This is part of my Summer Reads series where I’ll be sharing book recommendations – a series of “not just cookbooks”.
Coming at you this week with an historical fiction novel set in WWII with Canadian main characters and a really interesting look at the wartime efforts of Canadian women.
From the publisher:
Twin sisters Dot and Dash Wilson share many things, and while they are practically inseparable, they are nothing alike. Dot is fascinated by books, puzzles, and Morse code, a language taught to both girls by their father, a WWI veteran. Dash’s days are filled with fixing engines, dancing with friends, and dreaming of flying airplanes. Almost always at their side is their best friend Gus—until war breaks out and he enlists in the army, deploying to an unknown front.
Determined to do their duty, both girls join the WRENS, Dash as a mechanic and Dot as a typist. Before long, Dot’s fixation on patterns and numbers takes her from HMCS Coverdale, a covert listening and codebreaking station working with Bletchley Park in England, to Camp X, a top-secret spy school. But when personal tragedy strikes the family, Dot’s oath of secrecy causes a rift between the sisters.
Eager to leave her pain behind, Dash jumps at the opportunity to train as a pilot with the Air Transport Auxiliary, where she risks her life to ferry aircraft and troops across the battlefields of Europe. Meanwhile Dot is drawn into the Allies’ preparations for D-Day. But Dot’s loyalties are put to the test once more when someone close to her goes missing in Nazi-occupied territory. With everyone’s eyes on Operation Overlord, Dot must use every skill at her disposal to save those she loves before it’s too late.
Inspired by the real-life stories of women in World War II, The Secret Keeper is an extraordinary novel about the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood and the light of courage during the darkest of nights.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book – my first Genevieve Graham book but not my last. A lengthy read (over 400 pages) but one I could not put down. I’ve read a lot of historical fiction set in Europe during WWII but not much set in Canada, let alone with storylines in and around Toronto. Not having grown up here, I don’t have much knowledge of wartime efforts, especially on the home front and by women (there’s some great info on Graham’s site on that).
Told from dual viewpoints (the sisters couldn’t be more different!), this is a well-paced, easy to follow storyline, despite jumping around between the sisters’ plots. I loved their nicknames, Dot and Dash – a nod to the Morse Code that is so important to the plot. The storylines were compelling and you get the chance to really get to know the sisters in such a long book – you’ll grow to love them and care about what happens. I loved learning about the WRENS (Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service) and the different jobs women did to help the war effort (Spy School! Codebreaker! Fighter Pilot!) in an era where many of these jobs tended to be male-dominated. A really different read from my usual “set in Europe” historical fiction novels.
The characters are incredibly well-developed and the book extremely well-researched (I encourage you to read the Author’s Note at the end). Dot and Dash will win your heart with their courage and compassion. Highly recommended!
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Disclosure: I received an advance copy from Simon & Schuster Canada in exchange for an honest review. I am not receiving any compensation for reviewing the book. Neither the author nor the publisher reviewed this post prior to publication. All opinions are my own.
Buy The Secret Keeper on Amazon (this affiliate link should bring you to the Amazon store in, or closest to, your country).
For free worldwide shipping, find The Secret Keeper on Blackwell’s.
Support your local Indie bookstore and purchase The Secret Keeper on Bookshop.org.
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Buy my books! In the French kitchen with kids and French Food for Everyone: le goûter (after school snacks), le dîner (dinner) and le petit déjeuner (breakfast) are out now! Click here for details and how to order!
