(Image Credit: Goodreads)

Dora Davidsohn’s life has changed rapidly, and not for the better. Having left the traditional home of her childhood, Dora has forged a new beginning in Berlin, enjoying the liberties she can take advantage and making new, unashamed friends. However, when Hitler comes to power and Dora is horribly verbally assaulted at her job, the writing on the wall is obvious to Dora and she flees Germany. Years later, after escaping an internment camp, Dora joins the French Resistance and takes on her biggest challenge yet; posing as an Aryan secretary and working for the Gestapo. It’s a dangerous assignment but one, if Dora plays her cards right, could lead to hundreds of others living another day.

If you have followed my reviews and reading choices over the last few years, you will know very well that I am a huge Ellie Midwood fan. Her books are always exceptionally well-researched, superbly written, and very engaging. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to read some of her newest works due to my own hectic reading schedule. However, after reading the summary of this one and learning it is based off a true story, I knew I had to pick it up and read it as soon as I could. A woman posing a secretary and working for the Gestapo in occupied France? How can one not pick that up!

Dora, and many of the supporting characters, are complex characters. Prior to the war, we learn that Dora joins the Communist Party and while you can fully understand Dora’s reasons for doing so, being there are the only other “force” actively fighting Hitler and fascism, Dora does seem naïve in believing that Communism is free of any sins. We see her temporarily questioning her political ideology after she hears about the famine Stalin created for the Ukrainians, but this doesn’t really go anywhere. This could be frustrating to some readers, but my only comment would be is that war doesn’t always give us black and white answers and sometimes, like Dora mentions in the book, we have to choose the lesser of two evils. In any case, I find these dilemmas to be fascinating to read about as it adds another dimension to the characters. They come off as more human.

As always, I would recommend Ms. Midwood’s newest book. It was a quick read and a story I will probably re-read in the future.

5 out of 5 stars