Midnight's Shadow (The Midnight Series Book 0)
About
Before the war began, danger had already found her.
Europe stands on the edge of war. Jessie Fordham, recently graduated from Cambridge and carrying more questions than certainty, travels into a continent already shifting beneath her feet. The newspapers speak of diplomacy and hope, yet on the streets and people's front parlours a different mood stirs, uneasy and sharp.
Jessie has been taught how to observe and how to listen. What she has not been taught is how to place her trust. Companions become strangers. Strangers become threats. Every conversation seems to hide another meaning. Every journey feels watched.
She must learn quickly. The world she knew is fading, and the one taking its place will demand more of her than she ever believed herself able to give.
Midnight's Shadow is a FREE novella prequel to The Midnight Series , introducing us to Jessie Fordham at the very beginning of her journey, before the war shapes her into the SOE agent she will become.
Praise for this book
5-Star Review
A Poem, a Painting-of-a time period, a Dream. These terms are descriptive of the feel of this novella.A very beautiful rendering of a time just before WW II started, when all the pieces of the war are taking their place for the coming conflict. In the midst of this time, a young woman about to graduate Cambridge, is drawn into the twilight world of diplomacy and spying by her father. Sent from England to France, and back, on missions that are vague and full of danger, Jessie reluctantly is forced to learn the craft of espionage. Despite feeling resentful for being asked to do these things initially, she accomplishes her missions, and is being prepared for the coming conflict.
I have already read books 1 - 3, and found this book fit right into the series as an introduction to it. There was continuity of the 2 main characters, Jessie and her father, and we meet Rose, who will play a much bigger role in the books 1-3. I especially enjoyed the ambience of this novella, as it was so carefully painted by this author. I look forward to reading more books in this series.
5-Star Review
I am an ARC reader for Book Sirens and this is my honest opinion. I've read books 1-3 in Tom Kane's Midnight series. It is a brilliant series about a young girl, Jessie Fordham who seems extremely perceptive, more so than I was or any other girl I know now or knew when I was young. But maybe that's because back in the 1930s there was so much less to distract attention from what was actually happening in life around us. This prequel is set in 1939, in the spring before war was declared in Britain and book 1, Walking Away from Midnight began. It explains how Jessie started to become the exceptional young woman she grows into as the series progresses. This is an excellent series. Even my husband became engrossed when I had my echo dot reading it with kindle assisted reader. I am really looking forward to reading the subsequent books as they are published.
4-Star Review
The end of innocence and the beginnings of war. For a short novel this is intense. I think it captures the time period very well. Fear, uncertainty, whispers and shadows of war looming. Then there is a young woman whose future is changed by men and then herself when she begins to notice. An excellent origin story.
I enjoyed the novella. My understanding is that it is a pre-quell to the novels. If that is the case, it might be best to read it after some of the novels. While very good, the short nature leaves the reader wanting more development of Jesse and a lot more of her somewhat sinister father.
Set on the eve of WWII, I like the background and historical setting.Because I like the set up and Jesse, I will look into the full novels.
5-Star Review
This is an espionage novella set in 1939, as World War II looms. It's a prequel to the Midnight series and introduces the reader to Jessie Fordham, who has just graduated from King's College, Cambridge. Jessie told her father that she wanted “adventure”. At the time, it was something that I admired her for, and maybe identified with a little bit in some way.I have to say that this is a genre I don't read too often, but when I do, I find it very wholesome. I see it as something that I can really sink my bookish teeth into, and I enjoy it. I liked Jessie a lot, and she was exactly the type of character that I had in mind before I started reading.
At some point, it occurred to me that Jessie's work was potentially very dangerous, and I thought about how she was much braver than myself. Perhaps, like her, I want adventure, but that's why I read books and allow the characters to have the adventure for me.
This short read was a gripping page turner. I thought it was a great way to introduce Jessie, and now I'm keen to read some of the full length novels featuring her as the main character.
first of all, the writing is amazing. second of all, the writing IS AMAZING. i won’t lie, it can be confusing at times, since i’m only reading this book by itself, but the mood is strong enough to keep me interesteddd AND I FEEL LIKE I WANT MORE 😭 the characters seem to carry heavy pasts, (even if i don’t fully understand all of it yet lol) there’s a constant feeling that something bad has already happened or is about to happen, and that tension stays throughout the story.
“The hand that carries light must learn to walk in the shadow”
This book turned out to me like fresh air after spending a day locked in an office. From the moment it stars, it catches you, and keeps you expectant.
Midnight's Shadow is a captivating introduction to Jessie Fordham’s world. From the very first page, the tension of pre-war Europe is palpable streets feel watched, conversations seem loaded with hidden meanings, and danger lurks behind every corner.
Jessie is an engaging and thoughtful protagonist. Her sharp mind and cautious nature make her believable as someone being forged for the daring work she will eventually undertake. I loved seeing her at this early stage, navigating uncertainty and learning whom to trust, while the shadow of war quietly grows around her.
The novella is short but packed with suspense and atmosphere. It sets the stage perfectly for The Midnight Series, giving readers a glimpse into the beginnings of a strong, intelligent, and resourceful woman ready to face the coming storm. A tense, immersive, and utterly gripping read.
I'm definitely not a historical fiction girlie, but this novella really intrigued me for the rest of the story.
It gives a little hint to a broader image, and while I would have liked to see more depth in some of the characters, I understand that this is a book that should be read with the rest of the series to understand the main character's growth in the current state she is in.
The writing is also very easy to follow, and even though I have not touched the first book, I still felt a connection with the main character. She has spunk and is not afraid to question what is in front of her.
The plot also kept me hooked. I wantes to know what would happen next, what exactly she was doing and what her father was up to.
My fascination might also be driven by the fact that I am deep in the Peaky Blinders trenches so... Who knows 😂
I will definitely be having a look at the rest of the series!