Family of Spies

A World War II Story of Nazi Espionage, Betrayal, and the Secret History Behind Pearl Harbor

De: Christine Kuehn

Narrado por: Erin Bennett

"[Narrator Erin] Bennett’s reading is never overdone; her directness neither shies away from [author Christine] Kuehn’s unpleasant revelations nor sensationalizes them...her light expression lets the dramatic details speak for themselves." — Booklist

"[Narrator Erin] Bennett's enunciation is clear and precise, and she credibly affects various accents for people of different nationalities, as well as male and female voices. Bennett's alto pitch and calm presentation are splendid for this amazing true story." — Kirkus

A propulsive, never-before-told story of one family’s shocking involvement as Nazi and Japanese spies during WWII and the pivotal role they played in the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

It began with a letter from a screenwriter, asking about a story. Your family. World War II. Nazi spies. Christine Kuehn was shocked and confused. When she asked her seventy-year-old father, Eberhard, what this could possibly be about, he stalled, deflected, demurred, and then wept. He knew this day would come.

The Kuehns, a prominent Berlin family, saw the rise of the Nazis as a way out of the hard times that had befallen them. When the daughter of the family, Eberhard’s sister, Ruth, met Nazi leader Joseph Goebbels at a party, the two hit it off, and they had an affair. But Ruth had a secret—she was half Jewish—and Goebbels found out. Rather than having Ruth killed, Goebbels instead sent the entire Kuehn family to Hawaii, to work as spies half a world away. There, Ruth and her parents established an intricate spy operation from their home, just a few miles down the road from Pearl Harbor, shielding Eberhard from the truth. They passed secrets to the Japanese, leading to the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor. After Eberhard’s father was arrested and tried for his involvement in planning the assault, Eberhard learned the harsh truth about his family and faced a decision that would change the path of the Kuehn family forever.

Jumping back and forth between Christine discovering her family’s secret and the untold past of the spies in Germany, Japan, and Hawaii, Family of Spies is fast-paced history at its finest and will rewrite the narrative of December 7, 1941.

"[Narrator Erin] Bennett’s reading is never overdone; her directness neither shies away from [author Christine] Kuehn’s unpleasant revelations nor sensationalizes them...her light expression lets the dramatic details speak for themselves."—Booklist

A Macmillan Audio production from Celadon Books

Reseñas de la Crítica

New York Post - "Most Exciting Books to Read This Fall"
New York Times: 21 Nonfiction Books Coming This Fall

"A brilliantly researched and dramatic story which will captivate the reader till the very end. The humanity of this story underlies the terrible acts undertaken, and a testament to the power of truth, and love, above all."
—Heather Morris, New York Times bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz

"This true tale of espionage in wartime is full of plot twists worthy of a Hollywood thriller. Christine Kuehn takes on an intriguing, sometimes startling journey into a family’s dark past—her own."
—Evan Thomas, author of Road to Surrender

"Deeply researched and evocatively written, Family of Spies is that all too rare combination of accurate history and great storytelling. An honest and unflinching exploration of the role Christine Kuehn's grandparents played in facilitating the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the book deftly weaves geopolitics, espionage and strained familial relationships into a spellbinding whole. Highly recommended."
—Stephen Harding, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Battle

"Absorbing niche history about a grandfather’s secret Nazi identity."
—Kirkus

"Taut as a spy thriller—but shockingly real—Family of Spies unearths the dark secret of an American family swept up in Nazi ambition, deception, and a covert role in one of the most devastating days in U.S. history. Christine Kuehn’s journey into her family's past will leave you stunned. This is history that haunts."
—Adam Makos, author of the New York Times bestseller, Devotion

So interesting!

A really well written story. Good listen. The review wants a longer sentence so here it is.

Captivating read!

This was a great listen for lots of reasons… really interesting historical narrative, incredible personal story and a fascinating look at a piece of the history that I was unaware of until reading this account.

Secret Keeping: A Family Trait

This work combines two of my interests: WW2 and family secrets. This story is unlike anything I have read. The approach to the writing blends the detailed history with the family. I highly recommend this book.

Fascinating history of a family

I liked the writing, research and author’s insights. It’s amazing that it’s true. Well with the listen. So well researched and written.

Finished in Two Days. Unforgettable and Deeply Moving.

Family of Spies by Christine Kuehn is absolutely phenomenal. Her storytelling is beautiful, fascinating, and incredibly immersive. I was completely hooked by the end of every chapter and found myself needing to know what happened next. I picked this up yesterday and finished it today. I simply couldn’t put it down.

This book took me on a true emotional rollercoaster. I was crying, excited, anxious, and in awe all at once, while also feeling deep empathy for what everyone involved had to endure. It reads like a novel, yet every moment carries the weight of truth. Learning that there wasn’t just one spy, but an entire family involved in intelligence work connected to Pearl Harbor, something I was never taught in American history, was shocking and fascinating. The way Christine weaves her family’s story with historical revelations is masterful. The narration by Erin Bennett was beautifully done. Her emotion and character voices added even more depth to an already powerful story.

The exploration of her ancestry, especially the German lineage during World War II, deeply moved me. My own great-grandmother was from Germany, and imagining what families endured during that time made history feel incredibly close and real. I felt so immersed in the reality of the story that I pictured myself there, as if I were right inside the storyline as it unfolded. The courage, secrecy, and impossible choices portrayed here stayed with me long after I finished listening.

For a first book, this is astonishing. Christine Kuehn deserves to be incredibly proud, not only of her writing, but of her bravery in releasing such a personal and powerful memoir into the world. Especially living in a military area like Hampton Roads today, this story felt even more profound. This book is unforgettable, and I can easily see it becoming a bestseller! Highly, highly recommend! 🥰

TLDR: Buy it, read it, you’re going to love it!!!!