At the Western Front, hope fills the air as soldiers
believe the end of war is near. Their elation ends,
however, when a nurse is brutally raped and mutilated at
the Casualty Clearing Station. The Reavley siblings are
drawn into the investigation when Matthew, the youngest of
them, is charged with the crime.
The Inspector finds certain damning evidence among the
nurse's possessions that implicates Matthew. Working in the
Intelligence Unit, Matthew cannot disclose why he's at the
front or provide a sufficient alibi. The army wants a quick
solution and plans to transfer Matthew from the front lines
to stand trial within a few days.
Time is short for siblings Joseph and Judith Reavley to
expose the real killer. Joseph, a chaplain, interviews his
fellow soldiers. He's served with them for 4½ years on the
battle line. They are his friends, yet one of them savagely
murdered a nurse. Judith, an ambulance driver, feels a
similar bond with the men and women who work beside her.
Struggling with divided loyalties, Judith and Joseph
discover that the Peacemaker may have a hand with the
charges filed against Matthew.
Matthew is close to exposing the Peacemaker's identity.
Throughout the war, the Peacemaker has tried to sabotage
England's war effort. His worst obstacle has been Matthew.
Now, the Peacemaker will go to extreme lengths to eliminate
Matthew.
This final installment provides edge-of-the-seat suspense
as the Reavleys race across war-torn Europe with the
Peacemaker's subordinates on their heels. At the climax,
each member of the Reavley family faces startling
revelations that test their faith and their courage. WE
SHALL NOT SLEEP is an excellent conclusion to Ms. Perry
five-book WWI saga. The entire series gives readers insight
into the lives of soldiers, their sacrifices and the cost
to their families.
After four long years, peace is finally in sight. But
chaplain Joseph Reavley and his sister, Judith, an
ambulance driver on the Western Front, are more hard
pressed than ever. Behind the lines, violence is
increasing: Soldiers are abusing German prisoners, a nurse
has been raped and murdered, and the sinister ideologue
called the Peacemaker now threatens to undermine the peace
just as he did the war.
Matthew, the third Reavley sibling and an intelligence
expert, suddenly arrives at the front with startling news:
The Peacemaker's German counterpart has offered to go to
England and expose his co-conspirator as a traitor. But
with war still raging and prejudices inflamed, such a
journey would be fraught with hazards, especially since the
Peacemaker has secret informers everywhere, even on the
battlefield.
For richness of plot, character, and feeling, We Shall Not
Sleep is unmatched. Anne Perry's brilliantly orchestrated
finale is a heartstopping tour de force, mesmerizing and
totally satisfying.