Wink, Murder – at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: WW2, secrets, loyalty, danger, betrayal.
Children’s book title: Wink, Murder: a Bletchley Park Mystery.
Children’s author: Rhian Tracey.
Genre: Children’s fiction, historical fiction.
Published by: Piccadilly Press.
ISBN: 9781800789593.
Recommended for children aged: 9-12 year-olds.
First published: Paperback February 2025.
This children’s book is ideal for: using in Second World War units in both KS2 and lower KS3 classes. It shows the undercover work and international relationships going on alongside the air raids, evacuations, and battles, through the eyes of the children caught up in everything in a relatable and easily understood manner.
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Our review:
Mary Clark has moved around a lot since the beginning of the war. Evacuated from her home in Liverpool, she misses her family but has formed lasting friendships at Bletchley Park, her first new home. Since then, she has lived in Bedford and London, learning more about herself and her strengths than she ever thought possible.
It was quickly noticed by those in charge at Bletchley Park that languages were, apparently, Mary’s strength. Combined with her methodical, organised personality and her ability to notice and remember crucial details, she was an ideal candidate for intelligence work. With Japanese influence increasing, she is enrolled in a language course to learn everything she can about the new enemy. Mary and her class partner, Spencer, find the lessons both fascinating and enlightening. However, before they have even finished, she is recruited into a covert group and sent to the Ritz Hotel in London. Officially employed as a waitress, her real task is to eavesdrop on certain guests, remember everything she hears, and pass any vital information about the enemy’s plans to her secret contacts.
When it becomes clear that not everyone on her team is working for the same side, Mary must reassess whom she can trust. As the danger escalates, she realises that she alone has the power to prevent a catastrophic event – but how can she succeed when she doesn’t know who to rely on?
Our verdict:
Book three in this excellent series allows Mary Clark to take centre stage after the previous books, I Spy and Hide and Seek, focused on Robyn Lewis and Ned Letton respectively – the two friends who were at Bletchley Park with her. There are strong connections to these earlier storylines, bringing everything together naturally and very satisfactorily while also showing how some of Ned and Robyn’s earlier missions progressed.
Today, Mary would be described as mixed or dual heritage, but in the 1930s and ’40s, attitudes were very different. The racism she endures is blatant, and it is described in such a way that the reader feels genuine hurt, disappointment, and anger each time it occurs. Mary and Spencer also find themselves caught in an air raid, and once again, the author vividly transports the reader into the heart of the action, effectively conveying the terror and helplessness they experience.
As with the previous two books, the fiction is woven around real historical events, with notes at the end explaining their origins. The lifestyle Mary encounters while working and living at the Ritz highlights the stark contrast between different people’s experiences during the Blitz and beyond. This includes rationing, the treatment of prisoners of war, and the suspicion directed at foreign nationals working in the hotel.
All three books in this series are excellent resources for studying the Second World War. However, this one excels at portraying how some older children played an important role in extraordinary wartime circumstances.
Teaching points and book club discussion ideas:
- “Trust no one” is the rule Mary must remember at all times. Why is this so important, and how difficult do you think it would be for her to live that way?
- How is Mary’s cover blown, and by whom?
- Mary is recruited for her exceptional ability to learn languages. In a time without the internet or translation apps, why would this skill have been less useful if she wasn’t also able to remember what she heard and record it later?
- Mary’s initial contact at the Ritz, along with some kitchen workers and other management-level staff, suddenly disappear, leaving her isolated when she needs support. Why do you think this happens, and was it fair?
- There are recognisable real-life figures in this book who could not have actually met Mary. Does this matter? Would the story be less exciting or realistic if these figures were fictional?
- At the end of the story, Mary and Spencer meet Ian Fleming. Do you know who he is and why he later became famous in a different field after the war? Do you think his job in the book influenced his later career?
- Mary’s heritage is used against her throughout the story. How would you react if you or a friend experienced similar discrimination? Mr Hara has his own way of dealing with it – was this the best approach, especially given the dangerous circumstances?
Many thanks to Piccadilly Press for the review copy.
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