things I've surely missed.

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58 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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Well balanced story

It started a little slow and it took awhile to sort out all the characters but once that happened it was golden from there.
The story has several story lines and just when you thought it was coming to conclusion there is more.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

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55 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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Good story ruined by sex scenes

I was really enjoying this book until the sex scenes. I don’t know why a decent story and good narration has to be ruined by placing the story in the lovers bedroom and all the way through the sex act. Very unfortunate.

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54 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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I like ‘em 5 stars

This was a very good book and I enjoyed it. I will say though, several times while listening I thought, have I read this before? Maybe it’s because I’ve listened and read too many WW2 historical fiction titles, or maybe it’s because I recently watched the movie The Imitation Game, but the story felt like one I’d heard before. Also, I’ve never had to do this before, but I had to slow the pace of the narration down to .9x bc she read so fast! Definitely worth a listen though and this is a nit-picky review from a seasoned listener ;)

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54 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Recording Too Fast

I could not understand the reader because it was too fast. It all ran together. I was very disappointed. Author should be disappointed too.

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39 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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A Great Book to Get Lost In

First of all the narrator is fantastic! The story was engaging the whole way through. It took me through all the emotions!

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31 people found this helpful

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

Trying my best to finish book

I am currently on chapter 38 of the book. I am trying very hard to finish the book in hopes that it will improve. It’s hard to know who the characters are when the narrator is speaking. It is quite confusing. The storyline is not what I expected from the reviews. Will continue listening and will finish.....

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28 people found this helpful

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

Triumph

It's a mystery. It's a love story. It's full of detail about Britain's breaking of the Enigma code. I loved it.

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26 people found this helpful