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Family of Spies
A propulsive, never-before-told story of one family's shocking involvement as Nazi and Japanese spies during WWII and the pivotal role they played in the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
It began with a call from a screenwriter, asking about a story. Your family. World War II. Nazi spies. Christine Kuehn was shocked and confused. When she asked her seventy-year-old father, Eberhard, what this could possibly be about, he stalled, deflected, demurred, and then wept. He knew this day would come.
The Kuehns, a prominent Berlin family, saw the rise of the Nazis as a way out of the hard times that had befallen them. When the daughter of the family, Eberhard's sister, Ruth, met Nazi leader Joseph Goebbels at a party, the two hit it off, and they had an affair. But Ruth had a secret--she was half Jewish--and Goebbels found out. Rather than having Ruth killed, Goebbels instead sent the entire Kuehn family to Hawaii, to work as spies half a world away. There, Ruth and her parents established an intricate spy operation from their home, just a few miles down the road from Pearl Harbor, shielding Eberhard from the truth. They passed secrets to the Japanese, leading to the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor. After Eberhard's father was arrested and tried for his involvement in planning the assault, Eberhard learned the harsh truth about his family and faced a decision that would change the path of the Kuehn family forever.
Jumping back and forth between Christine discovering her family's secret and the untold past of the spies in Germany, Japan, and Hawaii, Family of Spies is fast-paced history at its finest and will rewrite the narrative of December 7, 1941.
It began with a call from a screenwriter, asking about a story. Your family. World War II. Nazi spies. Christine Kuehn was shocked and confused. When she asked her seventy-year-old father, Eberhard, what this could possibly be about, he stalled, deflected, demurred, and then wept. He knew this day would come.
The Kuehns, a prominent Berlin family, saw the rise of the Nazis as a way out of the hard times that had befallen them. When the daughter of the family, Eberhard's sister, Ruth, met Nazi leader Joseph Goebbels at a party, the two hit it off, and they had an affair. But Ruth had a secret--she was half Jewish--and Goebbels found out. Rather than having Ruth killed, Goebbels instead sent the entire Kuehn family to Hawaii, to work as spies half a world away. There, Ruth and her parents established an intricate spy operation from their home, just a few miles down the road from Pearl Harbor, shielding Eberhard from the truth. They passed secrets to the Japanese, leading to the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor. After Eberhard's father was arrested and tried for his involvement in planning the assault, Eberhard learned the harsh truth about his family and faced a decision that would change the path of the Kuehn family forever.
Jumping back and forth between Christine discovering her family's secret and the untold past of the spies in Germany, Japan, and Hawaii, Family of Spies is fast-paced history at its finest and will rewrite the narrative of December 7, 1941.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published November 25, 2025
1722 people are currently reading
34598 people want to read
About the author
Christine Kuehn
5 books134 followersHello! I’m Christine Kuehn, first time author of Family of Spies. Thanks for stopping by my GoodReads page. I started my career as a journalist before moving into public relations and event management. I grew up in Florida, but have lived in the Washington D.C. area for most of my adult life. I am married to husband Mark, have three adult children and a dog, Tucker.
I have been in a book club for more that 25 years, and love the diversity of books our group reads.
Follow me on Instagram:
@CKS.collective
Tucker also has an account if you enjoy silly puppy posts:
@yourtuckertime
I have been in a book club for more that 25 years, and love the diversity of books our group reads.
Follow me on Instagram:
@CKS.collective
Tucker also has an account if you enjoy silly puppy posts:
@yourtuckertime
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 587 reviews
November 27, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up for a little known story about the Pearl Harbor attack on Dec.7, 1941. The author explains that she started on a journey of discovery about her grandparents when she received a letter from a man making a documentary about the Pearl Harbor attack. He wanted to speak to her father about what he knew about his parents role as German spies before the Pearl Harbor attack.
She was stunned by the letter. Her father had always told her that his father was a naval officer who'd had an unexceptional career and died in a traffic accident. However, the more she thought about it, she realized that her father evaded answering questions about his parents.
She decides to find out more. When her father puts her in touch with his older sister, she makes a two hour drive to visit her Aunt Ruth. When she asks her aunt "What can you tell me about my grandparents?", Ruth reply surprises her: "You have a good life. You don't want to ruin it with the past."
Christine Kuehn spent ten years unearthing the truth about her father's parents and Aunt Ruth. They went to Hawaii in 1936 to spy on behalf of the Japanese government. The Japanese paid them handsomely, over a million dollars in today's equivalent. The information that they gathered for the Japanese played a crucial role in the devastating attack on Dec. 7, 1941. 2403 men, women and children died that day, with another 1,178 injured.
A personal note; Many of my colleagues were WWII vets. Two of them were Pearl Harbor survivors. One was at the bottom of the harbor for 36 hours before he was rescued. When he was rescued, the water was up to his chin, and he was on tiptoe.
#FamilyofSpies #NetGalley
Thank You Celadon Books for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
Pub Date Nov 25 2025
She was stunned by the letter. Her father had always told her that his father was a naval officer who'd had an unexceptional career and died in a traffic accident. However, the more she thought about it, she realized that her father evaded answering questions about his parents.
She decides to find out more. When her father puts her in touch with his older sister, she makes a two hour drive to visit her Aunt Ruth. When she asks her aunt "What can you tell me about my grandparents?", Ruth reply surprises her: "You have a good life. You don't want to ruin it with the past."
Christine Kuehn spent ten years unearthing the truth about her father's parents and Aunt Ruth. They went to Hawaii in 1936 to spy on behalf of the Japanese government. The Japanese paid them handsomely, over a million dollars in today's equivalent. The information that they gathered for the Japanese played a crucial role in the devastating attack on Dec. 7, 1941. 2403 men, women and children died that day, with another 1,178 injured.
A personal note; Many of my colleagues were WWII vets. Two of them were Pearl Harbor survivors. One was at the bottom of the harbor for 36 hours before he was rescued. When he was rescued, the water was up to his chin, and he was on tiptoe.
#FamilyofSpies #NetGalley
Thank You Celadon Books for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
Pub Date Nov 25 2025
December 15, 2025
A fascinating dive into Christine Kuehn’s family tree.
When Christine gets a letter from a screenwriter wanting to talk about her family and their role in WWII, her hackles are raised. What role she asks? Until she does some digging and finds some frightening information her German grandparents played from their home in Hawaii. Not only German spies, but Japanese ones too. Laying intel at Japanese feet. Information that enabled them to bomb Pearl Harbour on that fateful day.
The research Kuehn uncovered likely would have made others deny it and run for cover. She lays it all out. The truth. The facts. The research. The family history from her father and her cousins.
The writing flows from the past to the present seamlessly. This read like a spy thriller with the covert operations; the complexity of the connections.
Kudos to you, Christine, for ripping the bandaid off and writing a family history that was shameful. I hope this brought much healing in telling this devastating past.
4.5⭐️
The pictures were an added bonus.
When Christine gets a letter from a screenwriter wanting to talk about her family and their role in WWII, her hackles are raised. What role she asks? Until she does some digging and finds some frightening information her German grandparents played from their home in Hawaii. Not only German spies, but Japanese ones too. Laying intel at Japanese feet. Information that enabled them to bomb Pearl Harbour on that fateful day.
The research Kuehn uncovered likely would have made others deny it and run for cover. She lays it all out. The truth. The facts. The research. The family history from her father and her cousins.
The writing flows from the past to the present seamlessly. This read like a spy thriller with the covert operations; the complexity of the connections.
Kudos to you, Christine, for ripping the bandaid off and writing a family history that was shameful. I hope this brought much healing in telling this devastating past.
4.5⭐️
The pictures were an added bonus.
January 18, 2026
Family of Spies is a great family memoir/nonfiction that tracks one family’s involvement as German spies that helped the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor. This fulfilled all my expectations for nonfiction.
The story begins when Christine Kuehn is contacted by a film screenwriter who is seeking information on her grandfather’s involvement in Pearl Harbor. She quickly realized there’s a reason her father never spoke of his family except in monosyllabic answers that didn’t always line up. Over the next thirty years, she researched her grandparents’ and aunt’s time as spies. An uncle who remained in Germany was a fairly high ranking member of the Nazi party.
I appreciated that Kuehn took the time to walk us through the Nazi’s rise to power in the 1930s. I was unaware of how it all came together. (It reads like Stephen Miller’s how-to book.) In fact, so much of this story was new information to me. Her writing throughout is fluid and easy to follow. It’s a fast paced book with no down periods. It was crazy to realize how much the FBI knew about what was going on but seemed unable to stop it. I was horrified to learn that J.Edgar Hoover blew off intelligence concerning the upcoming attack.
Kuehn does a great job of expressing the shock to her system. I couldn’t begin to imagine discovering your grandfather had a key role in helping the Japanese. And it all came down to greed. Their own daughter was half Jewish, yet not only did the parents continue to work on behalf of the Axis, so did she.
What moved me the most was Kuehn’s reason for finally writing the book and not just burying the past. It was finding anti-Semitic literature and swastikas in her Everytown, USA community of Kensington, MD
I highly recommend this to fans of historical nonfiction, even those that think there’s nothing new to learn about WWII.
My thanks to Netgalley and Celadon Books for an advance copy of this book.
The story begins when Christine Kuehn is contacted by a film screenwriter who is seeking information on her grandfather’s involvement in Pearl Harbor. She quickly realized there’s a reason her father never spoke of his family except in monosyllabic answers that didn’t always line up. Over the next thirty years, she researched her grandparents’ and aunt’s time as spies. An uncle who remained in Germany was a fairly high ranking member of the Nazi party.
I appreciated that Kuehn took the time to walk us through the Nazi’s rise to power in the 1930s. I was unaware of how it all came together. (It reads like Stephen Miller’s how-to book.) In fact, so much of this story was new information to me. Her writing throughout is fluid and easy to follow. It’s a fast paced book with no down periods. It was crazy to realize how much the FBI knew about what was going on but seemed unable to stop it. I was horrified to learn that J.Edgar Hoover blew off intelligence concerning the upcoming attack.
Kuehn does a great job of expressing the shock to her system. I couldn’t begin to imagine discovering your grandfather had a key role in helping the Japanese. And it all came down to greed. Their own daughter was half Jewish, yet not only did the parents continue to work on behalf of the Axis, so did she.
What moved me the most was Kuehn’s reason for finally writing the book and not just burying the past. It was finding anti-Semitic literature and swastikas in her Everytown, USA community of Kensington, MD
I highly recommend this to fans of historical nonfiction, even those that think there’s nothing new to learn about WWII.
My thanks to Netgalley and Celadon Books for an advance copy of this book.
January 2, 2026
4.5
Review may be coming. :)
My friend "Canadian Jen" wrote a fantastic review of this book
that is just terrific. Not sure I can write a review without repeating her words.
Review may be coming. :)
My friend "Canadian Jen" wrote a fantastic review of this book
that is just terrific. Not sure I can write a review without repeating her words.
December 13, 2025
Family of Spies is an interesting perspective on WWII from the granddaughter of Nazi spies. Christine Kuehn’s father had always been vague about his past and family, but she never thought much about it because he was reserved and private in many ways. But then she gets a letter from a screenwriter asking for more information about her grandparents, who had been Nazi spies. She thinks at first he has made a mistake, but her father finally breaks down and confirms that it is true, though he does not want to talk much about it.
Christine begins a search for information over the next 20+ years. She learns that her grandparents were sent to Hawaii and gathered information about Pearl Harbor. They shared information with both the Germans and Japanese, and were instrumental on the subsequent attack. Surprisingly we learn that the US authorities had been watching them and were convinced they were spies, but they were still trying to gather information. After the attack, all German and Japanese were gathered and put into internment camps there on the island. Christine’s grandfather, Eberhard, was a teen boy at the time, and he had been shocked at the discovery. Being raised in America, he felt American, not German.
The book follows two timelines: the years of Christine gathering information, and her grandparents and father’s past. This could easily be fiction, and it reads like fiction in ways, because it was new information to me. But it is indeed nonfiction, which makes it even more interesting. Well written and narrated.
Christine begins a search for information over the next 20+ years. She learns that her grandparents were sent to Hawaii and gathered information about Pearl Harbor. They shared information with both the Germans and Japanese, and were instrumental on the subsequent attack. Surprisingly we learn that the US authorities had been watching them and were convinced they were spies, but they were still trying to gather information. After the attack, all German and Japanese were gathered and put into internment camps there on the island. Christine’s grandfather, Eberhard, was a teen boy at the time, and he had been shocked at the discovery. Being raised in America, he felt American, not German.
The book follows two timelines: the years of Christine gathering information, and her grandparents and father’s past. This could easily be fiction, and it reads like fiction in ways, because it was new information to me. But it is indeed nonfiction, which makes it even more interesting. Well written and narrated.
November 25, 2025
This is a jaw-dropping and astounding debut novel. The author shares the results of the many years of research that she did which revealed her family's secret involvement with the Nazis before the start of WWII, their life in Hawaii as spies for the Japanese, their role in the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and the legacy that they left behind.
This book is so fascinating and mesmerizing that at first, I believed this to be historical fiction. I went into this book totally blind and what a shock it was to find out that it is a true story. How would you feel if you found out that your grandparents were a pivotal cog in the machinery of the Japanese government that planned and executed the attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941? The author learned that her grandparents, as well as other family members, had done just that. Her dad had been hiding this information from his family her whole life. The details may be shocking or unsettling for some readers, but I thought that overall, this story was exceptionally well written and well edited.
I can't stop talking about this book to my family and friends! I highly recommend this book to readers of nonfiction, biographies, memoirs and history. This would be a great holiday gift for the WWII history buffs on your list. Historical fiction fans may enjoy this book too.
My sincere thanks to Celadon Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read a DRC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
This book is so fascinating and mesmerizing that at first, I believed this to be historical fiction. I went into this book totally blind and what a shock it was to find out that it is a true story. How would you feel if you found out that your grandparents were a pivotal cog in the machinery of the Japanese government that planned and executed the attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941? The author learned that her grandparents, as well as other family members, had done just that. Her dad had been hiding this information from his family her whole life. The details may be shocking or unsettling for some readers, but I thought that overall, this story was exceptionally well written and well edited.
I can't stop talking about this book to my family and friends! I highly recommend this book to readers of nonfiction, biographies, memoirs and history. This would be a great holiday gift for the WWII history buffs on your list. Historical fiction fans may enjoy this book too.
My sincere thanks to Celadon Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read a DRC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
December 4, 2025
The author Christine Kuehn is a journalist and grew up happy with loving parents. To her shock, she learns that her grandparents were spies for the Nazis during WWII and were instumental in sharing intelligence with the Japanese for the attack on Pearl Harbor. She is shocked to learn that her father knows about it and was involved. Her whole life her father and aunt were estranged until she was older and she then understands why and why they are so secretive about that time.
What a fascinating and brave account. The audiobook performance by Erin Bennett is outstanding. I learned so much about the war that I was not aware of before from such a personal perspective. Some of the best nonfiction I have read.
Many thanks to Macmillan Audio, NetGalley and Christine Kuehn for an advance listening copy in exchange for my honest review. 🎧
What a fascinating and brave account. The audiobook performance by Erin Bennett is outstanding. I learned so much about the war that I was not aware of before from such a personal perspective. Some of the best nonfiction I have read.
Many thanks to Macmillan Audio, NetGalley and Christine Kuehn for an advance listening copy in exchange for my honest review. 🎧
November 6, 2025
What do you do when you learn that your grandparents' actions may have contributed to the December 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor attacks? Christine Kuehn was shocked, but motivated to get to the truth. Her German grandparents, Otto and Friedel, moved to Hawaii and were paid by the Japanese government to relay information preceding the attack. This book was well written but hard to to read at times. Thinking that someone would callously do what they did for monetary gain, with no regard for the staggering loss of lives, is beyond horrifying. Undoubtedly difficult to write, Christine tells the truth, and even those who have read extensively on WWII may learn something new. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this advance copy.
December 23, 2025
Listening to Author Christine Kuehn right now at 6/5/25 at 7:50 PM EST on Zoom and Sponsored by Buzz Books and Features 4 Non-Fiction Books. This Sounds Like Incredible Fiction, but it is actually Non-Fiction. Her Family got involved with the Nazis, and her Sister has an Affair with Goebbels, but she is Half-Jewish. They are moved to Hawaii, and spy for Germany and Japan, but her Father is unaware of this Role they played.
Truth is stranger than Fiction Read. Incredible All that Occurred, but Riveting. Highly Recommend this Book.
Thank You NetGalley, Celadon Books, and MacMillan
Truth is stranger than Fiction Read. Incredible All that Occurred, but Riveting. Highly Recommend this Book.
Thank You NetGalley, Celadon Books, and MacMillan
December 22, 2025
What a poignantly important, heartbreaking, and extensively researched American family's nonfiction/MEMOIR!!
If ANYONE has ever wondered what they might do if faced with the truth of deeply personal and troubling family stories and secrets, look no further. Christine Kuehn sure does have a cautionary family history for you to reflect upon.
Following an inquiry in 1994 from a researcher regarding a bombshell of a secret surrounding her father's family and their involvement in the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Kuehn's memories of her father's and her own life's story changed forever. It seems that unbeknownst to her, she comes from a family of Nazi spies!
As I began reading this chronicle of heretofore unknown secrets that placed her father's family deeply at the center of a piece of iconic and horrific 20th century American history, I could not help asking myself this question...
What would I do if slowly (but with growing certainty) I, like the author, had to come to terms with the unavoidable knowledge that my grandparents had been integral in one of the most horrific episodes in American history? If the details of a world altering event had the fingerprints of my paternal grandparents, uncles, aunts, and worst of all, perhaps even my beloved father all over it??
With American history once again in 2025 at an extremely volatile inflection point, this book could not be more timely. Or more important for folks to reflect upon because at its core, this work presents the reader with a very uncomfortable question:
What would you (or wouldn't you) tell your children and grandchildren about your choices at this dark, devisive, and dangerous time in American history?
If ANYONE has ever wondered what they might do if faced with the truth of deeply personal and troubling family stories and secrets, look no further. Christine Kuehn sure does have a cautionary family history for you to reflect upon.
Following an inquiry in 1994 from a researcher regarding a bombshell of a secret surrounding her father's family and their involvement in the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Kuehn's memories of her father's and her own life's story changed forever. It seems that unbeknownst to her, she comes from a family of Nazi spies!
As I began reading this chronicle of heretofore unknown secrets that placed her father's family deeply at the center of a piece of iconic and horrific 20th century American history, I could not help asking myself this question...
What would I do if slowly (but with growing certainty) I, like the author, had to come to terms with the unavoidable knowledge that my grandparents had been integral in one of the most horrific episodes in American history? If the details of a world altering event had the fingerprints of my paternal grandparents, uncles, aunts, and worst of all, perhaps even my beloved father all over it??
With American history once again in 2025 at an extremely volatile inflection point, this book could not be more timely. Or more important for folks to reflect upon because at its core, this work presents the reader with a very uncomfortable question:
What would you (or wouldn't you) tell your children and grandchildren about your choices at this dark, devisive, and dangerous time in American history?
November 6, 2025
FAMILY OF SPIES
By Christine Kuehn
Narrated by Erin Bennett
An incredibly fascinating, never-before-told story of the Kuehn family’s shocking involvement as Nazi and Japanese spies during WWII—and their connection to the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
It all began with a call from a screenwriter to Christine Kuehn, asking about her father’s family and their wartime espionage. That call set off a thirty-year journey into the Kuehn family’s hidden past. Her father, Eberhard, had carried the burden of his family’s secret for years, dreading the day his daughter and the rest of the family would discover the truth.
Christine’s research and storytelling are astounding. She could have hidden this part of her family’s history, but instead chose to share it, weaving together facts, emotion, and history in a way that feels more like a gripping narrative than a textbook. The details about the Nazis, the Japanese, and the wartime spy network are remarkable.
If you’re interested in WWII history, Pearl Harbor, or espionage, this book is a must-read. It absolutely blew me away.
Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the eARC, and Macmillan Audio for the ALC. I read along with the audiobook, and Erin Bennett’s narration was excellent.
By Christine Kuehn
Narrated by Erin Bennett
An incredibly fascinating, never-before-told story of the Kuehn family’s shocking involvement as Nazi and Japanese spies during WWII—and their connection to the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
It all began with a call from a screenwriter to Christine Kuehn, asking about her father’s family and their wartime espionage. That call set off a thirty-year journey into the Kuehn family’s hidden past. Her father, Eberhard, had carried the burden of his family’s secret for years, dreading the day his daughter and the rest of the family would discover the truth.
Christine’s research and storytelling are astounding. She could have hidden this part of her family’s history, but instead chose to share it, weaving together facts, emotion, and history in a way that feels more like a gripping narrative than a textbook. The details about the Nazis, the Japanese, and the wartime spy network are remarkable.
If you’re interested in WWII history, Pearl Harbor, or espionage, this book is a must-read. It absolutely blew me away.
Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the eARC, and Macmillan Audio for the ALC. I read along with the audiobook, and Erin Bennett’s narration was excellent.
November 7, 2025
I think most people have wondered if their family is harboring a deep, dark secret. Rarely, though, does it ever include Nazi spies. For Christine Kuehn, it actually did mean Nazi spies. And a bunch of them at that! She recounts the story in her book, Family of Spies, which is quite literally correct as far as titles go.
Kuehn explains how some very cryptic and evasive answers from her father and aunt for decades finally led to some rather uncomfortable revelations. I won't give you too much to avoid spoilers, but I will say that this story is not about some small, tangential connection to Nazism. This family was in deep.
This book is best for folks who are not well versed in World War II. It's a great gateway book for someone to hear names and get interested in more in-depth books on the main characters of the war. For World War II nerds, much of this will be well-trod information though with a whole new perspective.
(This book was provided as an advance reader copy by Celadon Books.)
Kuehn explains how some very cryptic and evasive answers from her father and aunt for decades finally led to some rather uncomfortable revelations. I won't give you too much to avoid spoilers, but I will say that this story is not about some small, tangential connection to Nazism. This family was in deep.
This book is best for folks who are not well versed in World War II. It's a great gateway book for someone to hear names and get interested in more in-depth books on the main characters of the war. For World War II nerds, much of this will be well-trod information though with a whole new perspective.
(This book was provided as an advance reader copy by Celadon Books.)
April 30, 2025
I was fortunate enough to have read this book and I must say I love the way this author navigates through the revelations of her family’s past. She details her own troubled thought process while learning facts about betrayal and lies and espionage - years of letters, emails, in person research, doubts of whether she would continue the investigation into the crimes committed. Very well written, and I recommend to anyone who would like insight into the Pearl Harbor history. I loved this book and I cannot wait to hear what the rest of the world says about it as well! Much courage noted in this author who chooses to share.
December 10, 2025
@macmillan.audio @celadonbooks | #gifted Can you imagine getting a letter out of the blue from a screenwriter asking about your grandfather’s involvement with the Nazis in WWII? That’s exactly what happened to Christine Kuehn, author of the incredible family biography 𝗙𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗬 𝗢𝗙 𝗦𝗣𝗜𝗘𝗦. The man in question was her father’s father, whom she knew to be German and believed he had been a US naval officer. He was a man she’d never met and had been told he’d died in a car accident. Kuehn’s first reaction was that the screenwriter must be looking for another family, but his letter nagged at her.
Over many years, with starts and stops, dead ends, and unbelievable discoveries Kuehn uncovered the true history of her father’s family of spies. She quickly found that her grandfather wasn’t the only family member working with both the Nazis and the Japanese and that they all played critical roles working against the Allies and especially the Americans.
That’s all I want to say about this book. It’s quite a jaw dropper and I think discovering the details and how it all unfolded are best coming from Kuehn herself. I loved the way she seamlessly moved from the near spy thriller her family lived to her own journey of uncovering their history and her feelings about all of it. I listened to the audiobook, read by Erin Bennett. This was one of those audiobooks where you won’t want to take a break. Whether in print or audio, 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘴 would be a perfect gift for the history lover in your life. It was a huge nonfiction win for me! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Over many years, with starts and stops, dead ends, and unbelievable discoveries Kuehn uncovered the true history of her father’s family of spies. She quickly found that her grandfather wasn’t the only family member working with both the Nazis and the Japanese and that they all played critical roles working against the Allies and especially the Americans.
That’s all I want to say about this book. It’s quite a jaw dropper and I think discovering the details and how it all unfolded are best coming from Kuehn herself. I loved the way she seamlessly moved from the near spy thriller her family lived to her own journey of uncovering their history and her feelings about all of it. I listened to the audiobook, read by Erin Bennett. This was one of those audiobooks where you won’t want to take a break. Whether in print or audio, 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘴 would be a perfect gift for the history lover in your life. It was a huge nonfiction win for me! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
January 11, 2026
4.5 stars
Family of Spies begins with a phone call — the kind that immediately upends your sense of who you are and where you come from. A screenwriter reaches out to Christine Kuehn with questions about her family. World War II. Nazi spies. When she asks her father, Eberhard, what this could possibly be about, his response tells her everything: hesitation, deflection, and tears.
What follows is the unraveling of a family history that had been carefully hidden for decades. The Kuehns, a prominent Berlin family, aligned themselves with the Nazi regime as a way out of hard times. When Eberhard’s sister Ruth became involved with Joseph Goebbels — and her half-Jewish identity was discovered — the family was sent to Hawaii, where they quietly established a spy operation just miles from Pearl Harbor. From there, information flowed to the Japanese, contributing directly to the attack on December 7, 1941.
Honestly, this book was one of the biggest surprises to hit my reading year — it seemed to come out of nowhere. I remain a little awed by the fact that we’re still uncovering new stories from World War II — still hearing perspectives that haven’t yet been fully told. Reading this made the scale of that war feel enormous all over again, and deeply personal in a way history books rarely achieve.
My only small wish was for more of Kuehn herself on the other side of the discovery. I appreciated how she shares her reactions as the truth comes into focus, but I wanted a bit more about what happened next — how she carried this knowledge, how she decided what to do with it, and how she navigated turning family history into a public reckoning. It’s a minor thing, though, and didn’t take away from how compelling the story itself is.
Family of Spies is riveting, unsettling, and quietly astonishing — a reminder that history is never quite finished revealing itself.
Family of Spies begins with a phone call — the kind that immediately upends your sense of who you are and where you come from. A screenwriter reaches out to Christine Kuehn with questions about her family. World War II. Nazi spies. When she asks her father, Eberhard, what this could possibly be about, his response tells her everything: hesitation, deflection, and tears.
What follows is the unraveling of a family history that had been carefully hidden for decades. The Kuehns, a prominent Berlin family, aligned themselves with the Nazi regime as a way out of hard times. When Eberhard’s sister Ruth became involved with Joseph Goebbels — and her half-Jewish identity was discovered — the family was sent to Hawaii, where they quietly established a spy operation just miles from Pearl Harbor. From there, information flowed to the Japanese, contributing directly to the attack on December 7, 1941.
Honestly, this book was one of the biggest surprises to hit my reading year — it seemed to come out of nowhere. I remain a little awed by the fact that we’re still uncovering new stories from World War II — still hearing perspectives that haven’t yet been fully told. Reading this made the scale of that war feel enormous all over again, and deeply personal in a way history books rarely achieve.
My only small wish was for more of Kuehn herself on the other side of the discovery. I appreciated how she shares her reactions as the truth comes into focus, but I wanted a bit more about what happened next — how she carried this knowledge, how she decided what to do with it, and how she navigated turning family history into a public reckoning. It’s a minor thing, though, and didn’t take away from how compelling the story itself is.
Family of Spies is riveting, unsettling, and quietly astonishing — a reminder that history is never quite finished revealing itself.
November 30, 2025
5 stars. If you read only one nonfiction this year, pick this. Holy Moly. This blew my mind.
I can’t imagine the intensity of emotions author Christine Kuehn felt after uncovering unimaginable family secrets about her grandparents/her father’s siblings; -being Nazi spies for Germany + Japan during World War II. Their actions were responsible for Japans bombing at Pearl Harbor. As incredible as it sounds I had to keep reminding myself this was a true story. It seriously read like fiction. The truth of it all was tough to digest as Kuehn delves deep, like really digs in when writing clear-cut details of her grandparents traitorous surveillance, also revealing the many relationships they had with top Nazis (+ her Aunts affair with Joseph Goebbels), the Japanese, and an American president. Their motivation; -money and greed. This is not to be missed. Excellent. (🎧Audio was perfection!) Pub. 11/25/25
Much thanks to Macmillan Audio via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I can’t imagine the intensity of emotions author Christine Kuehn felt after uncovering unimaginable family secrets about her grandparents/her father’s siblings; -being Nazi spies for Germany + Japan during World War II. Their actions were responsible for Japans bombing at Pearl Harbor. As incredible as it sounds I had to keep reminding myself this was a true story. It seriously read like fiction. The truth of it all was tough to digest as Kuehn delves deep, like really digs in when writing clear-cut details of her grandparents traitorous surveillance, also revealing the many relationships they had with top Nazis (+ her Aunts affair with Joseph Goebbels), the Japanese, and an American president. Their motivation; -money and greed. This is not to be missed. Excellent. (🎧Audio was perfection!) Pub. 11/25/25
Much thanks to Macmillan Audio via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
October 30, 2025
I have discovered some surprises in my genealogy researches, one of which was so upsetting I elected not to tell family members. But what Christine Kuehn discovered about her grandparents impacted not just her family but was connected to the ‘day of infamy’ that brought America into WWII: the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese.
Kuehn’s family were Nazis who left Germany to spy on America, paid by Japan to report on activities at the military base at Pearl Harbor. They were given a fortune and used it to live the high life with social events that brought them into contact with unwitting sources of information.
Her father was young enough to have embraced America as his country. He hated what the Nazis stood for and what they were doing in Europe. But his social butterfly and beautiful older sister, and a brother who remained in Germany, and even his little brother, were in deep.
Kuehn was distraught to see her great-uncle in his Nazi uniform in his wedding photo and shocked to learn that her great-aunt was once involved with Goebbels until he learned she was half Jewish. It was Goebbels who came up with the idea of sending the family to Hawaii.
Otto would be Tokyo’s man in Hawaii, a mole hiding in plain sight in Hawaii’s upper crust. from Family of Spies by Christine Kuehn
This history is quite the page turner!
Kuehn collected information for ten years, often overwhelmed by what she learned. Her father could not talk about what had happened, it was so painful. And with dementia, the memories were missing.
We all have family secrets, don’t we, connected to acts in our bloodline from long ago? But we’re not locked into following that path. from Family of Spies by Christine Kuehn
A stunning and shocking story.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book through NetGalley.
Kuehn’s family were Nazis who left Germany to spy on America, paid by Japan to report on activities at the military base at Pearl Harbor. They were given a fortune and used it to live the high life with social events that brought them into contact with unwitting sources of information.
Her father was young enough to have embraced America as his country. He hated what the Nazis stood for and what they were doing in Europe. But his social butterfly and beautiful older sister, and a brother who remained in Germany, and even his little brother, were in deep.
Kuehn was distraught to see her great-uncle in his Nazi uniform in his wedding photo and shocked to learn that her great-aunt was once involved with Goebbels until he learned she was half Jewish. It was Goebbels who came up with the idea of sending the family to Hawaii.
Otto would be Tokyo’s man in Hawaii, a mole hiding in plain sight in Hawaii’s upper crust. from Family of Spies by Christine Kuehn
This history is quite the page turner!
Kuehn collected information for ten years, often overwhelmed by what she learned. Her father could not talk about what had happened, it was so painful. And with dementia, the memories were missing.
We all have family secrets, don’t we, connected to acts in our bloodline from long ago? But we’re not locked into following that path. from Family of Spies by Christine Kuehn
A stunning and shocking story.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book through NetGalley.
June 20, 2025
In Family of Spies, author Christine Kuehn Schiponi takes readers on a fascinating journey, prompted by a jarring phone call that unearths her prominent family's remarkable, long-held secret involvement in World War II. Setting Kuehn Schiponi on a compelling quest for the truth, this truly gripping and dramatic piece of nonfiction reveals how the Kuehn family found themselves astonishingly forced out of Germany and relocated to Hawaii, tasked by Nazi leader Joseph Goebbels with spying half a world away from home. This incredible true account is the culmination of decades of meticulous research, and it reads with the intimacy of a memoir. The family and espionage secrets are intense, and her grandfather's connection to both Germany and Pearl Harbor is utterly shocking. I could not imagine learning my family was directly involved with passing secrets on to the Japanese, leading to the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. I was enthralled by Kuehn Schiponi's decades-long determination to uncover her family's hidden past and her captivating ability to weave the narrative together as her research comes to light. For anyone who loves family sagas, WWII history, historical drama, or the unraveling of profound family mysteries, Family of Spies is a 272 page must read. I look forward to experiencing the audiobook version. Thank you NetGalley, author Christine Kuehn Schiponi, and publisher Celadon Books for this advanced reader copy. 4/5
November 10, 2025
A letter from a screenwriter to journalist-turned-media consultant Christine Kuehn asking about her father's past sends her on a decades-long journey into a family secret: her ancestors, the prominent Berlin-based Kuehns, became spies for Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan during WWII, living in Hawai'i, conducting espionage just miles from Pearl Harbor, and ultimately playing a role in the December 7, 1941 attack. The story alternates between the author's modern-day investigation and her family's clandestine lives in Germany, Japan, and Hawai'i, revealing the way national history and family history intertwine.
"Family of Spies" is a harrowing, relentlessly intriguing true story of one woman's investigation into her own family history - and the explosive legacy it held. Christine Kuehn is an experienced journalist, and that background is a major asset: the research feels meticulous, the narrative clear and engaging, and the interplay between the personal and the geopolitical is handled with remarkable restraint. Her combination of journalist-investigator and family member gives the story both clarity and emotional depth, and the way Kuehn connects her family's decisions to larger historical currents is both powerful and sobering.
With its impeccable pacing, "Family of Spies" has the momentum of a thriller, though the subject is unflinchingly historical. Finally, the epilogue ties the past to the present in a striking way, as Kuehn explains why she felt compelled to go public: in a world where antisemitism, propaganda and authoritarianism are again rising, this is not simply a "forgotten WWII story" but a cautionary tale.
I was fortunate to receive copies of both the digital and audiobook editions for a truly immersive experience. The audiobook was flawlessly produced and narrated by Erin Bennett, though history buffs who like looking things up and researching further might prefer the printed version.
In sum: a remarkable nonfiction account of a little-known chapter of Pearl Harbor, told with a journalist's precision and an insider's emotional stake. It cannot be missed.
Many thanks to Celadon Books and Macmillan Audio for providing me with the Kindle and audiobook editions of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Both the audiobook and the print version of "Family of Spies" are slated to be published on November 25, 2025.
"Family of Spies" is a harrowing, relentlessly intriguing true story of one woman's investigation into her own family history - and the explosive legacy it held. Christine Kuehn is an experienced journalist, and that background is a major asset: the research feels meticulous, the narrative clear and engaging, and the interplay between the personal and the geopolitical is handled with remarkable restraint. Her combination of journalist-investigator and family member gives the story both clarity and emotional depth, and the way Kuehn connects her family's decisions to larger historical currents is both powerful and sobering.
With its impeccable pacing, "Family of Spies" has the momentum of a thriller, though the subject is unflinchingly historical. Finally, the epilogue ties the past to the present in a striking way, as Kuehn explains why she felt compelled to go public: in a world where antisemitism, propaganda and authoritarianism are again rising, this is not simply a "forgotten WWII story" but a cautionary tale.
I was fortunate to receive copies of both the digital and audiobook editions for a truly immersive experience. The audiobook was flawlessly produced and narrated by Erin Bennett, though history buffs who like looking things up and researching further might prefer the printed version.
In sum: a remarkable nonfiction account of a little-known chapter of Pearl Harbor, told with a journalist's precision and an insider's emotional stake. It cannot be missed.
Many thanks to Celadon Books and Macmillan Audio for providing me with the Kindle and audiobook editions of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Both the audiobook and the print version of "Family of Spies" are slated to be published on November 25, 2025.
October 29, 2025
I learned a lot about the attack on Pearl Harbor from reading "Family of Spies". I don't know whether this is an embarrassing statement to make, but I had genuinely never considered that there were spies in Hawaii monitoring Pearl Harbor! The story of Christine's grandparents traveling from Germany to Hawaii and all of the espionage work that they did there in preparation for the attack was eerie but fascinating.
I love the genre, but non-fiction history reads are frequently dense and take weeks for me to get through. It was a treat to be able to pick up "Family of Spies" and get through it so quickly, because it is under 300 pages, while still getting a unique perspective on an infamous historical event.
The story of Christine and her family hinges on the experiences of her father. For most of her life, Christine was not aware of the relationship her family had with Pearl Harbor. When Christine finds out and brings it up to him, he denies or obfuscates and changes the subject. Shortly thereafter, he begins to experience dementia, and that's how we experience Christine's father for the vast majority of the book. However, Christine cites her father as a source throughout the book. I think it would've been helpful and felt more cohesive if some of those conversations had made an appearance. Without those firsthand conversations, his reliable input felt disjointed from our experience of him as a reader.
I love the genre, but non-fiction history reads are frequently dense and take weeks for me to get through. It was a treat to be able to pick up "Family of Spies" and get through it so quickly, because it is under 300 pages, while still getting a unique perspective on an infamous historical event.
The story of Christine and her family hinges on the experiences of her father. For most of her life, Christine was not aware of the relationship her family had with Pearl Harbor. When Christine finds out and brings it up to him, he denies or obfuscates and changes the subject. Shortly thereafter, he begins to experience dementia, and that's how we experience Christine's father for the vast majority of the book. However, Christine cites her father as a source throughout the book. I think it would've been helpful and felt more cohesive if some of those conversations had made an appearance. Without those firsthand conversations, his reliable input felt disjointed from our experience of him as a reader.
September 1, 2025
Thank you Celadon and the author for my advanced readers copy. As soon as I read the description, I knew I needed to read Family of Spies. Christine Kuehn grew up as an average American. Her father, a German immigrant, lived in the US during WW II and served in the US Army. He rarely shared about his childhood or family. Christine didn’t really think twice about her dad’s lack of family stateside.
Until she was abruptly confronted with his family’s past via a letter from a historian asking for background on her grandparent’s involvement in the attack on Pearl Harbor. Floored, Christine vacillates between ignoring the letter (maybe she was the wrong Kuehn? Maybe the letter was a prank? Maybe the sender was wrong) and learning more.
I think we all know Christine chose to research as I’m writing a review for the book published as the results of her findings.
I really thought I knew what I was getting into. I’ve read about and researched WW2 since elementary school, even earning a college degree in the subject. I was NOT prepared. My jaw dropped within the first few pages and stayed that way. Christine effortlessly tells the history of her grandparents while weaving in her experience of discovering their role as Nazi spies.
This book is one of a kind.
Until she was abruptly confronted with his family’s past via a letter from a historian asking for background on her grandparent’s involvement in the attack on Pearl Harbor. Floored, Christine vacillates between ignoring the letter (maybe she was the wrong Kuehn? Maybe the letter was a prank? Maybe the sender was wrong) and learning more.
I think we all know Christine chose to research as I’m writing a review for the book published as the results of her findings.
I really thought I knew what I was getting into. I’ve read about and researched WW2 since elementary school, even earning a college degree in the subject. I was NOT prepared. My jaw dropped within the first few pages and stayed that way. Christine effortlessly tells the history of her grandparents while weaving in her experience of discovering their role as Nazi spies.
This book is one of a kind.
January 16, 2026
Incredible book. Family of Spies completely pulled me into the World War II era, especially life in Hawaii during that time. It felt immersive and personal, like stepping back into history through real people and real stakes. I couldn’t put it down and learned so much along the way. Highly recommend!
December 1, 2025
What a story! Sharing a non spoiler review and I suggest you go in blind, knowing this review gives you enough without telling you the story that the synopsis tends to give away.
The author discovers her deep, dark, family secret that was crushing for her to learn of. She walks the reader through her childhood, some unusual encounters and conversations that she finally realizes to be missing hints regarding her father’s past. She does some major digging to find out the whole story and at times she needs to take a break from learning more because it was difficult for her to grapple with.
I thought the story was well built in how she reveals how she discovered these secrets. I’m sure her research was all jumbled up but she tells the story in a linear fashion that makes it easy to binge.
The author discovers her deep, dark, family secret that was crushing for her to learn of. She walks the reader through her childhood, some unusual encounters and conversations that she finally realizes to be missing hints regarding her father’s past. She does some major digging to find out the whole story and at times she needs to take a break from learning more because it was difficult for her to grapple with.
I thought the story was well built in how she reveals how she discovered these secrets. I’m sure her research was all jumbled up but she tells the story in a linear fashion that makes it easy to binge.
June 3, 2025
Received as an ARC via my former employer Barnes & Noble. Started 5-31-25. Finished 6-2-25. This true story will keep you intrigued until the very end. You're a young adult woman, and you hear that your father's parents and siblings, who were all born in Germany, were Nazi spies prior to
World War II in Germany, then were moved to Hawaii and for another decade or so were spies for the Japanese, and were instrumental in providing surveillance for the December attack on Pearl Harbor!!!!! Hard to believe, and hard to accept. Thus begins the author's 30-year search for information to either prove or disprove this information. And what about her father who is reluctant to talk about his family at all, and what was his role in all of this?
World War II in Germany, then were moved to Hawaii and for another decade or so were spies for the Japanese, and were instrumental in providing surveillance for the December attack on Pearl Harbor!!!!! Hard to believe, and hard to accept. Thus begins the author's 30-year search for information to either prove or disprove this information. And what about her father who is reluctant to talk about his family at all, and what was his role in all of this?
November 22, 2025
If you’re interested in World War II, and particularly the events leading up to the Pearl Harbor attack, you’ve got to read this book.
Debut author, American journalist and PR professional, Christine Kuehn, gives us the story of her family’s ties to Nazi Germany and their espionage on behalf of the Japanese Empire. Part memoir, but also a solidly researched history, it recounts:
- How Ms. Kuehn's grandfather Otto, a committed Nazi, lost his bid to become Heinrich Himmler’s SS Intelligence chief—or head of the Gestapo--to Richard Heydrich, who would come to be known as “The Butcher of Prague” and who was a principal author of “The Final Solution.”
- How her Aunt Ruth became Joseph Goebbels’s teenage mistress, but then lost his favor when her Jewish ancestry came to light.
- How her grandparents, Otto and Friedel, and her Aunt Ruth—now disfavored amongst the party elite—were forced to move to Hawaii—bringing Christine’s father, nine-year-old Eberhardt with them—where Otto, Friedel, and Ruth lived a lavish lifestyle while spying for Japan as it prepared to attack Pearl Harbor.
- The particulars of their lives and incidents of espionage in Hawaii, including young Eberhardt’s non-involvement and “Americanization.”
- The attack on Pearl Harbor.
- Their capture by the FBI, incarceration, and trial immediately thereafter.
- How various family members spent the war and its aftermath: most notably, Otto being imprisoned at Leavenworth; Friedel and Ruth languishing in internment camps before being returned to Germany; and Eberhardt serving in the U.S. army and at the battle of Okinawa.
As she tells the tale, Ms. Kuehn takes care to describe the historical events that were taking place, including the rise of National Socialism and Japanese imperialism/expansionism and some of the underlying reasons; the fraying of American-Japanese relations and the oil and steel embargoes FDR lodged against Japan; life in pre-war Hawaii; America’s belief in the island’s military impregnability; American attitudes after the December 7 attack; wartime prisoner incarceration and exchanges; and much, much more.
Interspersed throughout is Ms. Kuehn’s own story relating how, over 30 years, she came to unearth her family’s involvement in these events—as well as what happened to various family members—and how she felt and feels about it.
All in all, it’s a fascinating, well-told, 5-star history and memoir not to be missed.
My thanks to NetGalley, author Christine Kuehn, and publisher Celadon Books for providing me with a complimentary, electronic ARC. All of the foregoing is my honest, independent opinion.
Debut author, American journalist and PR professional, Christine Kuehn, gives us the story of her family’s ties to Nazi Germany and their espionage on behalf of the Japanese Empire. Part memoir, but also a solidly researched history, it recounts:
- How Ms. Kuehn's grandfather Otto, a committed Nazi, lost his bid to become Heinrich Himmler’s SS Intelligence chief—or head of the Gestapo--to Richard Heydrich, who would come to be known as “The Butcher of Prague” and who was a principal author of “The Final Solution.”
- How her Aunt Ruth became Joseph Goebbels’s teenage mistress, but then lost his favor when her Jewish ancestry came to light.
- How her grandparents, Otto and Friedel, and her Aunt Ruth—now disfavored amongst the party elite—were forced to move to Hawaii—bringing Christine’s father, nine-year-old Eberhardt with them—where Otto, Friedel, and Ruth lived a lavish lifestyle while spying for Japan as it prepared to attack Pearl Harbor.
- The particulars of their lives and incidents of espionage in Hawaii, including young Eberhardt’s non-involvement and “Americanization.”
- The attack on Pearl Harbor.
- Their capture by the FBI, incarceration, and trial immediately thereafter.
- How various family members spent the war and its aftermath: most notably, Otto being imprisoned at Leavenworth; Friedel and Ruth languishing in internment camps before being returned to Germany; and Eberhardt serving in the U.S. army and at the battle of Okinawa.
As she tells the tale, Ms. Kuehn takes care to describe the historical events that were taking place, including the rise of National Socialism and Japanese imperialism/expansionism and some of the underlying reasons; the fraying of American-Japanese relations and the oil and steel embargoes FDR lodged against Japan; life in pre-war Hawaii; America’s belief in the island’s military impregnability; American attitudes after the December 7 attack; wartime prisoner incarceration and exchanges; and much, much more.
Interspersed throughout is Ms. Kuehn’s own story relating how, over 30 years, she came to unearth her family’s involvement in these events—as well as what happened to various family members—and how she felt and feels about it.
All in all, it’s a fascinating, well-told, 5-star history and memoir not to be missed.
My thanks to NetGalley, author Christine Kuehn, and publisher Celadon Books for providing me with a complimentary, electronic ARC. All of the foregoing is my honest, independent opinion.
October 11, 2025
Reads like fiction! Fascinating family story, insightful history. A thought-provoking and highly enjoyable read!
How would you feel if you learned that your grandfather was an important Nazi official sent to Oahu in 1936 to spy in preparation for the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor? Author Christine Kuehn’s father did not speak much about his family, but she never expected to learn that several of her family members had helped gather information to plan the attack. This involvement included obvious things like taking pictures and sending them to the Japanese but also included her grandfather using his ten-year-old son to help with the spying. I could understand Otto’s feelings of patriotism for his native country and his resentment of the US as a result of his experiences during the first World War, but I also have to wonder how much he was motivated by the very generous financial compensation he was given for his efforts.
This is wonderful history through people that also includes a lot of other interesting related information, like background on the early Nazi party, people like “Butcher of Prague” Hans Heydrich, details of the Japanese planning for the Pearl Harbor attack, and the experiences of people who were living on the island when it was attacked.
The Kuehn family has a lot of members discussed in this book, and I sometimes had a bit of trouble keeping them straight. Lest the frustration interfere with my enjoyment, I made a little list to help out; you might want to do the same thing.
If this were a work of fiction, my reaction would have been that it was a great story but a bit too exaggerated to be credible. But it’s true, and the author has significant documentation to support it! Whether you are looking for a good story or informative history, it is worth your time.
I received an advance review copy of this excellent book from NetGalley and Celadon Books.
How would you feel if you learned that your grandfather was an important Nazi official sent to Oahu in 1936 to spy in preparation for the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor? Author Christine Kuehn’s father did not speak much about his family, but she never expected to learn that several of her family members had helped gather information to plan the attack. This involvement included obvious things like taking pictures and sending them to the Japanese but also included her grandfather using his ten-year-old son to help with the spying. I could understand Otto’s feelings of patriotism for his native country and his resentment of the US as a result of his experiences during the first World War, but I also have to wonder how much he was motivated by the very generous financial compensation he was given for his efforts.
This is wonderful history through people that also includes a lot of other interesting related information, like background on the early Nazi party, people like “Butcher of Prague” Hans Heydrich, details of the Japanese planning for the Pearl Harbor attack, and the experiences of people who were living on the island when it was attacked.
The Kuehn family has a lot of members discussed in this book, and I sometimes had a bit of trouble keeping them straight. Lest the frustration interfere with my enjoyment, I made a little list to help out; you might want to do the same thing.
If this were a work of fiction, my reaction would have been that it was a great story but a bit too exaggerated to be credible. But it’s true, and the author has significant documentation to support it! Whether you are looking for a good story or informative history, it is worth your time.
I received an advance review copy of this excellent book from NetGalley and Celadon Books.
December 8, 2025
A compelling true story told by the granddaughter of a Nazi spy leading up to the Pearl Harbor attack. Christine’s discovery of decades long dark secrets in her own family’s past.
It wasn’t intentional. But I realized today is the 84th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor.
It wasn’t intentional. But I realized today is the 84th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor.
November 24, 2025
A propulsive, never-before-told story of one family’s shocking involvement as Nazi and Japanese spies during WWII and the pivotal role they played in the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Narrator Erin Bennett did a great job at narrating Family of Spies. Erin is known for narrating Elin Hilderbrand books. However, this is my first audiobook narrated by Erin. I listened at 1.75x speed.
This was a shocking true story of a family who was involved in the horrific bombing of Pearl Harbor. I appreciated the author who had the courage to unravel years of family secrets and research facts about her family’s ties to Nazi Germany. I was captivated from the beginning of the story until the end.
Thank you to the publisher Macmillan audio for the gifted audiobook. I appreciate the opportunity to preview this book. All opinions are my own.
Narrator Erin Bennett did a great job at narrating Family of Spies. Erin is known for narrating Elin Hilderbrand books. However, this is my first audiobook narrated by Erin. I listened at 1.75x speed.
This was a shocking true story of a family who was involved in the horrific bombing of Pearl Harbor. I appreciated the author who had the courage to unravel years of family secrets and research facts about her family’s ties to Nazi Germany. I was captivated from the beginning of the story until the end.
Thank you to the publisher Macmillan audio for the gifted audiobook. I appreciate the opportunity to preview this book. All opinions are my own.
November 28, 2025
family story... interesting-ish. what really caught my attention:
secret [hiding German 'immigrant' involvement] swift constitutionally questionable unfair military trials... Japanese descent american-citizens held in internment camps alongside Japanese citizen spies, the spies getting freedom long before american citizens...
subsequent generations, of traitors, spared shame, living privileged oblivious lives, free of consequence, to conduct family research... such a rich history. no shade on the book or author... my gripe, petty, is in the vein of non-white patriotic american citizens who donned military uniforms in hopes of earning equality/respect, some killed, yet not afforded the same privilege, nor their descendants.
secret [hiding German 'immigrant' involvement] swift constitutionally questionable unfair military trials... Japanese descent american-citizens held in internment camps alongside Japanese citizen spies, the spies getting freedom long before american citizens...
subsequent generations, of traitors, spared shame, living privileged oblivious lives, free of consequence, to conduct family research... such a rich history. no shade on the book or author... my gripe, petty, is in the vein of non-white patriotic american citizens who donned military uniforms in hopes of earning equality/respect, some killed, yet not afforded the same privilege, nor their descendants.
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