Code Name Hélène: A Novel

Ariel Lawhon

Mar 2020 · Sold by Vintage

About this ebook

Based on the thrilling real-life story of a socialite spy and astonishing woman who killed a Nazi with her bare hands and went on to become one of the most decorated women in WWII—from the New York Times bestselling author of I Was Anastasia and The Frozen River.

"Will fascinate readers of World War II history and thrill fans of fierce, brash, independent women." —Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours

Told in interweaving timelines organized around the four code names Nancy used during the war, Code Name Hélène is a spellbinding and moving story of enduring love, remarkable sacrifice and unfaltering resolve that chronicles the true exploits of a woman who deserves to be a household name.

It is 1936 and Nancy Wake is an intrepid Australian expat living in Paris who has bluffed her way into a reporting job for Hearst newspaper when she meets the wealthy French industrialist Henri Fiocca. No sooner does Henri sweep Nancy off her feet and convince her to become Mrs. Fiocca than the Germans invade France and she takes yet another name: a code name.

As Lucienne Carlier, Nancy smuggles people and documents across the border. Her success and her remarkable ability to evade capture  earns her the nickname The White Mouse from the Gestapo. With a five million franc bounty on her head, Nancy is forced to escape France and leave Henri behind. When she enters training with the Special Operations Executives in Britain, her new comrades are instructed to call her Helene. And finally, with mission in hand, Nancy is airdropped back into France as the deadly Madam Andree, where she claims her place as one of the most powerful leaders in the French Resistance, armed with a ferocious wit, her signature red lipstick, and the ability to summon weapons straight from the Allied Forces.

But no one can protect Nancy if the enemy finds out these four women are one and the same, and the closer to liberation France gets, the more exposed she—and the people she loves—become.

Don't miss Ariel Lawhon's new book, The Frozen River!

Ratings and reviews

Hélène, one of just four aliases used by Nancy Wake during the war – but the story encompasses some twelve years starting in 1936. Nancy was Australian by birth, bold by nature, with a prodigious memory, stunning looks, a great laugh and a penchant for “Victory Red” Lipstick – that she used as armor: to distract and build her own confidence. From journalist working under the Hearst Corporation banner as a non-bylined freelancer, to leading and directing Resistance fighters numbering in the thousands, scaling the Pyrenees to escape capture and managing to juggle aliases from Hélène through Mrs. Fiocca, Lucienne Carlier, The White Mouse, Hélène, and finally, Madame Andrè Each alias has a part of the story to tell, each with their own focus and worries – and all wholly descriptive, engaging and emotionally available. We also have some perspective from Nancy’s husband, Henry Fiocca: the man who taught her to ride a bicycle, bought her a puppy, loved her like no other and ultimately was killed by (in the story) the Vichy-aligned chief of police. But it is the story of their coming together and separation, his inability to say ‘no’ to his wife, and his constant efforts to make her life better and easier with money, vehicles, prescient introductions to people and experiences as well as his teaching her to ‘swear’ like a man in French as well as hold her liquor. Not bashful or particularly willing to play games, her femininity was simply a tool, like a knife, that kept others on edge and often discounting the brave and very resourceful woman in front of them. As a read – this was one that (and few do) after the first chapters where readers “meet” Nancy, the story takes hold of your mind and your imagination, and putting it down is NOT an option. I lost sleep over this book: the emotions, the scenery and terrors, admiration of Nancy’s bravery (or pure unadulterated luck) in many situations: her selfless willingness to step out first for dangerous and potentially deadly missions, and her determination to eliminate the first (and to her mind, the worst) of the Nazi scourge from the earth. With heart pounding tensions and action, and heart breaking losses, the woman who would not have a byline in any newspaper far surpassed that simple notoriety from her actions, her bravery and the personality that the author cleverly managed to insert and explain. This is a favorite read for many reasons: learning and being able to further investigate the life of Nancy Wake is a bonus and one I will undertake immediately. Don’t look her up before reading: take this story (and the author’s suggestions for more / other tales) and prepare yourself to meet a genuine heroic woman. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

I just finished reading "Liberation" which is all about Nancy Wake. Found out about this book today. I read the inside cover write-up and it sounds much the same. Wondering how similar these stories really are. Can anyone tell me? Thank you.

About the author

ARIEL LAWHON is a critically acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction. Her books have been translated into numerous languages and have been Library Reads, One Book One County, Indie Next, Costco, and Book of the Month Club selections. She lives in the rolling hills outside Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband and four sons. She splits her time between the grocery store and the baseball field.