I enjoyed this book about Eloise who is a code breaker for the Navy. When her skills are notices, she is recruited to the FBI to help find who is sending cryptic messages to the Japanese through dolls. I liked the story line very much. Phillip, her handsome co-worker, and mysterious family help make the story inviting.

The one criticism I do have is when they are in St. Louis and come out of Union Station to go to their hotel and look down the street and see the Arch. Having been to St. Louis and stayed at the Union Station Hotel (which is BEAUTIFUL, by the way), and having toured the Arch, know that it was not started until 1963, so they could not have seen it when coming out of the train station.

There is something always so intriguing to me about WWII fiction. But add a mystery with suspicious letters and secret codes...I'm there.

I was so excited to read this book and Johnnie Alexander did not disappoint. Eloise is such a sweet but brave character, going on a dangerous mission to help her country. Phillip, although more than ready to fight in the war, ends up wanting to protect Eloise, no matter the cost.

I also really enjoyed the plotline. I did not know much about what the FBI did during World War II, nor did I know much about codes used, especially with these letters and the dolls. I found it very interesting and am actually curious to know more.

What I especially liked about this book is that the romance did not overshadow the plot. Alexander does a great job of including romance, but still having the main focus of the book be about the mission. I really appreciated that.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book, especially if you are a fun of WWII fiction. It's got mystery and romance and intrigue...the perfect setup for a wonderful novel.

I had received a copy of this book as a part of the Celebrate Lit Blogging Team and was required to give an honest review.

The Cryptographer’s Dilemma was a great WWII fiction read that wasn’t too heavy and explored events that I had never heard of before. The story took place on American soil and I was surprised to find out it was based on actual events.

I was hooked from the beginning and loved all the characters, from Phillip and Eloise to Uncle Richard and the rest of the supporting cast. I enjoyed how the story unfolded and kept me guessing; just when I thought I had it figured out, there was another twist. This was my first read by Johnnie Alexander and I was thoroughly impressed.

Thank you to Barbour Publishing, Inc. and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Cryptographer's Dilemma was a fun read! It was interesting to read about her job and I loved the mystery.

The romance was okay; I wasn't a huge fan of it, but that could have just been my reading mood at the time. I can't pinpoint anything that bothered me, per say, just that it didn't click with me.

The ending was good and it was overall a good read. I liked it.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

This is the first book by this author that I have read. I really enjoyed this book. The way the characters were woven together in order to figure out the mystery was expertly done.


**I was given an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is the third book I’ve read in the heroines of WWII series. I have really enjoyed them and look forward to reading the rest of them. The focus on women and how they served in a variety of organizations and positions during WWII is interesting. I am impressed with their willingness to pack up and leave the comfort of home and family to serve their country. The level of intelligence and the ability to transform themselves into more than a puzzle solver was admirable. The addition of a love story added to the book without being syrupy sweet. This book is a wonderful introduction to this series. I cannot encourage you enough to get involved with these amazing women.

Thank you to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

The author develops great characterization and I appreciate the research done in writing this novel. I found the plot to be very interesting.
Many thanks to Barbour Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I absolutely loved The Cryptographer’s Dilemma by Johnnie Alexander! The Cryptographer’s Dilemma is inspired by a real-life crime during World War II and follows FBI Agent Phillip Clayton and Cryptographer Eloise Marshall as they crack the case of the Doll Woman. Put together by Phillip’s Uncle Richard for their expertise, Eloise deciphers codes written in letters by the Doll Woman posing as other doll collectors to a woman in another country. Phillip and Eloise combine their FBI skills tracking down the Doll Woman all over the US. During the case Eloise has to confront some painful family issues, that at times could put the case in danger.

I loved the characters in the book and learned a lot through them. The Cryptographer’s Dilemma kept me on my toes and I felt like I was right there with Eloise and Phillip as they were solving the case.. The Cryptographer’s Dilemma is one of my favorite reads of 2021 and I highly recommend this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this book. (My review is also on Goodreads.)

This was my first time reading this author. I must say that this book was awesome. I loved everything thing about it. The fact that it is historical fiction, faith based, and full of suspense. I look forward to the next read from Johnnie Alexander.

I am enjoying this series and learning more about the unique women who were behind the scenes during WWII. The characters were interesting and enjoyable in this story!

It was an intriguing story based on true events. I didn’t know the “Doll Woman” was a real person! Reading this story made me want to do a bit of research and more reading about Velvalee Dickinson.
I didn’t really like how the characters rehashed over and over again in their minds why they couldn’t be together. Once or twice would have been sufficient.
I was hoping for more historical detail. It felt like some of the details that were inserted were space fillers and not very pertinent to the story as a whole.
I enjoyed reading about the FBI in its infancy being only 30+ plus years old in the story.
The characters, despite their flaws truly wanted what was best for themselves, each other, and their country.
I felt that the ending was a bit rushed, and it left me with several questions- of which I cannot write about here without giving away some of the plot!
The cryptography aspect was very interesting. I appreciated the fact that the author did not make it hard to understand how codes can be created and broken.
This was my first book by Johnnie Alexander, and I am intrigued enough to read more by her.

WWII is my absolute favorite time period to read about so I was very excited to dive into this story, especially after a ringing endorsement from my bestie!
Eloise and Phillip were both great characters and I really admired their desire to serve their country no matter the cost! Their relationship went from annoyance to friendship to something more rather seamlessly and while I would have enjoyed more romance I thought it was well paced.
The “Doll Woman” spy was a story I hadn’t heard before and I was fascinated by the details of it and the process of hunting her down! I also enjoyed traveling around the country through the characters!
In short this was a really solid read that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Such an interesting take on this history. I love when books look at the female side of war time activities especially something as male dominated as cryptography.

The Cryptographer's Dilemma was written by Johnnie Alexander and is book one in the Heroines of WWII series. Each of the five books in this series is written by a different author.

Summary: Eloise Marshall has always been good at breaking codes, so when she is sent on special assignment with the FBI, she is intrigued by the special code they have been unable to break.

Will she be able to solve the mystery and find who is leaking sensitive information about American troop movements before it is too late? And can she do it while saddled with a surly agent as a teammate who wants to be anywhere else but with her?

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this book. I really liked the relationship that develops between the two agents, and how she earns Phillip's trust. The story is interesting, entertaining, and a good mystery. I also really love books set during World War II, so that was a plus too.

It is definitely worth the read-especially if you enjoy historical war-time fiction with a healthy dose of mystery and intrigue.

I would like thank Barbour Publishing, Inc. for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you!

The Cryptographer’s Dilemma was my first read by Johnnie Alexander. But it wont be the last. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was filled with intrigue, suspense and a little romance thrown into the mix. I think anyone who likes the not so common historical facts written into historical fiction will love this book. I enjoyed how the book was written. It kept my attention until the last page.
I would recommend reading Johnnie Alexander’s website after reading the book. She takes the time to show a “behind the scenes look at the characters in the book. Velvalee was named WWII’s “Number One Woman Spy” by the FBI who also gave her the nickname of “The Doll Woman.” And The Cryptographers Dilemma was mainly about identifying and tracing down the doll woman. At the end of the book Johnnie Alexander provided details on any liberties she took from historical facts. And she also gave a list of the resources she used to write this book. It was a fascinating read and I would recommend The Cryptographers Dilemma.
I received a complementary copy of this book from NetGalley with no obligations.

Posted on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes&Noble

What I think you should know:
The Cryptographer’s Dilemma is a Historical Christian Fiction by Johnnie Alexander. It is a standalone book in the Heroines of WWII series. It is set in the United States during WWII. It is a fictional spin on the true story and focuses on the effort to catch a spy who was supplying enemies with information about ship movements disguised as letters about dolls.

What you might need to know:
Eloise lost her brother Allen at Pearl Harbor.

What I think about this book:
This is the first book I have read by Alexander and I am super impressed. This was a well thought out story that had enough mystery and intrigue to catch my attention and enough substance to keep me hooked even though I thought I knew the basics of the story. Eloise was a wonderful character, however it was Philip who caught me. I love how his character wanted to serve in the military, not just the FBI. I also appreciated how he had a heart for the German spies who he caught and how he realized that even though they were our “enemies” they were just men who thought they were doing the best thing for their country. I really enjoyed reading this story and will read more of the series and more of Alexander’s works.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.

I enjoy reading stories of what life was like on the World War 2 home front. I appreciated the fact that this book was based on historical fact and a real case. The background details were well-supported.

Eloise Marshall went to school to become a math teacher. But when her brother is killed at Pearl Harbor (mentioned very early in the book, so not a spoiler!), she offers her services as a cryptologist. She uses her mathematics backgrounds to solve codes in the war. That element was intriguing, and I wish the author would have included even more.

As an FBI agent, Philip should feel like he is making a difference. But really he wants to be over fighting in the war. Getting assigned to pose as Eloise's brother, so that they can travel across the country to try to solve a case that involves scripted letters is not what he has in mind.

The book had a great premise. But for me, the plot never quite moved past good to great. Some parts seemed repetitive. Some of the family situations were confusing and overly complicated. I wanted to like the book even more than I did. Still I would probably want to read the next book in the series.

I read this book through NetGalley. I wanted to write a review. All opinions are my own.

Multiple cities in the United States 1942

When I chose to read this novel, I knew the author was Johnnie Alexander (an author I've enjoyed reading) and it's the start of a new WWII Series. Sold.

Eloise Marshall, former school teacher, is happily serving the U.S. Navy in the role of code breaker when she is approached to assist the FBI with a unique case that would benefit from a woman's touch.

Her would be partner, Agent Phillip Clayton, is less than enthused to put it mildly.

Once their journey begins, they slowly begin to see positives in the other. What I loved most about Phillip is how he represents others who so want to serve overseas, but aren't given approval for one reason or another. He feels like he is less than a full contributor to the war effort. At the same time, the way he is able to contribute, makes him question what's right in the eyes of God. Shouldn't we all seek God for his guidance? Readers get to see some raw emotion for a man in this situation.

Eloise is equally delightful with her love of solving codes. She wants to prove that she can contribute to the war effort. She has a spunky character about some areas, but shows fallibility in others.

Riding along with Phillip and Eloise as they solve the mystery of who is selling American secrets putting soldiers and citizens at risk was enjoyable. I look forward to reading the next in the series.

This is book one of the Heroines of WWII series, a Historical Christian read that takes place in the 1940's during Pearl Harbor era. When Eloise, a FBI cryptographer and gets assigned a job to find out what the significant is about some letters regarding dolls. She and Phillip, another agent are assigned to each other to work undercover and find out the details about these letters. Can they decode and be safe on this mission? Will they find more feelings for each other than just a working relationship? What is all the mystery about?

If you want a historical read that takes you back into time and drama, read this book. It does have light romance but the mystery of the letters is what keeps you reading. It is a good book that keeps your interest and the history and time details are good for those that like to go back into an era and time, it takes you there and keeps you interested.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.

This was an interesting story, dealing with code breakers, FBI, and spies on American soil. I enjoyed the story, and was surprised to read that it was based a true event…