Dragonfly

by

Leila Meacham

  Genre: Historical / WWII / Espionage

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Date of Publication: July 9, 2019

Number of Pages: 576

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From the New York Times bestselling author of Roses comes a gripping new novel about five young spies embedded among the highest Nazi ranks in occupied Paris

At the height of World War II, a handful of idealistic young Americans receive a mysterious letter from the government, asking them if they are willing to fight for their country. The men and women from very different backgrounds-a Texan athlete with German roots, an upper-crust son of a French mother and a wealthy businessman, a dirt-poor Midwestern fly fisherman, an orphaned fashion designer, and a ravishingly beautiful female fencer-all answer the call of duty, but each for a secret reason of her or his own. They bond immediately, in a group code-named Dragonfly.

Thus begins a dramatic cat-and-mouse game, as the group seeks to stay under the radar until a fatal misstep leads to the capture and the firing-squad execution of one of their team. But…is everything as it seems, or is this one more elaborate act of spycraft?

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Praise

“Meacham’s impeccable pacing and razor-wire tension evoke the daily drama of life under a Reich whose French reign might have lasted little more than four years but felt like the thousand years that it threatened to endure.” ―Bookpage

“Meacham’s nail-biting tale will please fans looking for an intricate story of spycraft and deception.” ―Publishers Weekly

“Meacham ratchets the suspense ever tighter, while providing fascinating backstory on the intrepid five [American spies] as well as delivering a detail-rich portrait of Paris during the Occupation.” ―Booklist

“Complex, epic, and rich in historical detail-an uplifting story of finding friendship behind enemy lines.” ― Kirkus

I will probably not do this review justice but I’ll tell you right off the bat I LOVED this book and could not put it down.  The intrigue, the danger, the interwoven storylines….all of this make Dragonfly one of the best books I have read all year.

“One loose thread can unravel the whole ball of twine.”

Truer words were never spoken when it comes to this book.  This book follows five spies for the OSS (Office of Strategic Services, a real government agency during WWII in case you didn’t know) and their various missions in Paris to seek information about the Germans and help end this war sooner rather than later.  While they know all five will be there, where the drop box is located to pass along information, and the mural for coded messages, they do not know each other’s cover names, stories, or missions.  Yet, as this story progresses their missions become intertwined and it is just a matter of time before all hell breaks loose!

This story kept me up many late nights because I could not put the book down!  I felt my breath catching and my heart skipping a beat as I followed these five spies across Paris serving their country but also for some personal reasons.  The story starts out as we are introduced to the six main characters – the five spies and their handler.  The book opens in 1962 which is approximately 20 years after they are recruited and it is about time for a reunion that they planned before they set off to Paris.  There are actually two reunions, one more immediate after the war and then this one twenty years later.  As the last reunion is about to commence, Alistar (the handler) discovers a book that tells the story of their mission, Dragonfly.  This starts a journey for the author and his source and brings back many memories of the war and how the situations played out for everyone.

“On into late fall and throughout the rest of the year, Dragonfly hovered close to waters teeming with an increasingly frantic enemy.”

This line reflects the pace of the book for me.  Most of it was quick but there were times where the story played out in a calmer fashion.  Having both types of situations made the story that much more appealing to me.  I watched one of the characters mourn for the loss of someone close to her, another rejoice in finding family, and all of them learn something about themselves that they probably never would have expected – the fortitude to continue despite the circumstances or situations.  It also reflected the mindset of some of the Germans in Paris and what they truly thought about Hitler and what was coming down the pike regarding the war.

I found the story well crafted and for the author to be able to intersect the missions of the various characters was genius.  There is so much more that could have been written about the war and potentially even expanded the missions of the characters, but it was wrapped up quite nicely and I found myself shedding a few tears at the end.  So be prepared and have a tissue on hand.

If I could give this book more than 5 paws I would in a heartbeat.  If you love historical fiction you will want to pick up this book and read it soon.

Leila Meacham is a writer and former teacher who lives in San Antonio, Texas. She is the author of the bestselling novels Roses, Tumbleweeds, Somerset, and Titans.

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TWO SIGNED COPIES OF DRAGONFLY

August 7-17, 2019

(US ONLY)

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