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Code Name: Beatriz
"Wireless agents have a six-week life expectancy after they parachute into France." Antonia, devastated by what the war has taken from her, is numb to the warning, and willing to die while working with the Resistance in France...until a special operation brings her face to face with a Canadian man who makes her want to live again. When the operation goes terribly wrong and the Nazis capture him, what will she risk to free him?
398 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 30, 2019
52 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
About the author
Lou Cadle
32 books122 followersLou Cadle grew up in Tornado Alley near the New Madrid fault, was in San Francisco's 1989 earthquake, watched minor eruptions of Mt. St. Helens from close up, and hiked several times over Kilauea's active lava flows. Cadle currently lives in haboob country.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 12, 2019
Code Name Beatriz by Lou Cadle is historical fiction done right. I always shy from historical fiction, not because I don't like it, but because it's really hard to get right. That's doubly so when it's one of my favourite and most read periods of history. I've been reading about SOE agents since finding a copy of Carve Her Name With Pride at my granny's house when I was ten. Lou Cadle has done a great job with Code Name Beatriz.
Code Name Beatriz is well researched, I've read dozens of books about SOE in particular and hundreds about WW2, lots of them first-hand accounts by people that survived it. Nothing stood out as being egregiously wrong. I recognised most of the situations as being based on the real stories of SOE Agents, somewhere someone had been through the same thing in a very similar way. That said Code Name Beatriz is a work of fiction, and there are bits that get bent to fit the story. There's also a very good use of suspense in places. One is never sure if any operation is going to come off, and also whether Beatriz will survive the war.
Starting in the early spring of 1944 it follows an SOE agent with the code name Beatriz (hence the title). Beatriz is a fully rounded and complex character, which makes her interesting. She's not a trope, but a real woman. With that there are no concessions made to being nice, or ignoring parts of life. The story is gritty and very realistic. It has both darkness and light. Beatriz is Spanish, and a refugee from the civil war during which she lost her parents. She married an Englishman, who was posted missing in action. Joining SOE is her way to get revenge on the fascists. The book starts with her completing her training as a wireless operator and being dropped into France in early 1944.
It's a perilous life, and there's a suspense to it that kept me reading late into the night to finish it. Lots of things that go wrong, and narrow escapes. Beatriz falls for another agent, and despite this carries on her fight. There's not much left to the imagination, and the suspense carries on to the end. My only disappointment is that this is most likely a stand-alone book, there's not loads of space for a sequel.
If you like good rounded stories, that don't pull punches, then you ought to read Code Name Beatriz. All the more so if you want to understand life in occupied Europe and the risks that the resistance took to help hasten freedom for us all.
Code Name Beatriz is well researched, I've read dozens of books about SOE in particular and hundreds about WW2, lots of them first-hand accounts by people that survived it. Nothing stood out as being egregiously wrong. I recognised most of the situations as being based on the real stories of SOE Agents, somewhere someone had been through the same thing in a very similar way. That said Code Name Beatriz is a work of fiction, and there are bits that get bent to fit the story. There's also a very good use of suspense in places. One is never sure if any operation is going to come off, and also whether Beatriz will survive the war.
Starting in the early spring of 1944 it follows an SOE agent with the code name Beatriz (hence the title). Beatriz is a fully rounded and complex character, which makes her interesting. She's not a trope, but a real woman. With that there are no concessions made to being nice, or ignoring parts of life. The story is gritty and very realistic. It has both darkness and light. Beatriz is Spanish, and a refugee from the civil war during which she lost her parents. She married an Englishman, who was posted missing in action. Joining SOE is her way to get revenge on the fascists. The book starts with her completing her training as a wireless operator and being dropped into France in early 1944.
It's a perilous life, and there's a suspense to it that kept me reading late into the night to finish it. Lots of things that go wrong, and narrow escapes. Beatriz falls for another agent, and despite this carries on her fight. There's not much left to the imagination, and the suspense carries on to the end. My only disappointment is that this is most likely a stand-alone book, there's not loads of space for a sequel.
If you like good rounded stories, that don't pull punches, then you ought to read Code Name Beatriz. All the more so if you want to understand life in occupied Europe and the risks that the resistance took to help hasten freedom for us all.
February 19, 2020
This took me a little while to get into but by the halfway mark I didn't want to put it down! I felt it differed from other Resistance books I have read in that the storyline stayed with the circuit, normally these stories have the agent dropped and then she goes off to Paris or somewhere else. Due to this you get attached to all the circuit members and hope that they succeed against the Nazi's and survive.
I could have done with an extra chapter at the end to explain what had happened to the French contingent.The last few pages felt rushed as the whole book had been so detailed so it jarred slightly.
However, aside from that I enjoyed reading Antonia's story along with Claude, Bernard, Genevieve and the older ladies (although there are a few violent/gory descriptions that I had to skim over). It just goes to show what you are able to endure for love.
I could have done with an extra chapter at the end to explain what had happened to the French contingent.The last few pages felt rushed as the whole book had been so detailed so it jarred slightly.
However, aside from that I enjoyed reading Antonia's story along with Claude, Bernard, Genevieve and the older ladies (although there are a few violent/gory descriptions that I had to skim over). It just goes to show what you are able to endure for love.
May 7, 2020
I loved this book and could not put it down!! Antonio was a British spy for the SOE in Britain which very few British citizens knew existed. She was flown to France which was occupied by the Nazis in 1944 and parachuted in total darkness to join a French resistance group led by Claude after going through months of training in England. She was aware of the fact that many SOE operatives lasted no longer than six weeks! The events that took place while she was in France were fascinating and her bravery and quick thinking were admirable!!
April 14, 2020
This book was very well researched and written. Fictional? but based on what we now know to be fact. These brave women gave their all, in some cases their lives to help this country whilst at war.
It was so well written I almost felt I was there. I cannot say enough about how much I enjoyed reading it.
It was so well written I almost felt I was there. I cannot say enough about how much I enjoyed reading it.
March 7, 2020
Great story
Well written tale of courage and strength in a very difficult time. Without such brave people, maybe the war would have lasted longer. Enjoy.
Well written tale of courage and strength in a very difficult time. Without such brave people, maybe the war would have lasted longer. Enjoy.
April 2, 2020
I wasn’t sure about this book at first and then the plot all fell into place. Overall quite good. A pity she never returned to France to catch up with the others if they survived. Would recommend
May 10, 2020
Oh dear! Didn’t continue with this poorly written book when the author had Beatriz wearing TIGHTS in WW2! Very very poor research and even worse editing.
June 27, 2021
A Gripping Story
I have read novels about this period but found this one to be one of the most engaging. There are some very graphic episodes but they explain what the situation was like for those heroes who were committed to beating the Nazis.
I have read novels about this period but found this one to be one of the most engaging. There are some very graphic episodes but they explain what the situation was like for those heroes who were committed to beating the Nazis.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews