I really enjoyed this book. I loved the story of Nancy Wake and found myself scouting for more information about this amazing woman whose story was so brilliantly told in this book.

Ariel Lawhon adds another book to the WWII historical fiction canon with Code Name Helene. This book is based on the real-life exploits of Nancy Wake - a highly-decorated spy. The book breaks down her work to advance the cause for the allied forces and the four identities she embodied during the war. Based off of Wake's biography The White Mouse and other resources, Lawhon takes source material and turns it into a fast-paced and adventurous tale.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

From Ariel Lawhon, the bestselling author of I WAS ANASTASIA, comes CODE NAME HÉLÈNE, a riveting and fast-moving account of the life of Nancy Wake, a socialite spy who was one of the most decorated women of World War II. Here, Lawhon reveals to her readers the names --- four of them! --- that Nancy used to hide among her enemies and the boundless, indefatigable spirit that carried her through the war.

CODE NAME HÉLÈNE is written in interweaving timelines differentiated by whichever name Nancy is using at the time. Beginning with Madam Andrée, we meet a woman who can drink, curse and fight like a man, but is equally ill at ease without her signature red lipstick and often can be found sporting a fashionable Louis Vuitton bag. Quite simply, Nancy is unique, and it is this trademark spirit and sense of energy that quickly set her apart, both for her comrades in war and for readers. Starting with an exhilarating leap from a plane into enemy territory, and following through the night as she susses out traitors, Nancy maintains an exhausting list of code words and still manages to look effortlessly beautiful through it all. But this is just one night in Nancy’s long, storied time on the battlefields, and Lawhon immediately immerses us in her fascinating history.

In a flashback to before the war, we meet Nancy as she is working as a young freelance journalist in Paris in 1936. Though she enjoys travel and hearing people’s stories, the least interesting part of journalism for her is, well, being a journalist. Add to that her boss’s misogyny and the industry’s unwillingness to list the names of female contributors, and you have one bored Nancy. Luckily for her, she has a dazzlingly glamorous friend in Stephanie, a quintessential Parisienne, and the two supplement their time together with fancy cocktails, dodging handsome men, and teaching Australian Nancy to become a real Parisian. And then Hitler begins to take control, and Nancy finds a new calling in exposing the horrors of his men and their treatment of Jews. After landing an exclusive scoop, she travels with a fellow freelancer to Vienna and Berlin, where she witnesses unspeakable horrors long before they are being actively reported on.

Alternating between these two timelines, we follow Nancy as she meets and is wooed by a dashing man named Henri Fiocca, avoids a murder plot, and successfully secures loads of weapons and ammunitions for rebel forces fighting Hitler’s men. What immediately sets Nancy apart is her quick wit and intelligence. Whereas I am normally turned off by characters who are too witty, Lawhon infuses her protagonist with such vivacity that her smart tongue feels natural. Nancy is certainly an icon in her own right, but Lawhon so effectively closes the distance between this legendary female and her readers that she feels like a normal woman who has worked hard for everything she has, not a trope or “Chosen One.”

Soon after Britain declares war on Germany, Nancy picks up a new last name, Fiocca. But she barely has time to settle into married life before the Germans invade France, and she is galvanized into joining the war effort as Lucienne Carlier. Lucienne is adept at smuggling people and documents across borders, but her achievements do not go unnoticed by the Gestapo, and rumors of a White Mouse --- a female operative who is deemed uncapturable --- begin to fly. Unfortunately for Nancy, this nickname is to become her most lucrative yet: a sizable bounty is placed on her perfectly coiffed head. Desperate to protect Henri and those she loves, she makes the impossible decision to escape from her beloved France. Faced with no pleasant choice and too many unpleasant ones, she joins the Special Operations Executives for training, where her near-photographic memory is quickly utilized and she is airdropped back into France as the aforementioned Madam Andrée.

It is Madam Andrée with whom we spend the most time, and she is, without a doubt, the most ferocious of all of Nancy’s identities. Her wit is never more present, and armed with plenty of experience in dealing with men, she is always ready to stand her ground, shove her subordinates in their places and make it clear that anyone standing behind her is going to win. And yet, this strength is marked by her deep pain at being separated from Henri, as well as her fear that the Nazis will soon realize that Nancy, Lucienne, the White Mouse and Madam Andrée are all one and the same.

Writing four women is no easy feat, especially if they are all the same person and the narrative is hopping across timelines and locations, yet it is one that Lawhon handles deftly and strategically. Though I never struggled to remember who was who, where they were or why, I do feel that the book could have been cut down just a bit. Lawhon was clearly dedicated to sharing Nancy’s exploits in full, and she does this admirably, but her descriptions can drag at times, especially when detailing characters’ looks and outfits.

It is no secret that there already are a wealth of World War II stories from which to choose, but two elements make this one a surefire pick: Lawhon’s stellar writing, coupled with the fact that Nancy was a real woman and that most of the accomplishments detailed here are true. I did some research as I read, and at every turn I was shocked not only by how accurately Lawhon had captured Nancy’s exploits and personality, but that I somehow had never heard of her before reading CODE NAME HÉLÈNE.

Though Nancy was indeed fully decorated after the war, she has been largely ignored by history books since then. That is a grave error, and one that Lawhon undoubtedly will fix with this stunning, moving story of Nancy Wake, Lucienne, the White Mouse, Madame Andrée and their steadfast, unwavering dedication to their cause.

his was my first book by Lawhon. Nancy, an Australian expat in Paris, was a strong character and there was a lot of action in this book.

But unfortunately, Nancy's different identities, were confusing to me. I found the multiple timelines that were not exactly in chronological order to be too much for me to keep straight. I struggled to keep reading and stick with the story. Other readers might not have an issue with this writing format.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

Once again Ariel Lawhon is ambitious in her subject matter and handles it with class and precision. She has given a voice to a woman that deserves to be heard. Long but reads quick. Gripping. It is more than just a Nazi/WW II novels it humanizes those involved. I also read Dragonfly which was similar and found that Lawhon and Meachum has a similar voice and style but Lawhon has a voice all her own and one that wont go quiet quick. I will read anything she writes. she does what a historical fiction author is supposed to do- entice the reader to learn about the character. Nancy or Helene is so complex and given a voice that matches that complexity. Beyond well written.

Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhorn

While reading about heroic women, I find myself imagining what I would do in their shoes, and I find strength in their lives. Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhorn is a fictional novel based on the real life accomplishments of a heroic woman, WWII Special Operations spy Nancy Wake. Lawhorn tells Nancy’s story through alternating timelines using her different code names during the war.

Nancy Wake was one of the unsung heroines of WWII. An Australian woman who served with the British Special Operations Executive unit, she helped prepare occupied France for the D-Day invasion by the Allies. Nancy was brilliant and daring while in command, helping the Allies by organizing thousands of French resistance fighters. Her career began when she interviewed the newly elected German Chancellor, Adolf Hitler, for Hearst. Of course, in the 1930s and 1940s, she never received any credit or even a byline for her articles.

When her wealthy, French husband was called to join the war effort, she became an ambulance driver and began smuggling Jewish refugees out of Europe. Then she parachuted into occupied France in 1944 and went behind enemy lines to lead and organize the French resistance groups. As an SOE commander she was known as “Helene,” and the Gestapo called her “the white mouse.”

From rescuing a fellow SOE officer from a concentration camp to organizing thousands of Maquis fighters with guns, ammunition and sabotage plans, Nancy was fearless and resourceful. She once cycled over 500 kilometers in occupied France to get a new radio for her resistance soldiers. Posthumously, she was given military service awards from Australia, France and England.

The selfless service Nancy Wake and her fellow resistance fighters has been relatively undocumented. Ariel Lawhorn did extensive research and used primary sources like Nancy Wake’s autobiography and other historical nonfiction while writing her novel. In her author’s note, she mentions including 600 footnotes (not in the final book) that were part of her research. Lawhorn also tells the beautiful love story of Nancy and Henry’s marriage, in addition to many fascinating historical details. Nancy’s survival story and dedication to helping others inspired me.

I have a confession to make. For the past four nights, I have been working late into the night in the French resistance. As my partner slept soundly next to me, I was Nancy Wake drinking a French 75 in Paris. I was Mrs. Fiocci training for WWII on Inverie Bay in Scotland, Lucienne Carter aiding escape into the Pyrenees, Madame Andre in command of seven thousand French resistance troops in the hills of rural France. I was Hélène with a grenade in my purse on market day in Montluçon. I was all of those people combined into one, strong, irreverent woman nicknamed “The White Mouse” by the Germans… because I always escaped capture.

Alright, I was not those people. But what was I? Completely engrossed and utterly captivated by this book. I still can't believe what I just read was based on a real person.

Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawhon is about a real woman, Nancy Wake, who became an undercover agent for the French resistance. As she did in I Was Anastasia, Lawhon takes an interesting character in history and draws her experiences out into a dramatic tale, at times funny and other times completely anxiety-inducing. What a story, told by one hell of a storyteller.

In addition to completely ruining my sleep the past few nights, I have entirely redefined my relationship with lipstick. Because when Nancy said, “mine is the fury that requires two coats of lipstick and a fully loaded revolver,” I know I have found my patron saint of womanhood.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars, definitely in my top five books of 2020. I hope you read this book and enjoy it as much as I did. I can guarantee you will not be bored for one second.

Thank you to Netgalley and Doubleday Books for a chance to read this complimentary advanced reader’s copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

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This is only the second book of the many that I’ve read this year to get my “favorite” rating. And it is well earned. Engaging characters, fascinating story, and writing that sucks you in. This book has it all. Nancy Wake is one of my new real life heroes and I will most likely be deep diving further into her story. But if you plan to read this book, deep dive after so what happens won’t be spoiled. You are going to want to experience this book in full. If you like historical fiction even just a little, then pick this one up.

I've read several books by Ariel Lawhon and have had the pleasure of meeting her twice now. She's an amazing historical fiction writer- think Beatriz Williams, but without the posh, first-class society aspect. Which to me, is right up my alley. Ariel pours months of research into her novels and it shows. This one is different from her last works in that there are so many complex layers to this novel and it makes for a wonderful and delightful read.

What an extraordinary book!! I am ashamed to say that I hadn't heard of Nancy Wake before this book but what an amazing life she had! First as a writer, and then as a resistance fighter, working hard to destroy the Nazis and claim victory for the allied powers. I was so shocked at everything she went through and sacrificed, and was astonished at her bravery. This book had me at the edge of my seat, and Ariel Lawhon brilliantly showed what an amazing women she truly was.

5 out of 5 stars for Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhon. A HUGE thank you to the author, Doubleday Books, and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this fantastic book to read and review. All opinions are completely my own.

Code Name Helene is a historical fiction depicting the life a tremendous women that helps save so many lives during WWII. The story of this woman is so amazing. I'm so glad I found this book to know of this woman that helped so much in the war effort. She was a true hero. Although it didn't have the ending I would have hoped for, life doesn't always turn out the way we would like. The author's notes at the end were fantastic. Knowing that she stayed true to Mrs. Fiocca's true character and story made it that much better. I can't wait to read more from Ariel Lawhon.

I received a free ebook of Code Name Helene through NetGalley to facilitate my review.
I was not familiar with the life of Nancy Wake, so this historical fiction book was a riveting introduction to her story.
Ms Wake was a New Zealand journalist who, while based in Paris started writing about the horrific rise to power of Adolf Hitler. She marries and moves to the south of France, and is drawn deeper and deeper into French Resistance efforts. The timelines are divided by whichever code name Ms Wake used at that stage of the war, but all show what a fearless gutsy woman she was.
Ms Lawhorn effectively expresses the horrors of World War 2 in France and the bravery of those fighting against the Germans. I recommend this book to those wanting to learn more about Nancy Wake.

“Code Name Helene” provides a fictionalized account of a little-known female who occupied a variety of roles during World War II, emerging as a war heroine. Nancy Wake was an Australian ex-pat who started out as a freelance reporter. She later became a spy and a military leader. After many years, her accomplishments were recognized by New Zealand, France, Australia, and the United Kingdom. She was a brave and bawdy woman, and this book proves to be an endlessly fascinating fictionalized account of her life and work in espionage. The book is well-researched by its author, as readers will find by thoroughly reading the end notes and comments following the main body of the book. Those wishing to seek out additional works about Nancy Wake will find suggestions from the author in the end notes.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

I am really enjoying this book, the characters is relateable and fully-fleshed out. My favorite book to date is The Nightingale, and my favorite character in that was the sister who became a spy. This is similar to that character. I am excited to finish and talk to my customers about Code Name Helene!

This completely absorbed me from the first page. I loved the descriptions of Europe in the 30s, and could picture Paris and Marseille so well. The love story between Nancy and Henri was fun, sweet and inspiring, but also realistic (I loved what the author said at the end about this being really being a story of marriage and self-sacrifice). I don't typically love reading battle scenes (I find them to be drawn-out and boring) but these were compelling. Nancy Wake/ Fiocca is such an astounding character- no, real person!- and I found myself sharing her story with my grandmother (just a few years younger than Nancy would be today) every night for the last week, while I read this.

I am sitting here, hands hovering over the keyboard, trying to figure out how in the world I am going to put into words how much I enjoyed this book!

This book alternates time periods, but it all takes place between the 1930’s – 1940’s. The book opens on February 29, 1944, “Leap Day”. Hélène is preparing to jump out of an airplane and into France, but before she can do that she must first apply her red lipstick. It is her armor and she is a saboteur, she is there to help the resistance in any way she can.

Flashback to 1936 and Hélène is Nancy, an Australian journalist working for the Hearst Newspaper in Paris. She loves her job, but it ruffles her feathers that her name will not appear on any of her stories in the paper, Hearst refuses to publish the name of its female journalist. I’d like to see how that would go over in today’s world!

This book has it all – suspense, intrigue, romance, so much more! I absolutely love Hélène AKA Nancy. She is honest, brazen, gutsy, and persuasive. She speaks first and thinks later. This book is intense and addicting, I was so enthralled I could hardly bear to pull myself away from it.

I love that it is based on a real person, place, and events. The Author’s Note at the end is fascinating. She tells the reader what was real and where she needed to make changes in order to create a more fluid story. This book reminds me why I love historical fiction so much. Learning about people, places, and/or events that I had not heard of previously, even with fictional liberty taken, brings me so much joy.

Code Name Hélène shot right up to the top of my favorite books I have read so far this year!

I have read a good number of World War II novels, but this was a rare treat! An amazing fictionalization of the real life of notorious spy Nancy Wake. The way the story is told, moving between her different personas and skipping to different parts of the war allowed for the end to be a full circle moment and kept the suspense throughout. Beautifully written and really intriguing, definitely worth a read!

This book was amazing! I like historical fiction and this did not disappoint. You can read what this book is about anywhere on internet sites, so I won’t go into the storyline. WWII heroics and drama and a touch of love make this book a top rating for me. Thank you #netgalley for the opportunity to read and give an honest review. #codenamehelene.

This book was a unique view of WWII from the eyes of a female spy and resistance fighter. Nancy Grace Augusta Wake went by many aliases during WWII, being a fighter, a smuggler and a spy in the fight against the Nazi regime. Her story begins in the mid-1930’s as a journalist documenting the rise of Hitler and continues until the end of the war, through each stage of her work against the Nazi’s. It follows her personal life as well as that in the field and shows her spunk and tenacity during a very difficult time in the lives of everyone in Europe at the time.
I really enjoyed the fact that Nancy Grace Augusta Wake was a real resistance fighter who struggled to win the war and would stop at nothing to defeat those who would take away the freedoms of others and cause such pain for so many innocent people. She gained and lost family members and friends through this time and experienced some joy and much suffering to do what she felt was the right thing. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys learning about what the resistance did and what it was like to be in the field as a woman. Ariel Lawhon’s research was extensive and her writing has the ability to put you there with bombs blowing up around you. Many times I had to put the book aside to just breath and remember that I am not in the middle of France being hunted down. I look forward to more of her books in the future.
#ArielLawhon #CodeNameHelene #Doubleday #PenguinRandomHouse #NetGalley

DNF @ 2%

"I raise one palm and shove it toward his face while I unbuckle myself with my other hand. He's muttering profanities as I unzip my purse and dig through the contents looking for my tube of Lizzie Arden lipstick. For once, I'm not concerned about my forged travel documents or the one million French francs neatly stacked inside. Nor do I double-check that I still have the list of targets that must, no matter what, be distributed once the Allied forces land in France. I am frantic to find that slender tube of courage. Victory Red. The color of war and confidence and freedom. Finally, my pinky brushes against the cool, familiar metal and I pluck it from my purse along with the silver compact Buckmaster gave me as a parting gift. We've now passed the drop zone and the Liberator turns back around in a lazy, rumbling circle, but I meticulously apply the lipstick.

"What on earth are you doing?" the dispatcher shouts.

"Putting on my armor."


Sorry, I know the real Nancy Wake loved her lipstick and who among us doesn't, but this incredible woman did not kill a Nazi with her bare hands for her fictionalized life story to be this inane.