While I can't say that I loved this one as much as the first one, (Prisoner of Night and Fog) it was still a very solid and enjoyable read. ( )

3.5 stars. I didn't like it as much as Prisoner of Night and Fog (which I loved), but it was still really good! ( )

I was worried this one wouldn't be as suspenseful as the first but it was. The risks seemed higher and it moved at a great pace. The weaving of history and this plotline was fabulous! I love these two together because they are such strong partners and friends. And it was great to see how their relationship enhanced the story to make it stronger--it never felt like romance was just a checkbox to mark off.

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Full Review: https://wp.me/p7hLUw-29S
Actual Rating: 4/5 ( )

This is one of those books I thought I would like better than I did. The premise seemed right up my alley, but I just couldn't connect with it the way I wanted. The writing is good, the story line is good, I just couldn't get attached to it, so for that reason 4 out of 5 stars. I would still recommend it though for people that like historical fiction. ( )

I loved Anne Blankman's debut novel last year. "Prisoner of Night and Fog" was one of my favourites for 2015, so I was keen to read its sequel. "Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke" was well written and extensively researched, but it started slowly and I felt it lacked the nail-biting tension of the first book as Gretchen and Daniel were more distanced from Hitler in this one. However, despite missing the intensity of the first book and learning more about Hitler's psyche, "Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke" was still a worthy sequel, full of intrigue, drama and suspense. ( )