Churchill's Secret Messenger

A WW2 Novel of Spies & the French Resistance

By: Alan Hlad

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 11 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

A riveting story of World War II and the courage of one young woman as she is drafted into Churchill's overseas spy network, aiding the French Resistance behind enemy lines and working to liberate Nazi-occupied Paris.

London, 1941: In a cramped bunker in Winston Churchill's Cabinet War Rooms, underneath Westminster's Treasury building, civilian women huddle at desks, typing up confidential documents and reports. Since her parents were killed in a bombing raid, Rose Teasdale has spent more hours than usual in Room 60, working double shifts, growing accustomed to the burnt scent of the Prime Minister's cigars permeating the stale air. Winning the war is the only thing that matters, and she will gladly do her part. And when Rose's fluency in French comes to the attention of Churchill himself, it brings a rare yet dangerous opportunity.

Rose is recruited for the Special Operations Executive, a secret British organization that conducts espionage in Nazi-occupied Europe. After weeks of grueling training, Rose parachutes into France with a new codename: Dragonfly. Posing as a cosmetics saleswoman in Paris, she ferries messages to and from the Resistance, knowing that the slightest misstep means capture or death.

©2021 Alan Hlad (P)2021 Tantor

A remarkable book about the SOE and French Resistance roles during WWII

This is a stunning story about the courage, resilience and tenacity of the men and women of both Special Operations and French Resistance in France during the terrifying and brutal Nazi occupation during WWII. Simon Vance is a brilliant narrator. Having lived in Germany I was so impressed with his with truly believable French and German accents. I highly recommend this book and will remember it as one of the best audible books I’ve ever heard.

Wonderful story of heartache and hope

Historical fiction is my favorite genre and WWII is the time period I have read (or listened to) the most. This was one of my favorite listens in a n long time. Rose is a captivating heroine you can’t help but love. Through all the turmoil her motives remain pure and she never gives up. The rest of the characters also remind us of the spirit of the French and British fighters of the time. This does not offer any revelations into the struggle of those fighting the nazis if you’re also well versed in this area, but it was a lovely story and beautifully read!

Loved it

I loved this book, the story, the narrator, the characters. I suffered with Rose during her captivity and enjoyed her reunion with the love of her life.

interesting from start to finish

Every word contributed to this well written and entertaining read story! This is a great choice for those who respect historical fiction with some romance appropriately swirled in along the way.

SOE love and loss

it's January 3rd and I'm finishing my third book by this author. I enjoyed this one as much as I did the other two. It is sad to know that some families lost almost all their members during WWII. So many Jewish families lost multiple members at once. During the blitz a whole family could be wiped out with one bombing. Yet, some folks were able to pick up the pieces and find a way to keep going. The fact that female does find the bravery to do their part is amazing.

Enjoyable reading

A little predictable but kept my interest throughout. Not as dark as some WW2 though had its moments. Enjoyable reading.

Accent took some time but the historical fiction fantastic

The transitions between characters and accents were a challenge at first. Once adjusted it is a story that you can not put down. It challenged me to look up historical facts and stayed true to the history. Several pivots but outcomes were better than anticipated.

Heroine from WWII

Great narration. I'm thankful for these memoirs by women during WWII. Churchill was the force standing between Europe and the the rest of the world. Rose is a true hero!

The Best book ever written about WWII and parietal and England

Read this if you ever doubted the result of the 2nd WORLD WARP and the partial story of the total World War Two the cost and story.unforgettable! Please read!

Churchill’s Messenger

Oh, wonderful read. There are many stories of the French resistance and spy networks of World War II. This one is a snapshot of one French resistance, net work, working alongside British spies to accomplish the same goal. To thwart or stop Hitler’s invasion. I loved the character development, the consistency of the storyline, and the events highlighted.