The Girl Who Never Came Back

by Suzanne Goldring

I couldn’t bring her home. I’ll risk my life to find out why…

Paris 1945. I sent nineteen-year-old Phyllis , my youngest recruit, into a city crawling with enemy soldiers. And this beautiful house on a tree-lined street, the headquarters of cold-hearted German soldiers, was the last place she was seen. I trail my fingers along the gilded furniture and see the light dance off the glittering chandeliers. On the top floor, I find the dates inscribed by beaten prisoners, and I know my girl was shown no mercy.

I am desperate to find the girl I sent into danger, the girl I told to lie to her family about where she was going. She was excited to be doing her bit, hiding in plain sight in a city thronged with enemy troops. But she was young and naïve, and it was my job to make her understand the peril she would face. Is it my fault she is missing?

As I search for the answers her family are begging for, I learn that the girl I swore to protect was moved around in secret. The trail takes me through France to the German countryside, to emptied labour camps and places of ghosts and hopelessness. When I find a message scratched on a food tin in a damp cell, I know I am getting closer to Phyllis at last.

But there are some who want the secrets of the war to be left in the past. Someone is sending me threatening letters. And in finding answers about the girl who haunts my dreams, will I be putting myself into terrible danger?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, World War II, Fiction, War, Espionage

360 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 18, 2023

About the author

Following an eventful career as a public relations consultant, specializing in business and travel, Suzanne Goldring turned to writing the kind of novels she likes to read, about the extraordinary lives of ordinary people. She writes in a thatched cottage in Hampshire and a cottage by the sea in North Cornwall.

Reviews

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Refreshingly different.

Firstly, I loved this book because Goldring took me inside the mind of an SOE recruitment officer. I was able to see the emotional resilience of someone who handled agents knowing that some of them would return and some wouldn’t.

Secondly, I was able to see how the news of ‘missing in action’ affected those left at home. The Keitel decree ordered that resistance fighters be brought back to Germany to disappear into concentration camps where they’d vanish into ‘night and fog’. This made it extra punishing for loved ones because they were unable to learn anything about their fate. Goldring highlights the despair and hopelessness many faced as both victims and loved ones of those caught in the far reaches of this decree.

Thirdly, I thought it was fantastic that Goldring chose to present it as a dual timeline; readers get both points of view of the decades-long friendship between two women and what each endured. The quotes from the SOE handbook adorn each chapter and bring the focus back to the mission.

I was prompted to Google Vera Atkins, the Magnet Men and the Haystack group. I love it when an author can lead me to uncover little-known history or convince me that what’s being written about actually happened!

I was spellbound as I read about the challenges undertaken by an SOE recruitment officer and how they lead to a lifetime of blame. You must read about this woman who risked her life to find out about one of her recruits.

I was gifted this copy by Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[Christina Valastro · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is incredible! I was hooked from the beginning and loved the Special Operations manual instructions sprinkled in between chapters. I also love that the chapters have titles and hope this is a new trend for authors.

This is a WW2 story about the woman of war and it switched from current period to events in the past. These female characters are amazing and I'm so glad I got to know them!

[Kamis · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

This book wasn't quite what I was expecting, and it ended up being a bit of a letdown for me. While I generally enjoy books that go back and forth between time periods and perspectives, it just didn't work for me this time. I was more invested in the chapters dealing with the past than with the present, though I was still hoping for more.

The past chapters deal with Sylvia and her time working with the SOE during the war, and the times after trying to find one of her operatives, the beautiful Phyllis (seriously; every time Sylvia talks about Phyllis, she has to mention how beautiful or lovely she was. It was a bit odd and got rather grating after a while). And while there were parts in between chapters that were directions out of an SOE manual, I was hoping for a bit more explanation on what they and the operatives did. It's not an organization I'm super familiar with, so a bit more information would have been helpful.

The present chapters are told from Peg's perspective, who is a long time friend of Sylvia's. I didn't find these chapters very engaging or interesting, and found my attention wandering more during these parts. Peg isn't as good of a narrator, and I found a lot of what she discussed to be rather boring. It's these chapters that made me feel less connected to the story and the main reason this didn't get as high of a rating. The ending was also rather abrupt; I would have liked to know exactly what Sylvia's letter to Humphrey said. I think it would have given the book a little better of a send off.

This wasn't terrible by any means, and I'm sure many people will enjoy it. It just wasn't engaging enough for me.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book a bit confusing at times. The chapters alternate back and forth. I did find the inserts of the special operations executive manual interesting. I thought the last third of the book was better.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

[Emma Crowley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Suzanne Goldring’s new book, The Girl Who Never Came Back, is a different story based on World War Two. The events that occur focus more so on the years that follow the wars conclusion as one woman seeks to find answers. She will not rest until she has solid information as to what happened to her girls and one in particular Phyliss. Initially, I did find the storyline a bit confusing as it moves forward and back between the past and the present. Usually, this wouldn’t be a problem for me at all as I love books that use this form of storytelling but for some reason here it took me quite some time to settle into the book. I would say the same about the plot as a whole. It took its time finding its rhythm and I would say I was more than half way through the book before things began to settle down and things became more solid and I could see what direction it was going in. The second half more than makes up for a disjointed first part and this is a book worth sticking with.

In the present day Peg has just buried her lifelong friend Sylvia and is sorting through her cottage and affairs. A strange man had appeared at Sylvia’s funeral and Peg wonders who it was. This does not become clear until the very end of the book and I must admit it did bring a smile to my face how things had come full circle and to see how this man fitted into Sylvia’s story. As Peg wonders what to do with the cottage in the countryside where she resided with Sylvia in her final tears helping her and being there for her as friends are want to do. She starts clearing things out and as she does so recalls her friendship with a woman whom she soon comes to realise that she didn’t know as much as she thought she did about her. Especially what Sylvia did during the war years seen as she told Peg she just did filing in an office.

Peg’s aspect of the storyline is told in a conversational, relaxed and gentle style and gives an insight into the life that Sylvia now lives. One in which she become confused at times and does strange things that unnerve Peg but she is always loyal to her friend right until the bitter end. As much as I enjoyed reading chapters from Peg’s viewpoint I do think there could have been less of them so we could focus more on Sylvia and her past. I felt the modern day chapters didn’t push the story along as much as it needed to be.

What really held my attention throughout was Sylvia’s story of what she did in the war and how guilt consumed her for many countless years afterwords. Sylvia joined a secret organisation, the S.O.E - Special Operations Executive, as she wanted to be a part of undermining the Germans and not let them invade Britain as they had done with France. She was the person who recruited and interviewed young women who were then sent training and subsequently into France to work with the Resistance.

I had read of these women very briefly in books before. Well, when I say briefly the recruiter is mentioned in a line or two and that is it and the focus turns to the brave women who went into the unknown never knowing if they would make it back. The fear of being caught and exposed by the Germans was ever present. As the war progressed and men were away fighting women stepped into roles that would never have been possible pre war and going undercover in France was certainly one of these roles never once before played by a woman.

Slyvia is the mother hen to all the young women she recruits. Yes, she may remain in Britain but her heart and mind is with those that she has sent across the channel to do dangerous yet vital war work. I thought it was fascinating to read of the her viewpoint as she herself was never in the thick of the action. Rather she was like so many mothers at home waiting for news of those who have gone to fight in a war that should never have begun. For some reason, she forms a strong connection with Phyliss. Of course, she cares deeply for all the women that have been recruited and trained but Phyliss will be the one who has a place in her heart and whom refuses to leave it. When news reaches headquarters that Phyliss and several others have not been able to transmit back to Britain the worst is feared. Do the Germans have her and if so is she being tortured to reveal what she knows? A secret agent has always been told to never reveal anything and a radical means of getting out of a situation has been given to them.

Throughout the book, all I wanted to know was what happened to Phyliss? It is a question that hangs over every page once it is revealed that she has been captured. The book is heavy with Sylvia’s quest to discover the truth. Angst and guilt gnaw away at her and she will never be satisfied until she knows the definitive truth. So many lies were told and especially to Phyliss’s family that she feels they too need to learn what happened to their daughter especially seen as a different story was presented to them as to Phyliss’ war work. Phyliss was the best of all Sylvia’s girls and the youngest. She was confident, fearless, cautious, utterly brave, skilled and intuitive but did she pay the ultimate price for possessing these characteristics?

As the blurb says, Phyliss haunts Sylvia’s dreams and as the war ends and people are displaced, people return to their loved ones and camps are discovered she must set out to discover what happened to her girls and particularly Phyliss. She is dogged and devoted in her mission and the chapters that follow are harrowing as details emerge. I think no matter how many books set during World War Two that I read I am still appalled and horrified at what went on during that time.As Phyliss, uncovers information the guilt increases within her. She can only think of what she could, should and failed to do. She needs a firm end to Phyliss’ story as does her family but will what they uncover help them in their quest for the truth or set them further back? Dark and upsetting details emerge and that’s where I felt having the story interspersed with Peggy’s storytelling really did help to elevate the heavy burden and overwhelming feeling of guilt and horror. As do the little snippets from the S.O.E manual included which I found to be very informative. There is a little extra added drama as Sylvia is receiving threatening letters which makes things even more tense.

The Girl Who Never Came Back is a good read, a bit different from the norm as I have said. It wouldn’t be my favourite book by this author but I am glad I read it for the insight it gave into the S.O.E and all its workings and for providing the more emotional and human side of things in terms of how Sylvia was affected by everything she experienced. This was a well researched and important book, yes a bit slow in places but worth the read as the emotions and heartbreak come forth.

[Jo Dervan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Girl Who Never Came Back
The story begins in 1999 at the funeral of Sylvia, a woman who had been a trainer of spies in WWII. Peg, her childhood friend and eventual caregiver, was left with the task of sorting out Sylvia’s large amount papers. Once she started reading them, she learned about Sylvia’s top secret work in WWII.
In 1942 Sylvia was training young English women to be spies behind enemy lines in France. She became very protective of these women and one, 19 year old Phyllis, became a favorite. Due to the high secrecy of the operation, Phyllis could not divulge anything about it to her family.
However a short time after a group of the women were parachuted into France, it became obvious that Phyllis & 3 other women had been captured and compromised. Their whereabouts after the capture were unknown.
Once the war ended, Sylvia tried to find out what had happened to the group women spies. Some were alive but the group of 4 that included Phyllis, could not be found.
Sylvia made it her life’s work to find what had happened to the women. That search took her to former Nazi interrogation offices, prisons and eventually a concentration camp. She had the help of Charles, a Nazi war criminal investigator.
After a long search she was able to find the fate of 3 of the women but not Phyllis. It is not until the end of the book that the mystery is solved.
Throughout the story there are many letters from Phyllis’ brother Humphrey,asking about her whereabouts. Eventually he accuses Sylvia of neglect and deception and continues to send threatening letters until her death.
This is another of the many WWII stories being published recently. What makes this one different is that it deals with the aftermath of the war and the effect on survivors of the concentration camps as well as their sadistic guards and superiors.
I enjoyed the story as I had never heard of this group of female spies working behind enemy lines.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Judy Odom · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Girl Who Never Came back was a book I did not want to put down and hated for it to end.

The story is a dual time line: present day and WW2 where Sylvia was a recruitment officer for women joining the SOE.

Sylvia took pride in her girls and one in particular, Phyllis, she could never forget.

Sylvia made her business at the end of the War to find out what happened to each and every girl.

In present day Peggy is looking after the ailing Sylvia and she know that something is greatly disturbing her good friend.

She wont rest until she finds that very last girl.

I loved how Peggy narrated a great deal of the story and we got to know the characters through her eyes.

The excerpts from Special Operations Manual that were inserted between chapters just adds that extra something.

The pages turn quickly and I will think often of The Girl Who Never Came Back.

Suzanne Goldring always writes a story you get lost and involved in and The Girl Who Never Came Back is no exception.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an outstanding read.

[Monica (switching platforms) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this book was a swing: at first, the story seemed promising then, at some point, the interest dropped. This peak was around 40% of the story which started to recover and from there finishing it was pretty fast. What slowed me down was the storyline which wasn’t what I expected it to be. It took me some time to figure out what the story was because while I was reading I had the impression to go in another direction.

One of my doubts was Peggy's character. I did not understand her role and why there was a dual pov between her and Slyvia. I also theorized that maybe Peggy would be someone who would help Slyvia settle her research about her protege but it wasn't. Not to mention that Peggy is the one who tells the story in the present when Slyvia is elderly. So in addition to the double pov, there is also an alternation between present and past that at some point has become a bit confusing. I found Peggy’s narration boring although her role may be entertaining because she deals with the last years of Slyvia’s life. Being the caregiver of Slyvia allowed Peggy to collect over the years "bizarre" actions of Slyvia. I thought that Peggy would then connect the pieces, especially the episode of the interview, but the latter continues to think that they are only situations of an old lady. That’s why I struggled to continue with the story.

However, Slyvia’s pov is what I found interesting for obvious reasons. Slyvia is a character that I have not well framed because, at specific points, it seemed to me that she thought more like a civilian than a member of S.O.E. Maybe it is because I’m used to reading or seeing in movies dynamic characters that solve problems in a short time so I expected to find myself in such a situation. This change of scenery is a 50-50 for me. Indeed it was a good reading where the interesting point of this book was the role that women had during WWII and the birth of special forces, but at the same time, I struggled to get into the heart of the story because of the author’s choice to develop the plot.


Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Conn ⚔️🥀 · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was okay, took me a while to get through..

I found it was quite slow paced, repetitive and too similar to Pam Jenoff’s “The Lost Girls of Paris” which I actually preferred over this read.

There wasn’t enough of a storyline for me and the ending was a bit anticlimactic.

In saying that, it doesn’t take away from the incredible risks SOE agents were tasked with during WWII and the harrowing/tragic experiences the agents that didn’t make it home faced!

I do think I would have enjoyed this book a lot more if I hadn’t already read “The Lost Girls of Paris” so if you, yourself haven’t read TLGOP, then give this book a go!

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Girl who Never Came Back is a fascinating story however unfortunately I did struggle with it. I think it was the way Peggy told her part of the story, my mind often started to drift. I found I liked how Sylvie told her part and I did want to find out where the search for her missing girls went, which did keep me reading to the end. An interesting read but not one of my favourites.

I would like to thank Bookouture, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this complimentary copy for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[pastiesandpages - Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This World War Two historical novel spotlights the women of the Special Executive Operations, the secret British Intelligence Agency. Brave young girls trained is espionage and sent to France to join the resistance.

The story flits about in time between two character viewpoints. The main viewpoint is from Sylvia who recruits and trains the agents and the second viewpoint is her lifelong friend Peggy who has no idea what Sylvia has been involved in but will come to find out as Sylvia reaches the end of her life at the end of the 90's.

The novel used historical facts and research to realistically portray the danger 'her girls' (as Sylvia calls them) are heading into and the horrors of what happens to those that never made it back after the war. The youngest and most promising of Sylvia's agents is Phyllis and when she goes missing Sylvia will stop at nothing to find out the truth.

It's an easy reading style that has great emotional depth. For a war novel it's unique in that it is mostly concerned with the aftermath of the war more than the war itself.

Some of the scenes that Peggy recounts as she gives care to her friend are quite amusing and provide some light relief in between the darker and sometimes upsetting details of events in the past which include prison brutality and concentration camps.

Interspersed between the two timelines are pages from the SOE manual giving advice to the spies and agents in training.

Although there is a lot of going back and forwards in time it never gets confusing. For added drama (as if it was needed!) Sylvia is also receiving threatening letters.
It's tense & emotional with lighter touches of love and friendship and hope. A recommended read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Girl Who Never Came Back by Suzanne Goldring is a powerful, historical, heartbreaking novel that tore my emotions to pieces.
The action alternates between World War II and up to 1999. We witness the devastating effect that war has on lives – a young boy who never recovers from the loss of his sister and a young woman who was responsible for training women to go overseas as spies.
Contrary to what some may believe, losing her girls to the Nazi war machine in occupied France, haunted a character for the rest of her life. She spent a lifetime searching for answers. She wanted to bring the guilty to justice and would not rest until she did.
The reader travels from wartime England to postwar Europe and back again. We learn of the horrors of the camps and those who ran them. It is dreadful and horrifying to see the Nazi ideals still retained in former Nazis, who ran the camps, many years later. Unrepentant characters with black hearts still believed in what they did.
Uncovering the truth brings the search to an end. Sometimes it is best to keep the painful truth hidden.
We follow a friendship that spanned eighty years. Love and loyalty remained.
The war years held many secrets. Due to the nature of her service, a character cannot speak of her war years for decades afterwards. She still remains on high alert, always planning her escape route, even into her eighties.
All the characters were well drawn, likable and realistic. Their bravery is to be commended.
The Girl Who Never Came Back is an eye-opening read. It cries out to be read in memory of the brave men and women of World War II – Of those who perished and of those who survived. It is such a powerful read.
I received a free copy from the publishers for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

[Samantha Crowley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Synopsis:- After the youngest and brightest recruit of the SOE goes missing in Germany during WWII, Slyvia can't move on. It was her job to vet the recruits and Phyllis had been her brightest star. Filled with guilt it becomes Slyvia's mission to find out what happened to Phyllis and the other captured girls.
Now at the end of her life, Slyvia is still regretful, and after decades of receiving letters from Phyllis' brother demanding to know what happened to his sister, she lives in fear. A fear she has tried to hide from her only friend and companion Peggy.
Review:-
The story runs on two timelines, and from two perspectives. In the 1940's/50's we learn of Slyvia's role in the SOE and her determination to find out the truth, told from her as a first person. Meanwhile, in the current time, the story is told by her best friend Peggy, as she reminisces about her time with her friend Slyvia and how the secrets Slyvia kept all her life, began to spill out in her confusion.
I preferred the earlier of the two timelines which highlighted the historical nature of the story, and found this more interesting, but was left wanting greater depth, rather than Slyvia's romantic history being intertwined. While Peggys timeline, although filled with love and friendship, seemed too haphazard and the foundation of their lifelong friendship just didn't sit right with how different they both were. Slyvia's constant obsession with Phyllis, always noting her beauty and youth over and over again, felt forced and distorted; and Pegay's non stop chattering and her odd relationship with Slyvia also didn't gel for me.
Overall, a nice story showing a different aspect of this history I would be keen to read more on, but not a book that held my attention enough for me to recommend it

[Caroline|Page~Turners · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paris 1945, as the war rages on across Europe many lives of so many people and families are ripped apart, and will never be the same again. Phyllis was recruited at nineteen years old to be part of the resistance. Phyllis is sent out on a mission and she never returns, disappearing without a trace. Present day, Peg and Sylvia are best friends. They have known each other their whole life, and now Peg is also Sylvia’s caregiver. Sylvia passes away and Peg is tasked with sorting through all of Sylvia’s papers and belongings. During the war, Sylvia worked in an underground spy organization. She recruited and trained young girls to be spies in Europe. But Sylvia felt so guilty that the girls she recruited she could not protect. Sylvia never revealed any details of her assigned mission, in order to do everything possible to protect Phyllis. Peg finds letters written to Sylvia from Phyllis’ family and is left with the decision, wondering if enough time has passed that she could finally answer them.

The Girl Who Never Came Back written by author Suzanne Goldring, is a wonderful time slip story. I loved how the author describes the relationship between Peg and Sylvia and what it meant for them to know each other literally their entire lives. The plot twists and turns between the war and the present day was so gripping, intriguing and made this a fast-paced novel that I didn’t want to put down. I always enjoy books by this author and I look forward to reading more of her stories. I highly recommend this book for every historical fiction fan.

[Ronald · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is hard for me to write a review of this book. First, I am not a fan of dual-timeline books, and this one consists of two major timelines or maybe storylines would be the better phrase. I felt like this book could almost have been written as two separate books, as each storyline takes up so much of the book.
The Girl Who Never Came Back is about two women, one (Sylvia) who was actively involved in the British spy service, and another (Peg) who was a friend of hers. One storyline focuses on wartime activities, the other storyline focuses on the history and friendship between the two women. One story deals specifically with one of the spy recruits of the woman who was involved in the British spy service, and we see the kinds of activities that were involved in the training as well as the horrors of war inflicted on those captured by the Nazis. We also follow the trauma resulting from being actively engaged in tracking down recruits sent as spies, and how the wartime traumas do not go away just because the war ended. We also see how Sylvia's friend Peg is affected by these traumas but does not understand the reasons why Sylvia acts the way she does.
The book is overall a sad story to read, but war is sad. This book covers some of the tragic effects of war on the people involved, it is not an easy story to read. The dual storyline for me, took away from a story that I think could have been a good stand-alone story about the war, without all the constant interruptions from the secondary storyline.

[Mark taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

There are times when you read a description of a novel and it has a lot of the things in it that you as a reader enjoy. This is the case with Suzanne Goldring’s book The Girl Who Never Came Back.

A about two old ladies who have known each other since childhood who lived different lives but have always remained friends, told through two timelines looking back on their lives, and finding out what interesting lives they lead, especially around world war 2 and how these events affect their lives now.

The trouble is there are times that the novel can only disappoint from then however The Girl Who Never Came Back is not one of those as it was a pleasure to read a novel that had me gripped all the way through.

In addition with some of the best descriptions of the horrors of the World War 2 German regime, including an emotional interview about the torture spies had to endure.

What Suzanne Goldring did in this novel was allow the reader to get into the minds of these elderly female characters, particularly Sylvia as she tries and finds what happened to Phyllis and how this affected her.

While Peggy the other old lady in the book gave the novel a lighter feeling than what otherwise would have been without distracting from the emotional story of Sylvia.

[Nisha Mathias castelino · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝑰 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆. 𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒌 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒚."

A gripping historical fiction novel set during WWII, follows Sylvia as she spends most of her life on a harrowing journey through post- war France and Germany to find out what happened to the girls she recruited as spies in France. Phyllis is her youngest recruit whom she forms a deep connection with and her disappearance haunts Sylvia for the rest of her life.

By now you all know I love reading about strong and resilient women in historical fiction. This one was an incredible read from start to finish. I liked the dual Povs of both Sylvia during her war years and Peggy, her best friend who looks after her in the present times until her death. The inclusion of excerpts from a 'Special Operations Manual' and the titled chapters added a nice touch to the narrative.

This was a different read from the usual WWII novels I have read and the author in her note mentions that it is inspired by a real life Special Operations Executive agent. This is a superbly written, expertly researched and unputdownable read by Suzanne Goldring and I highly recommend it to historical fiction fans. I will be checking out her backlist to add to my TBR.

Thank you @bookouture for having me on the #booksontour and @netgalley for a digital ARC to read and review. The book is out today and available to read on Kindle Unlimited

[DianeLikesToRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Bookouture for inviting me to be part of the Books on Tour for “The Girl Who Never Came Back”, by Susan Goldring. If you are looking for a different type of WWII novel, this is for you. This follows a young woman and the haunting aftermath of the spy ring.
The story is told from two points of view and slips back and forth in time. I liked how the author named all of the chapters.
Peg- Present Day- Peg and Sylvia are best friends from childhood. They are older now and Peg lives with Sylvia not only as her friend but as her caregiver. Peg is often confused by some of the things Sylvia says and does.

Sylvia - War time- Sylvia works in an underground spy organization sending young girls to spy in Europe. She is consumed with guilt for not protecting the girls, especially Phyllis, her youngest recruit.

The author did not hold back describing the brutalities of war. This is another excellent book with twists and turns that you don't expect. I was waiting the entire time to find out what happened to Phyllis.
I won't give away the ending but it tied up the story nicely. Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

[My Books and Crafts · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Girl Who Never Came Back follows Sylvia, who spends countless hours after the war searching for answers to what happened to some of the girls she recruited as spies in France. One woman in particular, Phyllis, was the youngest recruit and the mystery around what happened to her haunts Sylvia in the years that follow. This is the story of Sylvia and her protégé, Phyllis.

This is a dual timeline story, set in the present day and wartime, it follows one woman's life, and her reckoning with a dark past. Part of the story is told in first person from Sylvia’s best friend Peggy’s perceptive. Peggy had no idea what poor Sylvia went through during the war and after until much later in her life. I found the characters very realistic and they kept the story going along nicely. No one who went through that experience really recovered from it.

The Girl Who Never Came Back is brilliantly written, expertly researched and a real page turner! Women are so strong and brave and this book is a great reminder of how important and forgotten they are in history. I am sure no one who went through that experience really recovered from it. It is a really heartbreaking story, but very well told and keeps the reader hooked. This is Historical fiction at its best and I highly recommend it.

[Caroline|Page~Turners · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paris 1945, as the war rages on across Europe many lives of so many people and families are ripped apart, and will never be the same again. Phyllis was recruited at nineteen years old to be part of the resistance. Phyllis is sent out on a mission and she never returns, disappearing without a trace. Present day, Peg and Sylvia are best friends. They have known each other their whole life, and now Peg is also Sylvia’s caregiver. Sylvia passes away and Peg is tasked with sorting through all of Sylvia’s papers and belongings. During the war, Sylvia worked in an underground spy organization. She recruited and trained young girls to be spies in Europe. But Sylvia felt so guilty that the girls she recruited she could not protect. Sylvia never revealed any details of her assigned mission, in order to do everything possible to protect Phyllis. Peg finds letters written to Sylvia from Phyllis’ family and is left with the decision, wondering if enough time has passed that she could finally answer them.

The Girl Who Never Came Back written by author Suzanne Goldring, is a wonderful time slip story. I loved how the author describes the relationship between Peg and Sylvia and what it meant for them to know each other literally their entire lives. The plot twists and turns between the war and the present day was so gripping, intriguing and made this a fast-paced novel that I didn’t want to put down. I always enjoy books by this author and I look forward to reading more of her stories. I highly recommend this book for every historical fiction fan.

[Gabrielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was quite different from the other World War Two books I’ve read which is what first attracted me to pick it up. The story follows female spies for the allies as they went into Europe. But when something happens to them, their recruiter goes in search of answers, no matter how long it takes. I really admired the author wanting to highlight the use of female agents by the war office and the allies. It’s not something overly addressed by authors.

However, the backwards and forwards of the past and present became confusing to the overall storyline. Most of the time I found myself wanting to get to the past chapters and I had little interest in the present ones. The inclusion of the manual was such an interesting and unique addition which I loved to see. It definitely made up for the lack of interest I had in the present chapters.

Overall this is a fantastic World War Two historical fiction. If you’re looking for something different within the genre, this is definitely for you. I cannot wait to read more of this author’s work.

[Jasminegalsreadinglog · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Girl Who Never Came Back by Suzanne Goldring is a story about the aftereffects of the war and the people who were involved with recruiting people for the war efforts.

Sylvia, an SOE recruitment officer, has died, and Peggy, her companion, is curious about a flower arrangement at her funeral. She is wondering about the secrets that her friend really was hiding. Set during alternate periods, this story is about Sylvia and Phyllis. It's the story of all those girls who served during World War II. Some came back, some never came back, and some were left with guilt. What was Sylvia hiding?

I enjoyed this book a lot. It was enlightening to read about young girls being recruited and trained to join as spies. But it was also sad to see that they were sometimes considered as pawns in the war effort. To never know what happened to them is so heartbreaking. I can't imagine what those families must have gone through in real life. A question that I always have after I read books on World War II is that victory is joyful, but how much sacrifice was needed for that victory?

Thank you, Bookouture, for this book.

[Kathy Wivell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book although I thought there were problems with the story at times. I enjoyed the refreshing way a WW11 story was presented. We heard from two POVs which were quite different from each other. Peggy is very down to earth and her voice is very conversational. Sylvia is rather private and has many secrets that haunt her from her wartime service. We only hear about the work of the SOE operatives as background information, although it is still harrowing.
I did think that Sylvia was rather obsessed by the one operative, Phyllis, and that she went to extraordinary lengths to discover how she had come by her fate, even when she knew the outcome. Likewise I felt that Phyllis' brother went on and on too much blaming Sylvia for his sister's demise.
The backstory of Sylvia and Peggy's friendship took up a lot of space and rambled at times, but on the whole a well presented story.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to read Suzanne Goldring's latest novel, 'The Girl Who Never Came Back', and I wasn't disappointed! A dual timeline story, set in the present day and wartime, it follows one woman's life, and her reckoning with a dark past. Sylvia is living out her twilight years with her old friend Peg, in a heavily protected cottage in the depths of the countryside. Sylvia seems to be losing her marbles, causing Peg concern, but as the story unfolds it becomes apparent that Sylvia is far from senile. She is remembering a shadowy past, when she was responsible for 'her girls', training them as secret agents and seeing them off on their missions to enemy occupied countries. Some survived. Some never came home. And Sylvia cannot rest until she finds the very last one...
Brilliantly written, expertly researched, a real page turner!

[MyNeverEndingTBRList · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like to read a few historical fiction books a year, and especially enjoy stories taking place during WWII. Sounds weird, but it’s a reminder of the terrible events that happened and a hell I hope never occurs again.

This book follows Sylvia, who spends countless hours after the war searching for answers to what happened to some of the girls she recruited to spy in France. One woman in particular, Phyllis, was the youngest recruit and the mystery around what happened to her haunts Sylvia in the years that follow.

Part of the story is told in first person from Sylvia’s best friend's perceptive. Peggy is funny with her thoughts, which gives you a break from some of the tougher chapters, and she has no idea what poor Sylvia went through during the war and after.

A heartbreaking story, but well told and keeps the reader hooked.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A historical fiction novel based around the incredibly brave and heroic women in WWII. Goldring does a remarkable job bouncing between two timelines and two POVs to bring this story to life.

You are taken through the journey with Sylvia, trying to find out what happened to her “girls” (English spies) after they were captured by the Germans, and Peggy, her dear friend who is with Sylv until her final days.

This book is so grounding in a way of we will never truly understand the hardships these POWs faced in Nazi Germany. You are sucked in from the very beginning and on the edge of your seat with every new discovery.

Thank you to @netgalley and @bookouture for this eARC 💜 publishing 23 August 📝

[Michelle Bibliovino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heartbreaking story of female English secret service agents behind enemy lines during WWII. We meet their handler, Sylvia, and follow her journey of discovery as she attempts to track down one of the final few girls sent into German-occupied France.

Sylvia is guilt ridden about the role she played in the deaths of this brilliant young woman, a feeling which plagues her until her throughout her life. We watch her attempts at retribution and longing for forgiveness through her own remembrances and through the eyes of her best friend as she lives her final days.

Not an easy read, but a well drawn perspective of one of the darkest moments in history and its ripples through time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my free copy. These opinions are my own.

[Sarahlovesbooks76 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dual timeline story, set in the 1940s and modern day.

Sylvia is a Secret Intelligence recruiter, who sends girls undercover into WWII France. She becomes increasingly intent on finding out what happened to one of those girls, Phyllis. Peggy is Sylvia's lifelong friend who becomes her carer in the modern day, and she doesn't understand why Sylvia is behaving as she is - Peggy doesn't know what Sylvia did during the war, and the story sees her slowly beginning to discover parts of Sylvia's life that she kept secret. Will Phyllis' story ever be known?

I found the story to be slow moving and long winded, and never really felt as if I got into the book properly. However I loved the relationship between Peggy and Sylvia, and Peggy's developing understanding.

[Simone · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was nothing about this book that I didn’t like. The descriptions of the thatched cottage and it’s surroundings sounded so peaceful and although I was initially surprised that there were two old ladies living by themselves out in the middle of no where, it is all explained in the story and makes perfect sense. The flow of the chapters between the past and the current time was easy to follow. The characters were well written and I really loved the friendship between Sylvia and Peg and Sylvia and Charlie. Everything was perfectly wrapped up in the ending, with any loose ends explained.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley.
I read a lot of WWII historical fiction, but this one is about some of the female English spies who didn't return after the war. It goes back and forth between different points in Sylvie's life as she sends out female spies, tries to find out what happened to the ones who didn't come back and gets harassed by the brother of someone who didn't return through the end of her days. No one who went through that experience really recovered from it. It has some interesting POV from Sylvie's good friend who knew her throughout her life, but didn't really know what she did during the war until much later.