Terri Wangard has given us the second novel in her WWII trilogy. Another aerial navigator flying B-17s from England on bombing raids, her hero is most unusual for these types of stories. Rafe Martell was born Rolf in Germany. He was a member of Hitler’s Youth Navy, learning to sail with his best friends and cousin. One day he was dismissed from the group because his mother was born a Jew. Though his family is Christian, his mother’s heritage puts the family in danger. His father sends them to America but stays behind in Cologne. Bombing Germany brings grief to him for fear on being responsible for the death of his friends and father.
Wangard’s heroine meets Rafe onboard their transatlantic voyage to England. Jennie goes on to Stockholm where she joins the American legation in supposedly neutral Sweden. As an artist she joins the team of spies, forging documents and artwork to support the Allies. But Stockholm is not a safe place to walk around alone. Jennie finds herself followed by various German spies, not part of her expected job description.
Wangard gives us another detailed, tender, savage story from the WWII time period. She leaves us waiting for the third novel.