Code Name Hélène
Based on the thrilling true story of Nancy Wake, 'The White Mouse'
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4.5 • 164 Ratings
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
She became one of the most wanted women in Nazi-occupied Europe. This is her story.
From the bestselling author of The Frozen River comes a gripping novel based on the extraordinary true story of Nancy Wake—the Australian journalist who became one of the greatest heroes of the French Resistance.
Paris, 1936.
Fearless, ambitious, and impossible to ignore, Nancy Wake has bluffed her way into a reporting career and fallen in love with wealthy French industrialist Henri Fiocca. But when the Nazis invade France, Nancy refuses to stand by and watch.
Instead, she joins the Resistance.
Under a series of aliases, Nancy smuggles refugees across borders, outwits the Gestapo, and helps lead dangerous missions behind enemy lines. Her uncanny ability to evade capture earns her a legendary nickname:
The White Mouse.
With a massive bounty on her head and enemies closing in from every side, Nancy must risk everything—including the people she loves—to fight for freedom.
A breathtaking story of courage, espionage, sacrifice, and enduring love, The White Mouse brings to life one of World War II's most remarkable women.
Perfect for readers of The Nightingale, The Alice Network, and Code Name Hélène.
‘Will fascinate readers of World War II history and thrill fans of fierce, brash, independent women.’ Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours
‘Fascinating.’ New York Post, ‘Required Reading’
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
During World War II, Australian journalist Nancy Wake delves into espionage to help combat the Nazis. Based on a true story, this novel is being developed into a TV series starring Elizabeth Debicki.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Lawhon, who masterfully combined fact and fiction in I Was Anastasia, does so again with this gripping thriller based on the life of Nancy Wake, an Australian expat who worked as a reporter for Hearst in Paris just before WWII and later as a spy for the British. Lawhon throws readers into the middle of the action, as Nancy, under the alias H l ne, prepares to parachute from an RAF plane into France to help the Resistance in 1944, carrying in her head memorized lists of vital data, including bridges targeted for destruction and safe house addresses. After she lands, the story flashes back eight years, as Nancy struggles for respect and recognition as a journalist; despite her firsthand observations of Nazi brutality in 1930s Vienna, her editor is reluctant to publish a story about what she's seen. Frequent jumps in time draw out the arc of Wake's remarkable life; despite her statement early on that women's weapons of warfare were limited to "silk stockings and red lipstick," by the end she's proven herself skillful at physical combat as well. Lawhon's vivid, fast-paced narrative will keep readers turning the pages, and a detailed afterword makes plain how much of the account is factual. This entertaining tale does justice to Lawhon's larger-than-life subject.
Customer Reviews
Great Book
I loved this book. A great story about an amazing Australian woman. I found Nancy Wake inspiring. One of the best books I have read.