This book blew my mind away. First of all, the number of hours the author must have spent on research....amazing. The characters were all fantastic and I loved how the meshed together.

At the center is Anna, who is a young widow, wants to do something meaningful to help with the resistance. She ends up working for a longtime friend of her fathers and being sent to Paris. Anna partners with some friends she met while in college and works to send intel back to the US.

I truly loved every aspect of this story. Very highly recommend. Can’t wait to read more by this author.

Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “The Secret Stealers” by Jane Healey, April 2021 on Tour with Suzy Approved Book Tours

WOW! Jane Healey, the author of “The Secret Stealers” has written a captivating, intriguing, intense, suspenseful, and memorable novel. The genre for this novel is Historical Fiction. I love the way Jane Healey vividly describes the characters, the events, and the plot of this story. The timeline for this story is during World War Two. The author depicts her colorful and dramatic characters as courageous, brave, complex, and complicated

I have enjoyed Jane Healey’s books in the past and this novel is one edgy and thought-provoking novel. I appreciate the “sisterhood” of women and the camaraderie of the men who are working during the war in such tragic and dangerous circumstances. The romances during the war can be difficult at best, and the fear of loss is great. Also, it is amazing to realize the hours of research that the author has done to provide us with such an amazing novel.

Anna Cavanaugh, one of the protagonists in this story is a widow, with an itch to do something more with her life than teach French in school. Anna is proficient in English, French, and Germany and has spent time in France. A family friend, Major General William Donovan recruits Anna to the Office of Strategic Services. At first, Anna is his secretary, and as she gets the feeling and taste of doing her part for the war effort, she finds herself, in the position of stealing certain papers that are important. Anna now is determined to be in the intelligent community and be a spy. She learns how to transmit messages, in dangerous times. She finds herself in Paris, where resistance workers are tortured if caught or killed. She is in great danger at all times.

While Anna is behind enemy lines, she feels that this is something she is meant to do. Jane Healey has written a memorable story of love and loss during World War Two. I would highly recommend this novel for readers that enjoy reading Historical Fiction.

This was the most amazing book I have read in a long time! Was hooked from the first page.... amazing writing and an amazing story! Highly highly recommend

This suspenseful WWII story follows the journey of 22-year-old widow Anna Cavanagh as she joins the American Office of Strategic Services, knowing full well that it will lead to becoming a spy in Europe. Engaging characters (with one based on the real life Julia Child) and heart-stopping twists and turns continue the momentum from start to finish. Healey's obvious extensive research takes the reader directly into the heart of the action in France. Her strong female characters tell true stories of the roles women played with courage, intelligence and intuition. Another inspiring page turner! I can't wait for the next one!

The Secret Stealers is one of my most anticipated reads of the year - Beantown Girls is one of my all time favorites and I adore Jane Healey's writing. I am SO excited I loved The Secret Stealers as much as I did! Jane Healey's writing style is dynamic, I love the way she writes her characters, their dialogue, and the history. She is one of those historical fiction writers that is so atmospheric and transports me into the time and place so well. She has become one of my go to historical fiction authors also due to her focus on writing lesser known stories of women in history.

The main character of The Secret Stealers is fearless and independent and drawn to the job at the Office of Strategic Services because there are women overseas to Europe and Africa that are helping with the war efforts and she wants to join in on the cause. Her supervisor is a war veteran and Roosevelt's top advisor. I love the dialogue and personality she brings to characters and how relatable they are. People had expectations of the main character to become married and have kids and she desperately wanted to pursue her own dreams and travel the world and I loved her path to finding herself and her voice a bit more.

One of the scenes I really loved from the training preparations was the clothing depot which was fit for different genders and roles going into the field to suit spies to blend in as different roles including farmer, clergy, or student and knowing the trends in each country - specific stitch styles, sewing specific types of brands on tags, etc. The intricacies were so interesting!

One of my favorite parts of the book was the author's note and the true people that inspired this story. One of the characters is inspired by Julia Child and her real life efforts with the Office of Strategic Services in Sri Lanka and China before her American culinary history. There are other true story weaved in including John Wayne applying to the OSS and citing  "acting and horseback riding" and pertinent qualifications!

Another true gem of a book from Jane Healey - add this one to your TBR and pre-order a copy today!

Jane Healey's Beantown Girls was one of my favorite reads of 2019. I really enjoyed this book s well, but it didn't quite live up to the first one. I thought the beginning and end of the book was really good, but the middle was tedious to get through at times. A few of the scenarios felt a bit unrealistic to me. I liked many of the main characters. Overall, it was a really good WWII historical fiction, and I liked the focus on women who were spies.

Once again, the hot WWII genre is revisited in this exciting read. Anna is recruited for the OSS and sent over to France. The action is dense and each,page is,full of interesting characters and intrigue. I liked the author’s note at the end. Some off the characters were based off real people, some who had a better ending in historical fiction. The tension is palpable and danger is everywhere. I got sucked into the era quickly while reading this book. There is love, loss, sacrifice, and redemption in these pages.

Anna Cavanaugh is a recent widow, working as a French teacher in Washington, D.C. When a family friend, General William Donovan, reaches out to her and invites her to join the Office of Strategic Services, Anna’s life is completely turned upside down. Soon, she is working behind enemy lines in France, clandestinely communicating with London about the Germans plans. In constant danger, Anna and her female colleagues concoct rescue missions and reveal weapon blueprints to the home front, while at the same time trying to keep their real identities a secret.
Historical fiction author Jane Healey returns with her newest novel, expected in April 2021, “The Secret Stealers”. Full of intrigue, suspense and patriotism, it pulled me in from the first page.
Anna is an honest and realistic character, while at the same time being exceptionally brave and true to herself. Desperate to make a difference in the world, she takes on the biggest challenge of her life, despite the danger, and despite the attitudes toward women both at home and abroad. With the help of her friends, Anna is able to confront her fears and doubts, and change the war effort for the Allied forces. There is an immediate bond formed with Anna, and right away I wanted her to succeed. She is relatable on every level, a “typical” female doing a “typical” job, who is called to action in a huge way. This is literally the stuff that dreams are made of.
The story takes place mostly abroad, particularly in London and France, and Healey describes the beauty of these countries, but also the destruction caused by the war, in an immersive and captivating way. I was right there with Anna, as she biked the dirty streets of France, and traveled in the back of a tiny plane on her way to London.
Healey’s novel is well-researched, as she details in her author’s notes, and the fact that some of her characters were based on real-life people makes the novel even more awe-inspiring. Although “The Secret Stealers” is full of dangerous and clandestine missions and is laden with destruction and death, it also manages to be uplifting and inspiring.
The bittersweet and emotional ending concludes the novel perfectly. There are tear-filled reunions, nostalgic memories, and positive feelings about the future, which is exactly what you’d expect from a World War Two novel. As realistic and heart-wrenching as “The Secret Stealers” is, it highlights the bravery and strength of the participants, of both genders, and reignites a faith in humanity.

I really enjoyed reading this historical fiction novel. It was my first by Jane. I felt like I was learning about some behind the scenes organization that wasn't included in our history books - and I loved that for once the boss was not the bad guy.

The characters were well described and interesting, the friendships felt real. Anyone loving historical fiction will enjoy this.

First and foremost, I need to thank Jane Healey not only for sharing these amazing characters with us but giving me access to this fantastic book! Jane is excellent at bringing historical female figures to life and she’s outdone herself with “The Secret Stealers”.

Anna Cavanaugh had been leading the life that was expected of her. It was the beginning of WWII, she was married to a man who wanted her to live in his shadow rather than by his side. When her husband dies in a freak accident shortly after Pearl Harbor, she’s left not quite sure what to do or where to go moving forward. Then, General William Donovan presents her with an opportunity that she couldn’t refuse. She begins her journey as his assistant at the Office of Strategic Services. She soon trades in her coffee cup and desk on DC for a wireless radio and a mission in German occupied France to uncover the super secret weapon the Germans are developing.

With Anna’s strong will, intelligence and determination, she becomes a spy, rubbing elbows with the very people she despises. She knows that her work has the potential to save thousands and she won’t stop until the mission is accomplished. Of course there would be road blocks, specifically in the form of a suspicious German officer. Along with an eclectic cast of characters, Anna risks her life to save others.

Anna is an amazing representation of the scores of women who worked in the OSS and SOE. While this particular character is fictional, she proves that women aren’t to be underestimated and just how strong and brave they can be. She brings their stories to life and for me, I definitely want to learn more.

This is a great way to start of my 2021 reading challenge. I didn’t want this story to end. I often felt like I was walking along side Anna and her comrades as they worked to thwart the enemy during a dark period in history.

I cannot get enough of books about female spies. This has long been an obsession of mine. Back in the late 1980's I read The Spy Wore Red and I was hooked. Jane Healey's books are always a win for me. I love the way she writes characters. This story follows Anna Cavanaugh a young widow who gets recruited into the Office of Strategic Services, the precursor to the CIA. Anna meets and trains with some other women who become her friends. Anna gets sent to Occupied Paris with a few of the ladies she trained with including Noor Khan (who actually existed!). Anna speaks flawless French and goes undercover in a clandestine operation to obtain important intelligence needed to hopefully change the direction of the war. Anna almost gets caught in the process. As with Ms. Healey's other stories, there's a little bit of romance too. Another fabulous story! #thesecretstealers #netgalley

Thank you to NetGalley and Ann-Marie Nieves for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review! / ¡Muchas gracias a NetGalley y Ann-Marie Nieves por darme un ARC de este libro a cambio de una reseña honesta!

English Review:
5 / 5 stars

The Secret Stealers is a historical fiction novel that follows Anna Cavanaugh, an American 22-year-old widow who is trying to move on with her life and gets hired by the mysterious OSS, an organization who is trying to help stop the great dominance of the Nazis in the big cities such as Paris, with which Anna has a strong connection given that some of her best friends live there.

I have to say, before I read this book, I was starting to think that I wasn´t a fan of historical fiction, because the last books I have read of this genre before weren´t really a good experience. So, in order for me to say that this book is one of my favorites of this year, is to say much.

To be completely honest, I don´t know what captivated me the most of this book: it may be the story, which is incredibly well written and provides a reader a never-ending desire to know more and continue reading; or it may be the characters, whom are great people but also have flaws and make mistakes, giving the book a great sense of reality; or it may be the how well portrayed the World War II is, making this book to stand out as a great historical fiction that I will definitely will be recommending to more people.

Reseña en Español:
5 / 5 estrellas

The Secret Stealers es una novela de ficción histórica que sigue a Anna Cavanaugh, una viuda estadounidense de 22 años que está tratando de seguir adelante con su vida y es contratada por la misteriosa OSS, una organización que intenta ayudar a detener el gran dominio de los Nazis en las grandes ciudades como París, ciudad con la que Anna tiene una fuerte conexión dado que algunos de sus mejores amigos viven allí.

Debo decir que, antes de leer este libro, estaba empezando a pensar que no era tan fanática de la ficción histórica, porque los últimos libros que he leído de este género no fueron realmente una buena experiencia. Entonces, para que yo diga que este libro es uno de mis favoritos de este año, es muy sorprendente.

Para ser completamente honesta, no sé qué me cautivó más de este libro: puede ser la historia, que está increíblemente bien escrita y proporciona al lector un deseo inagotable de saber más y seguir leyendo; o pueden ser los personajes, que son grandes personas pero también tienen defectos y cometen errores, lo que le da al libro un gran sentido de realidad; o puede ser lo bien retratada que está la Segunda Guerra Mundial, lo que hace que este libro se destaque como una gran ficción histórica que definitivamente recomendaré a más personas.

#thesecretstealers #netgalley

The secret stealers is a suspenseful adventure packed book. I would recommend to readers looking for that kind of adventure.

The Secret Stealers by Jane Healey

Has anyone started building their book lists for 2021? This comes out on April 1st!

Following Anna on her amazing journey through World War II, she meets some amazing characters and has unforgettable experiences. Starting at her job as an assistant in the OSS office, then getting the chance to help out on special secret assignments, leading to training and eventually becoming a spy in Occupied France. This story reminded me of the Alice Network but had a unique storyline. I loved watching Anna grow into such a fierce and brave spy.

Appearances by John Wayne, Julia Child and Christian Dior seamlessly wound into the novel were a fun surprise!

Thank you to @netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for my advanced copy!

#netgalley #thesecretstealers #janehealey #advancedcopy #arc #reading #loveofreading #historicalfiction #books #booknerd #bookstagram #canadianbookstagrammer #bookish #eread #yyc #yycbooks #booksofinstagram #history #2021 #bookreview #bookrecommendations #mybooks #2021books #amazonpublishing #lakeunionpublishing

"A female American spy in Nazi-occupied France finds purpose behind enemy lines in a novel of unparalleled danger, love, and daring"
This part alone ensnared me into this book. Who wouldn't want to read a book with a strong female protagonist fighting against nazi soldiers?
I loved the read and would recommend to anyone looking for a fast paced action read.

I really enjoyed this book! I like historical WW2 books and this was an exciting one! It made me want to read more of this authors books! The only thing I did not like was the love triangle...

After the death of her husband, Anna is recruited into the OSS. She wants to serve the war efforts in her own way.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This story follows Anna, a young woman in the 1940's. Despite being a brilliant graduate herself, Anna has to put aside all her ambitions to take on the expected role of housewife.
When her husband is killed in a car crash, Anna finally discovers a life and job where her intelligence is valued. Working for the OSS spymaster General Donovan, Anna knows that she has to become a spy, to do her part for the war, and for her second home, Paris.

I really enjoyed this historical novel.
It is based on the real OSS - America's first official spy organisation.
You get to view it through Anna's eyes. As the new recruit, it's a steep learning curve, but at least she has some friends to help her through the hardest parts.
The world is at war, and the OSS is working non-stop. Anna embraces this new life and new demands, relishing the challenge. When the opportunity to be an overseas agent comes along, Anna grabs it with both hands.
It was so interesting to see the lives and training of these spies during World War 2, a time when warplay was evolving faster than ever.

I liked our main character Anna. Despite her brilliance, she's still just a normal girl. She's done her duty to her family and wed a suitable man. But now she's free and I rooted for her throughout.
She's a very likeable character, trying to find her path at a time when women were expected to do nothing more than have children and care for their families. Her steps to freedom are tentative at first, but she finds it addictive.
Having never been truly in charge of her own life, she isn't burdened with the cockiness that is present in some of her (mainly male) spies and colleagues.

This isn't a short book, and it isn't filled with constant action, but I never felt like it was slow.
I loved following Anna during training, and her life with the Parisian Resistance fighters. The mission is the main focus, but the book takes the time to paint a very real, grim, but hopeful country under occupation.
The writing is really easy to read, and I was completely hooked throughout.

I really enjoyed this book. It took me a few chapters to really get into but then once I could truely picture the characters in my mind, including deciding that I did like Anna, I looked forward to my evening reads. Like many books I felt that the end was rushed, suddenly it all pulled together. It could be improved with a slower wind down about the 'what next' to the heros lives. However overall I enjoyed the mix of romance, thriller and historical references.

With thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest opinion. Fabulous ww2 saga that was full of intriguing moments and highly captivating from beginning to end can highly recommend reading this book.
First time for me reading this author and what a joy.

Partner: Netgalley and Lake Union

I absolutely loved The Beantown Girls. The book just pulled me in from the start and had me thinking about it long after I finished. Needless to say I was very excited to come across Jane Healy’s upcoming book. And I so wanted to like this as much as Beantown Girls but unfortunately it just didn’t hit the mark for me.

There were aspects of the story I enjoyed- particularly those centered around the work the OSE and the OSS agents did in France in WWII. And I absolutely loved it when I figured out who Julia was based on - very clever! What I struggled with was Anna and the romances that were such a central part of the story.

I really just felt they were overwrought and it took away from the story for me. I also became frustrated with predicting and then finding the story go as expected. I wish there had been some twist. Overall it was a story that kept me reading but one that didn’t wow like I so hoped it would.