The Resistance Knitting Club

Threads of Resistance #1

by Jenny O'Brien

Inspired by the true story of a woman who used knitting patterns to encode intelligence during World War Two.

Guernsey, 2010. After a stroke, an elderly woman shocks her family by speaking perfect French – a language they never knew she possessed. As her granddaughter unravels seventy years of silence, a hidden wartime story emerges...

Paris, 1941. After her brother is declared missing in action at Dunkirk, eighteen-year-old Lenny Gallienne vanishes into Churchill’s secret army. In a bookshop on Rue de la Pompe, she poses as a simple shop girl while encoding intelligence from Nazi headquarters into knitting patterns. Each sweater smuggled to prisoners contains flight paths. Each scarf holds radio frequencies. Each mistake means execution.

Fellow agent, Harry Dennison, is the only person who knows her real name. But when the Gestapo close in, Lenny faces an impossible choice in the Metro tunnels beneath Paris – one that will haunt her family for generations. Because in the resistance, the most dangerous secrets are the ones you keep from those you love most.

Perfect for fans of The Nightingale, The Alice Network and The Last Bookshop in London.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Romance, Fiction, France, World War II, War

359 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 6, 2026

About the author

Hi and thanks for stopping by.

I took up writing about twenty years ago when I first came up with a plot for a book, and I haven't stopped since. When I’m not writing, I’m ferrying around 3 teenagers or working as a nurse. I’m also an all-year-round sea swimmer.
I write what I love to read, which is romance and thrillers.

My next release, out February, 2026, is The Resistance Knitting Club, a World War 2 historical novel set in Guernsey, the UK and France. I am currently working on my third WW2 novel.

If you like my writing please get in touch - my social media links are below (I’m rarely on Goodreads so it’s best not to drop me a message here). I also have a newsletter, which you can sign up to via my website.

Jenny O

Facebook: Jenny O'Brien Guernsey Writer
Twitter: scribblerjb
Instagram: scribblerjb

Reviews

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leonora and James Gallienne lost their parents at a young age, they were raised by an elderly aunt in Guernsey and she taught her niece to knit. After the battle of Dunkirk James is listed missing in action and she's sure he's still alive, and Lenny becomes a member of Churchill’s secret army and signs the Official Secrets Act.

As a newly trained M16 operative Lenny’s dropped into France, to work in bookshop on Rue de la Pompe, and she sends back information in encoded messages. Harry Dennison a fellow agent is the only person who knows her real name or where she used to live and her brother’s friend. With the Gestapo onto her Lenny hides in the Metro tunnels beneath Paris, and what happens during this time will make her feel guilty for years.

The story has a dual timeline, it’s told over four parts and is set in 2010 and 1941 and is easy to follow.

An elderly Guernsey woman shocks her daughter Liz and granddaughter Anna by speaking in French, after she has a stroke and her family have to solve a seventy year old mystery and to do this uncover long buried secrets.

I received a copy of The Resistance Knitting Club by Jenny O’Brien from NetGalley and Storm Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Inspired by a true story of a women who used knitting patterns during the Second World War to encode messages inside socks, scarfs and jumpers.

The narrative is brilliant just like the main female character Lenny in this historical fiction tale about the use of ingenious idea, what it was like to live in England, Scotland and France during the war, service, bravery, sacrifice, espionage, love, loss and second chances.

Five stars from me, I highly recommend and I'm keen to read other novels by Ms O'Brien.

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a big historical fiction reader and I was impressed by a unique plot and the author’s storytelling. Author Jenny O’Brien has a wonderful ability to weave fact in with fiction, creating a story that inspires and educates.

This superb historical fiction story is anchored in the warning to never underestimate the enemy, and highlights obligation and the hope that there is in believing that the lost can be found again.

It’s a dual timeline and is set in both Iles de la Manche, Guernsey and in Paris, just before and during WW2. I learned about the iconic Guernsey jumper, Operation Dynamo, knitting for victory and the clever use of Morse code. Leonora ‘Lenny’ Gallienne was my favourite character because she refuses to accept defeat and models for others how to become a formidable force. O’Brien held my interest from cover to cover, making this a book I’d highly recommend to other historical fiction lovers.

I'm excited for book two in this new series.

I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a lovely story based on a true story, a story of courage and strength of heartbreak and love. Leonora and James Galliene grew up on the Island of Guernsey bought up by an aunt after the death of their parents, Leonora (Lenny) started knitting at a young age, never knowing how much it could help later in life.

When the war starts James joins up and works for the War Office in London as an interpreter while Lenny stays on the island and knits socks for the troops but when a telegram arrives to say that James is missing in action and the island is just about to occupied by the Germans Lenny takes herself to London to get answers.

Then Lenny finds herself working for the war office and joining what has become to be known as Churchill’s secret army, months of training sees her going to France to become part of the resistance, her coding skills are brilliant and with her suggestion that Morse code be used in the knitting that is sent to the troops messages can be sent. She is in Paris with Harry Dennison an old friend of James working together in dangerous situations, things change very quickly and decisions must be made.

The danger grows, will Lenny and Harry escape in time and what will become of them in the future, this story is told in duel time lines when we first meet Lenny in 2010 and then we go back and learn her story and truly what a story I loved it from start to finish and I do highly recommend it the characters are just wonderful strength courage abound in this one and the settings so good, don’t miss this one and I am looking forward to more in the series.

My thanks to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for my digital copy to read and review

[Grandma Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible book based upon a true story. Lenny was a knitter. She used this skill to enhance the war efforts during WWII. I was amazed and intrigued as her efforts helped with the war. There were some sad moments. Most of the book was pleasant and intense. If you enjoy unsung heroes from WWII, this is a must read. Highly recommend.

I was blessed with a ARC. Thank you NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.

[Alayne Emmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this true story. It attracted me as I enjoy knitting but, I had no idea how this helped during the war. Very interesting and now I can't wait until the second book of n this series comes out. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

[Tereza · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Resistance Knitting Club is a very impressive story, following Lenny, an ordinary girl from Guernsey, and her journey through WWII. I love books that focus on ordinary people and ordinary towns, because it was people like them who won the war—normal individuals doing extraordinary things and showing resilience, persistence, and courage.

Lenny was a great character, and I especially enjoyed reading from her perspective. However, at times the plot felt rushed, and I would have appreciated a slower pace with the story more spread out. It often seemed as though the author skimmed over certain parts, leaving me wanting more. I also felt that the presence of knitting—and truly seeing the fruits of that labor—wasn’t explored enough. I would have liked to see more concrete outcomes from Lenny’s ideas.

Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Overall rating: 3.25 stars

[Ruth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although it feels a bit mean to give this 2 stars I feel I have to because of how angry I was when I finished it! I really wanted to read this book because of the title and the description. I heard a history talk earlier this year, and she mentioned the women who encoded information into knitted items and I found it fascinating, so this book sounded like it would be really interesting. I enjoy wartime stories, I enjoy knitting and crochet...what could possibly go wrong?
The book starts fairly well - I was interested in Lenny, and her adventure into War Office work. I was sometimes unsettled by her attitude, but I enjoyed her secret spy training and her idea of putting morse code into the knitting with the different stitches. So far, so good. But when she is dropped in France, with a new secret identity, things started to go wrong for me. Instead of sneaking around and coding things into scarves and socks and jumpers and smuggling them to the British, she manages 1 scarf, and then that doesn't even end up getting to the right people! The story turns into more of a romance, but then even that became disappointing as, without giving away spoilers, Lenny seems very changeable and I did shout 'what?!' a few times. I persevered to the end, in the hopes that things might get better, but instead we lurch back into the present day (and I had completely forgotten that we'd started there to be honest) but we never actually see Lenny relate her spy history to her family. It felt like a rushed ending to me, and I was still feeling grumpy about the lack of knitting and the dodgy romance plot.
If you don't mind a slightly random wartime story then do go ahead because there were parts I really enjoyed reading, and had the book had a different title and blurb I wouldn't have felt half as cheated! But if, like me, you're hoping for yarn-based subterfuge then I'm afraid I would recommend you look elsewhere...

With thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy in return for an honest review.

[linda hole · Rating 4 out of 5]

i really enjoyed this book. thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

[Pauline · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of a woman during the Second World War who devised a way to knit code into knitted garments giving the allies information about the enemy and how she had to evade capture from the Germans.
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping and beautifully written, this histfic WWII tale reveals a unique kind of spy craft: Knitting codes and messages into scarves and sweaters given to prisoners. Unputdownable!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lenny wakes up in 2010 speaking French, shocking her family because they never knew she spoke another language. We get Lenny's story starting in 1940 when she gets a letter that her brother is missing in action and presumed dead. She goes to the War Office in London to find answers but finds herself joining the war effort. During her training to become a spy, she devised a method of hiding morse-code messages in knitted clothing to pass classified information which is adopted by the SOE spy network.

This book sounded good and it lived up to my expectations. It is full of excitement, danger, and romance. I couldn't stop reading it. It's just as emotional as it is entertaining. I did cry.

It's a mix of drama, thriller, mystery, romance, and spy novel. Exploring love and loss in a moving journey. The quick moving plot kept me invested. I appreciate that it wasn't stuffed full of flowery descriptors. It is a well-told story full of heart.

The main character, Lenny, is well-developed, likable, and believable. I enjoyed her excellent character development. However, I found the other characters to be a bit one dimensional and harder to connect with. I started to connect with James, but then his story gets brushed over in the end. I also would have liked to know what happened with some of the side characters.

My biggest complaint is that I wish there was more involving the knitted messages.

This would be a great read for those who love historical fiction.

Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the e-arc. All opinions are my own.

[Lei · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book surprised me in the quietest, most emotional way. At first, I found myself slowing down on purpose. The writing is gentle and easy to follow, but it carries so much weight underneath. I wanted to sit with the story instead of rushing it, especially knowing it was inspired by real acts of resistance.

Lenny’s story stayed with me. The idea of using something as ordinary and domestic as knitting to pass intelligence during the war is both brilliant and terrifying. Every stitch felt dangerous. Every small decision carried real consequences.

What truly moved me, though, was the emotional aftermath. This book is not just about bravery during the war, but about what happens after. The silence, the trauma, the love that changes shape over time. The later chapters completely broke my heart and then gently stitched it back together.

There is love here, but it’s complicated and honest. There are choices that don’t feel clean or easy, just human. And there is so much quiet strength in how this story honors sacrifice across generations. This was a beautiful, emotional read that I’ll be thinking about for a long time.

[Book Escapes Babs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a big story told with a dual timeline. The book opens in 2010 with an elderly stroke victim suddenly speaking in French. The victim’s family are shocked as she had always maintained that she didn’t know any foreign languages. The story then shifts to 1941, and we follow eighteen-year-old Lenny Galienne as she travels from Guernsey to London, determined to learn more about a war office report declaring her brother missing in action and presumed dead.

I usually give anything relating to the war a very wide berth as I find myself feeling too emotional, but there must be something in the air as this is the second time I’ve embarked on a book themed around WW2 in recent weeks. This is not an easy read as we visit the atrocities inflicted during both the Blitz and the German occupation of France. There is much loss, and I found those incidents to be heartbreaking yet carefully handled. The details leaned on the facts and not the potential for drama. This felt fitting as death became an awful way of life during wartime.

Leonore, or Lenny as she prefers to be called, followed a challenging path, and I admired her strength of spirit. She is determined to discover what had happened to her brother, but that soon turns into a driving desire to assist in the war effort. A dangerous yet fulfilling decision. Her pioneering method of sending coded messages behind enemy lines was both inspiring and jaw-dropping once I realised it wasn’t a work of fiction. I can only hope to display such bravery under similar circumstances.

We also meet Harry Dennison, a former teammate of Lenny’s brother. Initially, Harry and Lenny have a tolerant relationship, but their experiences deepen their connection, accelerated by their terrifying circumstances. I imagined Harry as one of the heroes I recall from so many films of the era. Perhaps played by David Niven…

There is a terrific supporting cast, but I don’t want to mention them for fear of including a spoiler. I do hope you find the camaraderie and grit of the French Resistance as compelling as I did.

As the story unfolds, there are tears, but the whole book is ultimately uplifting, and the ending is hard-won. The past caught up with the present, and the reader is treated to a satisfying conclusion that answers all the questions raised along the way, leaving me feeling hopeful that there were some happy endings despite those most desperate of times.

[Mariana Brighton · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a knitter, as soon as i read the title and the blurb i rushed to request the arc as i was very interested in picking this up. Unfortunately i was very disappointed by this book. The pacing didn’t work, it was a very slow start but the 1st part was the only part where knitting had some relevance.The only knitting club in this book is in the first few pages and we got to see the idea come to fruition only for it to be dropped in part two to give space for a half hearted romance and the search for her brother while things seemed to happen around our main character with her having a mostly passive role. The brother plotline was interesting enough but because of the expectations i had around the knitting club and the other plotlines it wasn’t enough to keep me interested.

I wanted female friendships, spy work, a strong female character that got away with stuff from being overlooked and a knitting club - didn’t get much of any of it.

I’d like to thank netgalley and storm publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good dual timeline historical fiction novel, and this was an excellent one. I’m also a knitter so this title especially appealed to me.

The story of an elderly lady who, after having a stroke, begins speaking fluent French, much to her family’s surprise as they had no idea she could speak French!

We then go back to her young life in 1940 Guernsey, just before German occupation, as she receives news her brother is missing in action. She is compelled to travel, at the age of 17, to London to find out more. At the war office she is surprised to be offered a job, and then progressed to training to be a spy in a newly set up elite group.

We follow Lenny as she is then posted to Paris, her knitting a constant comfort for her, and a way to pass messages home via patterns in socks and scarves. I was flabbergasted to read this was actually a thing during the war. How brilliant.

A heartfelt story of the difficult reality of life during the war in London and in Paris. The undercover lives of spies and the French Resistance. The fact it was virtually impossible to trust anyone. Love, loss and an incredible strong wartime spirit make this an absolutely addictive read which moved me to tears a number of times.

I am here for the next novel from Jenny.

[Dione Hanke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book about never giving up and love for family during WWII.

This story is set in Paris in 1941 when Lenny goes there to find out what happened to her brother after she was told he was missing in action at Dunkirk. Lenny is told her brother is dead and decides to help with the war effort in Paris. She goes into training to be a secret agent for Churchill and uses her knitting to learn Morse code. She is the only woman in the training.

The story is also set in Guernsey in 2010 long after the war. When she finally tells her grandchild that she was a secret agent during WWII in Paris and spoke French. Her children and grandchildren had no idea!

[Janice Dudley · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 well deserved ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I wish I could give more than 5 stars. This story was unputdownable (I know that's not a real word, but it should be)
Such an incredible read, full of suspense and quite sad at times. I thoroughly recommend this book if you like true war heroine and hero stories of WW2. Brilliant

[Genevieve · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Resistance Knitting Club is a WWII story of a group of spies using knitting to pass code to the POWs, and across country boarders. Lenny picks up and moves to London in the thick of the war. This decision changes the course of her life, and we get to watch it happen.

I gave this rating because the last third felt very predictable. I was enjoying the story up until that point. While the ending was fine… that’s all it was. I would definitely read the next book in the series.

⭐ Final Score: 3.5
📅 Pub Date: Feb 6, 2026
Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel was thrilling but also emotional. It moves at a good pace which kept me engrossed and it had many twists. I found myself shouting "No!" at one point and then realised I had tears in my eyes. A truly good read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

[Haneul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from Netgalley

After reading this book, I realized that I've barely readen books based during the war.

It was quite a fresh take for it to have been written not on a soldier, but a woman... A woman who lived through it and tried to manage through it.

The story didn't particularly make me feel anything (I didn't feel sad, nor hope, nor joy), which is why I didn't rate it as 5 stars. However, it was catchy and made me want to know what will happen next.

I wonder on what the 2nd story will be about.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read that the author of this book wrote it as it combined two of her greatest pleasures – reading and knitting. That resonated deeply with me, as they are also two of my favourite things to do and were what initially attracted me to this book.

If you would like to read my full review please visit my blog at:

https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...

[yarnandprose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lenny is a young girl forced to grow up fast in the midst of WWII. She desperately wants information about her missing brother and signs up to help fight the war. During training she invents a way to translate morse code into knitting and the army implements it to pass secret messages during the war.

This historical fiction has knitting, intrigue, and romance. Lenny has a truly brilliant moment with the morse code conversion. The first half of the story is very smart and quick to read. I blew through it in one sitting.

The second half of the story is more emotional. It focuses on the anxiety Lenny is feeling through the war as a female spy. Unfortunately we never directly view the impact of Lenny’s brilliant coding. Her scope is limited as the first person narrator.

This was a very enjoyable. The main characters were well described and the writing was easy to follow.

*** Many thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for providing a free copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review. ***

[Dawn Lawrence Read_with_Lola · Rating 5 out of 5]

This WW2 fiction book was amazing, I loved it. Wow it was such a rollercoaster of a read it was heartbreaking, sad, uplifting, courageous to name but a few words to describe this book.

This book is based on a true story about a woman who used Morse code to incorporate into her knitting for the resistance to pass on to the allies The story was believable and well written, it really pulled on the heartstrings.

Will definitely look for more books by this author. Highly recommend.

[Aisha Faisal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspired by a true story, The Resistance Knitting Club weaves history, secrecy, and courage into a powerful dual-timeline narrative.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of The Resistance Knitting Club. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to read and review this moving and thoughtfully written novel ahead of publication.

I truly appreciated the way the story combined historical tension with emotional depth, highlighting quiet acts of courage and the power of secrets carried across generations. Thank you for supporting reviewers and readers by making ARCs available and for championing stories that deserve to be widely shared.

Guernsey, 2010. After suffering a stroke, an elderly woman astonishes her family by suddenly speaking flawless French, a language they never knew she had. As her granddaughter begins to piece together the mystery, seventy years of silence unravel, revealing a hidden life shaped by war, sacrifice, and secrets long buried.

Paris, 1941. Eighteen-year-old Lenny Gallienne disappears into Churchill’s secret army after her brother is declared missing at Dunkirk. Working undercover in a quiet bookshop on Rue de la Pompe, she disguises herself as an unassuming shop girl while secretly encoding vital intelligence into knitting patterns. Sweaters carry enemy flight paths. Scarves conceal radio frequencies. One wrong stitch could mean death.

Only fellow agent Harry Dennison knows her true identity. But as the Gestapo tighten their grip and danger closes in, Lenny is forced to make an impossible choice in the shadowed tunnels of the Paris Metro, a decision that will echo through her family for generations. Because in the resistance, the deadliest secrets are often the ones kept from those you love the most.

The Resistance Knitting Club by Jenny O’Brien is one of those books that looks cozy on the surface but quietly delivers emotional depth, resilience, and quiet defiance underneath. Don’t let the knitting fool you. This story is about survival, solidarity, and the power of ordinary people doing extraordinary things when history gives them no choice.

Set during World War II, the novel follows a group of women whose knitting circle becomes far more than a harmless social gathering. What begins as a way to cope with fear, loss, and uncertainty slowly transforms into a subtle act of resistance. The brilliance of the book lies in how understated this transformation is; there are no grand speeches or dramatic hero moments, just steady courage stitched into everyday life.

The characters are the heart of the story. Each woman feels distinct, shaped by her own fears, griefs, and quiet strengths. O’Brien does an excellent job of showing how war impacts people differently, especially women whose contributions are often overlooked in historical fiction. Their friendships feel organic and earned, built through shared hardship rather than forced sentimentality. You come to care about them not because they’re flawless, but because they’re painfully human.

The writing style is gentle but purposeful. There’s a warmth to the prose that contrasts beautifully with the darker historical backdrop. O’Brien doesn’t shy away from the realities of war loss, hunger, fear, and moral compromise, but she handles them with sensitivity rather than shock. The pacing is steady, allowing the emotional weight of small moments to land: a conversation over needles clicking, a look held too long, a decision made in silence.

What truly elevates the novel is its theme of quiet resistance. The book makes a powerful point that bravery doesn’t always look loud or violent. Sometimes it looks like persistence, community, and refusing to let fear strip away your humanity. The symbolism of knitting, mending, creating, and connecting is woven seamlessly into the narrative without feeling heavy-handed.

If there’s a weakness, it’s that readers expecting fast-paced wartime action may find the story slower and more introspective. This is a character-driven novel first and foremost. But for readers who appreciate emotional nuance and historical realism, that slower pace is a strength, not a flaw.

Overall, for me, The Resistance Knitting Club is a moving, quietly powerful historical novel that honours the unseen forms of courage that rarely make it into history books. It’s reflective, emotional, and ultimately hopeful, a reminder that even in the darkest times, connection and compassion can become acts of rebellion in their own right.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

The trajectory of Lenny’s life is immediately and irrevocably altered in June 1940 when her brother is reported missing in action, presumed dead. Determined to find out what has happened to him, Lenny travels from her homeland, Guernsey, to London. After taking a job in the War Office, she bravely puts herself forward for a role in Churchill’s Special Operations Executive - a role that she is uniquely qualified for given her fluency in French and the simple fact that she is a woman and therefore likely to be underestimated. So begins her training to become a French agent; one woman among eleven men and subject to behaviour and comments which are intended to make her feel uncomfortable.

Lenny is an incredibly strong character. After losing family, friends, and her homeland to Nazi occupation, she feels that she has nothing else to lose. But others in the same situation would find the challenges that she faces up to and overcomes completely insurmountable. She has more to prove than any man and applies herself to the training with single-mindedness and resolve. It is her knitting which draws the attention of the Head of the Special Operations Executive. What started out as an enjoyable pursuit and a way of making clothes and supporting the war effort takes on a life of its own as Lenny uses this skill to learn Morse code – a knit stitch for a dash, a purl for a dot. This is a development that could make a real difference to the War, especially when letters are censored but knitting is not.

The novel was largely plot-driven and the pacing of events worked for the most part. The main exception to this was the particularly arduous escape journey in the second half of the book. Given the perilous nature of this journey, I felt that the description of what happened felt rather rushed and aspects of this journey could have been developed further.

This felt like the kind of book which would bring the characters’ storylines to a nice, satisfying conclusion. However, while some characters had happy endings, not all were so fortunate. I found this slightly disappointing as I was prepared for a schmalzier ending. In spite of this, I do think that the ending the author has given us is more realistic and true to life and, as such, it strengthens the novel overall.

I would recommend The Resistance Knitting Club to readers who enjoyed The Emmy Lake Chronicles by AJ Pearce. Whilst the Resistance Knitting Club does not have the strong female friendships that I enjoyed so much in Dear Mrs Bird, both novels are set in World War II, they shine with wartime courage and they show the bravery and determination of women in times of great adversity.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for sharing an eARC with me in exchange for an honest review.

[Daphne Sharpe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story opens in Guernsey, June 1940.
Leonora, known as Lenny, lives in St Peter Port. Her brother James, is on war service as an interpreter. Both siblings had an Austrian mother and French father, these language skills were to be much in demand as the war progresses.
Lenny is in a local knitting group, making socks, hats and scarves for the troops as part of the war effort. Patterns and yarn are scarce, but Lenny loves to experiment with stitches and patterns.
When she receives a telegram telling her that James is MIA, she goes to London to get further information, a contact on Guernsey helps her to get a job as secretary for a new organisation being formed at the request of Winston Churchill, Section D stands for Destruction and Covert Operations, and she decides to undertake training for espionage activities overseas.
During training, Lenny introduces the idea of using the knit and purl stitches in knitting as a Morse Code, messages can be incorporated into hand made items that are sent to POW Camps to update prisoners about the progress of the war, and Resistance groups in France and Belgium could have a safe way of communication via the medium of knitting. Who pays attention to women and clicking needles, they become mainly invisible, which is what is needed to eavesdrop on plans about troop movements, train timetables, parachute drops and other useful information.
As a keen knitter myself, I was intrigued about Morse code being introduced into patterns, Steganography being the correct term for hiding secret messages in stitches. I would have loved to have learnt more about this coding method, how many operations succeeded due to this skill?
Without this knitting aspect, the book became more a spy novel and didn’t really live up to its very promising title.
Reading a modern day knitting chart with its mysterious symbols, arrows, dots, and cryptic instructions shows how ingenious this idea was.
My daughter insists that all knitters belong to covens, we use wool, waggle a couple of sticks about and produce a garment, Ha!
A successful blend of historical fact and fiction, but different to what the title led me to believe it would be about.
A three star rating for that reason.
My thanks to Netgalley and Storm publishing for my advanced copy, freely given in exchange for my honest review. I will leave copies to Goodreads and Amazon UK later.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

The echos of war affect us all, even generations later. The surprise of a grandmother speaking fluent French suddenly is the start of a rollercoaster of emotions in "The Resistance Knitting Club" by Jenny O'Brien.
I went to school with a girl from Guernsey and always thought she spoke funny.....now I know, French was probably her first language. And so it is with Lenny, making her invaluable in the allied war effort, where she can blend in to French life as a quiet woman knitting in a cafe or market, effectively working as a spy for the British. After tough training, being the only female, intrepid Lenny is deployed to Paris. And behind the scenes continues her personal mission to find her brother James, who is missing in action, presumed dead as part of the Dunkirk invasion.
Lenny's greatest asset to the war effort, is her hobby of knitting. Geniously seeing the correlation between the two knitting stitches knit and purl and Morse code dots or dashes. Knitted items become messages, decoded by reading the knitting stitches.....handcrafted espionage. This part of the story is based on fact. It was very common for women to knit socks for the troupes abroad. Extending this into code meant socks, sweaters and scarves transmitted radio frequencies, train timetables or flight paths (a dropped stitch was also employed) and longer messages of encoded intelligence.
Heartbreaking scenes unfold as Lenny's first love is caught by the Germans, as he selflessly protects her and James. A history of loss of her parents in a car fire and the bombing of her boarding house (and loss of the occupants bar a wee baby girl) during the blitz, adds up to a huge amount of trauma, and a huge amount of grief to keep under wraps for years to come. Something's hurt too much to ever speak of again. Survivors of the war have told me, if someone is vocal about their war experience, they didn't experience the full horror.....things that occured were unspeakable.
I loved this book and Lenny who is determined and brave but also frail in an emotional sense (feeling faint on receiving bad news) and weaker in a physical sense compared to her male counterparts, all of which makes her more real.
This is my first book by Jenny O'Brien and she will definately be on my radar for further reading of this historical fiction genre I so enjoy. Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my copy.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book by the title. I love historical fiction for the new facts you learn as well as the story. I did not know that one strategy to pass information about the enemy used during World War II were codes knit into garments. I was intrigued by that. How did it work? How often was it used? Were there many secrets passed this way? Was it effective?

As it turns out, this is not a story about that. And by the way, there was no club. This is the story of Lenny’s war experience.

While Lenny, our protagonist, is in training to become a spy for the British, she has trouble remembering the morse code. A knitter all her life, she practices by knitting code into the socks she is working on— a dash for knit, a dot for purl. When her superior officer learns what she is doing, she is ordered to teach others this method. We learn that it is used and she sends a knitted code once. But that is the extent of it.

Instead, this is the story about a brave, intrepid girl who becomes a spy, is dropped into France to help the war effort during the occupation and to find out what happened to her brother who is missing in action. Through many unbelievable coincidental encounters, the story rolls on.

Most of the characters were one dimensional—Harry, James. Angus, the bookstore owners. But the thing that bothered me the most (outside of the lack of knitting anything more than scarfs, sweaters, and socks ) was Lenny’s lightning quick change of heart when it came to the men in her life. It really took me out of the story. This happened twice and would easily have been remedied by a more natural progression in turn of feeling.

In its favor, the sections set in occupied Paris were well done.

In the author notes at the end of the book, it is clear that Ms O’Brien did her research. I just wish she had found a way to integrate more of it into the story.

I don’t think there can be enough stories written about war to admire the bravery of so many and try to avoid a repeat, However, this one had an uncommon angle that was not explored ,leaving this one reader disappointed.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Storm for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Shari · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 2010, Leonora, known as Lenny, is recovering from a stroke on Guernsey. She wakes up at one point speaking in French and it's urgent--she wants the jumper because the Germans are coming. Her daughter and granddaughter are confused because Lenny never gave any indication that she knew French. Indeed, when the younger women had asked for help with their French homework, she said she couldn't help them because she didn't know French. The book then takes readers back to 1941 and tells Lenny's story. As this part begins, Lenny is happily going to her knitting group, a bit concerned because she hasn't heard from her brother, James, in a while. As the women are knitting, a telegram arrives, informing Lenny that her brother is missing and presumed dead. She goes to London to see if she can find out more, bringing her knitting with her, of course. When she's at the War Office, she unexpectedly finds herself offering to work to further the war effort. This leads her to begin training as a field agent. Since French is her first language, she can be very useful. At the beginning of her training, she has trouble at first remembering the Morse code, so she helps herself by rendering the dots and dashes into knit and purl stitches. When the higher-ups find out what she's doing, they decide to make this a part of the training. When in Paris, she works as a shop girl in a bookshop run by people in the resistance. Plot ensues from there.

The book is inspired by true events and real people, but it is a novel. This was a great read, which I didn't want to put down. I kept turning the pages to see what would happen. I kept reminding myself that Lenny was barely an adult so some of the more impulsive decisions she makes would be understandable, given her age and the context. I was a bit disappointed that there was not more about the knitting once she passes her training course and goes off to Paris. It's mentioned in passing here and there, but it doesn't seem to play much of a role. I think it wasn't what I expected, based on the title. In spite of that, I did enjoy the book and since this is labelled as the first in a series, I'll look forward to the second.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a digital review copy.

[Ivy Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Huge thanks to Jennie O'Brien, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Set during WW2, the story follows Lenny, a young woman drawn into the world of resistance and espionage. After she receives a telegram informing her of her brother's disappearance and possible death, she starts her job at the War Office, later to be trained as a spy. During her training, Lenny memorizes Morse code by knitting into socks and jumpers, turning stitches into signals. What begins as a personal survival skill soon grows, and she finds herself teaching knitting to other soldiers. Through her mission, she faces hard decisions while constantly watching out for herself and the others. During times of war, she experiences love, loss, reunion, and healing through this wonderful story.

First of all, let me start by saying that I loved this story so much. The writing flowed beautifully, and it was just immersive without being emotionally overwhelming. It pulls you in with restraint and confidence. The emotions are clear, grounded, and effective. There is no ornate language or forced lyricism. The author simply lets the story and Lenny's own experience do the work.

The story has an intimate, character-driven focus, and because the narrative stays closely tied to Lenny, it feels personal and believable. Her fears, resilience, and emotional responses feel deeply natural and human. On a side note, Angus might be my favorite character in the book, as his kindness and unconditional love had me tearing up.

A fair warning: The title may be misleading. While I loved the story a lot, I must admit that it makes the reader assume that knitting Morse code will take center stage in the book. However, that is not the case, and it wasn't detailed, along with its outcomes, as much as I hoped it would be. Still, I think the story itself was captivating enough to make me forget about it.

The story had a strong emotional impact through the themes of courage in ordinary moments, emotional endurance, love under impossible circumstances, and human connection - told without melodrama or excess.

I definitely recommend this book for readers who love intimate historical fiction, stories of quiet resistance, subtle espionage elements, and emotional depth without heavy prose.