Code Name Hélène brings us back to the time of WWII, to a time when a determined woman named Nancy Wake did what she believed in for the sake of her country and all those living under Hitler’s rule. Told in alternating timelines, we get to experience not only Nancy’s success as a secret agent but her love story with her husband Henri.
Hélène is just one of the code names given to Nancy, and I had vaguely heard of her before reading this book, but it was long enough ago that I wanted to not refresh my memory before starting this. I’m glad I went that route because even though Hélène was a very strong woman, she was made stronger by Lawhon’s voice.
Nancy is witty, she’s a great leader as the vast amount of followers show, she takes no guff from anyone, she’s incredibly smart and resourceful. People looked up to her and depended on her. I could go on with varying adjectives, all of which would be true. The combination of having such a strong leading heroine and the fact the book is historical fiction made this book a home run for me. I think for fans of this time period, this book would be fantastic to add to your repertoire.
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