Q: Can you tell us about your latest release?
Sarah Sundin: My newest book is Midnight on the Scottish Shore. It’s set in 1941 and follows Cilla van der Zee, a Dutch woman desperate to escape the occupied Netherlands. She agrees to become a spy for the British, but when a suspicious Royal Navy officer discovers her on the shores of his Scottish home, her plans take an unexpected turn.
Q: What inspired you to set the book in Scotland?
Sarah Sundin: My family has Scottish roots, and they’ve been urging me to write a World War II novel set there. Then, my mythology-loving son introduced me to the selkie legend—about a seal that transforms into a woman. That inspired the idea of a spy washing ashore and encountering a kilt-wearing Scotsman. The setting of Dunnet Head Lighthouse, near the British naval base of Scapa Flow, became the perfect backdrop for MI5’s Double Cross program, which turned German spies into double agents.
Q: Would you want to hang out with your protagonist?
Sarah Sundin: Absolutely! Cilla is witty, creative, and genuinely caring. She has a knack for getting into trouble but also a great sense of humor. I grew to admire her even more as she evolved throughout the story.
Q: How would you describe Cilla in three words?
Sarah Sundin: Vivacious, impulsive, and caring.
Q: Did you uncover any surprising historical details while researching this book?
Sarah Sundin: Yes! I was amazed to learn that Britain’s MI5 captured nearly every spy the Germans sent to Britain during World War II. Only one managed to evade capture—but without a working radio, he eventually ran out of funds and took his own life. The Double Cross program turned over three dozen spies into double agents, and the Germans never caught on. For all their reputation of efficiency, their espionage efforts were shockingly ineffective.
Q: Do you edit as you draft or wait until you finish?
Sarah Sundin: A little of both. While drafting, I make minor tweaks and add research details. But for major revisions, I wait until the rough draft is complete and work through my list of fixes in the editing phase.
Q: What’s your go-to foodie indulgence?
Sarah Sundin: Tea! My husband teases me about my “tea collection.” I love trying different varieties, and they make great travel souvenirs without taking up much space.
Q: What does your writing space look like?
Sarah Sundin: I’m lucky to have a spacious office with plenty of bookshelves, a closet for supplies, and even a cozy couch for writing by hand. But my desk is the real star—it’s huge, with ample drawers, cabinets, and shelves. It was one of the selling points when we moved into our home two years ago.
Q: Which author do you admire?
Sarah Sundin: There are so many! But if I had to pick one, I’d say Lauraine Snelling. She’s not only a multi-published, bestselling author but also someone who gives back to the writing community. She inspired me to teach at conferences and serve on the leadership team for the West Coast Christian Writers Conference.
Q: Is there a book that changed your life?
Sarah Sundin: Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books. They showed me the power of historical fiction—how stories about everyday girls could transport readers to different eras and make history come alive.
Q: Can you describe the moment you got “the call” about your first book deal?
Sarah Sundin: I’ll never forget it! My rejection letters had been piling up for years, so I was bracing for another one. When I got the email that started with, “I have good news for you today,” I actually thought it was a cruel joke. I had to read it three times before realizing it was an offer! Then, I squealed, flapped my hands, and my son handed me the phone and said, “Call Dad.”
Q: What’s your favorite genre to read?
Sarah Sundin: Historical fiction is my favorite, but I also enjoy contemporary romance, mysteries, suspense, and fantasy.
Q: Do you have a favorite movie?
Sarah Sundin: Technically, it’s not a movie, but I’ve watched the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice countless times.
Q: What’s your favorite season?
Sarah Sundin: Autumn! Cool weather, sweaters, and school supplies. As a self-professed nerd, I always found the season energizing and exciting.
Q: How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
Sarah Sundin: A family dinner at my favorite Chinese restaurant.
Q: What’s a recent TV show or book you’d recommend?
Sarah Sundin: We’ve been binge-watching British mysteries like Midsomer Murders, Vera, Shetland, Father Brown, and Death in Paradise. Also, All Creatures Great and Small—because it’s simply the best.
Q: What’s your favorite cuisine?
Sarah Sundin: Chinese!
Q: How do you like to spend your free time?
Sarah Sundin: I love walking with our two big dogs, spending time with my family—especially my grandson—and traveling with my husband.
Q: What can readers expect from you next?
Sarah Sundin: My 2026 release is set on the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands, the only British territory occupied by the Germans in World War II. Dr. Ivy Picot risks her life to treat men escaping from German forced labor camps, but when a Dutch engineer sneaks off the island with military maps, both their lives are at stake.
WWII Spy Historical Fiction with Mystery, Suspense, and Enemies to Lovers Clean Romance
In a time of war, danger lurks beneath the water—and in the depths of the human heart
As the German war machine devours the Netherlands, the only way Cilla van der Zee can survive the occupation is to do the unthinkable—train to become a spy for the Nazis. Once dispatched to Britain, she plans to abandon her mission and instead aid the Allies. But her scheme is thwarted when naval officer Lt. Lachlan Mackenzie finds her along the Scottish shore and turns her in to be executed.
Yet perhaps she is more useful alive than dead. British intelligence employs her to radio misleading messages to Germany from the lighthouse at Dunnet Head in Scotland—messages filled with naval intelligence Lachlan must provide. If the war is to be won, Lachlan and Cilla must work together. But how can he trust a woman who arrived on his shores as a tool of the enemy—a woman certain to betray both him and the Allied cause?
Christian Historical [Baker Publishing Group, On Sale: February 4, 2025, Paperback / e-Book , ISBN: 9780800741860 / eISBN: 9781493448760]
Sarah Sundin is a bestselling and Christy Award-winning author of World War II novels, including Embers in the London Sky (February 2024). Her novels have received starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publisher's Weekly. Until Leaves Fall in Paris received the 2022 Christy Award, The Sky Above Us received the 2020 Carol Award, and The Sound of Light, When Twilight Breaks, and The Land Beneath Us were Christy Award finalists. A mother of three adult children, Sarah lives in Southern California and serves as co-director of the West Coast Christian Writers Conference.
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