The Rose CodeThe Rose Code
What it's about
In 1940, three very different women are recruited to Bletchley Park, the secret center where Britain broke Germany's codes: Osla, a glamorous debutante; Mab, from London's East End, determined to rise; and Beth, a shy local woman with a genius for puzzles. In 1947, as a royal wedding approaches, a coded message reaches two of them from the third, now locked in an asylum, and they must find a traitor.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It's a gripping historical novel about the women of Bletchley.
You'll love it if you liked
All the Light We Cannot See
The Key to Rebecca
Testament of Youth: One Woman's Haunting Record of the First World WarGood to know
It moves between wartime and 1947. There's a harrowing asylum storyline.
By the numbers
- Readers94 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller57 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
On our reserve shelf: it's well reviewed, but isn't currently a prize winner, a lifetime bestseller or a book everyone's talking about, so we don't rank it. We check again every month, and it can still turn up in your 50 once you've read most of our ranked books.
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Epic, Moving
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Quick answers
Is The Rose Code worth reading?
It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. Its Must-Read Score is 80.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Rose Code about?
In 1940, three very different women are recruited to Bletchley Park, the secret center where Britain broke Germany's codes: Osla, a glamorous debutante; Mab, from London's East End, determined to rise; and Beth, a shy local woman with a genius for puzzles. In 1947, as a royal wedding approaches, a coded message reaches two of them from the third, now locked in an asylum, and they must find a traitor.
How long does it take to read The Rose Code?
About 16 hours (656 pages), or about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Rose Code?
If you liked it, try All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, The Key to Rebecca by Ken Follett or Testament of Youth: One Woman's Haunting Record of the First World War by Vera Brittain.