Tuesday, March 16, 2021

Review: The Secret Stealers by Jane Healey

The Secret Stealers
by Jane Healey

Publisher: Lake Union Publish
Pages: 443
Format: eARC
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  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.


Kritters Thoughts:  Anna Cavanaugh lost her husband early in the war as he was in the Pacific as a doctor and had an accident.  Being a widow she decides that she wants to support herself and contribute to the war efforts.  Working with a family friend she ends up in the OSS as it is in the beginning stages and gets really invested in their mission with the war.  

From the US to France, this book was on the move constantly and for being the length that it is, the story kept moving and I couldn't put it down.  Anna was always in the thick of things and I loved how the story didn't take a breath.  I really enjoyed reading about how the war affects the decisions you make and you really can't make promises to anyone because you can't promise tomorrow.  

I won't spoil it, but there were a few cameos from different people and I loved seeing a few famous faces show up in the book, but I appreciated that this book's perspective was from this unknown as she played her part in the war.  

This is my first Jane Healey read and after loving her writing in this book, I want to read the other two books in her backlist very soon.  

If you enjoyed this book, I would recommend also trying The Invisible Woman by Erika Robuck - another book that takes the reader behind the scenes of a woman in the resistance trying to operate a wireless to get supplies to those who need it behind enemy lines.


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2021 Challenge: 21 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Lake Union Publishing.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.


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