Ken Follett is one of my favourite authors: I have read almost all his books and I must say I loved the majority of them. His writing is just amazing and he covers such a wide range of subjects.

Follett writes something for almost every taste. Beautiful and well researched historical novels, exciting thrillers, mostly centred around the Second World War and also cloak-and-dagger novels.

He became famous for his thriller Eye of the Needle, published in 1978.

Source:http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,188060~5~0~jackdaws,00.html

“A celebration of uncommon courage and unlikely heroes” – People magazine

1944, Europe: The Allies are planning an attack in Northern France to finally defeat Germany and hopefully end the Second World War but they also know that one important thing for the invasion to succeed is unable the lines of communication among the Germans. So the target for their attack is set: a large telephone exchange in Paris.

Flick is a British S. O. E. Agent, working together with the French Resistance on a plan to destroy the telephone exchange but the plan fails. Flicks husband goes missing, her group is killed, she loses her self-confidence and is no longer trusted by her superior… and the telephone exchange still works…

Flick gets one last chance to get her good reputation back and also ensure that the planned invasion can still succeed. She is assigned to gather a group of women around her who should infiltrate the telephone exchange dressed as simple cleaners. But the time is short and the Germans are alert…

In Britain Flick hastily goes in search of trustful capable women to get into her team. But the variety is thin and time is running out. So Flick has to take what she can get and prepare her team as good as she can in the shortest time.

Under the code name “Jackdaws” the group of women is brought into France. The mission seems to be possible again but what Flick doesn’t know is that the Germans are already on their track…

So a group of cleaners enters the telephone exchange, having in mind to destroy it from the inside a few days later but suddenly the this time so perfect plan changes again as Flicks comrades are captured and tortured in the building. Now not only the planned invasion but also the lives of her friends is depending on the success of the operation… Will Flick be able to rescue the other women and will the invasion go like intended???

Jackdaws is certainly one of the best spying thrillers I ever read. Not only does Follett have an amazing style of writing but also the plot is very special. The working special agents are women and therefore have a lot of advantages like being the only ones who are able to get inside the telephone exchange but they also have weaknesses that may cost the lives of thousands…

So, if you are looking for a really thrilling and exciting book to read Jackdaws is surely a good choice!