The Mozart Code
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- Create Date：2022-04-02 11:21:41
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Rachel McMillan
- ISBN：1713637111
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Summary
No matter how you might try to hide in a war to escape your past， it is always close at hand。
Lady Sophia Huntington Villiers is no stranger to intrigue， as her work with Alan Turing’s Bombe Machines at Bletchley Park during the war attests。 Now， as part of Simon Barre’s covert team in post-war Vienna， she uses her inimitable charm and code name Starling to infiltrate the world of relics: uncovering vital information that could tilt the stakes of the mounting Cold War。 When several influential men charge her with finding the death mask of Mozart， Sophie wonders if there is more than the composer’s legacy at stake and finds herself drawn to potential answers in Prague。
Simon Barrington， the illegitimate heir of one of Sussex’s oldest estates， used the previous war to hide his insecurities about his past。 Now， he uses his high breeding to gain access to all four allied quarters of the ruined city in an attempt to slow the fall of the Iron Curtain。 He has been in love with Sophie Villiers since the moment he met her， and a marriage of convenience to save Simon’s estate has always kept her close。 Until now， when Sophie’s mysterious client in Prague forces him to wonder if her allegiance to him - and their cause - is in question。 Torn between his loyalty to his cause and his heart， Simon seeks answers about Sophie only to learn that everything he thought he knew about his involvement in both wars is based on a lie。
“Murky espionage and burgeoning passion twine beautifully together in The Mozart Code’s superbly evocative prose - an enchanting read！” （Kate Quinn， New York Times best-selling author of The Rose Code）
“Vienna is the new Paris in The Mozart Code， a World War II spy novel with deft， chess-like plotting， and plenty of old-fashioned romance。” （Susan Elia MacNeal， New York Times best-selling author of the Maggie Hope novels and Mother Daughter Traitor Spy）
“The Mozart Code is a smart， luscious romance， a thrilling suspense， and a thunderously good read。 McMillan is a rising star in historical fiction。” （Aimie K。 Runyan， best-selling author of The School for German Brides）
“Rife with secret codes， haunting melodies， betrayal and sacrifice， at its heart this is a story about the courage it takes to love and be loved。 Highly recommended！” （Kimberly Brock， author of The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare）
“Beautifully lush and atmospheric， The Mozart Code is a novel full of nuances and brimming with danger， romance， and intrigue。” （Jenni L。 Walsh， author of Becoming Bonnie and The Call of the Wrens）
“The Mozart Code left me breathless。” （Joy Callaway， international best-selling author of The Fifth Avenue Artists Society and The Greenbrier Resort）
Post World War II historical romance
Stand-alone novel （features characters from The London Restoration）
Book length: 95，000 words
Lady Sophia Huntington Villiers is no stranger to intrigue， as her work with Alan Turing’s Bombe Machines at Bletchley Park during the war attests。 Now， as part of Simon Barre’s covert team in post-war Vienna， she uses her inimitable charm and code name Starling to infiltrate the world of relics: uncovering vital information that could tilt the stakes of the mounting Cold War。 When several influential men charge her with finding the death mask of Mozart， Sophie wonders if there is more than the composer’s legacy at stake and finds herself drawn to potential answers in Prague。
Simon Barrington， the illegitimate heir of one of Sussex’s oldest estates， used the previous war to hide his insecurities about his past。 Now， he uses his high breeding to gain access to all four allied quarters of the ruined city in an attempt to slow the fall of the Iron Curtain。 He has been in love with Sophie Villiers since the moment he met her， and a marriage of convenience to save Simon’s estate has always kept her close。 Until now， when Sophie’s mysterious client in Prague forces him to wonder if her allegiance to him - and their cause - is in question。 Torn between his loyalty to his cause and his heart， Simon seeks answers about Sophie only to learn that everything he thought he knew about his involvement in both wars is based on a lie。
“Murky espionage and burgeoning passion twine beautifully together in The Mozart Code’s superbly evocative prose - an enchanting read！” （Kate Quinn， New York Times best-selling author of The Rose Code）
“Vienna is the new Paris in The Mozart Code， a World War II spy novel with deft， chess-like plotting， and plenty of old-fashioned romance。” （Susan Elia MacNeal， New York Times best-selling author of the Maggie Hope novels and Mother Daughter Traitor Spy）
“The Mozart Code is a smart， luscious romance， a thrilling suspense， and a thunderously good read。 McMillan is a rising star in historical fiction。” （Aimie K。 Runyan， best-selling author of The School for German Brides）
“Rife with secret codes， haunting melodies， betrayal and sacrifice， at its heart this is a story about the courage it takes to love and be loved。 Highly recommended！” （Kimberly Brock， author of The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare）
“Beautifully lush and atmospheric， The Mozart Code is a novel full of nuances and brimming with danger， romance， and intrigue。” （Jenni L。 Walsh， author of Becoming Bonnie and The Call of the Wrens）
“The Mozart Code left me breathless。” （Joy Callaway， international best-selling author of The Fifth Avenue Artists Society and The Greenbrier Resort）
Post World War II historical romance
Stand-alone novel （features characters from The London Restoration）
Book length: 95，000 words
Reviews
Lindsay
，
This doesn’t say it’s part of a series， but I’m pretty sure I needed to read another book before this one。 I was still confused at the half way point， and it constantly made reference to people and situations that were never explained in this book。
Julia
，
Two and a half stars。 I was SO looking forward to this book， but it just didn't come together for me。 I was bored through a lot of it and couldn't quite follow all the espionage。 It didn't help that McMillan didn't make the secondary characters memorable so I never remembered who was who。 Disappointing。I didn't know that Vienna is known as the city of spies and that after WWII， it was full of espionage。 I was excited to read about Vienna and this history because I will be going there by the end Two and a half stars。 I was SO looking forward to this book， but it just didn't come together for me。 I was bored through a lot of it and couldn't quite follow all the espionage。 It didn't help that McMillan didn't make the secondary characters memorable so I never remembered who was who。 Disappointing。I didn't know that Vienna is known as the city of spies and that after WWII， it was full of espionage。 I was excited to read about Vienna and this history because I will be going there by the end of the year。 And the book is also set in Prague， a very distinctive city I have been to。 But I didn't feel like I was in the action。 。。。more
Daniella Bernett
，
With silken prose， Rachel McMillan creates a rich atmosphere imbued with music and art， where danger lurks in the shadows。 Set in Vienna and Prague at the outset of the Cold War， she deftly weaves a multilayered story of espionage and romance that tests the bonds of loyalty。
Renee
，
Elegant writing， a setting--both time & place--that comes alive， a sparkling romantic pair。 I loved the proposal scene， the zippy British dialogue， the shy， angsty hero， the bright， independent heroine （somehow I kept picturing her as Emma Peel） & the satisfying ending。 Entertaining & enjoyable！
Suzie Waltner
，
4。5 StarsIf you asked me to name one author who is an avid reader and encourages and promotes other authors， my answer would come without much thought。 Rachel McMillan is a self-proclaimed book gusher。 She is also an author—one that I’ve followed since her first Herringford and Watts series book—who is an auto-buy for me。In The Mozart Code， McMillan combines the world of espionage， artifacts， romance （including a marriage of convenience）， Vienna and Prague while taking readers on Sophie and Simo 4。5 StarsIf you asked me to name one author who is an avid reader and encourages and promotes other authors， my answer would come without much thought。 Rachel McMillan is a self-proclaimed book gusher。 She is also an author—one that I’ve followed since her first Herringford and Watts series book—who is an auto-buy for me。In The Mozart Code， McMillan combines the world of espionage， artifacts， romance （including a marriage of convenience）， Vienna and Prague while taking readers on Sophie and Simon’s journey of uncovering their true feelings for each other。There are a lot of World War II stories but not many， at least that I’ve read， dealing with life after the war。 McMillan gives us snapshots of pre-war and post-war life for her characters （and by the way， readers will enjoy some more time with Brent and Diana from The London Restoration） as well。My favorite parts of this book are the romance built on friendship and the familial relationships both Sophie and Simon have with their families—different in several respects， but both strain against the expectations of their circumstances。McMillan’s detailed descriptions put me right in the cities with her characters， the action scenes had me on the edge of my seat， and the romance （my favorite part of any book） was everything I expected it to be。 In short， The Mozart Code was worth the wait。Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Kyra
，
Book received for free through NetGalleyI liked the first book in the series and was excited for this one。 However， I have only made it 29% of the way into this book and found myself frequently starting and stopping。 I had trouble getting into it and figured it was better to review as is。 It was written well just not my cup of tea。
Daniel Kukwa
，
It's well written， and starts off in intriguing fashion。。。but I slowly lost interest when the story started its flashback shenanigans。 In the end， it feels like an odd mash-up of Graeme Green and "Downton Abbey"， but it only works for me occasionally。 It's well written， and starts off in intriguing fashion。。。but I slowly lost interest when the story started its flashback shenanigans。 In the end， it feels like an odd mash-up of Graeme Green and "Downton Abbey"， but it only works for me occasionally。 。。。more
Lucy-Bookworm
，
Set immediately after WW2， The Mozart Code is set in Prague & Vienna at a time when the allies were still wary of the Russians and their increasing stronghold on Eastern Europe。 Sophie （Lady Sophia Hartington-Villiers） is of noble birth but craving independence rather than the “suitable marriage” that her parents are encouraging。 Simon Barrington is the younger son， though probably not legitimately， of an Earl and very much the black-sheep of the family。 Sophie has established a reputation as a Set immediately after WW2， The Mozart Code is set in Prague & Vienna at a time when the allies were still wary of the Russians and their increasing stronghold on Eastern Europe。 Sophie （Lady Sophia Hartington-Villiers） is of noble birth but craving independence rather than the “suitable marriage” that her parents are encouraging。 Simon Barrington is the younger son， though probably not legitimately， of an Earl and very much the black-sheep of the family。 Sophie has established a reputation as a trustworthy， prestigious， yet somewhat elusive locator of stolen art work and antiques which she acquires for her contacts， whilst Simon is working undercover to expose a lethal double agent named Eternity。 The story starts slowly， but gives the reader much needed information on Sophie & Simon’s backgrounds and their relationship。 The latter half of the book is when the pace and tension pick up and we have a complex plot including espionage， family secrets， priceless artifacts， agents， double agents， communism， upper class privilege & birthrights， chess， architecture and so much more – all skilfully woven together with a musical thread the weaves in & out of the pages in such a way that makes me want to go & find a recording of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No。 17 in G major， KV453 – the Starling Concerto。 Sophie & Simon’s relationship permeates throughout but it is not the romance you might expect – I really liked the way that it was portrayed as mature rather than the youthful passion we so often get， with the relationship changing and evolving as they shared experiences together and came to new understandings of themselves as individuals and of each other。 The ending was well done， in that it tied up some ends but left just enough undone that they could be picked up again in future if needed。 I also appreciated how the characters were scarred by their experiences， yet able to grow and make a new normal。 The book is incredibly well-researched and there are some authors notes to help the reader determine fact from fiction。 The Mozart Code is very much a companion piece to The London Restoration， featuring some of the same characters， but it’s not a sequel and you don’t need to have read The London Restoration before reading this。 Disclosure: I received an advance reader copy of this book free via NetGalley。 Whilst thanks go to the author & publisher for the opportunity to read it， all opinions are my own & my review is left voluntarily。 。。。more
Andria
，
Rachel never disappoints。 I have been looking forward to this book for a year。 I loved reading her beautiful descriptions of Vienna and Prague and the wonderful story of Simon and Sophie。 So beautiful。 It is hard to find the right words， but I will just say this: I will read every book Rachel writes。
Sarah Sundin
，
Deftly traversing the lushness of Vienna and Prague and upper-crust England， The Mozart Code brings to life the glories and devastation and intrigue of postwar Europe。 Shady characters and cryptic codes and mixed motives and double-crosses make for a pulse-pounding read。 And oh， the romance！ Simon and Sophie’s story is one for the ages， crackling with electricity and witty banter and buried hurts and guarded emotions。 Rachel McMillan’s beautiful writing encourages you to read slowly， to savor th Deftly traversing the lushness of Vienna and Prague and upper-crust England， The Mozart Code brings to life the glories and devastation and intrigue of postwar Europe。 Shady characters and cryptic codes and mixed motives and double-crosses make for a pulse-pounding read。 And oh， the romance！ Simon and Sophie’s story is one for the ages， crackling with electricity and witty banter and buried hurts and guarded emotions。 Rachel McMillan’s beautiful writing encourages you to read slowly， to savor the lines and ponder the clues—but the story propels you to flip pages faster than a Mozart arpeggio！ Enjoy the journey。 。。。more
Laramee
，
I really enjoyed this engaging story of spies， intrigue， mysteries， and romance！ You won't want to miss this one！ I received an ARC through Netgalley and all opinions are my own。 I really enjoyed this engaging story of spies， intrigue， mysteries， and romance！ You won't want to miss this one！ I received an ARC through Netgalley and all opinions are my own。 。。。more
Cody
，
4。25/5I really enjoyed this a lot。 There’s a lot going on in the first half of the book and then kicks into high gear after 50%。 I have a couple of gripes but thoroughly enjoyed my time and experience with Simon and Sophie。Quick hits:- Simon and Sophie feel like real people that could’ve existed。 Both grappling with their own demons as well as their relationship。 Let me tell you， chapter 26 had the most tension and angst between two characters I’ve read in recent memory （I mean this in the best 4。25/5I really enjoyed this a lot。 There’s a lot going on in the first half of the book and then kicks into high gear after 50%。 I have a couple of gripes but thoroughly enjoyed my time and experience with Simon and Sophie。Quick hits:- Simon and Sophie feel like real people that could’ve existed。 Both grappling with their own demons as well as their relationship。 Let me tell you， chapter 26 had the most tension and angst between two characters I’ve read in recent memory （I mean this in the best way）。- There a couple of moments which took me out of the story quickly like Simon putting his gun away and then two paragraphs later the same type of sentence occurs with no reference to his gun coming back out。 Minor gripe。- The very end resolved pretty quickly and left some things open I would’ve liked resolved。 I’m assuming this may be to leave the door open for another book in this universe （like London Restoration）。 - The scenery was described so well。 I could imagine Vienna post world war 2， stuck in the middle of destruction and rebuilding。 Overall， I would highly recommend this， especially for fans of historical fiction。 The world is well described， the characters are believable， and their journey throughout this book is the type you love to see in a relationship: emotion， angst， and happiness。 。。。more
Stephanie P （Because My Mother Read）
，
Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy to read。 The book is available now。The premise of this book is full of things I enjoy: historical fiction， espionage， code solving， intrigue， and slow burn romance。 Set in post WWII Vienna it follows two friends in a marriage of convenience who are working together in covert operations。The time between WWII and the Cold War isn’t shown as often in books and this book was clearly well researched to be historically accurate。 There is a lot of compell Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy to read。 The book is available now。The premise of this book is full of things I enjoy: historical fiction， espionage， code solving， intrigue， and slow burn romance。 Set in post WWII Vienna it follows two friends in a marriage of convenience who are working together in covert operations。The time between WWII and the Cold War isn’t shown as often in books and this book was clearly well researched to be historically accurate。 There is a lot of compelling romantic tension and complicated relationship dynamics。 There is also a chess theme throughout。 I have discovered that I love when chess is woven into stories even though I am not much of a player myself。Some parts of their covert operations and the people involved got a little confusing to me， but that may have just been my own distraction at certain points。 。。。more
Emily P
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Engaging， captivating story of love， loss and WWII。 Loved it and would highly recommend！ Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read it early。
Kelly Bridgewater
，
The Mozart Code by Rachel McMillan is a post World War II story that is supposed to have the main heroine looking for a lost Death Mask of Mozart， the composer。 While I love the cover on the story， the story does not live up to what should be inside the story。 First， the story takes place after World War II， so the heroine is trying to uncover historical artifacts that the Nazi had stolen during World War II。 Great！ I can really get behind a treasure hunt story。 But that is not what this story i The Mozart Code by Rachel McMillan is a post World War II story that is supposed to have the main heroine looking for a lost Death Mask of Mozart， the composer。 While I love the cover on the story， the story does not live up to what should be inside the story。 First， the story takes place after World War II， so the heroine is trying to uncover historical artifacts that the Nazi had stolen during World War II。 Great！ I can really get behind a treasure hunt story。 But that is not what this story is about。 The main heroine and her "love" are what the story is focused on。 The plot moves back and forth between their courtship， marriage， and the present day。 Emotions fly across the page。 But I wanted a treasure hunt。 I do not mind if the romance intermingles with the plot， but the story does not focus on what the characters are doing。 Once in a while， McMillan goes back to the hunt for the death mask of Mozart， but it does not seem that important。 While the issues with the plot did not work for me at all， McMillan is a wonderful creating at bringing this post World War II world to life。 I enjoyed traveling through the countryside and the rubble of the setting。 I love how she evaluates the story's importance with her writing。 As for the characters， they also appeared indifferent to what McMillan wanted them to do。 They did not see the importance of finding these items。 It appeared to be more important at showing their relationship than what they need to accomplish。 The first chapter promised to deliver a hunt for the Mozart mask， but the story does not deliver。 The plot was seriously lacking depth。I received a complimentary copy of the Mozart Code by Rachel McMillan from Thomas Nelson Publishing， but the opinions stated are all my own。 。。。more
Renee Ryan
，
In her newest novel， The Mozart Code， Rachel McMillan delivers a lavish， highly intelligent， well-researched book set against the political backdrop of post-WWII Europe。 McMillan deftly weaves the perfect amount of mystery， historical detail， and romance in a heart-stopping tale that keep me turning pages deep into the night。 The Mozart Code has it all。 Gorgeous prose。 Brilliant descriptions。 Strategic games of chess。 Hidden codes and long-kept secrets。 Priceless artifact。 Spies and political in In her newest novel， The Mozart Code， Rachel McMillan delivers a lavish， highly intelligent， well-researched book set against the political backdrop of post-WWII Europe。 McMillan deftly weaves the perfect amount of mystery， historical detail， and romance in a heart-stopping tale that keep me turning pages deep into the night。 The Mozart Code has it all。 Gorgeous prose。 Brilliant descriptions。 Strategic games of chess。 Hidden codes and long-kept secrets。 Priceless artifact。 Spies and political intrigue。 Betrayal and sacrifice。 Romance， romance， romance。 I highly recommend！ 。。。more
Andrea Johnson
，
WWII is over and Vienna and Prague are struggling to recover。 Simon and Sophie are British spies working there in a complicated story of intrigue， romance， betrayal and espionage。 Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy。
Ian
，
Title of Review: An extraordinary love affair！We met Simon and Sophie in The London Restoration but here they are the leads in a story that transports us to post WWII Vienna and Prague。 I was completely absorbed in Simon and Sophie's relationship from the getgo and it was what kept bringing me back each time to the story。 Their story。 Yes， there's some mystery and suspense plus lots to learn about the 4-quartered city of Vienna （who knew？ Rachel did！） and the industry in retrieving all the artef Title of Review: An extraordinary love affair！We met Simon and Sophie in The London Restoration but here they are the leads in a story that transports us to post WWII Vienna and Prague。 I was completely absorbed in Simon and Sophie's relationship from the getgo and it was what kept bringing me back each time to the story。 Their story。 Yes， there's some mystery and suspense plus lots to learn about the 4-quartered city of Vienna （who knew？ Rachel did！） and the industry in retrieving all the artefacts that were stolen by the Nazis。 But this was all frosting to the sumptuous love affair that McMillan kindly gives us front row seats too。Simon and Sophie are old friends。 We get to read the backstory of their beginning。 And it was an instant intense connection between two highly intelligent and passionate people。 Both from wealthy backgrounds， and like us all our beginnings have such an impact on who we become and how that plays out in relationships and affairs of the heart。 I loved how McMillan reflected both characters vulnerabilities in themselves and also in their friendship。 From early on in their friendship they were clearly devoted to the other; they had a sixth-sense about each other's presence and there was a deep longing when apart for long periods of time。 Together， there were sparks and passion。 I enjoyed how subtly McMillan brought the sexual tension between them onto the page。I'll stop there with the gush otherwise I'm likely to give too much away。As other reviewers have mentioned， there is a complexity to the story。 Both Simon and Sophie have separate 'stories"， he chasing a somebody who could be dangerous to the Allies， she brokering the finding and delivering of a particular 'death mask' of Mozart。 Once again， McMillan weaves their pasts through each of the stories plus there's lots of spying and espionage going on， some of which one can miss if not fully wedded to the page。Like all McMillan stories， there's a sophistication to her voice and much revelation of character through Simon and Sophie's inner ruminations。 But I kept coming back for them。 Simon and Sophie。 And McMillan takes us on a merry dance， will she， won't she， will he， won't he that keeps us guessing。 It's wonderfully portrayed and rare to read such intensity and vibrancy in a Thomas Nelson story。I was very fortunate to receive an early ebook copy from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley on the full expectation of procuring a copy for myself for my bookshelf。 This had no bearing on my review。 。。。more
Gretchen Louise
，
A fascinating piece of historical fiction！ Chess and Mozart， architecture and antiquities， espionage and a slow-burning romance--all themes we've come to expect from Rachel McMillan--woven into an intriguing split-time set to the strains of Der Messias in post-war Vienna。 （Der Messias is Mozart's adaptation of Handel's Messiah。）While this is a stand-alone novel， it will be especially enjoyed by those who have read Brent and Diana's story in The London Restoration。Content warning: violence， （view A fascinating piece of historical fiction！ Chess and Mozart， architecture and antiquities， espionage and a slow-burning romance--all themes we've come to expect from Rachel McMillan--woven into an intriguing split-time set to the strains of Der Messias in post-war Vienna。 （Der Messias is Mozart's adaptation of Handel's Messiah。）While this is a stand-alone novel， it will be especially enjoyed by those who have read Brent and Diana's story in The London Restoration。Content warning: violence， （view spoiler）[torturous interrogation tactics， and murder （hide spoiler）]。 。。。more
Margaret
，
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 3 1/2 stars。 I really wanted to like this book， but it was just OK。 First 1/2 of book was slow， but then got better。 Didn’t really feel the chemistry between Sophie & Simon。 I did learn a lot about post-war Austria though！
Kathleen Freeman
，
Overall I was pulled into the post WWII of Vienna and Prague， it is such an interesting time in history and how could you not love Simon。
Gretchen Garrison
，
"Did you know that chess had a significant role in the Salzburg home of the Mozart family？ I suspect now that you're in Austria and so far away from many things that are familiar， you will appreciate the anecdote。 And when you heart Mozart， as I am certain you will， it will not be difficult to find a common denominator。 We are all a product of our heritage， are we not？"Both Simon and Sophie grew up in privileged English society。 But neither of them had an easy time of it。 Through the years， thei "Did you know that chess had a significant role in the Salzburg home of the Mozart family？ I suspect now that you're in Austria and so far away from many things that are familiar， you will appreciate the anecdote。 And when you heart Mozart， as I am certain you will， it will not be difficult to find a common denominator。 We are all a product of our heritage， are we not？"Both Simon and Sophie grew up in privileged English society。 But neither of them had an easy time of it。 Through the years， their lives intersect casually and then more permanently。 This book is split time novel spanning a shorter length of years - 1938 to 1947。 Three countries provide the setting: United Kingdom， Austria （Vienna） and Czechoslovakia （Prague。） This is a stand-alone novel does connect with McMillan's previous book， The London Restoration。 I enjoyed this book more because I read that book first。I learned so much about Vienna's post-World War 2 history。 I had no idea that city was once divided。 I really have not read about this time period in fiction。 I found it fascinating because the author did a tremendous amount of research。Sophie's career that she created for herself involves finding lost items。 Because of this， there were many players who came to the table。 Not everyone who hired her had proper motives。 Because there were several characters， occasionally I did get a bit lost trying to follow who was connected to who。 That also might have been because there were a few double agents in the mix。 This did not put me off from wanting to read the book， but I did wish I had taken notes of the characters。This is an unconventional love story。 The connections were meaningful， and I could not help but want to see them finally communicate how they really felt。 I think this was intensified since the reader got to see several interactions throughout the decade covered in this book。 This book is also a tribute to Vienna。 I did get caught up in the story。 But I wish I would have looked at some pictures along the way as I think I would appreciated even more the places mentioned in the book。 This book does not really contain faith elements。 There was a little bit of minor swearing， but it fit the context of the story， so it did not bother me。 The romance was appropriate with relational boundaries。 I am glad that I read it， and I do recommend it to anyone who enjoys a historical mystery with several suspenseful scenes。I received a copy of this book through NetGalley。 I definitely wanted to read and review it。 All opinions in this review are my own。 。。。more
Margaret
，
Maps of post WWII occupied Austria （Vienna） and Czechoslovakia （Prague） helped to visualize Simon and Sophie's movements。 This book takes place back at the beginning of WWII and forward to the start of the Cold War。 Sophie specializes in missing artifacts and is asked to find Mozart's Mask。 As she searches for the mask， she discovers pieces of Mozart's music that have hidden clues。 Simon is involved in a chess game with an unknown partner。 Each chess move is a clue。 All clues lead to the Communi Maps of post WWII occupied Austria （Vienna） and Czechoslovakia （Prague） helped to visualize Simon and Sophie's movements。 This book takes place back at the beginning of WWII and forward to the start of the Cold War。 Sophie specializes in missing artifacts and is asked to find Mozart's Mask。 As she searches for the mask， she discovers pieces of Mozart's music that have hidden clues。 Simon is involved in a chess game with an unknown partner。 Each chess move is a clue。 All clues lead to the Communist party。 At the heart， is Simon and Sophie's love story that started at the beginning of the war and culminates at the end with secrets revealed， death and a lot of pain。 I do not consider this an easy book to read。 I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book。 。。。more
Katie
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When World War II ended and Europe was rebuilding， there was another war of ideologies simmering in the shadows， waiting for a chance to seize control。 These ideologies and the influential men conspiring to achieve their glory are the targets of sophisticated spies in a suspenseful tale of espionage， The Mozart Code， by Rachel McMillan。The British SpiesSimon Barrington and Lady Sophia Huntington-Villiers are former colleagues from Britain’s wartime code-breaking operation at Bletchley Park， as w When World War II ended and Europe was rebuilding， there was another war of ideologies simmering in the shadows， waiting for a chance to seize control。 These ideologies and the influential men conspiring to achieve their glory are the targets of sophisticated spies in a suspenseful tale of espionage， The Mozart Code， by Rachel McMillan。The British SpiesSimon Barrington and Lady Sophia Huntington-Villiers are former colleagues from Britain’s wartime code-breaking operation at Bletchley Park， as well as childhood friends from neighboring estates and involved in a marriage of convenience。 Now known as Simon Barre and Sophie Villiers， whose code name is Starling， they have been tasked by the Secret Intelligence Service to seek out information regarding the new political war being plotted amidst the ruins in the four quarters occupied by competing Allied forces in post-WWII Vienna， Austria。“Vienna’s usual business of coffee and pastries and music was， on account of the war， swapped for espionage。 One could cozy up and bribe people for secrets or trade， to advance the ideologies that would usher in the new war。 As long as one had money and time， there were pockets to be filled and men whose allegiances were apt to turn in spite of Vienna’s reputation of being a neutral zone。” （Loc 256）The EspionageWhile Simon uses his privileged upbringing and elegant persona to gain entrance into the social circles of the elite， Sophie uses her reputation as a trustworthy， yet elusive， art enthusiast to connect with the few remaining men of affluence in the city。“She had helped men from all levels of government， art， academia， and army rank restore some of the opulence and beauty Hitler had taken when he barged into the city and claimed the art as his own。” （Loc 361）Between the two spies， they are piecing together a complete picture of the political ploys， the powerful men involved， and the ideologies taking hold as Vienna has become a new kind of battleground。“Recently， author George Orwell had given name to the war of ideas and propaganda: the Cold War。 Kalter Krieg。 When a country was ripe for the picking， any ideology could find fertile soil to root and grow。 And the rich would get richer。” （Loc 278）But are Simon and Sophie prepared for the sinister side of this new battle when they become the targets？Historical ContextI appreciated the author’s informative Historical Note， which was well-placed at the front of the book to prepare readers for the story to follow。 I have little knowledge of the goings-on at Bletchley Park or of post-WWII espionage in general， so I found the impeccable historical research included throughout the book quite edifying。 It provides some timely historical context to the current events occurring near that region recently。While I did learn quite a bit， I must say that as a plot-driven story， it was challenging to follow at times， which made it difficult to stay immersed in it。 I’m not familiar with the German language or any of the locations or composers mentioned， and there was a feel of somehow not meeting the expectation that as the reader I should have already been knowledgeable on the topics presented。 There was a lot of factual information about real people and places mixed in， but unfortunately it was not well-blended enough to be seamless for the average reader。Beautiful ProseThere was some beautifully descriptive prose in this book that created a vivid setting of post-war Vienna， making it easy to imagine the former splendor in the destruction。 The incorporation of chess and music and history was clever。 This story had a feel of Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code mixed with a pinch of The Queen’s Gambit by Walter Tevis。The slow-burn love story， gradually revealed in flashbacks and minimal interactions， eventually turned into what I would consider a historical romance more than two-thirds of the way through。 Until that point， it had read more like a subtly romantic historical mystery。In ConclusionFans of historical spy mysteries will be captivated by the suspenseful political intrigue of post-war Vienna in The Mozart Code。4 out of 5 Starshttps://austenprose。com/2022/03/21/th。。。 。。。more
Rachel
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Utterly fascinating historical context （post WWII， pre-cold war Vienna and Prague） and wonderful story。
Ivy
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A great historical fiction that draws you into post-WWII Vienna and Prague。 I learned so much about life in Europe after WWII that I didn't know I didn't know thanks to Rachel McMillan's beautiful writing and meticulous research。 While it took a little while to really get into the book and follow it's story， by the end I was on the edge of my seat and couldn't put it down。 This book was unexpected。 A story involving intellect， chess， art， espionage， and multiple mysteries that you didn't see com A great historical fiction that draws you into post-WWII Vienna and Prague。 I learned so much about life in Europe after WWII that I didn't know I didn't know thanks to Rachel McMillan's beautiful writing and meticulous research。 While it took a little while to really get into the book and follow it's story， by the end I was on the edge of my seat and couldn't put it down。 This book was unexpected。 A story involving intellect， chess， art， espionage， and multiple mysteries that you didn't see coming。I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley。 All opinions expressed in this review are my own。 。。。more
Nora St Laurent
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REVIEW: Wow， what a powerful story， filled with strong， larger-than-life characters。 I enjoyed the backdrop of Vienna and Prague， as the author whisks readers back to a time of rebuilding and all the uneasiness of making sure the most precious works of art get into the right hands， and countries。 The author takes her time in showing the reader snippets of history and the world around the main characters as they work to uncover， espionage， mysteries， and real love along the way。 The author has Br REVIEW: Wow， what a powerful story， filled with strong， larger-than-life characters。 I enjoyed the backdrop of Vienna and Prague， as the author whisks readers back to a time of rebuilding and all the uneasiness of making sure the most precious works of art get into the right hands， and countries。 The author takes her time in showing the reader snippets of history and the world around the main characters as they work to uncover， espionage， mysteries， and real love along the way。 The author has Brent and Diane （from her previous novel） pop in and out of this story filled with twists and turns， as they fight the war on and off the field。 Sophie and Simon are walking a fine line with their secrets， trying to keep each other safe and still do their jobs。 Sometimes it was just impossible。 What would they do for their country？ For the one they loved？ One wrong move and everyone dies。It was interesting and fun to see how the author incorporated her love of Mozart into this story。 The authors love of his music shines throughout this novel。 It was delightfully tied together， as Sophie adores Mozart’s music so much it plays in her head and helps in her work situations。Readers are thrown all which ways as Simon and Sophie dance around their feelings and try to respect one another along the way。 This is a standalone novel with memorable characters you won’t want to miss。Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher。 I was not required to write a positive review。 The opinions I have expressed are my own。 I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR， Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”Nora St。 LaurentTBCN Where Book Fun Begins！The Book Club Network blog www。bookfun。org 。。。more
Harper St。 George
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The Mozart Code is a gorgeous novel reminiscent of classic film noir with atmospheric storytelling and a tightly woven plot。 This is a simmering love story set amidst danger and espionage that historical fiction readers will love。
Madeline Martin
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This fabulous historical romance set during the onset of the cold war has a wonderfully slow burn。 With a complex plot and fascinating historical details， you’ll get drawn into the winding intrigue of The Mozart Code！
Tina at Mommynificent
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I really wanted and even expected to love this book， but sadly， I didn't。 First of all， I disagree strongly with all the comments I've seen in the book synopsis and other reviews that indicate this is a stand-alone。 I believed them and spent much of the book feeling lost and wishing I knew what was going on because I have not read The London Restoration。 The face that the timeline of this book kept jumping around from post-WW2 to pre-WW2 to during WW2 did not help either。 I also felt like the au I really wanted and even expected to love this book， but sadly， I didn't。 First of all， I disagree strongly with all the comments I've seen in the book synopsis and other reviews that indicate this is a stand-alone。 I believed them and spent much of the book feeling lost and wishing I knew what was going on because I have not read The London Restoration。 The face that the timeline of this book kept jumping around from post-WW2 to pre-WW2 to during WW2 did not help either。 I also felt like the author expected me to read a lot between the lines of the dialogue， and apparently， I'm not good at that because I frequently had no clue what people were saying or what they meant or why the other character responded in the way they did。 The Mozart code itself made no sense to me， and I have no idea why it was important to the story。 I liked the story， but I felt disoriented and lost too often while reading it which really took away from the enjoyment for me。 What I did like about the story was learning about post-war Vienna and Prague。 I really had no idea all the political maneuvering and spying that went on in those cities at that time， and this was a mostly fun way to learn about it。 I did wish for more of a spiritual component to this book as I felt that was quite lacking and could have been very meaningful。 It seemed that the characters from the previous book had strong faiths， but that didn't really make much of a dent in this one。I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Mozart Code
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Mozart Code&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Mozart Code&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0