Featuring an exclusive excerpt from Kate Quinn’s next incredible historical novel, THE HUNTRESS
NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY BESTSELLER
#1 GLOBE AND MAIL HISTORICAL FICTION BESTSELLER
One of NPR’s Best Books of the Year!
One of Bookbub’s Biggest Historical Fiction Books of the Year!
Reese Witherspoon Book Club Summer Reading Pick!
The Girly Book Club Book of the Year!
A Summer Book … Fiction Books of the Year!
Reese Witherspoon Book Club Summer Reading Pick!
The Girly Book Club Book of the Year!
A Summer Book Pick from Good Housekeeping, Parade, Library Journal, Goodreads, Liz and Lisa, and BookBub
In an enthralling new historical novel from national bestselling author Kate Quinn, two women—a female spy recruited to the real-life Alice Network in France during World War I and an unconventional American socialite searching for her cousin in 1947—are brought together in a mesmerizing story of courage and redemption.
1947. In the chaotic aftermath of World War II, American college girl Charlie St. Clair is pregnant, unmarried, and on the verge of being thrown out of her very proper family. She’s also nursing a desperate hope that her beloved cousin Rose, who disappeared in Nazi-occupied France during the war, might still be alive. So when Charlie’s parents banish her to Europe to have her “little problem” taken care of, Charlie breaks free and heads to London, determined to find out what happened to the cousin she loves like a sister.
1915. A year into the Great War, Eve Gardiner burns to join the fight against the Germans and unexpectedly gets her chance when she’s recruited to work as a spy. Sent into enemy-occupied France, she’s trained by the mesmerizing Lili, the “Queen of Spies”, who manages a vast network of secret agents right under the enemy’s nose.
Thirty years later, haunted by the betrayal that ultimately tore apart the Alice Network, Eve spends her days drunk and secluded in her crumbling London house. Until a young American barges in uttering a name Eve hasn’t heard in decades, and launches them both on a mission to find the truth…no matter where it leads.
“Both funny and heartbreaking, this epic journey of two courageous women is an unforgettable tale of little-known wartime glory and sacrifice. Quinn knocks it out of the park with this spectacular book!”—Stephanie Dray, New York Times bestselling author of America’s First Daughter
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If you love Kristin Hannah’s Nightingale, you’ll love this book.
The Alice Network is one of the best novels I have read recently. The book has memorable characters that span a generation, two wars and the aftermaths of those wars, the gamut of social stratum, as well as, life experiences in multiple countries. It’s fantastic!
A post WW2 tale of espionage that spans both world wars when American Charlie St. Clair, an irreverent, knocked-up heiress spurns her over-bearing mother to try and discover the fate of her beloved cousin Rose, who went missing in France during WW2. Charlie’s search leads her to London and cranky, broken-down drunk Eve, a WW1 spy who perks up when Charlie reveals her long-shot clue. Together with Eve’s “man of all work” Finn, this unlikely trio hits the continent to find Rose, in a tale told chock-full of deft similes and fun turns of phrase in Charlie’s first person account. A parallel narrative unveils Eve’s spy past in flashbacks, bringing to life historical figure Louise de Bettignies and her accomplished Alice network spy ring, as well as Eve’s evil foil Rene. Historical scenes at Oradour-sur-Glane and Belsen present moving images of Nazi atrocities. On the other end of it, passion scenes are heated, but not overdone. This read gives us fantastic characters who are easy to imagine on the silver screen, especially the tortured Eve and sadistic Rene, and a wonderfully textured relationship between Alice and the Fleurs du mal who obtained intelligence to pass back to the British.
Was this review helpful? I am an avid world war based fiction reader and author. You can read more of my takes at https://brodiecurtis.com/curtis-takes/.
Captivating! Fiction based on true stories, woven together. Yes, there is a lot that is unbelievable in this tale…but that’s the part that’s factual. A real page-turner. The hardest part for me was the short timeline of the contemporary story line. But this emotional roller coaster kept me interested and eager for the next revelation.
Exciting WorldWar II Resistance activities that are discovered by equally daring present day characters.
Wonderful book
Well-written, interesting characters, historical background.
This was marvelous historical writing.
I really enjoyed the storyline and the characters.
Good period detail with several twists
Excellent book – good writing with good research behind it. Kept me interested throughout.
could not put down
I really like good historical fiction. This book is a great example, carefully researched and well written.
I appreciate the section at the end of the book that told which characters were real historical figures and which were invented to tell the story. Thanks to Kate Quinn for writing this book and being so picky about the details.
AWESOME book! I could not put it down. The courage of the characters, the strength and tenacity of those involved proved that where there’s a will there is definitely a way! Great read!!
Powerful women’s spy novel. Historical fiction. Love/ hated for the combination of beauty and hope amidst terror and betrayal.
I feel good
Hardships and friendships accompany these strong women along the road to peace.
I liked everything about this book. Maybe most of all was learning that a version of the Alice Network actually existed and of the courage and dedication of the women who were part of it. As a plot device the juxtaposition of WWI and WWII characters was very effective. I recommended the book to my wife and her book club; they loved it. I would say that along with Bernard Cornwell’s The Fort, the Alice Network is the most memorable and entertaining historical “fiction” books that I’ve read.
What a great story about a slice of history I knew nothing about. It is books like this that remind me why I love reading. After reading this novel, I dove into research about these ladies who risked their lives to make a difference in a violent and horrible war. I love coming away from a book knowing more about history and learning more about the strengths of the human spirit. I love novels that celebrate real-life heroes.
Again, a difficult story to read but it was a very scary time in the world. I think the author did a great job of involving me with the characters, and even tho she went from past to present, I had no problem following the storyline.