The Ghosts of Rome

Rome Escape Line Trilogy #2

by Joseph O'Connor

In the final months of World War II, a clandestine group known as The Choir smuggles thousands of escapees out of Nazi-occupied Rome via a secret route known as the Rome Escape Line. When an unidentified airman falls from the sky, The Choir is plunged into lethal danger and the survival of the Escape Line itself is threatened.

The Choir is riven with internal tensions and infighting. The organization is in danger of falling apart, which would leave thousands of escaped allied soldiers, POWs, Jews, and objectors stranded in a Rome that is ruled with vicious efficiency by the Nazis. Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, the architect of the Escape Line and acknowledged leader of The Choir, broods inside the Vatican, seemingly paralyzed by what he sees as the intolerable risks of keeping the Escape Line in operation.

One man has been given the task of definitively destroying the entire operation and the price of his failure is high—SS Commander Paul Hauptmann’s wife and children are under Gestapo supervision in Berlin. Hauptmann is ordered to stay on in the city he both loathes and loves and to dismantle the Escape Line, or watch his family perish. Into this deliriously thrilling melee steps the Contessa Giovanna Landini, a reckless, audacious, and magnetic member of the Italian Resistance who has the nerve to challenge Hauptmann’s authority.

A beautifully written and expertly crafted historical suspense novel that is bursting with action, atmosphere, and unforgettable characters, The Ghosts of Rome is the thrilling follow-up to Joseph O’Connor’s best-selling My Father’s House.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Italy, World War II, Historical, Thriller, War

366 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 30, 2025

About the author

There is more than one author with this name

Joseph O’Connor was born in Dublin. He is the author of the novels Cowboys and Indians (short-listed for the Whitbread Prize), Desperadoes , The Salesman , Inishowen , Star of the Sea and Redemption Falls , as well as a number of bestselling works of non-fiction.

He was recently voted ‘Irish Writer of the Decade’ by the readers of Hot Press magazine. He broadcasts a popular weekly radio diary on RTE’s Drivetime With Mary Wilson and writes regularly for The Guardian Review and The Sunday Independent. In 2009 he was the Harman Visiting Professor of Creative Writing at Baruch College, the City University of New York.

Reviews

[Canadian Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been ‘blessed’ to read the sequel to His Father’s House.

The ‘choir’ line is a clandestine group of brave men and women, who smuggled Jews and allies out of nazi occupied Rome. But now an unidentified airman has been wounded as he fell from the sky. Decisions need to be made: If he can be saved; will he be saved; and who will save him.

The stakes are steep. One break in the line can jeopardize the entire operation and put lives at risk. A well choreographed chain to smuggle people out and information in.

O’Connor delivers another heart pumping, quick paced story, with unique characters who we left in the first story. Lifetime friendships developed through a most stressful time.
4.25⭐️

Do check out My Father's House and my review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Beata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical fiction based around The Choir, located in Vatican, which was a group of couragous individuals determined to help those in need to be smuggled out of Rome during WW2.
It was an engaging listen for me since I did not know much about resistance in Rome during WW2 or about The Choir. This may be a work of fiction but it is an example of solid research behind the story.
*A big thank-you to Joseph O'Connor, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for a free audiobook in exchange for my honest review.*

[Kate O'Shea · Rating 5 out of 5]

+ several more stars

The second part of the fictionalised account of a real life hero, Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty.

I thought My Father's House was very good. I thought Ghosts of Rome excellent. I started the book a few weeks ago but until yesterday I'd not really given it proper attention. So yesterday I did and I could not put it down.

The story is set around March 1944 when things are starting to fall apart for the Germans. Hauptmann is determined to bring the Escape Line to a halt and the repercussions of their activities and that of the partisans become increasingly bloody.

There is a sub-plot that follows the journey of a Polish airman which is extremely entertaining but will have you on the edge of your seat.

In fact the whole book will have you holding your breath. O'Connor makes it clear that the trilogy, whilst based on real people and their brave actions during World War II, are purely fictional. It's an extraordinary piece of historical fiction that O'Connor excels at.

I did, however, spend quite a bit of time Googling the real players - Delia and Tom Murphy Kiernan, Francis D'Arcy Osbourne, Johnny May and Sam Derry. I've also bought a copy of The Scarlet and the Black by JP Gallagher - the non-fiction story of O'Flaherty.
This is what a truly brilliant historical fiction will do. It picques your interest.

Loved this book. Very highly recommended.

Thankyou to Netgalley and Europa Editions for the advance review copy. I can hardly wait till part three.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loosely based on real individuals, organisations and events, O’Connor makes it clear that this is a work of fiction. It’s a tense, menacing account of the escape routes available to allied soldiers in Rome when it was under German occupation in World War II. Initially, I found it challenging to follow the timeline and to keep track of the characters. This may have been partly due to it being a review copy but it was also partly due to O’Connor’s writing style. Personally, I found the staccato narrative a bit wearing, although sometimes it was very effective. It doesn’t draw me towards reading more of his work, however, if this is his preferred style.

On the positive side, this is an exciting read and quite appalling when one considers it is based on actual events. The cruelty and terror of war always takes my breath away and was certainly downplayed by the generation before mine who lived through it. On the negative side, perhaps too many loose ends were conveniently tied up and, as I’ve said, I’m not a fan of the writing style. I enjoyed reading it though and would not have considered leaving it unfinished.

With thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Vintage for a review copy.

[Only one thing worse than getting thrown to the lions. Getting thrown to the Christians.

Hurling - a sort of hockey with violence…]

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ghosts of Rome is the second book in the author’s Rome Escape Line trilogy. I loved My Father’s House but, if that’s possible, I loved this one even more. As before, the book has a wonderful cast of characters. (Many of them were real people who committed acts of the utmost bravery as part of the actual Choir.)

The author brings each character brilliantly to life, in particular through the invented transcripts of interviews recorded twenty years after the events, allowing us to hear the distinctive voices the author has created for them. For example, the acerbic wit and Irish lilt of diplomat’s wife, Delia Kiernan (my favourite) or the Cockney accent and sardonic asides of John May.

As the book opens, Gestapo chief Paul Hauptmann is under increasing pressure from Berlin to bring an end to the activities of ‘The Choir’ and capture the escaped Allied prisoners hidden in places across Rome and in the Vatican City itself. Not only is his career on the line but the lives of his wife and daughters too, removed for ‘safe keeping’ by Himmler. Increasingly he tries to justify his own actions: the brutal interrogation of prisoners, the meticulous drawing up of death lists for savage reprisals. ‘Important to push away weakness. Too far along the road. Sometimes a man of peace must perform terrible duties, he tells himself. I had to do what I did, there was no other choice.’ And he has become obsessed with one particular member of the Choir, Contessa Giovanna Landini (known as Jo to her comrades).

Having taken possession of her palazzo, he wanders its corridors admiring her furniture, selecting paintings he thinks Hitler might appreciate, examining her extensive wardrobe and choosing gowns to send to his wife Elise in a vain attempt to win back her favour. (He’s almost certain she’s being unfaithful.) He raids the Contessa’s wine cellar, listens to her records, examines her books and takes midnight strolls in her garden. ‘She feels close to him here – every garden is a portrait of its owner.’ Most creepily of all, he takes to sleeping in her bed.

For The Choir, operating the escape line has become a cat and mouse game but one in which there are thousands of Nazi cats for every mouse. No mercy is shown to those who harbour escapees, there are tempting rewards for those prepared to inform and harsh reprisals on the population of Rome for German soldiers killed in acts of resistance. Add to this Allied bombing raids, food and fuel shortages, and Rome has become a very uncomfortable place in which to live.

The Choir’s missions outside the Vatican have become increasingly dangerous and the burden of responsibility for so many lives is huge. There are escapees hidden in every nook and cranny of Rome: abandoned buildings, crawl spaces, cellars, tunnels, even catacombs. It weighs on all the members of The Choir, but particularly on Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty whom the others look to for guidance. He is physically and mentally exhausted, and finding less and less solace in prayer. ‘Pallid, puff-eyed, watchful, uncombed, he has started to acquire the aura of a man who lives in shadow.’ No wonder, with a bounty on his head. As he confides to Jo, ‘I’m lately on a mission into a shadowy old dungeon – my head – to rescue a beaten-down prisoner – my soul.’

Like My Father’s House, the book combines thrilling action scenes that are full of tension with wonderful writing. There’s also an intriguing sub-plot involving an injured airman that explores the sort of moral dilemmas members of The Choir face. Is saving the life of one man worth endangering the lives of others, including your comrades? Can you live with yourself if you turn away and do nothing?

By the end of the book we know, sadly, there are characters we won’t meet again. But the work must go on because the Nazis are not yet defeated and a savage beast is often most dangerous when cornered.

I found The Ghosts of Rome an utterly compelling historical thriller, full of tension and authentic detail. Although I shall be sorry for the series to end, at the same time I cannot wait for the final book.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moving, brilliantly and lyrically written.Typical O´Connor,a worthy addition to a superb trilogy based on real events.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

The second novel in a planned trilogy set during the Second World War about a real-life resistance network operating in great secrecy out of the Vatican in Nazi-occupied Rome. Fascinating stuff about the disparate group made up of a rogue Monsignor operating under the radar of his superiors, an Italian countess, the wife and daughter of the Irish ambassador to the Vatican, a cockney chauffeur, many working class locals, etc. etc. I couldn’t help but put myself in their place and know I’d have fallen short, entirely absent the grit and courage they required daily to put their lives very much on the line to save hundreds of downed pilots, paratroopers and escaped prisoners of war.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 This is the second novel in O’Connor’s Rome Escape Line Trilogy, and I enjoyed it as much as the first in the series, In My Father’s House. The work of The Choir continues. [[Background: The Choir is a group based in the Vatican (mostly secular individuals but led by a priest), that works tirelessly to help Allied soldiers and Jewish people escape from occupied Rome during WWII. It isn’t absolutely necessary, but I would read the first in the series before reading this one.]] The incredible daily risk the Choir members take to help the ”Books” (their name for escapees they are trying to protect) are portrayed very vividly, and the novel is full of tension. The main characters in the prior novel, such as Fr O’Flannery are still there, but new or minor characters, particularly, Contessa Landini, assume very prominent roles. The primary setting in the Vatican remained very interesting. However, this novel took the reader below the streets into the tunnels and crypts of ancient Rome, which I found quite interesting, but which also heightened the sense of imminent danger. There were also wonderful descriptions of the “palace” in which the Contessa had lived. O’Connor does a very enjoyable job with the characters, who hail from many different places and walks of life. The novel moves very quickly, but, as before, the reader is left with a deep respect to people who gave their all in the effort to save human beings from the horror of the Nazis.

[Book Riot Community]

This is one of Book Riot’s Best Books of 2025:

In Nazi-occupied Rome, the Choir works to smuggle POWs, Jewish people, and other allies out of Nazi hands. But tensions are rising as known members of the Choir are cooped up in the Vatican and under surveillance by the SS, and a man's unexpected arrival threatens the entire operation. But one woman is committed to the Choir’s cause at any cost. Contessa Giovanna Landini goes head-to-head with the number one enemy of the Choir, the SS commander charged with taking the operation down. It's a book made all the more timely as masked men grab people off the streets of my beloved Chicago. Doing the right thing is hard and often full of sacrifice, but it's the only way forward.

- Elisa Shoenberger

[Nic · Rating 4 out of 5]

4* The Ghosts of Rome (Rome Escape Line #2) by Joseph Connor. The 2nd book in this superb trilogy with a fictional telling of those who, hunkered in the Vatican, supported allied soldiers and airmen to shelter and escape Rome in the latter years of WWII, as the allies made their way North.

In the preceding book, My Father's House, we met Fr Hugh O'Flaherty a Catholic priest who had found his calling in The Choir, a group who assembled by happenchance to create an 'escape line'. In The Ghost's of Rome, the focus shifts to the rest of the group and in particular Countess Jo Landini who has had to flee the palace which was the ancestral home of her late husband. The Choir continue their work despite the ever closing net of the Nazis led by Gestapo boss Paul Hauptmann. When a Polish airman is shot down, saving his life becomes one of the trickiest missions the group will undertake.

This is a superb book, entwining true characters with fictionalised missions and back stories. It was very special to be back with this group of characters as they become increasingly daring in a bid to thwart Hauptmann, who is himself under great pressure from Berlin. The plot zips along and there were half a dozen times I was entranced and had to keep reading to see if they could get themselves out of danger. It would work well as a standalone, not least because we are introduced to each character in turn, but reading My Father's House will give the reader more depth and understanding of what has gone before.

Thanks to Random House, Harvill Secker and Netgalley for an ARC.

[Steven Z. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two years ago, I read an impactful novel written by Joseph O’Conner entitled MY FATHER’S HOUSE that centered on the role of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, an Irish Catholic priest and senior official of the Roman Curia who was responsible for saving 6500 allied soldiers and Jews during World War II. He had the ability to evade traps set by the Gestapo and Nazi SD earning the nickname, “The Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican.” O’Connor’s portrayal is one of suspense and intrigue creating a gripping World War II drama featuring the unlikeliest of heroes who did battle with SS Commander Paul Hauptmann who failed to corral the principled Vatican official.

O’Conner has returned with a strong sequel, THE GHOSTS OF ROME, which mirrors the same approach toward historical fiction dripping with action, and unforgettable characters. In his latest work O’Conner reintroduces the “Choir,” a ragtag group dedicated to spiriting those threatened by the Nazis to safety. As World War II winds down, this covert group successfully leads untold numbers of escapees out of Nazi controlled Rome along a secret route called the “Escape Line.” Once again, Hauptmann is ordered to destroy O’ Flaherty’s underground railroad – this time his family is seized by the Gestapo and imprisoned in Berlin until he accomplishes his task.

O’Conner begins the novel on Ash Wednesday, February 1944 as he introduces an eclectic group, all members of the “Choir” as they shelter from Nazi aerial bombardment. They are an interesting mix of people consisting of Giovanna Landini, a Countess, leftist who became a Red Cross motorcycle courier when the war broke out; Sir Francis D’Arcy Osborne a British diplomat to the Holy See; Marianna de Vries, a Swiss reporter writing a book on the “Hidden Rome”; Delia Murphy-Kiernan, the de facto ambassador of Ireland to the Holy See and her daughter Blon, a university student; Sam Derry, a tough British soldier who escaped Nazi imprisonment; John May, a British jazz musician; Enzo Angelucci, a wise cracking newspaper vendor; and Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty. As O’Conner introduces these characters, another is descending by parachute into Rome trying to avoid German fire as he hits the ground.

The author offers a series of storylines in the novel. First, as part of a continuation from MY FATHER’S HOUSE, is SS Commander Hauptmann’s attempt to shut down the “Choir” and its “Escape Line.” Second, is Countess Landini and Monsignor O’Flaherty’s prolonged attempts to hide escaped POWs, airmen, and others throughout Vatican City. Third, the battle to try and save a downed Polish pilot named Bruno Wisniewski. Lastly, the intertwining of the “Choir” and the diverse personalities and beliefs of its members as they tried to reach consensus as to what actions they should pursue. O’Conner integrates a series of interviews of some of the main characters given a 15-20 years after the war to fill in historical gaps, personal observations, and tightening the story. These made up texts from letters to memoir extracts to interview transcripts are important for the reader’s understanding.

O’Conner provides a tour of Roman historical sites as the diverse characters navigate Roman streets above and below ground in their cat and mouse game with the SS. In addition, the author provides a glimpse into the Nazi occupation of Rome which by February 1944 is dominated by increasing black market prices, a lack of food and other essentials including sanitation, constant bombing raids, and the omnipresent fear of being arrested by the SS, interrogated, and executed. As O’Conner takes the reader through the catacombs of Vatican City, particularly under St. Peter’s one is reminded of the novels of Steve Berry and Dan Brown for plot development and anticipation.

There are two watershed moments in the novel. The first centers on Heinrich Himmler’s warning to Hauptmann that Hitler wanted the “Choir” to shut down or the SS commander’s family would be the price for failure. Hauptmann’s wife and children were returned to Berlin where they would be guarded by Himmler’s henchman - the warning was clear, “smash the Escape Line or face the inevitable.” The second occurred on March 23, 1944, when the Roman resistance in the guise of pavement sweepers attacked a 156 German troop column with a 40 lb. bomb that killed 30 and wounded countless soldiers. The bombers would escape, and Hitler ordered 100 Italian civilians to be killed for every German soldier who died within 24 hours. Hauptmann would prepare a death list of people who hid POWs, Communists, Socialists, members of trade unions, journalists to be killed in retribution. Victims were sent to caves where they were shot 5 at a time known as the Ardeatine Massacre.

THE GHOSTS OF ROME do not measure up to MY FATHER’S HOUSE in terms of pure excitement and thrills. It continues the story but with more dialogue and less action. It is still a strong historical novel, but with a more laid back approach, though the underlying fears and emotions of the characters easily come to the fore. As is the case in both novels, O’Conner has the knack for creating memorable characters and scenes. Perhaps the best in the current story is the character of Manon Gastaud, a medical student under Professor Guido Pierpaolo Marco Moretti, a superb surgeon, who happens to be pro-Nazi. The conundrum rests on how to save the Polish pilot who was wounded as he descended from his airplane. Most of the “Choir” members are committed to saving his life, no matter the cost and its is the pugnacious Gastaud who volunteers to operate on Bruno despite the fact she has never performed the type of operation that is needed. With a lack of medical supplies, an acceptable site to operate, and the fear of the SS, the “Choir” takes the risks necessary to save the pilot.

Important relationships abound in the novel. There is the haunting connection between Hauptmann and Countess Landini centering on his obsession with her palace which he seized and how she leads him on in the hope of providing misinformation that would work to the “Choirs” benefit. Another is O’Flaherty and Landini’s bonding and how in another life they could have been more than wartime compatriots. The commentary of John Moody, an American soldier, and a wisecracking charmer is priceless as O’Conner injects sarcasm and humor whenever possible.

In terms of historical accuracy, O’Conner does an exceptional job producing the ambiance of wartime Rome, but also the characters of O’Flaherty and Hauptmann. The Monsignor character as mentioned earlier is based on a historical figure. The Hauptmann character is fictionalized, but the character itself is based on Herbert Kappler, a key German SS functionary and war criminal during the Nazi era. He served as head of German police and security services in Rome during the Second World War and was responsible for the Ardeatine massacre. With the completion of volume two, O’Conner’s conclusion is useful as it creates further interest for the reader to continue on to the third volume as it is not clear in which direction O’Conner will go. Volume one focused on Monsignor O’Flaherty, the second, Countess Landini, one wonders what or whom the emphasis will be on in volume number three.

According to Alex Preston in his February 4, 2025, New York Times Book Review, “Escaping the Nazis, With Help From a Priest and a Countess,” O’Connor has often been likened to the great Irish modernists for the lyricism of his voice-driven novels. But “The Ghosts of Rome” — which despite being the second in the trilogy can be read as a stand-alone novel — also situates him within a broader European tradition of memory and moral reckoning, one that returns again and again to World War II.

O’Connor embraces this legacy while transcending its clichés. His Rome is not merely a setting but a crucible, a city where the sacred and the profane collide, where resilience is forged in the shadow of ruins. By crafting a chorus of voices, he ensures that no single narrative dominates, reflecting the messy, multifaceted truths of history — both the way it is lived and how it is constructed in retrospect. What emerges is not just a wartime thriller, though it is that, but a meditation on how we remember, how we resist and how, even in the darkest times, humanity endures.

[Bruce Katz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well done sequel to O'Connor's earlier "My Father's House." Set in Rome during WW2, it's the story -- based on the true story of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty whole a resistance group against the Nazis -- of a small group of brave individuals risking their lives and the lives of their loved ones to undermine the German occupation and save the lives of escaped Allied prisoners and Jews. Suspenseful and deftly paced. O'Connor is very good at his craft.

[Barb in Maryland · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Excellent sequel to My Father's House.

The time is March 1944. German troops continue to occupy Rome, except for Vatican City, which is a neutral, independent state situated within the city of Rome. However, the Gestapo keeps a close watch on who goes in and out, with various checkpoints limiting access.
Our valiant band of heroes(the Choir) are showing the strain of living in close quarters, under constant surveillance by the Gestapo, and trying to keep safe the thousands of Allied soldiers and airmen who have escaped from POW camps in Italy and sought refuge at the Vatican. This group's mission is to sneak these service men out of Rome and connect them to the underground line of escape out of Italy.
Danger lurks around all corners and the Gestapo has informers everywhere, even within Vatican City.
Paul Hauptmann, the Gestapo commander, is also showing signs of stress. He has become obsessed with Contessa Jo Landini, a member of the Choir, to the point where he has taken up residence in her vacant castello. She becomes caught up in his very dangerous cat and mouse game.
Featured in the background of this story is the Allied invasion at Anzio (approx 30 miles south of Rome), which kicked off the Allies' Italian campaign in January, 1944 (and culminating in the liberation of Rome on 4 June). The German propaganda machine vs. the grapevine news adds an interesting touch to the story.
The author continues to alternate flash-forwards to the 1960s interviews with the action set during the war, just as he did in the first book.
I loved it! Lots of drama, lots and lots of action, and enough tension and suspense to keep you turning the page, eager to find out what happens next.

Well done, Mr. O'Connor!

Note: The publisher has been advertising this (and the first book) as part of a trilogy. I am not sure what the subject of the third book would be. The ending to this book seemed to wrap it all up.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second installment in the Rome Escape Line trilogy which is a fictional account of the underground resistance movement known as The Choir and led by Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty. During the 1944 Nazi occupation of Rome, the group operated from the protected confines of the Vatican, aiding Allied soldiers and Jewish refugees. Their nemesis was the Gestapo commander, Paul Hauptmann, who was tasked with controlling the occupation and rooting out the resistance.

O’Connor brilliantly captures the essence of a city under siege, conjuring the chaos and desperation of the people living under the occupation, the pressures endured by the members of the Choir, and Hauptmann’s escalating mental pressures. However, I was disappointed that Father Hugh was in the background in this installment and I also thought it lacked some of the suspense of My Father's House.

[Debby Binns · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought My Father's House was an excellent book so I was excited to read book two of what I think is going to be a trilogy. I thought Ghosts of Rome was brilliant but perhaps not quite as good for me as the first book . I started the book a few weeks ago but until yesterday I'd not really given it proper attention. So yesterday I did and I could not put it down.
Both books are historical fiction based around 'The Choir', which was a group of individuals located in the Vatican City during WW". They helped smuggle people out of Rome during the war (despite the vatican being neutral territory).

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting to finish this on my way to Hungary, Austria & Germany. So many reminders of how terrible things can get. The Contessa is amazing as well as some new characters in this one

[Terry Kinane · Rating 4 out of 5]

brilliantly narrated! but you need to concentrate!

[Graham Mott · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you know anything about WW2 in Italy, absolute bollocks. Odd how someone can write a series of books on the war but leave it full of elementary errors. Didn’t the publisher suggest getting someone to check? Almost straight away, Spitfires don’t drop bombs on cities, the Americans weren’t at Tobruk, officers and men weren’t in the same POW camps, Stukas weren’t over Rome in 1944. Later we get helicopters! Anzio is kept being mentioned as if it was D-Day while the fact that the whole of Italy south of the Gustav Line, only 60 miles south of Rome had been liberated. The whole gallant Irish helping the Brits is a bit suspect as well even though apparently based on real people. Ireland was neutral for a reason. Irish soldiers who deserted to fight with the allies for example lost their pensions, were barred from government jobs and weren’t pardoned until 2013. Don’t bother if you are interested in history.

[Justyna · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The dead don't bother me none. It's the living you got to be scared"
This is one of many great quotes that I've loved in this book. Joseph O'Connor, in his beautiful style, brings us again to occupied Europe where people fight with Nazis and are constantly looking for new ways to help and protect innocent people amongst them.
"The ghosts of Rome" is second in the trilogy and as it's precursor it's amazingly well written. History and fiction are blending seamlessly but what stood out to me most was how much time the author must have spent on research. In this book, I feel, we have an amazing insight on how impressive women were during those years. Thankfully the enemy underestimated them.
Massive thanks to NetGalley for the early copy although I'm afraid that no words will ever be beautiful enough to give this book a justice. It's a treasure that has to be devoured slowly
#TheGhostsOfRome #NetGalley
#book #books #reading #read #bookreview #bookrecommendations #review #historicalfiction #irishbookstagram #irishauthor

BOOK BLURB :

February 1944. Six months since Nazi forces occupied Rome.

Inside the beleaguered city, the Contessa Giovanna Landini is a member of the band of Escape Line activists known as ‘The Choir’. Their mission is to smuggle refugees to safety and help Allied soldiers, all under the nose of Gestapo boss Paul Hauptmann.

During a ferocious morning air raid a mysterious parachutist lands in Rome and disappears into the backstreets. Is he an ally or an imposter? His fate will come to put the whole Escape Line at risk.

Meanwhile, Hauptmann’s attention has landed on the Contessa. As his fascination grows, she is pulled into a dangerous game with him – one where the consequences could be lethal

[Esther Turner · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled to finish this book. Having so enjoyed the first in the series I forced my way through. The constant shifts in perspective had me confused for almost all of the book. What a shame.

[Fran McBookface · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continuing on from the excellent, My Fathers House, The Ghosts of Rome reunites us with the Choir and their efforts to smuggle people out of Nazi occupied Rome during WW2

The focus of the Choir shifts a bit in this one away from Father Hugh O’Flaherty and towards the rest of the group particularly Contessa Jo Landini - a brilliantly strong, resilient and inventive character.

It's a fast paced read. The stakes are getting increasingly higher with every mission as the Nazis start to close in. The blending of fact with fiction really gives an insight into the position of the Vatican during the war and the incredible risks these people took

As the Choir are mostly confined to the Vatican city there is a feeling of claustrophobia and boredom which is skillfully portrayed

As well as the characters in the Choir, we also see the unravelling of Nazi Commander Paul Hauptmann making him even more dangerous and unpredictable.

I felt this perhaps lacked a bit of the punch and immediacy of the first book but still a great read and as you’d expect from O’Connor, the writing is excellent.

Huge thanks to Harvill Secker /Vintage for sending me a proof copy

[Lilmissmolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook version of The Ghosts of Rome, which is the second book in the Rome Escape Line Trilogy written by Joseph O’Connor. Having previously listened to hundreds of WWII historical fiction novels, I found the premise profoundly unique. I had no idea that there was a resistance group that ran out of the Vatican during Nazi occupation. Although the story is fiction, it features several real life figures from that time, including Irish Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, and his “choir” of volunteer resistance fighters who helped Jews, refugees, and stranded soldiers escape Rome.

The audiobook featured a multitude of narrators, which helped a little bit in keeping the characters straight. However, I did not like how various points of view kept shifting between first person and the third person. There were also letters and interview transcriptions from decades later. Perhaps this would have translated better in book format, but for the audiobook listener, it was confusing.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for providing me with a review copy of the audiobook. This review is in my own words and freely given.

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charged, emotional, and action-packed!

The Ghosts of Rome is a fascinating, enticing tale that picks up right where My Father’s House left off, taking us back to Vatican City during WWII and into the lives of a handful of individuals known as “The Choir” who now find themselves doing whatever they can to help a shot down, wounded allied airman evade capture while also getting him the life-saving surgery he desperately needs.

The prose is smooth and expressive. The characters are selfless, reliable, and resourceful. And the plot unravels and intertwines briskly into a sweeping saga of life, loss, bravery, strength, loyalty, espionage, grit, determination, deception, secrets, and survival.

Overall, The Ghosts of Rome is an intricate, suspenseful, captivating tale by O’Connor based on real-life events that does a wonderful job of interweaving historical facts and compelling fiction into an exciting, heart-tugging tale that is atmospheric and highly absorbing.

[Heidi Gorecki · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the storyline was interesting, and the chapters themselves were written well, I spent the majority of the audiobook really confused. I could not figure out what was going on most of the time. Maybe it was just a very different style than I prefer but I just struggled

The writing overall felt choppy in a poetic sort of way, and disjointed and had a lot of characters. It would hop from character to character, current timeline to a future recorded interview of one of the characters, then back to another character. It was just so hard to keep track of or to know what was going on.

When I was in the middle of a chapter that I could grab a thread on, I enjoyed that piece and the writing of it. It just didn’t stay there long enough for me to get into it.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this audiobook. All opinions are mine.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in Joseph O’Connor’s new trilogy inspired by the true story of the Rome Escape Line, a secret network that smuggled thousands of Jewish refugees and Allied soldiers out of Nazi-occupied Rome. The first novel, My Father’s House, introduces us to the work of the Escape Line who meet in the neutral Vatican under the guise of a choir to avoid the attentions of the Gestapo and focuses on one member in particular – Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, the Irish Catholic priest who is the leader of the network.

The Ghosts of Rome continues the story, beginning in February 1944, six months into the Nazi occupation. Although Hugh O’Flaherty is still part of the group, we see very little of him in this book as he steps into the background to let other characters’ stories be told. The main focus this time is the widowed Contessa Giovanna Landini, known as Jo, whose palazzo is commandeered by Gestapo officer Paul Hauptmann. Hitler isn’t satisfied with Hauptmann’s performance in Rome so far and he is under pressure to produce results. If he could obtain evidence of the Choir’s activities he’s sure that would help to improve his reputation with the Führer. Hauptmann hopes that the Contessa, whose house he is living in, will lead him to her fellow Escape Line members, but Jo is a resourceful woman and decides to take advantage of Hauptmann’s interest in her to try to protect herself and the Choir.

Another significant storyline revolves around a Polish airman who is shot down over Rome. Some members of the Escape Line want to help him, but others are more cautious. How can they be sure he is who he says he is? What if he betrays them? When it becomes obvious that he has life-threatening injuries and will die if not treated, they are faced with an important decision to make.

I think I preferred My Father’s House because it was more suspenseful, describing the countdown to a major mission on Christmas Eve, and because I found Hugh O’Flaherty such an interesting character. This is an excellent book as well, though, and I’m sure other readers will like it better than the first one. Although Jo Landini is at the forefront of the story, most of the characters we met in the previous book also reappear, including British Envoy Sir D’Arcy Osborne, diplomat’s wife Delia Kiernan and escaped soldier Sam Derry. We also see a lot of Delia’s teenage daughter, Blon, who is angry when her mother leaves the Escape Line and insists on trying to take her place, which not everyone is happy about! These are all people who really existed, but O’Connor includes an author’s note to explain that the way they are portrayed in the book is just his interpretation and shouldn’t be relied on as fact.

If you haven’t read the previous novel, you’re probably wondering whether it’s necessary to have read it before starting this one. I would say it’s not really essential, but it would make it easier to follow what’s happening in this book. There are a lot of characters and O’Connor constantly switches between different perspectives throughout the novel, as well as inserting passages written in other styles – such as transcripts of (fictional) BBC interviews – which means you do need to pay attention otherwise it would be easy to lose track of things. As with My Father’s House, I was particularly interested in the insights we get into the mind of Paul Hauptmann – a very human villain, which just makes him all the more unsettling to read about. It’s the brave and tireless work of the Escape Line, however, that makes these novels so compelling; in this book, I loved the way they manage to hide hundreds of people inside a derelict old theatre right under the noses of the Gestapo.

This is a planned trilogy and although I can’t see any details of the third book yet, I know it will be something to look forward to!

[Pav S. (pav_sanborn_bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

During World War II, a group called The Choir helped people escape Nazi-occupied Rome through a secret route. When an airman falls from the sky, The Choir faces danger and internal conflict. Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, the leader, struggles with the risks of keeping the Escape Line going. SS Commander Paul Hauptmann is tasked with destroying the operation or risking his family's lives. The Contessa Giovanna Landini challenges Hauptmann's authority.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to read this book and received both the ebook and audiobook versions. Although I have not yet read the first book in the series, I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook. The narrators did an excellent job of keeping me engaged and interested, making it easy to follow the storyline flawlessly.

Growing up in the Czech Republic, I vividly remember the time when the country was under communist rule and the restrictions we faced. Living next door to Germany, I have always been intrigued by books about war, as so much of the history hits close to home.

While I am unsure if this book is a direct follow-up to the first in the series, it stood well on its own and piqued my interest to go back and read the previous installment.

If you appreciate historical fiction that closely mirrors true events, prompting you to delve deeper into the details and history, then this book is a perfect fit for you. It will undoubtedly make you reflect on and appreciate the freedoms and voice we have today, a luxury that was not always available during my upbringing. The Ghosts of Rome is a thrilling historical suspense novel filled with action and memorable characters.

Thank you, Dreamscape Media and Europa Editions, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once more I was moved to tears.

When you write such an intimate historical novel you have both a duty to characters and to the readers. I feel author Joseph O’Connor succeeds on each count. He has taken facts and people and re-imagined the struggle in war-time Rome.

This is a well conceived novel which has a group of individuals, ‘The Choir’ led by Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty to find sanctuary and safety for escaped prisoners of war, creatively called ‘books’”

This is another work of fiction which has been well researched to be accurate in context and the historical reality in 1944.
Fictionally portrayed here is a real person: Hugh O'Flaherty CBE (28 February 1898 – 30 October 1963) a Catholic priest. It is said of him, on the historical record, that he was responsible for saving 6,500 Allied soldiers and Jews.”

The storytelling enables one to understand the dangers in resistance to the occupation. The risks and consequences if caught or betrayed for helping, hiding or disclosing the location of Jews or allied combatants.
The writing places you in the heart of the conflict and engaged in the deception and sharing the fear of capture and torture. Acts of selfless valour in secret and without reward other than to save lives and fight back against the enemy.
The author does not make light of these events; he reflects upon the horrors of war without any glory in its action.

Although this is a fictional account it reads like a historical memoir. Full of character, convincing dialogue, with each chapter filled with tension and an impending danger.

It is riveting, chilling and heart warming that ordinary people would be so brave and courageous in the face of death.

[John MacLeod · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘The Ghosts of Rome’, (Rome Escape Line Trilogy,#2),by Joseph O’Connor,is simply outstanding and quite emotionally overwhelming.
After the exceptional ‘My Father’s House’,it feels like a blessing to read this.The first superb instalment felt truly like a one-off and then this turned out to be equally spellbinding.
This book is truly atmospheric, capturing the sense of being trapped in an occupied land.
The depiction of time place and the portrait of the main characters
feels grippingly realistic .
This is fascinating fictional storytelling based on the real life heroic efforts of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, renowned for his involvement in the smuggling of fleeing Jews and escaped allied prisoners out of Rome during World War Two.
The returning characters from the first book are so wonderfully written that it is like meeting old friends after many years and resuming conversation as if they’d only left the room for minutes.The threads of this tale are multilayered and contain so many levels like Rome itself.
It is haunting,suspenseful,thrilling,enlightening,moving and hopeful in almost equal measures.
Many thanks to Random House,UK,Vintage,and NetGalley for a preview copy.

[Robert Sheard · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first read of 2026 was Joseph O’Connor’s The Ghosts of Rome, and it turned out to be a very rewarding way to start the year. This was also my first encounter with O’Connor’s work, and even without having read the earlier novel in the trilogy, I found myself fully absorbed.

Set in Rome and Vatican City in 1944, the novel focuses less on battlefield action and more on the lives bound together by the resistance network known as The Choir. What interested me most was O’Connor’s attention to the collective—the priests, aristocrats, smugglers, and ordinary citizens whose quiet courage keeps the Escape Line functioning under extraordinary pressure. The inclusion of Commandant Hauptmann’s perspective adds a chilling complexity, reminding us how fear and coercion warp moral choice on all sides.

Beautifully written and tightly constructed, this feels less like conventional WWII fiction and more like a study of people navigating impossible circumstances. A strong, confident historical novel that rewards patience and attention.

[Su Thor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read 'In my Father's House' sometime ago, when I saw there was a sequel I was very happy. This, like his previous book, was well researched and it takes full account of the horrors of war. This is a work of fiction centring on the fictional Contessa Landini, her household and their relationship with SS in poor in Rome. . As you read this book you will read of escapes and hiding places; hardships and tragedy. It is a hard read in terms of the nature of what happened but, the story of the brave people who lived their lives in these times and experienced these dangers MUST be told. In truth I liked the way this story allows readers to experience these situations.


Thank you to Netgalley and Vintage Digital for allowing me to read this