Book Review: Espionage by A.L. Sowards

****--4 Stars.
March 2012, 256 pages.

Book Description: France, 1944: Nobody expects Peter Eddy to survive his first commando mission—to retrieve a code book stolen by the Nazis—so when he does come back alive, his success is rewarded with an even more daunting assignment. Partnered with the French Resistence leader Jacques Olivier, Eddy must identify which of three Allied contacts in Calais is a double agent and use the traitor to help implement a strategic Allied diversion that might win the war. Eddy and Olivier secretly cross the English Channel to confront their suspects one at a time, but what appears to be a clean assignment soon turns disastrous, and a shocking betrayal leaves Eddy in the grip of the Gestapo. With the courageous aid of Olivier and his sister, Genevieve, Eddy evades his captors with a dangerous escape plan. But as the Allied invasion approaches, treachery in the least likely places leads to fresh graves in the bloodied European soil—and only the power of loyalty and love can transform tragic endings into new beginnings.

My Review: First of all, I love the cover!! It fits the story so well and looks like it was from 1944. My grandfather fought in WWII and didn't like to talk about it much until the last few years of his life. Even then, it's so hard to imagine the horrors and situations that people went through during this time. I really enjoyed reading this book that took me on a journey that was not what I was expecting. It brought up issues that I hadn't really thought about.

Peter Eddy is a small town kid from Idaho, of all places and he's a member of the LDS church. Jacques and Genevieve are from France and are good people, doing what they need to do to survive the war. I fell in love with that cute little neighbor girl, Birgit. What a doll!!

Here's what I really thought was interesting: I never really thought about people betraying loved ones and close friends to stay alive. How can a person live with herself doing those kinds of things?! I also wondered how in the world could spies could do that kind of work? I was almost stressed out thinking about the missions and disguises and captures--completely on edge!! And the torture!! How awful.

I thought this was a very interesting view on an important piece of our history that's told in a way that is both informational and entertaining. I'm looking forward to reading the next one (Sworn Enemy).

Content: war violence that isn't over-the-top graphic, but still a little disturbing for the faint of heart. To purchase, click here