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Odette: World War Two's Darling Spy
Odette Brailly entered the nation's consciousness in the 1950s when her remarkable - and romantic - exploits as an SOE agent first came to light. She had been the first woman to be awarded the GC, as well as the Legion d'Honneur, and in 1950 the release of a film about her life made her the darling of the British popular press. But others openly questioned Odette's personal and professional integrity, even claiming that she had a clandestine affair with her supervisor Capt. Peter Churchill, with whom she had worked undercover in France. Soon she became as controversial as she was celebrated. In the first full biography of this incredible woman for nearly sixty years, historian Penny Starn delves into recently opened SOE personnel files to reveal the true story of this wartime heroine and the officer who posed as her husband. From her life as a French housewife living in Britain and her work undercover with the French Resistance, to her arrest, torture and unlikely survival in Ravensbruck concentration camp, Starns reveals for the first time the truth of Odette's mission and the heart-breaking identity of her real betrayer.
194 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 11, 2021
A very interesting and well researched biography of a French-born woman who took up the call to work for British Special Operations Executive during the latter half of WWII and assist the French Resistance and Allied intelligence in southern France. The bravery - especially under capture and torture - of these people was astounding, and I am highly impressed with the sense of duty running through these stories.
I’m not going to be critical in the sense that (as the subject herself acknowledged and highlighted) the heroine of this book maybe was able to do less than some others in similar situations, and that some of the elevation of her post-war may have been symbolic of ‘the work of female agents in general’ (none of whom, like Odette, surviving the war) and the final chapters regarding folk bickering about how deserving she was/wasn’t were less interesting than the first two thirds of the book, but this made for a very interesting story about the extraordinary acts of a seemingly ordinary mother, housewife and woman.
I’m not going to be critical in the sense that (as the subject herself acknowledged and highlighted) the heroine of this book maybe was able to do less than some others in similar situations, and that some of the elevation of her post-war may have been symbolic of ‘the work of female agents in general’ (none of whom, like Odette, surviving the war) and the final chapters regarding folk bickering about how deserving she was/wasn’t were less interesting than the first two thirds of the book, but this made for a very interesting story about the extraordinary acts of a seemingly ordinary mother, housewife and woman.
October 20, 2010
I'll probably review this next month for Curled Up With a Good Book but for now I'll say that Dr. Starns uses a combination of narrative and quotes from Odette's personal SOE file/testimony and the mix doesn't always flow as well as it could.
That being said, this is the story an amazingly brave woman who was merely a SOE courier but whose courageous refusal, under torture, to betray fellow resisters, was sent to Ravensbruck, and who was subsequently awarded with top honors from the British government.
That same government questioned her right to have the George Cross in the flurry of accusations/suspicions that clouded the SOE in the decades following the war.
For some reason, I found the second half of the book much more intriguing than the first and it became a real page-turner.
Official review:
The biographical facts of Odette Brailly Sansom Churchill Hallowes, as presented in Penny Starns’ new book, form a tale of sweeping historical context, duty, passion, and courage. The daughter of a fallen French WWI hero, young Odette Brailly was determined to marry an Englishman and spent the first part of the second world war as a British homemaker. Almost by accident, she was recruited into the ranks of the F (French) Section of the Special Operations Executive (SOE), the British wartime organization intended to galvanize resistance efforts in occupied countries with the assistance of native speakers trained in Britain.
Odette worked in occupied France as a courier for the Spindle network, answering to her superior (and eventual lover) Peter Churchill. After being betrayed and captured, Odette was interrogated and tortured but remained stoically silent regarding the whereabouts and activities of her fellow resisters. Condemned to death and sent to Ravensbruck, she miraculously survived to receive both the George Cross and the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for her silence under excruciating torture. After testifying at the Nuremburg trials, she tried to settle down to a quiet life.
It was not to be. For a decade following the war, she was the darling of a demanding press and public who couldn’t get enough of her story. A fictionalized account of her experiences, written in 1949, became a bestseller and was transformed into a film the following year. Publicity-shy Odette felt it her duty to cooperate with these endeavors but only so that she might bring attention to the work of all the SOE women, many of whom did not return.
Then the SOE came under a cloud of suspicion and public disfavor. Had it been a dangerously amateur organization? Did it knowingly betray agents into the hands of the Germans in order to present the enemy with disinformation? Odette’s star fell with the SOE’s, especially when one particular female politician took a special and energetic interest in seeing her fall.
The impetus for this new biography – the first in 60 years – seems to have been the recent opening of previously sealed Odette-related SOE files. Dr. Starns makes full use of this information but occasionally overuses it a bit. For instance, the narrative will explain something in detail and then present long paragraphs of SOE quotes regarding the same information. In these cases, Starns should have either explained less before presenting the file quotes or else worked them into the narrative.
However, to have access to this material must have seemed like a gold mine to Starns, a professor of World War II, and one can forgive her for sometimes overusing it. She’s obviously fascinated with her subject and the book generally moves along at a compelling, no-nonsense, page-turning clip. Odette’s story is a life-affirming one, a long-overdue biography of a fascinating and heroic woman.
Published at CurledUpWithAGoodBook.com
That being said, this is the story an amazingly brave woman who was merely a SOE courier but whose courageous refusal, under torture, to betray fellow resisters, was sent to Ravensbruck, and who was subsequently awarded with top honors from the British government.
That same government questioned her right to have the George Cross in the flurry of accusations/suspicions that clouded the SOE in the decades following the war.
For some reason, I found the second half of the book much more intriguing than the first and it became a real page-turner.
Official review:
The biographical facts of Odette Brailly Sansom Churchill Hallowes, as presented in Penny Starns’ new book, form a tale of sweeping historical context, duty, passion, and courage. The daughter of a fallen French WWI hero, young Odette Brailly was determined to marry an Englishman and spent the first part of the second world war as a British homemaker. Almost by accident, she was recruited into the ranks of the F (French) Section of the Special Operations Executive (SOE), the British wartime organization intended to galvanize resistance efforts in occupied countries with the assistance of native speakers trained in Britain.
Odette worked in occupied France as a courier for the Spindle network, answering to her superior (and eventual lover) Peter Churchill. After being betrayed and captured, Odette was interrogated and tortured but remained stoically silent regarding the whereabouts and activities of her fellow resisters. Condemned to death and sent to Ravensbruck, she miraculously survived to receive both the George Cross and the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for her silence under excruciating torture. After testifying at the Nuremburg trials, she tried to settle down to a quiet life.
It was not to be. For a decade following the war, she was the darling of a demanding press and public who couldn’t get enough of her story. A fictionalized account of her experiences, written in 1949, became a bestseller and was transformed into a film the following year. Publicity-shy Odette felt it her duty to cooperate with these endeavors but only so that she might bring attention to the work of all the SOE women, many of whom did not return.
Then the SOE came under a cloud of suspicion and public disfavor. Had it been a dangerously amateur organization? Did it knowingly betray agents into the hands of the Germans in order to present the enemy with disinformation? Odette’s star fell with the SOE’s, especially when one particular female politician took a special and energetic interest in seeing her fall.
The impetus for this new biography – the first in 60 years – seems to have been the recent opening of previously sealed Odette-related SOE files. Dr. Starns makes full use of this information but occasionally overuses it a bit. For instance, the narrative will explain something in detail and then present long paragraphs of SOE quotes regarding the same information. In these cases, Starns should have either explained less before presenting the file quotes or else worked them into the narrative.
However, to have access to this material must have seemed like a gold mine to Starns, a professor of World War II, and one can forgive her for sometimes overusing it. She’s obviously fascinated with her subject and the book generally moves along at a compelling, no-nonsense, page-turning clip. Odette’s story is a life-affirming one, a long-overdue biography of a fascinating and heroic woman.
Published at CurledUpWithAGoodBook.com
November 9, 2021
Hard to claim a 'liking' for a book depicting the gamut of man's inhumanity to man. Ditto women) but I'd long known of Odette, but never read her full story, so was keen to do so. Hard too empathise with the sense of duty that enabled her mind to withstand the physical cruelties to which her body was subjected and I had to rejoice at her finding a post-war return to husband and family, as well as salute the author for the task she set herself of researching the events.
April 8, 2016
This was a haunting tale of one woman’s incredible fortitude as a member of the French Resistance during World War II. The author, Penny Starns, has a doctorate in history, with her specialty being the Second World War. This biography is clearly well researched and so very readable! Although she had been born in France, Odette married an Englishman and lived in Britain during the early years of her marriage. There, she watched with increasing alarm as events in Europe escalated, and was eager to make a contribution to the war effort. Despite having three small children, and much to her husband’s dismay, Odette acceded to the recruitment efforts of the SOE. Being a French native enhanced her appeal as an undercover agent. After operating for a time in occupied France, she was captured, tortured, and ultimately dispatched to the notorious Ravensbruck concentration camp. Odette did manage to survive, although her ordeal was unspeakably bleak and horrific.
Returning to great acclaim in England as her exploits became known, she found herself the recipient of two very prestigious awards, the George Cross, the highest British decoration for gallantry that can be awarded to a woman, and the Member of the British Empire. During her time in France the beautiful Odette had had had an affair with her superior officer, Peter Churchill, and ended up marrying him after the war. All of this contributed immensely to the public fascination. Fame was short-lived, however, as adoring fans turned fickle, succumbing to doubts voiced by some as to the authenticity of her exploits. I believe the controversy surrounding her life remains somewhat unresolved.
Interestingly, she was a very humble person, maintaining that she’d done no more than numerous others, and making a great effort to see that many of those who failed to return were recognized. ‘Odette always maintained that her fellow female SOE agents had suffered and committed acts of bravery that were far greater and more important than her own.’ Amazing to me was the author’s revelation that Odette had come through her ordeal unmarred by bitterness or resentment! ‘When reflecting on the course of her life in later years Odette continued to express generosity and forgiveness towards those who had persecuted her, both during and after the war’. What an unforgettable tale of quiet heroism, although some may question whether her priorities were skewed. Four stars.
Returning to great acclaim in England as her exploits became known, she found herself the recipient of two very prestigious awards, the George Cross, the highest British decoration for gallantry that can be awarded to a woman, and the Member of the British Empire. During her time in France the beautiful Odette had had had an affair with her superior officer, Peter Churchill, and ended up marrying him after the war. All of this contributed immensely to the public fascination. Fame was short-lived, however, as adoring fans turned fickle, succumbing to doubts voiced by some as to the authenticity of her exploits. I believe the controversy surrounding her life remains somewhat unresolved.
Interestingly, she was a very humble person, maintaining that she’d done no more than numerous others, and making a great effort to see that many of those who failed to return were recognized. ‘Odette always maintained that her fellow female SOE agents had suffered and committed acts of bravery that were far greater and more important than her own.’ Amazing to me was the author’s revelation that Odette had come through her ordeal unmarred by bitterness or resentment! ‘When reflecting on the course of her life in later years Odette continued to express generosity and forgiveness towards those who had persecuted her, both during and after the war’. What an unforgettable tale of quiet heroism, although some may question whether her priorities were skewed. Four stars.
October 16, 2014
The exploits and bravery of the SOE's agents are legendary and Odette Hallowes was the first female agent to be publicly feted, awarded the GC, MBE and Chevalier de la légion d'honneur. Her's is a remarkable story of super human endurance at the hands of her Nazi torturers at the Ravensbrück concentration camp. While Odetts's story is both compelling and inspiring one of the things I found interesting about this retelling was the author's revelations regarding M. R. D. Foot's book "SOE in France" and it's political and social ramifications. I suppose the controversy surrounding Foot's book is all very well known and a very old story in Europe but it came as a shock to me as an American reader. However, if you are a history buff or just interested in the story of the SOE in France than this book is a must read!
Two asides - 1.) Odette's war time story was also told in a 1950 British movie simply titled "Odette" and 2.) M. R. D. Foot own war time activities merit a book of their own.
Two asides - 1.) Odette's war time story was also told in a 1950 British movie simply titled "Odette" and 2.) M. R. D. Foot own war time activities merit a book of their own.
August 14, 2023
The story was in turns shocking, heart-breaking, moving, and infuriating. At times it was incredibly hard to read because of the level of inhumanity.
This book is exceptionally well-researched. It begins with Odette’s birth and allows the reader to see how her childhood enabled her to survive much of what she faced, but I really appreciate that it also follows what happened to her after the war also. The level of psychological torment she experienced after the war as a result of political games, sexism, and individuals trying to cover their own mistakes and treachery is almost as sickening as what she experienced during the war.
The writing is academic yet accessible. I appreciated the details provided about the training of SOE operatives. The author used a lot of direct quotes from primary sources including from the SOE syllabus and the basic SOE lecture framewok.
This book is exceptionally well-researched. It begins with Odette’s birth and allows the reader to see how her childhood enabled her to survive much of what she faced, but I really appreciate that it also follows what happened to her after the war also. The level of psychological torment she experienced after the war as a result of political games, sexism, and individuals trying to cover their own mistakes and treachery is almost as sickening as what she experienced during the war.
The writing is academic yet accessible. I appreciated the details provided about the training of SOE operatives. The author used a lot of direct quotes from primary sources including from the SOE syllabus and the basic SOE lecture framewok.
May 15, 2018
Insufficient on what she actually did
March 17, 2020
This book didn’t quite capture me the way I had hoped. I think more detail about Odette and what it was like being an SOE agent would have provided a richer reading experience.
November 14, 2025
This is one of the best books on SOE that I have ever read. I have read several books, fiction and non-fiction, on the women in the SOE but this is the best book on one particular agent instead of several in one book. What this wonderful woman went through in France before and during her capture and especially after her release was shocking. This book is really well written and I was deeply moved by Odette's story.
Hard to say more without spoilers so I will recommend that anyone interested in this subject read this book. Even if you are not really familiar with this subject, this book will introduce you to the real people that may have helped end WWII sooner than might have happened without their actions and, sometimes, sacrifice.
Hard to say more without spoilers so I will recommend that anyone interested in this subject read this book. Even if you are not really familiar with this subject, this book will introduce you to the real people that may have helped end WWII sooner than might have happened without their actions and, sometimes, sacrifice.
September 18, 2022
Odette what a brave humble heroic person she was, to suffer the horrors of being tortured & end up in Ravensbruck Concentration Camp and live through this without giving any information away on the other SOE Agents and the French Resistance is remarkable. Through all this she forgave her torturers and still believed in the goodness of mankind. She Deserved every citation she was given and in her own words she expressed that the citations where not only for her, but all of the women who were Spies in the SOE and French Resistance. Very Compelling Reading.
September 29, 2019
I was hoping this would closely follow her training then follow her into France but it doesn't and spends more time on the allegations and backlash at SOE after the war
May 1, 2021
Another incredible story of another incredible SOE agent.
January 7, 2023
Excellent read, disturbing in parts, due to content, buy highly informative and does justice to Odette, which after reading, I believe is necessary.
I definitely recommend reading this.
I definitely recommend reading this.
December 2, 2024
Who knew that her difficulties didn't end with her freedom from Ravensbruck concentration camp. Why are people so mean?
October 9, 2019
This was a very interesting book. It deals with the French spies of WWII and the underground. It is graphic and intense but I very interesting book about a very brave woman.
December 2, 2015
Set in WW2, the biography of Odette is presented. Odette was recruited into the French section of the Special Operation Executive (SOE) of a British wartime organization as a courier. She was eventually captured and condemned to death in the Ravensbruck concentration camp. She had been tortured but survived.
The story tells the life of a very courageous and heroic woman and the publicity that followed Odette after the war. Odette thought it was important to remind people that there had been many other women who had worked with the SOE but who had perished. One female politician, tried to undermine Odette's war efforts and tried to have her experiences viewed as sheer fabrication. Eventually, it was decided that no one could make up such atrocities that had happened and that it had to be true.
There are a lot of quotes throughout the story from the original transcripts which made for rather tedious and repetitive reading at times. The subject matter of the book though, was absolutely fascinating. Despite what happened to Odette, she was not bitter towards the Germans. In her nonsensical way, she viewed the Nazis as very sick individuals and that there had always been bad people but because of those evil people, she had seen a lot of good, normal people. She really loved people and thought being bitter and hateful was a waste of energy.
She was sad for all her fellow comarades that had perished and she felt it was her duty to make sure that people remembered what had happened and to remember those people who did do the right things. I think it's important that we continue to read these WW 2 stories so we can't forget.
The story tells the life of a very courageous and heroic woman and the publicity that followed Odette after the war. Odette thought it was important to remind people that there had been many other women who had worked with the SOE but who had perished. One female politician, tried to undermine Odette's war efforts and tried to have her experiences viewed as sheer fabrication. Eventually, it was decided that no one could make up such atrocities that had happened and that it had to be true.
There are a lot of quotes throughout the story from the original transcripts which made for rather tedious and repetitive reading at times. The subject matter of the book though, was absolutely fascinating. Despite what happened to Odette, she was not bitter towards the Germans. In her nonsensical way, she viewed the Nazis as very sick individuals and that there had always been bad people but because of those evil people, she had seen a lot of good, normal people. She really loved people and thought being bitter and hateful was a waste of energy.
She was sad for all her fellow comarades that had perished and she felt it was her duty to make sure that people remembered what had happened and to remember those people who did do the right things. I think it's important that we continue to read these WW 2 stories so we can't forget.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews