The Cryptographer's Dilemma
By Johnnie Alexander
Pub Date August 1, 2021
Barbour

Thanks to Barbour, NetGalley, and Johnnie Alexander for the ARC of this book. It is definitely worth your time!~
espionage, romance, and a strong heroine—readers of Sarah Sundin will not want to miss The
Cryptographer’s Dilemma, a shocking tale of betrayal and truth being brought to light.
This is the first Johnnie Alexander Book I have read and I will be looking for more.

5 star

A unique WWII story:
I thought it was interesting and unique focusing on cryptography and the role the FBI played to keep the USA safe during WWII. I really enjoyed the intrigue and was curious as to how it would play out. It was a nice easy read with a good plot and excellent pacing.
It was good seeing Phillip and Eloise grapple with their issues and I liked the personal growth they both displayed. Personally I would have liked the romance aspects to have been developed more but it was still a sweet hint at a relationship. There was a very light Christian thread but overall this book could be enjoyed by anyone regardless of their personal beliefs.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

I enjoyed this novel, a good example of an amateur person put on the tail of a traitor. Eloise is a good heroine. She's a capable woman, helping decode, then being taken in by the FBI. I liked reading about her FBI training. Eloise was a trooper.

I always enjoy learning something new when I read fiction and there was much in this novel about decoding. I had no idea the time and effort put into the process. And I was surprised at the many types of codes, especially the one that would look like a regular letter but contained code words and phrases.

I like this series because the fiction is based on fact. There really was a Doll Woman who received money from the Japanese for information about American ships damaged at Pearl Harbor. I appreciate the Author's Note identifying the fact and fiction in the novel.

This is a good novel for readers who enjoy historical fiction. You'll find a good novel about how the FBI worked in the 1940s, a bit about decoding, and a good budding romance. There is a little Christian faith in the novel but it is slight.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

What an interesting WW2 historical this novel was. Eloise Marshall is a cryptographer who is actually quite good at her job. So good in fact that she has caught the eye of the FBI who need her help on some suspicious letters about dolls and doll repair that the supposed senders and recipients knew nothing about. Joining her and going undercover as her brother is agent Phillip Clayton.

Both Eloise and Phillip want to help out in the war effort. Phillip especially wants to see battle but due to his color blindness he cannot fly any planes. So they are both sent on this mission to get to the bottom of what these letters are all about.

Many secrets come to light and the realities of the Great Depression are still heavy on each of their souls, even though they were younger during that time. The bombing of Pearl Harbor, thus killing Eloise's brother, has definitely impacted both of them. Can they get to the bottom of this mission intact and with answers to stop anything else nefarious the enemy is trying to do?

This was a very interesting read with a real life case that was quite strange but nonetheless threatened our freedom's of the time.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

This was a well researched, well thought out story that interestingly educated me and made me want to know more.
I enjoyed getting to know more about Eloise and Philip's jobs as a cryptographers, the research that went into deciphering codes to keep the country safe.
It was truly exciting to see them caught up in trying to figure out who was writing codes to the enemy and it for an interesting read.
Lovers of historical fiction, world war II and spy stories would enjoy this one.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Celebrate Lit. All opinions expressed are solely mine

Eloise Marshall cannot stand Phillip Clayton. She finds him arrogant, condescending, and full of old-fashioned ideas about women’s roles in society.
Phillip Clayton can’t believe his new partner is a woman. One with no espionage experience or training, and this mission they’re on… interviewing women about collector’s dolls?! Child’s play when you consider the life-and-death case he is currently wrapping up.

How do two mismatched people move from disdain and contempt to grudging admiration to love? Author Johnnie Alexander aptly traces this very gentle, romantic adventure from its inception in her suspenseful novel, The Cryptographer’s Dilemma, #1 Heroines of WWII.

I love the way that we see the softer sides of both Phillip and Eloise come to light in the other’s eyes, and their integrity becomes evident.
This line made Phillip swoon-worthy to me:
“In the depth of his eyes, she detected curiosity, but more than that, she found compassion.”
Yes, Phillip is good-looking, but Eloise finds that off-putting until she realizes his gentle, caring nature. Isn’t that an important quality most women want in a man?

Eloise, for her part, like Phillip, knows when to pry and when to give him space until he’s ready to share the massive burdens weighing down his heart. Plus she’s brave, adventurous, smart, and good at ferreting out information from suspects.

One part of the storyline gave me pause. I puzzled over it for a couple of days, wondering if the character’s actions fit with how that person was drawn. I finally decided one never knows the human heart and its machinations. I may or may not have written that part of the story with those results, but I agree it could be plausible.

If you like WWII novels, near-enemies to lovers(clean) stories, or tales where individuals overcome hurts in their past, this Johnnie Alexander novel is calling your name. Listen.

I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher through Celebrate Lit. No positive review was required. All opinions are my own, voluntarily given.

First in the new Heroines of WWII series, this novel combines the best of Christian historical and suspense genres. This is a stand-alone novel, as each of the others will be. It is the first novel I’ve read by Johnnie Alexander, and I am very impressed! The characters are portrayed with excellence. I felt as if I got to know each of the primary characters. It is fast-paced, well-researched, and the protagonists are people of faith.

During World War II, women and a few men unable to enlist were recruited for in valued positions in cryptography or code breaking. Messages intercepted from enemies were sent to the unit to be decoded. There were many kinds of codes, with new ones being designed regularly, so it wasn’t as easy as it sounds. As someone who loves puzzles, I would have enjoyed doing this but would have lacked the mathematics skills to excel at it as Eloise has.

Eloise enjoys what she is doing, even if she does miss her mother and her students. Her brother Allan, with whom she had been very close, was killed at Pearl Harbor a few months earlier. This is her way of taking up his mantle to serve their country.

An FBI agent, Phillip wanted desperately to join his cousins and childhood friends as a pilot in the military but couldn’t meet a certain requirement. His plan is to flip a coin to see whether to enlist in the army or navy. His uncle, Richard, is a higher-up in the FBI, and gives him one last mission.

Richard has three letters that were sent to an address in Argentina. Two were pulled by the censors due to the unusual content. A third was marked return to sender, and the woman whose return address was on it had not written it. She took it to the head of her local post office. Richard asked Eloise if she thought they were in code. He sends them, posing as brother and sister, to Ohio and Spokane to visit the women whose addresses the letters are sent from. All are about dolls, so Eloise could talk about dolls with the ladies and be available for codes, while Phillip does the official interviews. Neither was happy about going with the other, so it will be a long week ahead of them.

The trip was extended as more information was uncovered. During their enforced time together, they got to know each other and erase the misconceptions they had for the other. Each has feelings for the other but knowing Phillip will be enlisting soon keeps them in denial. Soon they have bigger problems when a spiteful person blows their cover to the whodunit.

This novel invited me in at the start and held my attention throughout. I enjoyed reading about cryptography, meeting Phillip and Eloise, and considering the spiritual lessons. I appreciated how their faith was important to both, and how the intriguing the mystery was. The ending was overall satisfactory but I felt there was one open item that, while not critical to the mystery, had my curiosity.
What happened to the real doll woman, as well as what is fact or fiction in the novel, is detailed at the end. I highly recommend this to those who appreciate reading about WWII “code girls”, a good mystery with potential for romance, and how people live out their faith.

From a thankful heart: I received an eARC of this novel from the publisher, NetGalley, and Celebrate Lit, and this is my honest review.

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK Joy Hannabass

Cryptographer Eloise Marshall and FBI Agent Philip Clayton were not happy that they were thrown together on an assignment concerning  letters about dolls. It seems innocent enough, but there was something weird about it. This assignment sends Phillip and Eloise across the country to find who wrote the letters. They were to go as brother and sister, even though they couldn’t stand each other.

This was an interesting book to read. I’ve read several books about Cryptographer’s and coding, and enjoyed this one very much. I liked both Eloise and Phillip as I followed their journey interviewing ladies about their dolls and the letter each lady supposedly wrote. The other characters were likeable and they were all realistic. Getting an insight about the job of a cryptographer and figuring out the codes was informative and interesting. Johnnie Alexander does an awesome job with details in this story, it was very well researched. If you enjoy WWII stories you will enjoy this one. The Cryptographer’s Dilemma is Five Stars for me.

A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

About the Author

The Cryptographer’s Dilemma by Johnnie Alexander is the first book in the Heroines of WWII series by various authors. Eloise Marshall is approached by the FBI to help break a code. What she and fellow FBI agent, Philip Clayton, uncover is a traitor giving secrets to the Japanese. This story takes you across the US and back again. You meet some interesting people along the way and learn about the different codes used during the war. Eloise and Philip made a great pair. There wasn’t a lot of heart-stopping action in the story, but it was more of an easy-read suspense.


I received this book from Celebrate-Lit for my honest review.

Eloise Marshall was happy in her job as a maths teacher before the US Navy recruits her as a cryptographer … and she is then transferred to the FBI. After training, she is partnered with Phillip Clayton. He is unable to fight because he is colourblind … something I didn’t work out until about halfway through, despite the author’s effort to show it in the first line. (Was I the only person who didn’t understand he was colourblind?)

The FBI needs both Eloise’s code-breaking ability and a “womanly touch” to discover the truth behind some strange letters about broken dolls. Are the letters nothing more than they appear to be, or are they some kind of message within a message, a traitor using a steganography code to pass information to America’s enemies?

At one point, Phillip observes that Eloise doesn’t seem to notice masculine attention. He seems to see this as a positive, that she’s not trying to attract male attention. I saw it as a negative: how good is she as an FBI agent if she doesn’t notice the people around her?

I enjoyed the World War II setting. I’m a big fan of novels featuring code-breaking and cryptography (e.g those by Roseanna M White). It was the cryptography that caught my attention. I also enjoyed the back-and-forth hunt for the evildoer—and I appreciated it even more when I read the Author’s Note at the end and discovered the plot was based on fact.

But I was kind of lost when it came to Eloise’s “dilemma”. What was it? I can only assume it was the will-she-won’t-she search for the father who abandoned her and her mother … a plot point I thought was weakened by the fact we didn’t know she was searching for him.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed the story, as it’s a unique angle that made for a solid romance. Thanks to Barbour Fiction and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

Singled out for a special assignment, Eloise Marshall, a codebreaker with the US Navy, is determined to serve her country and do her part for the War effort. Phillip wants nothing more than to serve his country, but unable to enlist he asks his uncle to find him a way to serve in the FBI. An encrypted letter sets Phillip and Eloise on the trail of a Japanese informant, will they be able to stop the informant before it's too late?

An engaging historical novel about the sacrifices of the men and women fighting the war on the home front. Phillip and Eloise are excellent heroes that you can cheer for throughout, I liked how they grew as friends over the course of the book, and that they could confide in each other and talk about their faith together. Eloise is brilliant, but humble, and I love that she does the best that she can with what she is given. Uncle Lawrence is an excellent supporting character, who encourages them along the way.

Overall, a well written novel about the heroes who fought from the home front, with building tension throughout. A well paced read, with an engaging plot, as they piece the clues together. Highly enjoyable read, with excellent characters, definitely recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

An intriguing World War II spy thriller set in the US as the FBI attempts to stop The Doll Lady, who has been passing American secrets to the Japanese. Based on a real person who betrayed her nation, the book tells how the FBI recruits Cryptographer Eloise Marshall to assist Agent Phillip Clayton in tracking down the guilty party. This takes them around the country amid adventures and danger. I enjoyed the compelling story, which WWII buffs should like too. We see a different side of the war—one most probably have never heard of. The true-to-life characters and situations were convincing, but I felt like a few loose ends weren’t tied up in the conclusion—such as Eloise’s stepmother and confronting her own mother. Nevertheless, it’s an exciting novel that holds your attention to the end and keeps you wondering how it will all turn out. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

The Cryptographer’s Dilemma is a Christian Historical Fiction Story that is written by Johnnie Alexander. This is the first book in the Heroines of WWII series. The series is written by different authors, but tied together by the Heroine theme. I was super excited to read this book since I have done major research with my masters on spies. Spies spoke and wrote in codes. So I was excited to read about code cracking and such during World War II.

Travel back to 1942. We see Eloise Marshall who is a FBI cryptographer. She has recently lost her brother in Pearl Harbor. She is smart, talented and beautiful. However, she can't tell anyone what she is doing. Agent Phillip Clayton wants to enlist and join the fight, however is asked to work one more FBI case. Phillip's uncle has recruited Eloise to decode some letters between doll makers. What is uncovered is a Japanese Spy Ring. Could there be a traitor within the Americans?

I love the amount of research that the author did on this book. As a historian myself, it is refreshing to see so much history placed into a book to make it as real as possible. The characters are well developed, the storyline is intriguing and the writing flows nicely. I am excited to read the next book in the series.

I received a copy of this book through the Celebrate Lit blogging program, all thoughts are my own.

If you enjoy Historical Christian Fiction focused on World War II then this is definitely the book for you. You can tell the author did her research and was passionate about the topic. It truly jumps out at you through the pages as you are reading. I thought the characters were well developed and the storyline is truly engaging and intriguing. The author did a great job at interweaving the element of faith throughout the story.

Overall I thought this was a great start to this new collection by Barbour Publishers! I highly recommend you grab this one.

I received a copy of this book through Celebrate Lit. I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

The Cryptographer’s Dilemma
by Johnnie Alexander
Pub Date 01 Aug 202
Barbour Publishing, Inc., Barbour Fiction
Christian | Historical Fiction


I am reviewing a copy of The Cryptographer’s Dilemma through Barbour Publishing and Netgalley:



Eloise Marshall is an FBI cryptographer who is grieving the death of her brother who was killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor. when she is assigned to investigate a seemingly innocent letter about dolls.


Agent Phillip Clayton is ready to enlist and head oversees when asked to work one more FBI job. A case of coded defense coordinates is related to dolls should be easy, but not so when the Japanese Consulate gets involved, hearts get entangled, and Phillip goes missing. Can Eloise risk loving and losing again?


I give The Cryptographers dilemma Five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

When it comes to historical fiction, those stories taking place during or around the time of WWII happen to be among some of my absolute favorites, so I was really excited to check out this first book in the new Heroines of WWII series. While a fictional story, it is based upon true events... which always make for some great tales, don't they!?

First and foremost, the research that went into bringing The Cryptographer's Dilemma was evident in the story, which is something that I always very much appreciate in this type of story... I may not be the biggest history buff, but I enjoy learning about how people lived at the time. I enjoyed the history in this story and learning more about the roles of some of those people right here in the US during the war. Given the book description and the topic of spies and the like given, I must admit I perhaps expected this one to be a little more fast paced than it was for me personally, but it was enjoyable nonetheless I look forward to reading more in this series to come!

**I received a complimentary copy of this book for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

The Cryptographer’s Dilemma
by Johnnie Alexander
Series: Heroines of WWII Book 1
Barbour Publishing
Rated: 4
Back of the Book: “Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this new series celebrates the unsung heroes—the heroines of WWII. FBI cryptographer Eloise Marshall is grieving the death of her brother, who died during the attack on Pearl Harbor when she is assigned to investigate a seemingly innocent letter about dolls. Agent Phillip Clayton is ready to enlist and head oversees when asked to work one more FBI job. A case of coded defense coordinates related to dolls should be easy, but not so when the Japanese Consulate gets involved, hearts get entangled, and Phillip goes missing. Can Eloise risk loving and losing again?”
My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this WW2 mystery romance. It took me a bit longer to read this book due to my schedule however each time I picked this story up I was pulled back into the adventure and romance. I think that it was a fun perspective and unique storyline. I also appreciated that the relationship between the characters bloomed over time as their characters revealed more depth rather than just physical attraction and lust. That being said it was a clean romance and the story was well balanced between the romance and the mystery of the doll woman. One thing I did not care for was the cover. The model looks lifeless which is not a reflection of Eloise's character. If this is your genre, give this book a read.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review shared here.

The Cryptographers Dilemma was a fun book to read. I enjoyed it very much. I’ve always thought it would be fun to be a spy. So it was fun to live vicariously through Eloise & Phillip. It was fun to watch them interact as the story went along. I thought the characters were well developed. I liked how Johnnie Alexander used historical characters and weaved them throughout the story. I love history so reading another aspect of the was a enjoyable! II’ve always been intrigued by spy’s and code. Learning about the different codes used during World war two was pretty fascinating.

Johnnie Alexander did a wonderful job recreating a part of history not everyone will know. I am excited to read more from her!

I recommend this book to my family and friends. v

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

"I have found that I have a fondness for stories of the men and women who did codebreaking during the Second World War. Instead of taking place in England as others I've read, The Cryptographer's Dilemma takes place in the United States. And most of the story takes place outside the walls of the Navy codebreaker's rooms and on the trail of the source of mysterious letters intercepted by the Postal Service. I was especially interested to learn that this is based on a true account.

I loved Phillip and Eloise. They were both very likable characters. Their growing attraction to one another was very natural. Phillip's penchant for imitating Humphrey Bogart was cute and it actually helped me to keep a 1940s image in my head instead of the present day.

While the plot was exciting, the story wasn't edge-of-your-seat for me. The pace was slower and focused more on the interactions and the bigger story than action and intrigue.

This first book of a new series with multiple authors appears to be related by subject and not interconnected in any other way. If you enjoy stories of the FBI and espionage, give The Cryptographer's Dilemma a read.


I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own."

The Cryptographer's Dilemma is an intense cat and mouse read to catch the person who is writing in code, giving information to the Japanese.

The author did an excellent job of combining historical information with a cast of characters that are engaging. I really enjoyed watching Eloise's growth throughout the story and her ability to adapt to unusual circumstances.

A touch of espionage and romance kept me guessing about the players in the story until the end, and the spiritual reflections were inspirational. It is a very enjoyable and exciting read. Highly recommended.

I received a copy from the author and voluntarily choose to review it. All opinions are my own.