The woman with no name: a novel

It's 1942, and Yvonne Rudellat, who is estranged from her husband and distanced from her daughter, and who survived a bomb that destroyed her home, jumps at the chance to join the French Resistance and become one of its first female sabotage agents. Under the code name Jacqueline, Yvonne proves herself to be adept at explosives. After she lands in France for her assignment, she goes on to lead a group of men and women thwarting the Nazis every chance they get. This page-turning novel is based on a true story and will have readers holding their breath while these brave characters risk their lives retrieving supply drops, carrying messages, running from Germans, and, of course, setting up timely and risky explosions. Blake speaks to the historical oversight regarding women like Yvonne, yet these women persisted and often ended up outperforming the men they worked with. Even when captured and pressured, Yvonne resists telling her secrets. Resilience, courage, and bravery outshine the enemy in this fast-paced, historical read.

It's 1942, and Yvonne Rudellat, who is estranged from her husband and distanced from her daughter, and who survived a bomb that destroyed her home, jumps at the chance to join the French Resistance and become one of its first female sabotage agents. Under the code name Jacqueline, Yvonne proves herself to be adept at explosives. After she lands in France for her assignment, she goes on to lead a group of men and women thwarting the Nazis every chance they get. This page-turning novel is based on a true story and will have readers holding their breath while these brave characters risk their lives retrieving supply drops, carrying messages, running from Germans, and, of course, setting up timely and risky explosions. Blake speaks to the historical oversight regarding women like Yvonne, yet these women persisted and often ended up outperforming the men they worked with. Even when captured and pressured, Yvonne resists telling her secrets. Resilience, courage, and bravery outshine the enemy in this fast-paced, historical read. Copyright 2024 Booklist Reviews.

In this fast-paced, often heart-pounding historical novel, Blake (The Surgeon's Daughter) introduces readers to Yvonne Rudellat, a woman of uncommon courage and resourcefulness. After surviving the bombing of her London home, Yvonne is recruited to train as a special operations executive working with the French Resistance as one of its first women sabotage agents. Slight in stature, fluent in French, and "a woman of a certain age," she takes on a new identity as Jacqueline Viallat. With a fierce desire to help, she joins the fight and becomes an expert in setting up explosives, carrying messages, and thwarting the Nazis with a group of brave people. What makes this novel all the more powerful is the fact that Yvonne is based on a real person (as are most of the other characters), one of the "hidden figures" of World War II. VERDICT Fans of historical fiction will enjoy this expertly crafted and compelling story and learn something about the brave and unsung women of the Resistance.—Carolyn M. Mulac