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Secrets at the Dover Cafe: The sixth book in the dramatic World War II Dover Cafe series
Characters you'll come to love and a story that keeps you turning the page.' Rosie Goodwin
THE SIXTH BOOK IN THE MUCH-LOVED DOVER CAFE WWII SAGA SERIES
Dover, January 1942
The war is closing in on every shore, and when Marge Atkinson is assigned to an elite group of Wrens, chosen to teach war games to naval officers, it seems like the perfect distraction from her heartbreak over Rodney Castle. Until she discovers who her new commanding officer is. Years ago, Captain Thomas Bennett destroyed her family, and now she vows to get her revenge - no matter the consequences.
Meanwhile, at Castle's Café, Nellie is trapped in a dangerous bargain. Allowing Lou Carter to stash black-market contraband in her café basement seemed harmless enough at the time. But when a sinister man arrives, threatening her family and demanding she store some mysterious boxes, she has no choice but to agree. Because if she doesn't, her grandchildren could pay the price . . .
THE SIXTH BOOK IN THE MUCH-LOVED DOVER CAFE WWII SAGA SERIES
Dover, January 1942
The war is closing in on every shore, and when Marge Atkinson is assigned to an elite group of Wrens, chosen to teach war games to naval officers, it seems like the perfect distraction from her heartbreak over Rodney Castle. Until she discovers who her new commanding officer is. Years ago, Captain Thomas Bennett destroyed her family, and now she vows to get her revenge - no matter the consequences.
Meanwhile, at Castle's Café, Nellie is trapped in a dangerous bargain. Allowing Lou Carter to stash black-market contraband in her café basement seemed harmless enough at the time. But when a sinister man arrives, threatening her family and demanding she store some mysterious boxes, she has no choice but to agree. Because if she doesn't, her grandchildren could pay the price . . .
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Published June 4, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 4, 2026
This is the 6th book in the series and seemed to move a bit more quickly than the last one but in a really good and positive way.
It was great to get back to the Dover Cafe and Nellie and Jasper, Nellie’s children and their respective partners and the grandchildren who she loves the bones of - even if that might put them in danger. She is still estranged from Edie and Jimmy, Bert and to some extent Rodney following the trial in a previous book.
But this book is mainly about Marge - who loves Rodney but thinks she is alone in the world. Her sister Katy had run away when a relationship went badly wrong - pregnant with an errant navy officer who abandoned her. Ironically the same officer is Marge’s new commanding officer when she is posted to Folkestone to help the senior navy personnel to learn ‘War Games’ to be able to foil the U-boats which were quickly starving Britain out. It was fascinating to learn about these procedures and how they were devised. Something I had not heard about before. Thankfully this nasty specimen of an officer got his comeuppance and his vile life was exposed.
Nellie in the meantime has been convinced to keep ‘boxes’ in her basement by a thug - and Lou - a long time adversary once a friend doesn’t help. This too was an interesting facet to the story but I won’t spoil it.
This mishmash précis of the book just about sums up the muddle that it’s easy to get into with all the characters and additions to their families. The list at the beginning of the book was useful in explaining who was who - but I find these not much help in an e-reader version of a book because you have to keep going back to look then tend to lose one’s place. The formatting on the version I had made this list difficult to read - as were several of the latter chapters where they merged a bit together with no paragraph breaks.
Having had that slight moan - this really is a well researched and well written series and I can’t wait for book 7 - and wonder what will happen next in Dover - after all we are only in 1941 so we have a while to go in WW2
A great read.
Thank you NtGalley for my advanced copy - all views are my own
It was great to get back to the Dover Cafe and Nellie and Jasper, Nellie’s children and their respective partners and the grandchildren who she loves the bones of - even if that might put them in danger. She is still estranged from Edie and Jimmy, Bert and to some extent Rodney following the trial in a previous book.
But this book is mainly about Marge - who loves Rodney but thinks she is alone in the world. Her sister Katy had run away when a relationship went badly wrong - pregnant with an errant navy officer who abandoned her. Ironically the same officer is Marge’s new commanding officer when she is posted to Folkestone to help the senior navy personnel to learn ‘War Games’ to be able to foil the U-boats which were quickly starving Britain out. It was fascinating to learn about these procedures and how they were devised. Something I had not heard about before. Thankfully this nasty specimen of an officer got his comeuppance and his vile life was exposed.
Nellie in the meantime has been convinced to keep ‘boxes’ in her basement by a thug - and Lou - a long time adversary once a friend doesn’t help. This too was an interesting facet to the story but I won’t spoil it.
This mishmash précis of the book just about sums up the muddle that it’s easy to get into with all the characters and additions to their families. The list at the beginning of the book was useful in explaining who was who - but I find these not much help in an e-reader version of a book because you have to keep going back to look then tend to lose one’s place. The formatting on the version I had made this list difficult to read - as were several of the latter chapters where they merged a bit together with no paragraph breaks.
Having had that slight moan - this really is a well researched and well written series and I can’t wait for book 7 - and wonder what will happen next in Dover - after all we are only in 1941 so we have a while to go in WW2
A great read.
Thank you NtGalley for my advanced copy - all views are my own
April 24, 2026
It’s always lovely to revisit The Market Square and The Castles! I always say this, but as a born and bred Dovorian, I can see all of the landmarks in my mindseye, this time we had Folkestone and Capel.
It was good to get to know Marges backstory, I think she has to be my favourite of all the characters of the book (alongside Jasper) she’s such a firecracker, I can’t wait to see how hers and Rodney’s story develops as this can’t be the last book, too many open ends to tie up!
I will say that this book near the end does hit a dark subject which just came out of nowhere, so trigger warning!
Great book, looking forward to the next one.
It was good to get to know Marges backstory, I think she has to be my favourite of all the characters of the book (alongside Jasper) she’s such a firecracker, I can’t wait to see how hers and Rodney’s story develops as this can’t be the last book, too many open ends to tie up!
I will say that this book near the end does hit a dark subject which just came out of nowhere, so trigger warning!
Great book, looking forward to the next one.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews