The story follows two women across different eras whose lives intersect in 1947. Charlie St. Clair is a pregnant American socialite searching for her cousin, Rose, who disappeared in Nazi-occupied France. Her quest leads her to Eve Gardiner, a bitter, reclusive woman living in London. The narrative shifts back to 1915, documenting Eve's recruitment into the Alice Network, a real-life underground spy ring operating behind enemy lines during the Great War. As the two women travel through Europe to find Rose, they confront the fallout of betrayal and the violence Eve experienced while gathering intelligence under the pseudonym Marguerite.
Historical fiction enthusiasts interested in female espionage and the logistical realities of covert operations will find this book useful. It provides a detailed look at the psychological toll of deep-cover work and the difficulties veterans faced during post-war reconstruction. Readers walk away with an understanding of how civilian intelligence networks functioned during both World Wars and the specific dangers women faced as clandestine couriers and informants. The text focuses on the lasting physical and mental damage caused by wartime sacrifice rather than idealized heroism.
Clear-cut; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Curious Generalist. Which reader are you?
Insights from The Alice Network
Finn is such a steady presence for two broken women. He doesn't try to fix them. He just drives the car and stays.
The scenes in the Black Dog tavern are so tense. You see how easy it is to betray your neighbor for an extra ration of meat. Fear makes people small.
Rose went missing and the world just kept turning. It made me think about how easily people vanish during a war. Nobody notices one girl in a sea of ghosts.
“If you are to be a spy, you must be a very good actress.”
Lili survived because she knew how to keep her face a blank wall. Sometimes the only way to win is to disappear while standing right in front of someone.
- Published
- 2017
- Publisher
- William Morrow Paperbacks
- ISBN
- 9780062654199
- Language
- EN
