“A perfect summer read; gripping, original, well-drawn and compassionate”–Joanne Harris
“Celia Rees is a superb writer, and this novel has one of the most irresistible and unique story hooks I’ve ever come across. This book deserves to be huge!”–Sophie Hannah
A striking historical novel about an ordinary young British woman sent to uncover a network of spies and war criminals in … novel about an ordinary young British woman sent to uncover a network of spies and war criminals in post-war Germany that will appeal to fans of The Huntress and Transcription.
World War II has just ended, and Britain has established the Control Commission for Germany, which oversees their zone of occupation. The Control Commission hires British civilians to work in Germany, rebuild the shattered nation and prosecute war crimes. Somewhat aimless, bored with her job as a provincial schoolteacher, and unwilling to live with her overbearing mother any longer, thirtysomething Edith Graham applies for a job with the Commission—but she is also recruited by her cousin, Leo, who is in the Secret Service. To them, Edith is perfect spy material…single, ordinary-looking, with a college degree in German. Cousin Leo went to Oxford with one of their most hunted war criminals, Count Kurt von Stavenow, who Edith remembers all too well from before the war. He wants her to find him.
Intrigued by the challenge, Edith heads to Germany armed with a convincing cover story: she’s an unassuming Education Officer sent to help resurrect German schools. To send information back to her Secret Service handlers in London, Edith has crafted the perfect alter ego, cookbook author Stella Snelling, who writes a popular magazine cookery column. She embeds crucial intelligence within the recipes she collects. But occupied Germany is awash with other spies, collaborators, and opportunists, and as she’s pulled into their world, Edith soon discovers that no one is what they seem to be. The closer she gets to uncovering von Stavenow’s whereabouts–and the network of German civilians who still support him–the greater the danger.
With a unique, compelling premise, Miss Graham’s Cold War Cookbook is a beautifully crafted and gripping novel about daring, betrayal, and female friendship.
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Loved the twists and turns of this novel as well as the character development. Another view of WW2, this time from the women who went to war behind the scenes as spies and support staff.
This was an interesting book on identifying those who melted back into society after their involvement with Hitler’s purges. Comparing it to today where we see people who post their lives and mistakes online made it more interesting.
A unique slant on WWII because it takes place in the war’s chilling aftermath. Lots of research must have gone into writing this book, and the result shows it. Full of interesting characters, both to love and to hate. I always want to learn something when I read a book and this one fit that bill very well. I liked the no-nonsense Edith very much and was glad she had the nerve and the authority to handle everything that was thrown at her. Politics and self-interest were alive and well in post-war Germany and it was fascinating watching the moves of the various players. Oh, and the recipes are great too! Give this one a try.
I enjoyed this book, even though it is not a wild ride, which seems to be the criteria for most readers these days. I’ve read a lot about WW2, but not much about the aftermath, so found this one a good read.
It was heavy and dark at times.
There is no noun or verb without a modifier. Good premise for a novel but distroyed by sophomoric writing.
An new aspect of WWII – Germany in the British quarter immediately following the war. Good character development and intrigue
Interesting view of Germany and Europe in 1946 at the end of war. A bit too long though (over 1200 pages), it got a bit boring towards the end.
I originally looked into this book only because of the topic. Honestly, the title left me lukewarm. But I’m happy that I went through with reading it! Another wonderful story of the spy network from WWII.
An enthralling, engrossing read, one of the best of its kind. a fantastic and likeable(!) heroine, great love stories, intrigues, politics, revenge, opportunism, friendship, war-weariness etc etc. there was soo much going on- sometimes i did lose track of characters but this didn’t matter at all- the story was beautifully told and from the first pages you know you are in safe hands with this accomplished author who has all the tricks, skills, writing acumen, whatever, to pull this off. i really cant recommend it enough: tense, atmospheric, accessible, relevant, enjoyable! i know it will stay with me for a long time.
This adds an important perspective to the historical fiction of World War II and tells the story of some very engaging characters. Glad I found it!
a very good plot
World War II has just ended, and Edith Graham has been hired to work in Germany for the Control Commission, responsible for helping to rebuild the shattered nation and prosecute war crimes. However her cousin, who is working with British Secret Service, has others plans for her. Since Edith is single and speaks German she is the perfect candidate to help search for German spies, especially one she is a past history with. Moving to Germany also allows Edith to get some much needed distance from her overbearing mother.
This is a dual timeline novel that shows a part of the war many are not familiar with, post war Germany.
The recipes were a very unique and interesting way to put you in the moment.
Historical fiction fans will enjoy this one.
#HarperCollins #Edelweiss
There’s a lot of historical fiction out there about World War II so I’m always interested in a different point of view and Miss Graham’s Cold War Cookbook definitely provides one.
Edith Graham spent the war working as a school teacher in a small English town. With the fighting over and bored with her provincial life, she signs up to work in Germany helping to rebuild the schools there. Fluent in German and with a perfect cover, Edith is recruited by her cousin who’s in the British Secret Service to work as a spy helping to hunt Nazi war criminals including one who broke her heart. Once in Germany, Edith soon realizes that many of her acquaintances are not what they seem and must determine who deserves her loyalty and, most importantly, the information she uncovers which she shares via code embedded in seemingly meaningless recipes.
The book focuses on a group of amazing women and the risks they take to track war criminals and bring them to justice when the governments they work for want to find them to use for their own nefarious purposes. Rees brings post-war Germany to life with her vivid descriptions of the physical destruction and you can feel the devastation and hopelessness of the citizens and other displaced people who are just trying to find ways to survive. She also recounts the horrors perpetrated during the war which so outrage Edith and her accomplices that they are willing to take matters into their own hands. The race to find and apprehend the criminals Edith has been tasked with delivering is gripping with lots of twists and turns you won’t see coming. And then there’s the food – each chapter starts with a recipe that sets the tone (and often includes the clues) for what’s to come. If you’re a historical fiction fan looking for a great story and colorful characters, this is the book for you.
Thank you to Book Club Girls, HarperCollins, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the novel.
This is an entertaining, suspenseful read and I especially Edith’s character! The war has ended but there’s still distrust between the US and Britain. The Control Commission for Germany is hiring British civilians to work in Germany to basically be spies. A perfect candidate is Edith, she’s single and a schoolteacher, and she’s up for the challenge. Her persona is Stella Snelling, a cookbook author. She soon discovers the world of espionage is ruthless and nothing like her life in Britain as a schoolteacher. Thank you to Book Club Girl, William Morrow, NetGalley, and Celia Rees for this ARC. This is my honest review.