Latest Books Midnight on the Scottish Shore by Sarah Sundin

Midnight on the Scottish Shore by Sarah Sundin

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?

Was there anything new you discovered, or surprised you, as you wrote this book?

I was surprised to learn that the German Abwehr was rather inept in selecting and training the agents it sent to Britain. The stories of the spies and how they were caught often reads more like a comedy than a spy novel! On the flip side, I was also surprised that the British captured all but one of the German agents sent to those shores—and that one agent didn’t have a functioning wireless transmitter and committed suicide when he ran out of funds. Britain’s MI5 turned a large number of those captured spies to become double agents, and their Double Cross program helped fool the Germans about the D-day landings, among other accomplishments.

No spoilers, but what can you tell us about your book that we won’t find in the jacket copy or the PR
material?

Lt. Lachlan Mackenzie, my stalwart naval officer hero, has a brother in prison for refusing to register for conscription. A member of a Scottish separatist group, Neil Mackenzie hates the English and will not fight in “The English War.” Needless to say, the brothers don’t get along. This subplot stems from the German effort to support separatist groups in various countries—in fact, some of their spies were tasked with fomenting division in Wales and Scotland. The tension between the brothers and in the region mirrored the truth that “If a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand” (Mark 3:24).

What attracts you to this book’s genre?

I was first drawn to write historical fiction set during World War II because of stories told by my grandfather and great-uncle, who both served during the war. I continue out of a fascination with the era and out of deep respect for those who lived through it. And as an author, I find World War II offers a broad range of stories, which allows me to find fresh angles for each book.

Which took shape first: plot, character, or setting?

This varies for each book, but for Midnight on the Scottish Shore, the setting came to me first. I’d never set one of my World War II novels in Scotland, but I wanted to. Then my mythology-loving son told me the legend of the selkie, and I pictured a female spy landing in Scotland and being captured by a kilt-wearing Scotsman. From there, the plot and characters whirled together.

What was the biggest challenge this book presented? What about the biggest opportunity?

Each novel presents its own unique challenges—and joys. For this novel, they’re interrelated. Most of the sources about the United Kingdom in World War II are centered on England, especially London. The story of World War II in Scotland is quieter and harder to tease out of the sources. However, the biggest joy…Scotland! My research trip was fabulous—I only wish it could have been longer.

Sarah Sundin enjoys writing about the drama and romance of the World War II era. She is the bestselling and Christy Award-winning author of Midnight on the Scottish Shore (February 2025), Embers in the London Sky (2024), The Sound of Light (2023), Until Leaves Fall in Paris (2022), When Twilight Breaks (2021), and several World War II series.

Sarah’s novels have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist. Until Leaves Fall in Paris received the 2022 Christy Award, The Sky Above Us won the 2020 Carol Award, The Sound of Light was a finalist for both the Christy Award and the Carol Award, and When Twilight Breaks and The Land Beneath Us were finalists for the Christy Award.