The Librarian Spy

This was such a fascinating dive into the intersection between archival studies and espionage. This was a dual narration, with two separate, yet intertwined stories from two very different heroines. The first heroine, Elaine, is a member of the French Resistance whose husband disappears. She becomes more embroiled in helping those who are persecuted exist, and has many near escapes right under the nose of the Gestapo. The second heroine, Ava, is fascinated by books and dedicated to uncovering their secrets. She becomes a secret agent both to help the war effort and because her brother is serving. Both heroines encounter challenges they never could have imagined, and Elaine especially watches her friends and comrades fall prey to the Nazi regime and struggles to find enough food to live on because of the rationed stock. Their fates become enmeshed in a plot twist I did not see coming. Highly recommended for readers of the historical fiction of Marie Benedict, Kelly Bowen and Kate Quinn.