Cover Image: The Codebreakers

The Codebreakers

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Member Reviews

I love historical fiction that lauds the efforts of women, and the lesser-known stories of WWII. I don’t want to take away from the efforts from any who fought, or who assisted in the war efforts and their families, but there are so many lesser-known stories of heroism and I am glad people are starting to write them.

This story feels so well researched. I cannot imagine how codebreakers such as “Ellie” (well, codebreakers the world over) could give up everything to help their country and then to sit quietly in the corner with no acknowledgement. Nor can I imagine how it felt to go from being so useful and relied upon, to everything just being packed up and you were expected to return to your role before the war, as though nothing had happened and to never speak of anything.

I loved the story of the approach, learning the ropes, the effect of living and working with people who know secrets day in and day out and the impact on relationships (both professional and personal) and of the ever-present threat of being a traitor, a spy, or going to prison. This story is moving and I was sad when it finished. I think Ellie (and the other women) would be considered well ahead of their time, but I don’t want to diminish this story, or make it seem as though the writing was out of time, it isn’t.

I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Australia for allowing me to read this.

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‘The only information you need right now is that if you pass this test, you will be involved in an operation that is integral to helping the Allies win this war.’

Brisbane, 1943. Elanora (Ellie) O’Sullivan works as an engineer for Qantas Empire Airways. She is part of the team keeping allied planes in the air, transporting supplies to Australian troops in New Guinea. Ellie has left family in Longreach and boards with Mrs Hanley in Brisbane, sharing a room with her friend Kat Arnold.

Ellie’s dedication to her work does not go unnoticed, and she is approached by Lieutenant Andrews to join the Central Bureau. Her work, as part of the codebreaking team (working in conjunction with Bletchley Park operatives) is top secret, and subject to the Official Secrets Act. Ellie must undertake never to tell anyone about the work she is undertaking.

The team of women, calling themselves ‘the Garage Girls’ work in a converted garage at Nyrambla house in Henry Street, Ascot. Their work involves decoding intercepted Japanese messages: highly stressful work, where a mistake can cost lives. The need to maintain secrecy makes personal relationships difficult for Ellie (and the other women). And not everyone is strong enough to do so.

Ms Sinclair recreates the challenges of life for this generation of young women at the forefront of Australia’s domestic war effort. Women’s roles changed, not without considerable resistance from some quarters, and many of the women (including Ellie) had lost loved ones.

And once the war was over? What would the future hold?

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The main characters stepped out of the pages for me, and I appreciated the research Ms Sinclair undertook to bring this novel to life. While I’ve read about Bletchley Park, I had never heard of the work undertaken by Australian Women Army Service (AWAS) staff in the garage at Nyrambla.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book
for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

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Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Being a lover of historical fiction, I was excited to be given the opportunity to read Alli Sinclair's latest book. What a ride!!

The story of Ellie O'Sullivan and her friends, known as the Garage Girls, is wonderful. Set in Brisbane during World War 2, it is a story of secrets, loss, love and, ultimately, recognition. I was in awe of Ellie and her friends, heartbroken at their losses and, finally, overjoyed with the ending of this lovely story.

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Thank you , thank you, thank you Miss Sinclair for giving us another beautiful and insightful story about the wonderful women who did so much for Australia and her allies during WW2.

I knew a little about the women working as codebreakers in Australia, but it is definitely something we all need to learn more about

It is shameful that so much of what these amazing women did was hidden from us for so many years, whilst their male counterparts were showered with accolades. Every time I learn another story like this, it makes me so sad, and so mad for these pioneering women.

Ellie is dead set amazing. She is one of those women who paved the road for the women of today - and there were plenty of women out there like her. Strong, fiesty and with a heart of gold that sees the best in everyone, she takes us from WW2 to post war Australia and what it was like for the women who filled all those "manly positions".

We also follow the relationships throughout that period, and your heart will hurt at times as the story unfolds.

This is such a beautifully constructed tale that I did not want to put the book down when it was way past my bedtime on a worknight lol.

Ms Sinclair weaves a heartfelt, interesting and endearing story, and I can't wait to read more of her work in the future.

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Elanora (Ellie) O’Sullivan loved her work with Qantas, using her engineering skills to keep the planes in tip top shape for the war effort. Ellie’s intelligence and strong ethics saw her being approached by Lieutenant Andrews of the Central Bureau, where her life would change in an instant. The immediate signing of a contract to keep her silence forever shook Ellie a little, but she knew working to help stop the war; working with Bletchley Park in England, was something she was desperate to do. Ellie had already lost her brother Robert to this dreadful war – if she could help to stop others losing loved ones, she wanted in.

The headquarters in Brisbane in 1943 saw the girls she worked with sharing huts once their shifts were over and working in a garage for their codebreaking work. Hence, they were called the Garage Girls. Secrets, decoding messages from the enemy, using the innate intuition that Ellie possessed to rush messages to the top brass, all helped with what they were there for. But the pressures were intense and being unable to talk about it with anyone except each other pushed people to breaking point. Was there a traitor within their group?

What would happen once the war was over? Settling back into ‘normal’ life would be hard for some – would Ellie manage it? Such a huge chunk of her life could never be spoken of….

The Codebreakers by Aussie author Alli Sinclair is an exceptionally well researched, well written story. I loved Ellie’s character along with Mrs Hanley, Louis, Florry – most of them actually! The Codebreakers was inspired by the real-life codebreakers who worked in Australia (and the world over) but could never be acknowledged. The Author’s Note at the end is fascinating – Ms Sinclair tells her readers how the book came about, and everything that followed. The intrigue, intense pressure and camaraderie between the codebreakers made for a wonderful read. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

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The Codebreakers by Alli Sinclair.

A story of love, loss and silver linings.

For the women living and working in Brisbane during WWII life was very different.

Alli weaves a masterful tale, examining the life of Ellie O’Sullivan as she navigates friendships, work and relationships under the lense of war. Here everything is magnified by the threat of loved ones being lost, wartime secrets, and the possibility of war arriving in Brisbane.

This book resonated with me on a very personal level. My grandmother was of this generation of Codebreakers and at times, when reading the exchanges between Ellie and her close circle of friends, I saw glimpses of my grandmother in each one.

The use of language, the tone, and relationships were so authentic that I felt like I’d gone back in time. This is a superb story, one that I have no doubt I will turn to again over the years.

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All I can say is WOW what an amazing book about a little-known piece of Australian history.
Ellie is recruited to join a secret group of women who become the Garage Girls during WWII operating out of a garage in the back of fancy house in Brisbane. The girls are obviously talented and quick thinking as they learn how to decrypt messages coming across the radio airwaves which is known as code-breaking. They are a tight knit group who are sworn to secrecy. The impact that these women had has been hidden for years and some still cannot and will not talk about their time as code-breakers.

This book brought back memories of my own mother's experiences living as a young woman during WWII - from dancing at the Trocadero, the shortages in food and supplies, when the Yanks hit town - its all there in this book.

Alli has done extensive research into this era and these women were pioneers in their own right. Ellie was an aircraft mechanic before being recruited and eventually was one of the first female pilots. These women had to fights against men for everything they achieved, and whilst some chose to become wives and mothers, Ellie had big dreams and was such a strong woman determined to follow her dreams and not be stereotyped into what society expected.

Alli's writing goes from strength to strength and I think this is her best book yet, although it is fiction it gives a very accurate depiction of the people and the times in Queensland living throughout the war. It would make an excellent movie and I hope it gets the attention of the right people and they bring Ellie's story to the screen. It would also be a great novel for school children to read to give them insight into this piece of Australian history. Thank you to Net Galley and Harlequin Mira Australia for providing me with a copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest opinion. 5* from me.

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1943, Brisbane: Ellie O’Sullivan works as an engineer at Qantas Empire Airways, keeping allied planes in the sky and they transport supplies to the troops in New Guinea. Ellie lives in a boarding house run by Mrs. Hanley, she shares a room with Kat Arnold and her childhood friend Louis Dutton visits her when he’s in Brisbane. Ellie’s really smart and is offered a job working for the Central Bureau and in the top secret cipher section. This is all very hush hush, she has to sign the official secrets act, she can never tell anyone about her work and it’s a lifelong contract.

Ellie starts working at Nyrambla house in a converted garage, where she and her fellow garage girls receive intercepted Japanese messages, they decipher the codes and pass them on to the top brass. They work under intense pressure and one small mistake could put hundreds of allied soldiers and Australian civilian lives in danger. It’s extremely difficult for Ellie to constantly lie about her job, she tells everyone she works in an office and it affects her personal relationships.

It’s very interesting reading about what it was like for young woman living and working in Australia during WW II, many left home for the first time and women’s roles changed. They also had to deal with the loss of loved ones, the possibly of the Japanese invading, it was an extremely alarming and stressful time for Australian women and children. Alli Sinclair has written a story that highlights the value of friendship, loyalty, duty and she’s made me aware of an unknown group of courageous and inspiring young Australian women. I received a copy of The Codebreakers in exchange for an honest review, it’s brilliant and five stars from me.

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Another riveting read by Alli Sinclair. Love historical fiction and this story does not disappoint.
Elle Sullivan a country girl from Longreach has big dreams for a woman in the 1940s in Australia. It is WWII and she is working in a mans job undertaking engineering work on planes for QANTAS Empire Airways , which deliver supplies to servicemen overseas. Her exceptional skills and intelligence are noticed and she is recruited to the Central Bureau, an intelligence agency linked with England’s Bletchley Park Codebreakers. Elle becomes one of the ‘Garage Girls’ deciphering communications in the war effort. Elle has signed the Official Secrets Act which means she can tell no one about her work and she sometimes struggles with keeping secrets from her family, friends and her boyfriend . The Codebreakers form a close bond but working in a mans world is not always easy. They live together and share their hopes, dreams and romances. The work is vital to the war effort but they are not officially recognised for what they do and when the war is over they are expected to return to the life of a 1940’s woman. Elle struggles with this expectation and becomes determined to live out her dreams.
There is so much to love in this book - the friendship of women united to a cause, the determination to live out a dream despite pressure to conform to society’s expectation, the unrecognised role that women played in the war effort, life in Australia during WWII and the unspoken effects of the war on both men and women.
As a daughter of a war veteran communications officer who was in a number of war zones I found the research in the book of the work undertaken by these women fascinating. A truly enthralling read.

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