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The Secret Stealers
A female American spy in Nazi-occupied France finds purpose behind enemy lines in a novel of unparalleled danger, love, and daring by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Beantown Girls.
Anna Cavanaugh is a restless young widow and brilliant French teacher at a private school in Washington, DC. Everything changes when she’s recruited into the Office of Strategic Services by family friend and legendary WWI hero Major General William Donovan.
Donovan has faith in her—and in all his “glorious amateurs” who are becoming Anna’s fast friends: Maggie, Anna’s down-to-earth mentor; Irene, who’s struggling to find support from her husband for her clandestine life; and Julia, a cheerful OSS liaison. But the more Anna learns about the organization’s secret missions, the more she longs to be stationed abroad. Then comes the opportunity: go undercover as a spy in the French Resistance to help steal critical intelligence that could ultimately turn the tide of the war.
Dispatched behind enemy lines and in constant danger, Anna is filled with adrenaline, passion, and fear. She’s driven to make a difference—for her country and for herself. Whatever the risk, she’s willing to take it to help liberate France from the shadows of occupation and to free herself from the shadows of her former life.
Anna Cavanaugh is a restless young widow and brilliant French teacher at a private school in Washington, DC. Everything changes when she’s recruited into the Office of Strategic Services by family friend and legendary WWI hero Major General William Donovan.
Donovan has faith in her—and in all his “glorious amateurs” who are becoming Anna’s fast friends: Maggie, Anna’s down-to-earth mentor; Irene, who’s struggling to find support from her husband for her clandestine life; and Julia, a cheerful OSS liaison. But the more Anna learns about the organization’s secret missions, the more she longs to be stationed abroad. Then comes the opportunity: go undercover as a spy in the French Resistance to help steal critical intelligence that could ultimately turn the tide of the war.
Dispatched behind enemy lines and in constant danger, Anna is filled with adrenaline, passion, and fear. She’s driven to make a difference—for her country and for herself. Whatever the risk, she’s willing to take it to help liberate France from the shadows of occupation and to free herself from the shadows of her former life.
443 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2021
6575 people are currently reading
14853 people want to read
About the author
Jane Healey
9 books1,278 followersJane Healey shares a home north of Boston with her husband, two daughters, and two cats. When she’s not writing historical fiction, she enjoys running, reading, cooking and going to the beach.
For more information on the author, her work and upcoming events:
Website: www.janehealey.com.
Facebook: facebook.com/JaneHealeyBooks/
Twitter and Instagram:@healeyjane
For more information on the author, her work and upcoming events:
Website: www.janehealey.com.
Facebook: facebook.com/JaneHealeyBooks/
Twitter and Instagram:@healeyjane
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,388 reviews
March 29, 2021
DNF at 48%
I normally don't rate books that are a DNF for me, but after investing all this time to get to almost halfway I feel that I should at least be allowed to comment to make up for it. This kind of book is the reason I have given up on WW2 fiction (which I used to love). It seems to be the trend at the moment to set romance during WW2, but the books are just that - a romance in disguise with no meat behind them. Choppy writing, stereotypes for characters and dialogue that was wooden and used words that were not common during the 1940s were some of the reasons I did not finish. Historical fiction needs to be able to evoke the era for me, and this story did not manage to do that. If it is indeed based on a true story, it doesn't do those women justice. I got very bored and irritated very quickly and read three other books in between, so it was best to call it a day and move on.
If you enjoy a Hallmark type story with a vague WW2 setting, then this book may work well for you. I prefer my historical fiction with a bit more grit and believable characters. It was just not a good fit for this reader.
I normally don't rate books that are a DNF for me, but after investing all this time to get to almost halfway I feel that I should at least be allowed to comment to make up for it. This kind of book is the reason I have given up on WW2 fiction (which I used to love). It seems to be the trend at the moment to set romance during WW2, but the books are just that - a romance in disguise with no meat behind them. Choppy writing, stereotypes for characters and dialogue that was wooden and used words that were not common during the 1940s were some of the reasons I did not finish. Historical fiction needs to be able to evoke the era for me, and this story did not manage to do that. If it is indeed based on a true story, it doesn't do those women justice. I got very bored and irritated very quickly and read three other books in between, so it was best to call it a day and move on.
If you enjoy a Hallmark type story with a vague WW2 setting, then this book may work well for you. I prefer my historical fiction with a bit more grit and believable characters. It was just not a good fit for this reader.
June 23, 2021
Anna Cavanaugh is twenty five, she’s extremely intelligent and teaches high school French. Five months ago her husband Connor was tragically killed, she’s a young widow and not looking forward to spending the summer with her parents at the Cape. A long-time family friend Major General William Donovan is in charge of the Office of Strategic Services, he’s had Anna flagged for a while and she’s asked to attend an interview.
Anna’s honored to be considered as a candidate for such an important job, Donovan has direct contact with the White House and regularly speaks to President Roosevelt. They work long hours and Anna becomes one of the gang, she makes friends with Maggie, Irene and Julia. Anna discovers more about the secret organization, she desperately wants to go overseas, train to be a spy and will Donovan give her a chance?
Paris during WW II, where a healthy man sticks out like a sore thumb, they have been sent to Germany to work, women are being recruited as spies, they fit in undetected with the population and are versatile. Anna lived in France for a year as a student, she’s fluent in French and German and a perfect candidate. Anna’s travels to Hampshire in England to begin her training as a wireless operator, the course is physically and mentally taxing. In France her job will be extremely important, she will receive and send vital intelligence and it’s also very dangerous. When Anna sees her first German soldier in France her hands shake, once she notices how much Paris has changed under German occupation and she’s very determined to everything she can to help defeat the Germans.
The Secret Stealers is a story about Anna’s adventures as a resourceful and assertive secret agent in France during WW II. Anna the young widow, who was once lost, consumed by grief, guilt, regret, sadness and she discovers what she’s capable of. The book had me hooked from the start, full of intrigue, tension, anticipation, danger, and strong female characters and five stars from me.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
Anna’s honored to be considered as a candidate for such an important job, Donovan has direct contact with the White House and regularly speaks to President Roosevelt. They work long hours and Anna becomes one of the gang, she makes friends with Maggie, Irene and Julia. Anna discovers more about the secret organization, she desperately wants to go overseas, train to be a spy and will Donovan give her a chance?
Paris during WW II, where a healthy man sticks out like a sore thumb, they have been sent to Germany to work, women are being recruited as spies, they fit in undetected with the population and are versatile. Anna lived in France for a year as a student, she’s fluent in French and German and a perfect candidate. Anna’s travels to Hampshire in England to begin her training as a wireless operator, the course is physically and mentally taxing. In France her job will be extremely important, she will receive and send vital intelligence and it’s also very dangerous. When Anna sees her first German soldier in France her hands shake, once she notices how much Paris has changed under German occupation and she’s very determined to everything she can to help defeat the Germans.
The Secret Stealers is a story about Anna’s adventures as a resourceful and assertive secret agent in France during WW II. Anna the young widow, who was once lost, consumed by grief, guilt, regret, sadness and she discovers what she’s capable of. The book had me hooked from the start, full of intrigue, tension, anticipation, danger, and strong female characters and five stars from me.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
January 16, 2021
As posted on mysteryandsuspensemagazine.com
Special thanks to the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Anna Cavanaugh is a recent widow, working as a French teacher in Washington, D.C. When a family friend, General William Donovan, reaches out to her and invites her to join the Office of Strategic Services, Anna’s life is completely turned upside down. Soon, she is working behind enemy lines in France, clandestinely communicating with London about the Germans plans. In constant danger, Anna and her female colleagues concoct rescue missions and reveal weapon blueprints to the home front, while at the same time trying to keep their real identities a secret.
Historical fiction author Jane Healey returns with her newest novel, expected in April 2021, “The Secret Stealers”. Full of intrigue, suspense and patriotism, it pulled me in from the first page.
Anna is an honest and realistic character, while at the same time being exceptionally brave and true to herself. Desperate to make a difference in the world, she takes on the biggest challenge of her life, despite the danger, and despite the attitudes toward women both at home and abroad. With the help of her friends, Anna is able to confront her fears and doubts, and change the war effort for the Allied forces. There is an immediate bond formed with Anna, and right away I wanted her to succeed. She is relatable on every level, a “typical” female doing a “typical” job, who is called to action in a huge way. This is literally the stuff that dreams are made of.
The story takes place mostly abroad, particularly in London and France, and Healey describes the beauty of these countries, but also the destruction caused by the war, in an immersive and captivating way. I was right there with Anna, as she biked the dirty streets of France, and traveled in the back of a tiny plane on her way to London.
Healey’s novel is well-researched, as she details in her author’s notes, and the fact that some of her characters were based on real-life people makes the novel even more awe-inspiring. Although “The Secret Stealers” is full of dangerous and clandestine missions and is laden with destruction and death, it also manages to be uplifting and inspiring.
The bittersweet and emotional ending concludes the novel perfectly. There are tear-filled reunions, nostalgic memories, and positive feelings about the future, which is exactly what you’d expect from a World War Two novel. As realistic and heart-wrenching as “The Secret Stealers” is, it highlights the bravery and strength of the participants, of both genders, and reignites a faith in humanity.
Special thanks to the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Anna Cavanaugh is a recent widow, working as a French teacher in Washington, D.C. When a family friend, General William Donovan, reaches out to her and invites her to join the Office of Strategic Services, Anna’s life is completely turned upside down. Soon, she is working behind enemy lines in France, clandestinely communicating with London about the Germans plans. In constant danger, Anna and her female colleagues concoct rescue missions and reveal weapon blueprints to the home front, while at the same time trying to keep their real identities a secret.
Historical fiction author Jane Healey returns with her newest novel, expected in April 2021, “The Secret Stealers”. Full of intrigue, suspense and patriotism, it pulled me in from the first page.
Anna is an honest and realistic character, while at the same time being exceptionally brave and true to herself. Desperate to make a difference in the world, she takes on the biggest challenge of her life, despite the danger, and despite the attitudes toward women both at home and abroad. With the help of her friends, Anna is able to confront her fears and doubts, and change the war effort for the Allied forces. There is an immediate bond formed with Anna, and right away I wanted her to succeed. She is relatable on every level, a “typical” female doing a “typical” job, who is called to action in a huge way. This is literally the stuff that dreams are made of.
The story takes place mostly abroad, particularly in London and France, and Healey describes the beauty of these countries, but also the destruction caused by the war, in an immersive and captivating way. I was right there with Anna, as she biked the dirty streets of France, and traveled in the back of a tiny plane on her way to London.
Healey’s novel is well-researched, as she details in her author’s notes, and the fact that some of her characters were based on real-life people makes the novel even more awe-inspiring. Although “The Secret Stealers” is full of dangerous and clandestine missions and is laden with destruction and death, it also manages to be uplifting and inspiring.
The bittersweet and emotional ending concludes the novel perfectly. There are tear-filled reunions, nostalgic memories, and positive feelings about the future, which is exactly what you’d expect from a World War Two novel. As realistic and heart-wrenching as “The Secret Stealers” is, it highlights the bravery and strength of the participants, of both genders, and reignites a faith in humanity.
March 4, 2021
I wish I could give this wonderful book twenty thousand stars!!! It was brilliant. It was a prime first read and I loved it. Set in America in 1942 it tells the story of a women training to become an agent in France with all the descriptions of the danger of sending radio messages and hiding from the Germans.
I enjoyed it so much that when I finished it I was bereft thinking what am I going to read next? That book will stay with me for a long time.
I enjoyed it so much that when I finished it I was bereft thinking what am I going to read next? That book will stay with me for a long time.
March 21, 2021
I'm two-thirds of the way through this and I'm sorry to say, becoming increasingly irritated by it. I started out really liking it, though there were aspects of it that jarred - I get that women were widely regarded as less capable and only able to fulfil subservient roles but this idea was very unsubtly hammered over the head of the reader in the early part of the book.
There are many anachronisms and also American phrases attributed to Brits (e.g. a well spoken English person in the 40s would never have said "gotten").
I wasn't clear why Anna was even needed in her first "assignment" in DC (or if she was needed as being less noticeable than Philip, why he needed to accompany her). She literally just took the books to the car!
And I have never come across such indiscreet spies in any work of fiction! From the beginning they talk about their work in bars, restaurants and in letters (even giving the London address of the OSS in one). And then in Paris the spies constantly refer to each other by their real names, even introducing themselves to others as such. Anna actually says at one point that she uses Josette's alias as infrequently as possible as she is scared of getting it wrong! Well maybe if you had called her Madeleine since arriving in Paris, you wouldn't be worried! I would have thought that from the beginning of training, they would have referred to each other by their aliases, maybe even never being told the real identity of each other.
My final irritation is the romances. At the beginning, newly widowed and finally able to undertake a fulfilling job rather than be mainly seen as a supportive wife, I thought that Anna was going to be an interesting, independent woman. But no, within weeks of her husband dying, she is swooning into the arms of a new man. And as the book progresses, the romance seems to take over from the spying.
I will continue to the end and hope it improves.
Well, I have now finished and unfortunately it didn't get better. Looking back on the whole book, it strikes me how little actually happened. Josette is praised at the end for being the notorious spy who did so much. But what did the book show that she did? Not a lot most of the time. I have no idea what she and Anna were doing for the rest of the time (when they weren't chatting up the German officers). They just seemed to be drinking in cafes most of the time and swooning over their boyfriends.
I know I'm in the minority here but it was a pretty awful book really. And definitely more of a romance than a thriller.
There are many anachronisms and also American phrases attributed to Brits (e.g. a well spoken English person in the 40s would never have said "gotten").
I wasn't clear why Anna was even needed in her first "assignment" in DC (or if she was needed as being less noticeable than Philip, why he needed to accompany her). She literally just took the books to the car!
And I have never come across such indiscreet spies in any work of fiction! From the beginning they talk about their work in bars, restaurants and in letters (even giving the London address of the OSS in one). And then in Paris the spies constantly refer to each other by their real names, even introducing themselves to others as such. Anna actually says at one point that she uses Josette's alias as infrequently as possible as she is scared of getting it wrong! Well maybe if you had called her Madeleine since arriving in Paris, you wouldn't be worried! I would have thought that from the beginning of training, they would have referred to each other by their aliases, maybe even never being told the real identity of each other.
My final irritation is the romances. At the beginning, newly widowed and finally able to undertake a fulfilling job rather than be mainly seen as a supportive wife, I thought that Anna was going to be an interesting, independent woman. But no, within weeks of her husband dying, she is swooning into the arms of a new man. And as the book progresses, the romance seems to take over from the spying.
I will continue to the end and hope it improves.
Well, I have now finished and unfortunately it didn't get better. Looking back on the whole book, it strikes me how little actually happened. Josette is praised at the end for being the notorious spy who did so much. But what did the book show that she did? Not a lot most of the time. I have no idea what she and Anna were doing for the rest of the time (when they weren't chatting up the German officers). They just seemed to be drinking in cafes most of the time and swooning over their boyfriends.
I know I'm in the minority here but it was a pretty awful book really. And definitely more of a romance than a thriller.
April 30, 2021
Quick thoughts:
I absolutely loved The Beantown Girls, so I could not wait to pick this one up.
Anna is awe-inspiring. Putting her life on the line for the war effort, she is smart, and she’s also human. While she’s living on the brink of danger on a daily basis, she looks fear in the face.
The story has great tension throughout, and I loved all the supporting characters, too. There’s a love story to add some hope. Get ready for another book about strong women from author, Jane Healey. Highly recommended.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
I absolutely loved The Beantown Girls, so I could not wait to pick this one up.
Anna is awe-inspiring. Putting her life on the line for the war effort, she is smart, and she’s also human. While she’s living on the brink of danger on a daily basis, she looks fear in the face.
The story has great tension throughout, and I loved all the supporting characters, too. There’s a love story to add some hope. Get ready for another book about strong women from author, Jane Healey. Highly recommended.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
March 28, 2021
Anna, a young American widow, joins the Office of Stategic Services during World War II and finds herself deployed in occupied France in a daring and desperate mission that will test all she holds dear.
April 25, 2021
The Secret Stealers. The title sounds so ominous and dangerous, doesn’t it? While Jane Healey’s historical fiction novel featuring an American woman in the throes of the French Resistance does have those moments, many of them, in fact, it also portrays its central characters as very human. Some are entirely fictional, some composites of historical figures, and some were real people, like Major General William Donovan and the French female spy codenamed Amniarix, who is given a somewhat different name in this book. As with most historical fiction, the research is well done; there is much fiction added.
Anna Cavanaugh wants to be an overseas field agent for the US government. Could it be a “rebound relationship”? Hardly. Anna is a recent widow, but she is highly intelligent, capable, and eager to serve her country as well as experience adventure. She hopes to return to Paris, a city she knows and loves and where she has good friends. Paris, unfortunately, is occupied by the Nazis. And Anna’s parents do not look fondly upon having their daughter being thrust anywhere near a war zone.
But “Wild Bill” Donovan is a family friend, and he becomes Anna’s ally and mentor. He takes her under his wing as his assistant, and Anna progresses from there. Despite wanting to protect Anna and avoid the wrath of her father should she be harmed, Donovan gives in to her insistence that she take on more risk and responsibility, as he believes in her abilities.
I loved the characters and the friendships they formed. Closer relationships, while perhaps unwise, happen are inevitable. The author focuses more than I would have liked on these romances; I have no way of knowing if these could be accurate historical events – most of these characters are fictional or composite personalities, and love does make the hardships of living in an occupied territory more tolerable, I’m sure. The real-life Amniarix was reputed to be a brilliant linguist who was extremely wily and courageous. I felt that description fit Anna even more than it did her French counterpart in this fictional version.
Ms. Healey leads up to the perilous scenes very well. Even though the plot was fairly predictable, I still felt the breath-holding, cold sweat-inducing tension that these searches and encounters produced.
This was one Amazon First Reads choice that I was quite happy to have picked.
4 stars
Anna Cavanaugh wants to be an overseas field agent for the US government. Could it be a “rebound relationship”? Hardly. Anna is a recent widow, but she is highly intelligent, capable, and eager to serve her country as well as experience adventure. She hopes to return to Paris, a city she knows and loves and where she has good friends. Paris, unfortunately, is occupied by the Nazis. And Anna’s parents do not look fondly upon having their daughter being thrust anywhere near a war zone.
But “Wild Bill” Donovan is a family friend, and he becomes Anna’s ally and mentor. He takes her under his wing as his assistant, and Anna progresses from there. Despite wanting to protect Anna and avoid the wrath of her father should she be harmed, Donovan gives in to her insistence that she take on more risk and responsibility, as he believes in her abilities.
I loved the characters and the friendships they formed. Closer relationships, while perhaps unwise, happen are inevitable. The author focuses more than I would have liked on these romances; I have no way of knowing if these could be accurate historical events – most of these characters are fictional or composite personalities, and love does make the hardships of living in an occupied territory more tolerable, I’m sure. The real-life Amniarix was reputed to be a brilliant linguist who was extremely wily and courageous. I felt that description fit Anna even more than it did her French counterpart in this fictional version.
Ms. Healey leads up to the perilous scenes very well. Even though the plot was fairly predictable, I still felt the breath-holding, cold sweat-inducing tension that these searches and encounters produced.
This was one Amazon First Reads choice that I was quite happy to have picked.
4 stars
September 23, 2021
This book was a very enjoyable read. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't enjoyable because it was well written or interesting. Rather, I enjoyed laughing my way through the choppy writing, the shallow, unbelievable characters, and the unnecessarily strung out plot. This was a romance novel posing as historical fiction and failing miserably in both categories.
SPOILERS BELOW
The main character is introduced as a grieving widow. We shortly afterwards find out that she actually couldn't stand her husband and had an affair with someone else while she was engaged. Then we spend the next 300 pages reading about her romantic attachments to MULTIPLE MEN. And we are meant to be drawn to her as a main character.
The theory foisted upon us is that our character is flawed - struggling with self doubt. But the only reason we know that is because characters literally explicitly say those words. It's told not shown.
What is shown is an attempt to applaud the determination, courage, and prowess of women spies who participated in the WWII Resistance in France that somehow ends up makes me like women less. The author's attempt to honor women as more able and valuable than the sexist stereotypes of the 1940's would have had you believe takes shape in the form of women forming emotional (and sexual) attachments with men left and right (including men not their husbands who are also MARRIED TO SOMEONE ELSE). If the effect is supposed to increase my respect for these women it fails.
This is an actual, literal line from the book: "Due to his huge ego and low opinion of women, it had never occurred to him that I would have the courage and training to face him as a formidable foe. That was his fatal mistake." THE WHOLE BOOK IS WRITTEN LIKE THAT.
I didn't care when the good guys die or get captured. I was not invested in a happy ending. I was not scared of the bad guys. I felt no suspense at any point which seems like a problem in a book about spies.
Also husbands are always a bad idea. Always. Sleep with someone else's husband and/or your fellow spies and/or that random soldier guy you met doing that thing. Much better plan. But husbands are the always worst.
0/5 stars would be my preference. Don't waste your time on this one unless you need a good laugh.
SPOILERS BELOW
The main character is introduced as a grieving widow. We shortly afterwards find out that she actually couldn't stand her husband and had an affair with someone else while she was engaged. Then we spend the next 300 pages reading about her romantic attachments to MULTIPLE MEN. And we are meant to be drawn to her as a main character.
The theory foisted upon us is that our character is flawed - struggling with self doubt. But the only reason we know that is because characters literally explicitly say those words. It's told not shown.
What is shown is an attempt to applaud the determination, courage, and prowess of women spies who participated in the WWII Resistance in France that somehow ends up makes me like women less. The author's attempt to honor women as more able and valuable than the sexist stereotypes of the 1940's would have had you believe takes shape in the form of women forming emotional (and sexual) attachments with men left and right (including men not their husbands who are also MARRIED TO SOMEONE ELSE). If the effect is supposed to increase my respect for these women it fails.
This is an actual, literal line from the book: "Due to his huge ego and low opinion of women, it had never occurred to him that I would have the courage and training to face him as a formidable foe. That was his fatal mistake." THE WHOLE BOOK IS WRITTEN LIKE THAT.
I didn't care when the good guys die or get captured. I was not invested in a happy ending. I was not scared of the bad guys. I felt no suspense at any point which seems like a problem in a book about spies.
Also husbands are always a bad idea. Always. Sleep with someone else's husband and/or your fellow spies and/or that random soldier guy you met doing that thing. Much better plan. But husbands are the always worst.
0/5 stars would be my preference. Don't waste your time on this one unless you need a good laugh.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2021
In the early 1940s, young and newly widowed Radcliffe graduate Anna Cavanaugh takes a job working in Washington DC for the Office of Strategic Services, the nation’s first intelligence agency, created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and headed by William “Wild Bill” Donovan. Her goal is to become an operative and serve the country’s war efforts in France as she is fluent in French and German. Once she is sent overseas, Anna joins forces with the Resistance and faces daily danger living undercover while trying to secure intelligence from German officers and transmit secrets to London by a wireless radio.
Jane Healey’s new book The Secret Stealers brings the reader behind the scenes into the lives of the brave spies who showed extreme resilience and commitment to the cause during WWII. This book represents an extensive amount of research and includes true life heroes. Anna is a fictional representation of many woman whose stories we’re only now learning about so many years after the war.
There are several very good WWII-era books that tell the stories of the brave women who served in the OSS as well as the British Special Operations Executive (SOE). If you enjoy historical fiction and stories of ordinary people who do extraordinary things, add The Secret Stealers to your list. The comradery between all the characters (both the men and women) was especially appealing. The women were treated with respect and served as equals. While not a major character, it was nice to read about Julia (McWilliams) Child, yes, that Julia Child, and her involvement in the OSS. Although it depicts serious subject matter and people facing possible death, the book is a bit lighter a read than others in the genre.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in advance of its publication.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
Jane Healey’s new book The Secret Stealers brings the reader behind the scenes into the lives of the brave spies who showed extreme resilience and commitment to the cause during WWII. This book represents an extensive amount of research and includes true life heroes. Anna is a fictional representation of many woman whose stories we’re only now learning about so many years after the war.
There are several very good WWII-era books that tell the stories of the brave women who served in the OSS as well as the British Special Operations Executive (SOE). If you enjoy historical fiction and stories of ordinary people who do extraordinary things, add The Secret Stealers to your list. The comradery between all the characters (both the men and women) was especially appealing. The women were treated with respect and served as equals. While not a major character, it was nice to read about Julia (McWilliams) Child, yes, that Julia Child, and her involvement in the OSS. Although it depicts serious subject matter and people facing possible death, the book is a bit lighter a read than others in the genre.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in advance of its publication.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
August 8, 2024
This was just wonderful - 5 stars from me! Have never read a Jane Healy book that I didn't love, and I think I have read them all. I met her once in a restaurant in Watertown at a book talk and signing with Jenna Blum and Hank Philippi Ryan. Jane is a true Boston Girl! I have a picture of the three of them in my phone.
My one complaint, is that the narrator, who I liked, I just thought the voice dialect was not quite right for this spy. But so easy to fall into the story nonetheless. I thought the story, while predictable in places, really told a great tale. I felt that the author really understood love in war, as well as grieving and heartbreak, and took her time with honoring that aspect. I thought the story was well done and compelling.
My one complaint, is that the narrator, who I liked, I just thought the voice dialect was not quite right for this spy. But so easy to fall into the story nonetheless. I thought the story, while predictable in places, really told a great tale. I felt that the author really understood love in war, as well as grieving and heartbreak, and took her time with honoring that aspect. I thought the story was well done and compelling.
March 2, 2021
When I think of the Office of Strategic Services my mind tends to think of Julia Child. Ever since learning she worked there during WWII, I have been a little fascinated by type of work she and others might have done during this time period. Here, in Secret Stealers, we get a glimpse of some of these stories based on real individuals and events, although the author mentions at the end that a few details were altered for the book.
Secret Stealers features a newly widowed teacher named Anna Cavanaugh. Anna is offered a position within the OSS by none other than William Donovan, who heads the organization and is a family friend. But he offered her the position not because of family connections, but due to her educational background, as well as her fluency in French and German. Plus, she had previously lived in Paris for a while. Soon, she is making new friends, including Julia, as is assisting with missions.
All in all, I found the story to be a light read that you quickly complete in an afternoon. My only real issue is that at times it wasn't as fluid as I would have liked. This was most noticeable to me at the beginning when we are getting introduced to the OSS department and Anna's introductions to new individuals or situations. Some of the introductions felt a little awkward as I read through them and drew me out of the story as I saw that they were items to check off before the story began. But overall, it was a good read with a lot of historical details.
Rating: 3.75
Secret Stealers features a newly widowed teacher named Anna Cavanaugh. Anna is offered a position within the OSS by none other than William Donovan, who heads the organization and is a family friend. But he offered her the position not because of family connections, but due to her educational background, as well as her fluency in French and German. Plus, she had previously lived in Paris for a while. Soon, she is making new friends, including Julia, as is assisting with missions.
All in all, I found the story to be a light read that you quickly complete in an afternoon. My only real issue is that at times it wasn't as fluid as I would have liked. This was most noticeable to me at the beginning when we are getting introduced to the OSS department and Anna's introductions to new individuals or situations. Some of the introductions felt a little awkward as I read through them and drew me out of the story as I saw that they were items to check off before the story began. But overall, it was a good read with a lot of historical details.
Rating: 3.75
March 2, 2021
This is Jane Healey at her absolute best! Loveable characters, espionage, sacrifice, female camaraderie and edge of the seat drama, this novel has it all. An absolutely engrossing story that kept me up reading until late into the night.
November 14, 2020
After the death of her husband, Anna is recruited into the OSS. She wants to serve the war efforts in her own way.
I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This story follows Anna, a young woman in the 1940's. Despite being a brilliant graduate herself, Anna has to put aside all her ambitions to take on the expected role of housewife.
When her husband is killed in a car crash, Anna finally discovers a life and job where her intelligence is valued. Working for the OSS spymaster General Donovan, Anna knows that she has to become a spy, to do her part for the war, and for her second home, Paris.
I really enjoyed this historical novel.
It is based on the real OSS - America's first official spy organisation.
You get to view it through Anna's eyes. As the new recruit, it's a steep learning curve, but at least she has some friends to help her through the hardest parts.
The world is at war, and the OSS is working non-stop. Anna embraces this new life and new demands, relishing the challenge. When the opportunity to be an overseas agent comes along, Anna grabs it with both hands.
It was so interesting to see the lives and training of these spies during World War 2, a time when warplay was evolving faster than ever.
I liked our main character Anna. Despite her brilliance, she's still just a normal girl. She's done her duty to her family and wed a suitable man. But now she's free and I rooted for her throughout.
She's a very likeable character, trying to find her path at a time when women were expected to do nothing more than have children and care for their families. Her steps to freedom are tentative at first, but she finds it addictive.
Having never been truly in charge of her own life, she isn't burdened with the cockiness that is present in some of her (mainly male) spies and colleagues.
This isn't a short book, and it isn't filled with constant action, but I never felt like it was slow.
I loved following Anna during training, and her life with the Parisian Resistance fighters. The mission is the main focus, but the book takes the time to paint a very real, grim, but hopeful country under occupation.
The writing is really easy to read, and I was completely hooked throughout.
I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This story follows Anna, a young woman in the 1940's. Despite being a brilliant graduate herself, Anna has to put aside all her ambitions to take on the expected role of housewife.
When her husband is killed in a car crash, Anna finally discovers a life and job where her intelligence is valued. Working for the OSS spymaster General Donovan, Anna knows that she has to become a spy, to do her part for the war, and for her second home, Paris.
I really enjoyed this historical novel.
It is based on the real OSS - America's first official spy organisation.
You get to view it through Anna's eyes. As the new recruit, it's a steep learning curve, but at least she has some friends to help her through the hardest parts.
The world is at war, and the OSS is working non-stop. Anna embraces this new life and new demands, relishing the challenge. When the opportunity to be an overseas agent comes along, Anna grabs it with both hands.
It was so interesting to see the lives and training of these spies during World War 2, a time when warplay was evolving faster than ever.
I liked our main character Anna. Despite her brilliance, she's still just a normal girl. She's done her duty to her family and wed a suitable man. But now she's free and I rooted for her throughout.
She's a very likeable character, trying to find her path at a time when women were expected to do nothing more than have children and care for their families. Her steps to freedom are tentative at first, but she finds it addictive.
Having never been truly in charge of her own life, she isn't burdened with the cockiness that is present in some of her (mainly male) spies and colleagues.
This isn't a short book, and it isn't filled with constant action, but I never felt like it was slow.
I loved following Anna during training, and her life with the Parisian Resistance fighters. The mission is the main focus, but the book takes the time to paint a very real, grim, but hopeful country under occupation.
The writing is really easy to read, and I was completely hooked throughout.
March 10, 2021
Anna Cavanaugh is recently widowed when Major General William Donovan approaches her for a job at the OSS as his assistant. Anna is thrilled to be a part of the war effort. But as she meets other brave women and hears of clandestine missions, Anna desires to be overseas where the true action is.
After proving herself to Donovan, Anna gets her chance to go into Occupied France to help with the French Resistance. She goes undercover as a spy to try and gain access to crucial information from the Nazis. But it’s a dangerous mission, requiring her to work alongside Nazi soldiers. One small slip and she will be found out!
This story has such great characters and a noir-like atmosphere. It truly took me to the 1940s, with dashing gentlemen, women breaking boundaries, and romance blooming in the perils of war.
Healey’s Author’s Notes are not to be missed as she remarks on the real-life men and women that inspired this story. So many amazing women were trained as wireless operators and spies during WWII. Their lives and sacrifices made a huge contribution to defeating the Nazis and the Axis Powers.
Thank you to @healyjane @suzyapprovedbooktours and @netgalley for this #gifted copy.
After proving herself to Donovan, Anna gets her chance to go into Occupied France to help with the French Resistance. She goes undercover as a spy to try and gain access to crucial information from the Nazis. But it’s a dangerous mission, requiring her to work alongside Nazi soldiers. One small slip and she will be found out!
This story has such great characters and a noir-like atmosphere. It truly took me to the 1940s, with dashing gentlemen, women breaking boundaries, and romance blooming in the perils of war.
Healey’s Author’s Notes are not to be missed as she remarks on the real-life men and women that inspired this story. So many amazing women were trained as wireless operators and spies during WWII. Their lives and sacrifices made a huge contribution to defeating the Nazis and the Axis Powers.
Thank you to @healyjane @suzyapprovedbooktours and @netgalley for this #gifted copy.
April 29, 2021
Awful characterization of OSS agents
I wanted to finish this, but it was painful. Imagine you are an agent working during WWII, you finished your first assignment with some injuries, and your co-workers come to check on you. The three of you sit on your patio and one says, "Tell us all about your secret mission in the French embassy?" Are you kidding me? Is the author that clueless after all her research to have the characters talk about secret missions in public?!! You also have the main character discussing her upcoming assignment in occupied France with one of her bosses. In a DC restaurant. In front of the bartender. Complete with code names revealed and the resistance organization named. Thankfully the REAL agents didn't behave this way, or we'd all be speaking German now. Absolutely pathetic characterization of WWII heroes.
I wanted to finish this, but it was painful. Imagine you are an agent working during WWII, you finished your first assignment with some injuries, and your co-workers come to check on you. The three of you sit on your patio and one says, "Tell us all about your secret mission in the French embassy?" Are you kidding me? Is the author that clueless after all her research to have the characters talk about secret missions in public?!! You also have the main character discussing her upcoming assignment in occupied France with one of her bosses. In a DC restaurant. In front of the bartender. Complete with code names revealed and the resistance organization named. Thankfully the REAL agents didn't behave this way, or we'd all be speaking German now. Absolutely pathetic characterization of WWII heroes.
April 20, 2021
Another awesome Historical Fiction book that I know you will want to add to your list! Anna is a young and newly widowed French teacher. She Is recruited by a friend to be an American spy in Nazi occupied France during WWII. This book is filled with strong women, and historical facts! I can't believe the bravery of these women and the danger of their circumstances. I loved the female friendships and relationships.
March 2, 2021
I almost gave this book 3 stars because of the perfectly-fine (if deeply boring) writing style.
This is a "classic movie" of a novel. It reads like a cross between a Bing Crosby war film and a school history essay. It is safe for young ladies. I'm puzzled by the adult fiction labeling. It's not YA for sure because it's not as edgy or morally ambivalent as most YA. It feels like a throwback. Given the continued social and cultural legacy of the war, the Resistance, the role of De Gaulle, the US role in world affairs etc etc. I cannot give this book a pass for being such a superficial glamor treatment of its subject
There are many many works out about WWII's European theater--many new ones. Seek them out. Here's a link to a Goodreads list https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
This is a "classic movie" of a novel. It reads like a cross between a Bing Crosby war film and a school history essay. It is safe for young ladies. I'm puzzled by the adult fiction labeling. It's not YA for sure because it's not as edgy or morally ambivalent as most YA. It feels like a throwback. Given the continued social and cultural legacy of the war, the Resistance, the role of De Gaulle, the US role in world affairs etc etc. I cannot give this book a pass for being such a superficial glamor treatment of its subject
There are many many works out about WWII's European theater--many new ones. Seek them out. Here's a link to a Goodreads list https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
April 5, 2021
Started off promising but quickly became unrealistic for me when the young female OSS employees kept talking among themselves/gossiping in public restaurants and other unsecured locations about highly secret war time operations. This killed the book for me and I deleted it.
There is no was way the right hand person to the leader of the entire org would have actually discussed ANYTHING about the job or opps to anyone, even other employees outside the secure building. That was grounds for immediate dismissal and they even signed legally binding documents to that effect before starting work (and was very pointedly stated in an early chapter of the novel, more than once). Major flaw in the book!
There is no was way the right hand person to the leader of the entire org would have actually discussed ANYTHING about the job or opps to anyone, even other employees outside the secure building. That was grounds for immediate dismissal and they even signed legally binding documents to that effect before starting work (and was very pointedly stated in an early chapter of the novel, more than once). Major flaw in the book!
March 30, 2021
Healey's storytelling talents are on full display in this absorbing story of a young woman's quest to use her intelligence for the greater good. Whenever I had to put the book down, I couldn't wait to get back to it. Highly recommend.
September 27, 2021
Rating: 4 stars
Setting: Washington, DC & Paris, France
Stand Alone; 443 pgs. (eBook); 47 chapter & Epilogue
Love historical stories. This one was on the slow side but still very good. MFC was on the young side and her decisions and interior dialogue with herself showed her age.
Setting: Washington, DC & Paris, France
Stand Alone; 443 pgs. (eBook); 47 chapter & Epilogue
Love historical stories. This one was on the slow side but still very good. MFC was on the young side and her decisions and interior dialogue with herself showed her age.
January 28, 2021
This is an EXCELLENT book. I loved it!
Jane Healey just keeps getting better and better. And I just couldn't put this book down
... this story about American spies working with the French Resistance during WWII is simply amazing. I loved the "real life" figures that were woven in amongst the fiction: Major General William Donovan, Julia and Paul Child, even John Wayne!
And of course the made-up characters were memorable too, many of them based on actual people. I loved how Anna grew and matured and how she was more courageous than even she thought. The last few chapters of this book will leave you breathless!
The author's notes are not to be missed. WWII is such a heavy and tragic subject, but it was really interesting to read "the rest of the story" and to learn about the actual wartime heroes on which Healey based her characters, who survived and who sadly did not.
Loved, loved, loved this book. I just can't say enough good things about it. READ IT.
Many, many thanks to the author for my advance copy! Jane autographing it just made it all the more special :)
Jane Healey just keeps getting better and better. And I just couldn't put this book down
... this story about American spies working with the French Resistance during WWII is simply amazing. I loved the "real life" figures that were woven in amongst the fiction: Major General William Donovan, Julia and Paul Child, even John Wayne!
And of course the made-up characters were memorable too, many of them based on actual people. I loved how Anna grew and matured and how she was more courageous than even she thought. The last few chapters of this book will leave you breathless!
The author's notes are not to be missed. WWII is such a heavy and tragic subject, but it was really interesting to read "the rest of the story" and to learn about the actual wartime heroes on which Healey based her characters, who survived and who sadly did not.
Loved, loved, loved this book. I just can't say enough good things about it. READ IT.
Many, many thanks to the author for my advance copy! Jane autographing it just made it all the more special :)
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March 3, 2021DNF.
Had I realized when I chose this from the Kindle First titles for the month that I've read and strongly dislike this author before, I would not have selected it. That's on me. But I'm not finishing this garbage.
This is a typical story for this author. Take a historical scenario (often WWII) and set a contemporary chick lit story in it. Don't bother thinking about whether FOR THAT TIME, these actions, language, attitudes, etc would be appropriate. Sprinkle in some anachronisms (Virginia Slims weren't available until 1968, FYI) and some really far-fetched "romance" and serve to poor unsuspecting readers.
Had I realized when I chose this from the Kindle First titles for the month that I've read and strongly dislike this author before, I would not have selected it. That's on me. But I'm not finishing this garbage.
This is a typical story for this author. Take a historical scenario (often WWII) and set a contemporary chick lit story in it. Don't bother thinking about whether FOR THAT TIME, these actions, language, attitudes, etc would be appropriate. Sprinkle in some anachronisms (Virginia Slims weren't available until 1968, FYI) and some really far-fetched "romance" and serve to poor unsuspecting readers.
July 14, 2024
This was a very enjoyable WWII novel, beginning in DC and ending in Paris.
My review: https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/20...
My review: https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/20...
April 19, 2021
Did not care for this book at all, but slogged on to the end. While I have never read a harlequin romance, this is what I think they would be like. Or a YA novel. In end notes, the author owns the liberties taken with the timeline, throwing people together. There's too much coincidence, name-dropping and having the main character conveniently bumping up against people who we all know served in OSS/CIA. Also, the main character is a family friend of Bill Donovan, and of course, she works directly for him and he continually turns up to check on her, and of course, she is sent to work under a French girl in the resistance who is an old friend.
Maybe it's your cup of tea; I'd rather have a strong coffee.
From Amazon Prime First Reads, all I can say is I'm glad I didn't have to pay for this drivel.
Maybe it's your cup of tea; I'd rather have a strong coffee.
From Amazon Prime First Reads, all I can say is I'm glad I didn't have to pay for this drivel.
April 12, 2021
The Secret Stealers is an amazing tale of World War II, from the perspective of a young American woman who works for the OSS (Office of Strategic Services), America’s then-new intelligence/spy service. Anna winds up being trained to be a wireless operator and is flown into occupied France under cover to help the Resistance. The topic is reminiscent of "The Lost Girls of Paris," but this book is quite different (and to my mind, more enjoyable). One of the underlying themes is that men often/always underestimated the capabilities of women, and that, oddly enough, made them more likely to succeed in their efforts. There are some great scenes involving high stakes, both in Washington, DC and in France. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and was delighted to find out, per the author’s note at the end, that many of the people featured in the story were either real people or based on real people and events.
Highly recommended.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Highly recommended.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
March 19, 2021
It is plodding.Not exciting.Not thrilling.Too much build up to what will happen when Anna is a spy in France.I don't care about her or any of the other characters enough to finish it. I will usually read a novel in 2-3 days at most. I've been on this one for ten. I keep stopping to read non-fiction history that is actually intriguing. This is not a fast-paced thriller.It reads like a Lifetime movie.
March 8, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this five star read!
This book had everything I like in a historical fiction novel. A fascinating main character who is courageous and fights for what she believes. A romance storyline that had me rooting for this star crossed couple. So many great historical facts that are seamlessly interwoven with fictional elements to make the story even more exciting. Topped off with an action-packed and dangerous spy story set during WWII.
Thank you to the publisher for my free review copy via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book had everything I like in a historical fiction novel. A fascinating main character who is courageous and fights for what she believes. A romance storyline that had me rooting for this star crossed couple. So many great historical facts that are seamlessly interwoven with fictional elements to make the story even more exciting. Topped off with an action-packed and dangerous spy story set during WWII.
Thank you to the publisher for my free review copy via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 1, 2021
THE SECRET STEALERS by @healeyjane was incredible! I love historical fiction, but it’s really special when you find a book that not only takes you back in time, but also creates such a well woven story between truth and fiction.
I love a brave heroine with female friendships and The Secret Stealers had that and all the suspense, espionage, and love story too.
I could not put this book down, and now I have major book hangover, and the icing on the cake was getting the chance to chat with fellow book friends and historical fiction lovers and discuss the book with the author. I’m just blown away by the attention to detail and research for this wonderful story.
I love a brave heroine with female friendships and The Secret Stealers had that and all the suspense, espionage, and love story too.
I could not put this book down, and now I have major book hangover, and the icing on the cake was getting the chance to chat with fellow book friends and historical fiction lovers and discuss the book with the author. I’m just blown away by the attention to detail and research for this wonderful story.
February 5, 2021
What a wonderfully crafted story!
Anna is a young recently widowed, well educated woman wanting to spread her wings and find fulfillment. Even after being recruited into the Office of Strategic Services as a glorified secretary, she knows she wants more. When the opportunity arises for her to become a spy she jumps at the chance. She soon finds herself working with the French Resistance in Nazi occupied France at the height of WWII.
Beautifully Written and filled with all the hopes, dreams, passion and angst of a woman in her position, this novel comes alive. I was right there with her as she works behind enemy lines trying to complete her mission. Emotionally, this one packs a wallop and gave me all the feels. So well researched with some characters based on actual people, this is historical fiction at its finest. I can't recommend this one highly enough to all readers no matter your genre of choice, it's that good!
Thank you to the author, Get Red PR and Suzy Approved Book Tours for the gifted copy and including me on this tour
Anna is a young recently widowed, well educated woman wanting to spread her wings and find fulfillment. Even after being recruited into the Office of Strategic Services as a glorified secretary, she knows she wants more. When the opportunity arises for her to become a spy she jumps at the chance. She soon finds herself working with the French Resistance in Nazi occupied France at the height of WWII.
Beautifully Written and filled with all the hopes, dreams, passion and angst of a woman in her position, this novel comes alive. I was right there with her as she works behind enemy lines trying to complete her mission. Emotionally, this one packs a wallop and gave me all the feels. So well researched with some characters based on actual people, this is historical fiction at its finest. I can't recommend this one highly enough to all readers no matter your genre of choice, it's that good!
Thank you to the author, Get Red PR and Suzy Approved Book Tours for the gifted copy and including me on this tour
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