Blitz

Blitz (2022) Daniel O’Malley (The Checquy Files)

This is the third book in The Checquy Files series. The story is split between London in (probably) 1940 and modern London (set perhaps a year after Stiletto, which was set maybe six months of the Rook, so ~2013) in (seemingly) unrelated stories. You of course know the story lines are going to tie together, but you have no idea how.

Additionally, if you have not read the previous two books, you can absolutely read this one without any confusion.

In 1940 we have Pamela (a Pawn), Usha and Bridget (apprentices) all of whom work with the Lady of the Court. We also have multiple appearances by Henry Wattleman. (If you’ve read the previous two books, seeing him here is fascinating.)

It is also a look at London during the Blitz, which was fascinating in and of itself.

Next to them was a stout door with heavy metal handles and some handwritten instructions pinned to its side:

IF THIS DOOR SHOULD BE BLOCKED BY DEBRIS ON THE OUTSIDE, THE OCCUPANTS SHOULD:

1. RELEASE THE LOCKING HANDLES

2. USE THESE CROWBARS TO LEVER
OPEN THE DOOR BY INSERTING
THE FLATTENED ENDS BETWEEN
DOOR AND FRAME AT THE RIGHT-
HAND SIDE AND THE THRESHOLD

Bridget looked down. Sure enough, a rack below the sign held two crowbars. The matter-of-fact tone of the instructions in case of disaster made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. All too easily, Bridget could imagine being buried alive down here.

The second story is about Lyn, a woman who suddenly and unexpectedly discovers she can control electricity, and is this introduced to the Checquy.

“What is this? You’re— what? You’re— you’re scrying my family? In a cup of coffee?”

“Legally, scrying is seeing the future,” said the woman. “I’m showing the present. Of a location within a 36.876-kilometer radius. Through an aperture of up to 41.34 inches.”

“Is it magic?”

The woman shrugged. “It’s just something I can do.”

Because Lyn comes into her powers as an adult, we watch her go through time at the Estate, and learn what the Checquy is. We also see how different things were prior to the creation of the Estate, as Bridget, Pamela, and Usha were all apprentices.

I really enjoyed reading about Lyn during her time at the Estate, because we see an entirely different part of the Checquy.

“Our physicists are terrifically excited by the implications, but then, they’re in a state of almost constant excitement here. We’ve had to schedule enforced naps for all the scientists on Kirrin Island to keep them from working until they keel over.”

To be clear, this means the first part of the book is somewhat slow, as Lyn learns about her powers, and about the Checqy.

Then it suddenly takes off, and is almost non stop for the rest of the book.

And through it all are the bits that are immediately recognizable as Daniel O’Malley writing about the Checquy,

And then there were no more shots, only the unmistakable sound of someone having run out of bullets.

She looked warily at Dr. Allard, who was busily using a protractor to ensure that the cake was sliced evenly.

“Help!” screamed Georgina. “Help!”

Lyn shot her a startled glance. After their torturous silence, the girl’s scream was shocking, but of course it made perfect sense.

Absolutely, let’s make this someone else’s problem!

One of the things I adore about these books is that things are mentioned in passing that may come to be important later in the book, or they may just be interesting / amusing anecdotes. You never know.

It is, as I said, a little slower at the start–at least the Lyn portion, as she goes through the estate, but it does shift into action adventure. I ended up reading this in chunks, because it is a long book (just under 700 pages) and I was never sure when things were going to take off, so when I reached a lull and stop, and then pick it back up when I had another longish stretch of time.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and am very much looking forward to listening to the audio book, so pick up on the inevitable things I missed when reading.

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Rating: 9/10

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