Code Name: Lise

The True Story of the Woman Who Became WWII's Most Highly Decorated Spy

By: Larry Loftis

Narrated by: Kate Reading

NATIONAL BESTSELLER
Featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Time, New York Newsday, and on Today!
“A nonfiction thriller.”—The Wall Street Journal

From New York Times and international bestselling author of the “gripping” (Michael Connelly, #1 New York Times bestselling author) Into the Lion’s Mouth comes the extraordinary true story of Odette Sansom, the British spy who operated in occupied France and fell in love with her commanding officer during World War II—perfect for fans of Unbroken, The Nightingale, and Code Girls.

The year is 1942, and World War II is in full swing. Odette Sansom decides to follow in her war hero father’s footsteps by becoming an SOE agent to aid Britain and her beloved homeland, France. Five failed attempts and one plane crash later, she finally lands in occupied France to begin her mission. It is here that she meets her commanding officer Captain Peter Churchill.

As they successfully complete mission after mission, Peter and Odette fall in love. All the while, they are being hunted by the cunning German secret police sergeant, Hugo Bleicher, who finally succeeds in capturing them. They are sent to Paris’s Fresnes prison, and from there to concentration camps in Germany where they are starved, beaten, and tortured. But in the face of despair, they never give up hope, their love for each other, or the whereabouts of their colleagues.

In Code Name: Lise, Larry Loftis paints a portrait of true courage, patriotism, and love—of two incredibly heroic people who endured unimaginable horrors and degradations. He seamlessly weaves together the touching romance between Odette and Peter and the thrilling cat and mouse game between them and Sergeant Bleicher. With this amazing testament to the human spirit, Loftis proves once again that he is adept at writing “nonfiction that reads like a page-turning novel” (Parade).

Critic reviews

"Code Name: Lise is impossible to put down. Suffused with romance, told with a novelist’s eye for page-turning thrills and the historian’s acumen for facts, Loftis brings to colorful life a hero for our time, Odette Sansom. Like Unbroken and Code Girls, Odette Sansom’s story is epic, intensely personal, emotionally rich, and hard to forget.”

(Doug Stanton)

“[Loftis] creates a readable page-turner about Odette's dangerous missions… A vivid history of wartime heroism.”

"An astonishing story of love, survival, and almost unimaginable courage. Code Name: Lise is non-fiction that reads like a thriller and will keep readers riveted."

(Tilar Mazzeo)

“Code Name: Lise is a grand adventure, part thriller, part love story, and full of wonderful details about the tradecraft of wartime espionage and the bravery of unsung heroes. A remarkable achievement that does honor to its subject.”

(Joseph Finder)

“Larry Loftis brings the past to life with a brilliantly researched and executed tale of one woman's unparalleled heroism in occupied France during World War II. A riveting true story of love, betrayal and sacrifice, as engaging as any thriller, and not to be missed.”

(Mark Greaney)

“Loftis delivers a tale of courage, daring, valor—and love—for the ages. Code Name: Lise is the closest history comes to a romance novel.”

(Elizabeth Cobbs)

"Larry has a knack for finding untold stories that read more like fiction than fact, and he's done it again with Code Name: Lise. Larry's relentless research makes Odette Sansom's heroics leap off the page, putting her in the pantheon of our own Special Forces heroes."

(Brad Taylor)

“Larry Loftis has crafted a true thriller, a highly entertaining account of the most decorated female spy of WW2. A great read.”

(Alex Kershaw,)

"As one who has seen combat up close and personal, I can say that what Odette and Peter Churchill went through is on another level. This is Outlaw Platoon, spiked with capture and Cupid's arrow."

(Sean Parnell)

"If ever there was a lesson on the impact of one great revolt, Odette’s story is it. Even the dreaded Gestapo couldn't stop her."

(Salena Zito)

SKIP THE PROLOGUE!

The author gives away the fate of the book’s title character in the prologue. So after ten minutes of listening/reading, you know whether she lives or dies. I found this to be hugely disappointing when I first started the book and almost deleted it and moved on, but wanted to give the story a chance. It won me over and I enjoyed it very much, but for the biggest spoiler you could imagine. Still, the story is magnificent. If you’d like to live in mystery until the end, skip the prologue.

Masterful Storytelling

Loftis really did his homework to deliver a tremendous amount of detail in an entertaining way. This isn't dry history but storytelling at it's finest. What a tremendous hero Odette Sansom was.

Remarkable story of courage and loyalty

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Well written and read. I read until it was done with scarcely a break. A very unique and courageous woman.

Excellent story!

This is one of those books you just can’t put down. Having read many WWII books, I was completely ignorant of this story! I recommend the book.

Intriguing story

I liked that factual notes were woven in the storyline as needed to support the narrative