Nancy Wake was an Australian ex-pat working as a journalist in Paris when she began working for the French Resistance during World War II. Eventually, she was forced to flee from her beloved husband and dog, making her way to England, where she joined the Special Operations Executive and was dropped back into France to fight the Nazi occupation by leading a small ring of British spies and partnering with French guerrilla troops. In doing so, she earned the respect of her male companions and served a major role in defeating the Germans.
Everything in the preceding paragraph is true.
In Code Name Helene, Lawhon presents a fictionalized account of Nancy's life in France, both before fleeing and after returning to the war. It's a captivating and wonderful story, made all the better by the fact of Nancy's real-life existence (check out her photo at the front of the book). Yes, there have been a lot of good books about brave women in World War II (The Nightingale, A Woman of No Importance, even the young adult novel Code Name Verity, which I kept thinking of throughout this book), but this one is a worthy addition to your TBR list. It's excellent.
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