Amy Lynn Green is a relatively new voice in the genre of WWII fiction, but I've found she's one I need to be following. I picked up a copy of her debut a few years back and it was one of my top reads of the year that year. This year's release will have a similar standing. This one is strongly character driven, focusing on the mother/daughter dynamic between Dinah and Lillian, but still has some pretty strong plot points. In order to fully develop the dichotomy between the mother and daughter, there is also a secondary timeline during WWI when we see some of Lillian's history, which I loved. Here's a bit about the book:
Dinah Kendall’s role in the US capital for the Office of Strategic Services is far from the thrilling espionage career she dreamed of. Instead of covert missions, she crafts rumors aimed at undermining Axis morale while trying to live up to the expectations of her demanding mother, Lillian. Yet, as Dinah navigates her duties, she uncovers a startling revelation: Lillian was once a codebreaker during the Great War alongside some of the nation’s most brilliant minds. The deeper Dinah dives into her mother’s journal, the more the secrets of the past come to light—including the heavy cost of high-stakes codebreaking.
Just when Dinah begins to excel in her new position, she is implicated in a series of suspicious activities that cause others to question her loyalty. As she navigates a web of intrigue, she must piece together the truth in time to confront the shadowy threat that could compromise the impending D-Day invasion.
One thing I love with historical fiction is finding what elements of the story are based in fact. The author has listed several in her "author's note" at the end of the book, but her website also has a "history" section that goes into greater detail. A few items that I found fascinating:
- William and Elizabeth Freidman truly existed and were a married couple of genius codebreakers. They are minor characters in both timelines of this novel, but I love that they were actual people and their contributions were factual!
- Many of the elements of George Fabyan's Riverbank from the WWI timeline were factual, including some of the sights and events.
- Though Dinah was a fictional character, the job she holds at the beginning of the book to help screen the OSS agents was an actual role
There were several others that were intriguing but may give away some of the story line, so I would recommend checking both the author's note and her website after you've read the story to see for yourself! This book will release June 17, 2025. Be sure to check it out if you enjoy historical fiction! For more information, check out the following links:
Amy Lynn Green's website: https://www.amygreenbooks.com/
Amy Lynn Green's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/amygreenbooks
My full 5-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7564564282
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