Double Crossed
The WWII Spies Who Saved D-Day
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- Pre-Order
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- Expected Apr 28, 2026
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- $16.99
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- Pre-Order
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
A thrilling WWII middle-grade narrative nonfiction account of Operation Bodyguard, in which the Allied forces used spies and double agents to deceive the Nazis about their true plans for D-Day.
"Throws you right into the action—real spies playing for the highest possible stakes!" —award-winning author Steve Sheinkin
In the fall of 1943, German troops controlled nearly all of continental Europe. The one chance the Allies had of punching through the German front meant keeping the enemy distracted and in the dark. They had to take the Germans by surprise on “D-Day.”
The mission: trick the Germans into believing the Allies would strike anywhere but their true target, the beaches of Normandy. Featuring historical photos and breathtaking true accounts, Double Crossed tells the exhilarating story of Operation Bodyguard, the mind-boggling effort to lay a false trail for the Germans using fake armies, decoy landings, and the covert work of double agents and spies who risked their lives. With millions of lives hanging in the balance, victory—or defeat—in World War II depended on the Nazis being caught unaware.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
High-octane historical thriller meets cinematic narrative nonfiction in an arresting offering from Barone (Mountains of Fire) that chronicles the essential role that spies and double agents played in turning the tides during WWII. Opening information outlines the work's key players; subsequent clear, concise prose introduces former spy and MI5 agent Thomas Argyll Robertson as he gathers an elite group of individuals in 1939 for what would become Operation Bodyguard, a disinformation scheme meant to deceive the Abwehr, Nazi Germany's military intelligence organization. Propulsive, linear chapters with situating opening lines follow Robertson on his recruitment journey, dispensing brief backstories for each of the figures assembled, and including humanizing details such as the warm friendship between spies Dušan Popov and Johann Jebsen, and MI5 agent Lily Sergueiev's love for her dog as well as the sexism she encountered throughout her career. Quotes from each of the double agents and those who knew them engenders from readers further empathy for the subjects' plight and desire for their safety as dangers mount. Accessibly approaching the history of the war and chronicling significant battles in which the spies had a role, Barone spins an adventuresome survival tale that capitalizes on heart-wrenching moments to insert readers right into the action. Includes a bibliography and endnotes. Ages 10–14.
