I absolutely love it when authors take little known pieces of history, and make them come alive in a book. I found the plot to be simply fascinating. First of all, I enjoy reading about women in history who made something for themselves in a “man’s world” so to speak. Eloise was so talented, and yet couldn’t even share with her mother what she was doing. But I think the secretness of it made it that much more exciting. I can’t imagine the amount of research Alexander had to do in order to portray this character. To see her reading the letters, trying to pick up any clues, figure out the code, and put it all together. It was brilliant.

Then you have our a hurting hero, upset because he cannot support his country the way he wants to because of his disability. I don’t think I’ve read a color blind character before, and could certainly sympathize with how upset he was. I would have liked to see more of this in the story line honestly. But I also understand that there are only so many words and author can put in a book! I will say the best lesson I learned from Phillip is that God has a plan for our lives, and it doesn’t always match what our plans are. Phillip wanted to fight in the war so desperately, and I think it took him awhile to truly understand that he was fighting in the war, just in a different way. And in the end it ended up being the better way, of course, because he met Eloise. But it took him some time to get there, just like it does us.

The Cryptographer’s Dilemma is a gem of a book that I am so happy I decided to read. It has mystery, excitement, a little romance, travel, and and interesting bits of history along the way. Historical fiction fans will enjoy reading about Eloise and Phillip and their journey to find the letter writer. I highly recommend! I was given a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love war stories about espionage and how people are caught. What intrigued me about the story was learning about cryptography. It is a special gift to be able to decipher codes that are sent to deter the conman person from figuring out what is being said. Elosie is a very smart woman whose talent is vital to the FBI. It was interesting to get a glimpse of how she works. It must have been a great honor to be chosen for a special assignment. Working with another agent will find her traveling to different places while collecting information for the FBI.

Phillip was a good character but I didn’t connect with him as much. He was a good agent yet he always seemed to think he could be doing something else for his country. At first I wasn’t sure how working with Eloise would work out, but they did take their assignment serious enough that they blended well with each other. As they began their secret mission I was ready to join them and help them along the way. They made me want to know them more and the author gives us a little background about each of them which helped me understand their traits better.

The secret letters that they followed was really fun as the mystery started to unravel. The historical facts are good and kept with the time period perfectly. Each letter was a challenge as Eloise used her skills to decipher the hidden messages in each one. It was easy for me to figure out who the person was behind all the mystery which disappointed me. I wanted more mystery and less about Eloise worried that she would not be a part in solving the case.

I had no idea that the story was based on a true historical person. Now this made me want to go back and do research about this person. It wasn’t uncommon for secrets to be passed during wartime, but it was uncommon as who was doing it in thus book. Having the codes deciphered quickly was a let down for me. I wanted tithe author to expand on this more and maybe add more drama to the story.

I was very confused when a certain character appeared in the story. It just didn’t make sense why he was there and how quickly Eloise started to depend on him. We see her upset seeing something in the paper and given no clue for some time. I really want to know how he became involved and why he was suddenly trust worthy. The ending was a let down though and was very light on a faith element.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit . The review is my own opinion.

This story interested me, as I did not know much about cryptographers prior to reading the novel, and this book details the well-researched history of cryptographers during World War II. I think I was hoping for a more complex and detailed plot, but the characters in this book truly shine! I liked Eloise and Philip and enjoyed reading about their realistic relationship as it developed in the story. The mystery was a bit too simplistic for me, but I think focusing on the growth of Eloise and Philip allowed me to enjoy this novel. I also really liked how the author created a strong female lead who is smart and independent and did a good job highlighting the roles of women during WWII. Overall, I liked reading this novel and recommend it to those who like historical fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Tours. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

The Cryptographer’s Dilemma is an entertaining, absorbing read! This fictional account, based on an actual FBI case, kept me invested from the first page to the last. Ms. Alexander’s clear, concise style and attention to detail allows you, the reader, to feel you are alongside Philip and Eloise on their adventurous journey across the United States in search of the identity of the World War 2 spy who is selling information to the Japanese. I like the way cryptography is incorporated into the story. It adds interest without being boring or overwhelmingly complex. The combination of richly drawn characters, a steadily flowing plot with plenty of intriguing twists, slow-building romance, and a thread of faith, make for an exciting, satisfying reading experience. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it especially for lovers of historical romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in e-book form from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Solving a mystery is one of my favorite activities, so 'helping' Eloise decode the clues was fun. Especially as it's based on a true story!

I felt a connection to the emotional roller coaster she was on, right there with her as she grappled with both Philip and her family stresses.

The transition from wanting to knock the chip off Philip's shoulder to wanting his approval to wanting his heart was well done. Not rushed, even if the whole story takes less than a month.

Philip is a great guy whose dream of being a pilot was crushed before it ever had a chance. But he's a Good detective, and determined. And given half a chance, his heart shines through in great ways!

There's enough of the story wrapped up to be fully satisfying, and yet a couple of things are not completely tied up to either leave room for a sequel or satisfy realists who know that we do not always have the answers we want.

I received a copy of the book from #celebratelit and @netgalley and chose to review it here. All thoughts are my own.

I thought this book was nice. Not really my favorite, but I just finished another book with a similar plot that I just liked better. Nothing against this author. I thought it was nice just not my favorite.

I chose this book because it's part of a series that I read another book in ("The unsung heroes—the heroines of WWII"). I enjoyed this book - it is a slow burning story, which to me, seemed to really quickly wind up at the end.
I felt that some of the characters could do with more context and less contradictions. To explain this would require spoilers, so I won't go into details but some relationships change in an instant and it seems like the characters have done a complete 360. I also felt like the doll lady needed context as I had no feeling about her either way until the end.
I got this in exchange for an honest review. As I said earlier, I did like the book and it's worth a read despite my small problems with the book.

Mystery, intrigue, and a look at what a cryptographer does makes for an interesting read.
I enjoyed The Cryptographer's Dilemma but I was expecting more from it. I have not read anything by Johnnie Alexander before, so I was not sure what to expect from her writing. However, from the synopsis of the book, I expected more mystery and more involvement from the Japanese consulate.

The story was a slow build and moved at a steady pace. I enjoyed the friendship that developed between Eloise and Philip, and the bit of mystery. I found it interesting to learn that the story was based on a true "doll" lady and appreciated the author's research and attention to detail in the telling of the story.

There were a few disconnects as well. The point of view is third person so you do not actually feel what the characters are thinking or feeling, you are told. This makes it harder to connect to the characters and the story. There felt like too many things in the story without enough clear resolution to them all. I do not want to give spoilers but felt in some ways there needed to be more (dialogue and feelings) and less of other things.

I think historical fans will enjoy reading this glimpse into a cryptographer's job during WWII.

Thank you to Net Galley and Barbour Publishing for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I've read some truly exceptional books about the cryptographers of WWI and WWII, so the title of this book definitely caught my eye. It's inspired by true events, which intrigued me so I looked up the real story of Velvalee Dickinson online. I can't decide if she was smart or stupid, or both. It's definitely an interesting chapter in WWII history.

I'm sure many people will enjoy this story, but it fell a little short of what I expected. I was disappointed that the cryptographer's role in solving the mystery was fairly minor. She did help with the investigation of course but her skills as a cryptographer weren't needed very much. I'm not convinced they needed a cryptographer for the FBI investigation, but for the sake of the romance they had to haul her along or how else would Phillip and Eloise get together? The feeling of suspense builds as Phillip and Eloise chase down a traitorous spy.

This work of fiction is a decent story, well-written and it's clean.

What did I like?

I liked the relational components of the main characters. I think the uncle is my favorite. I like that this story is based on real life events. The author did a great job carrying the facts of the true story with her story; she did not change much to make it work together.

What was a challenge?

I expected more of a dilemma from "The Crypotgrapher's Dilemma." Honestly, I can't really tell you what her dilemma was. There were a couple different names used for the protagonist and I felt like it took away from the story. If you're familiar with Ted Dekker and his "fictive bubble," this book popped that bubble multiple times; there were a few times where I stopped and had to ask what was going on or who someone was or why something was happening. I read a lot of books and when I tried to think back on the books that I read this last month, I had a really hard time remembering this one; it just didn't stand out. 

I really wanted to like this book. Perhaps some of it was that I came off recently reading another novel of WWII cryptography that was amazing...and this one just didn't hit the mark for me.

From the synopsis I expected a lot more excitement, danger and thrill. And though there was some mystery and intrigue, this story started very slow and I almost put it aside until an emotional event for Eloise grabbed my I intention.

I did not know this story was based on a true event. I think the author did a good job with mixing fictional characters and a story but keeping to the facts of the true story.

This is the first of a new series by Barbour Books which I am looking forward to.

This was a new-to-me-author and an enjoyable introduction to this author.

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?

This was a very interesting book. Eloise is doing work that not many women of her time were allowed to do. Women weren't even thought capable of doing decoding. Phillip Clayton is an FBI agent who wants nothing more than to enlist and get into the fighting overseas. His superior has another mission for him to do. When Phillip finds out he is expected to work with a woman, he is not happy. As Eloise and Phillip travel across country to search for answers to codes being shipped with dolls, he realizes that she is an asset to his investigation.

This book is a mystery. But I wouldn't class it as a suspense or thriller. I enjoyed reading it and would recommend it.

I was given this book by Barbour Publishing via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

First sentence: Green or brown. Brown or green. Phillip Clayton set the unwrapped crayon upright on the diner's Formica tabletop so it stood like a mocking sentinel.

Premise/plot: While much of Johnnie Alexander's The Cryptographer's Dilemma is fictional, it is loosely based on a real case: The Doll Woman (Velvalee Dickinson). Phillip Clayton (our hero) and Eloise Marshall (our heroine) are FBI agents tracking down a potential traitor to the United States of America. The year is 1942. Eloise is new to the agency, she's a code breaker. She's paired with Phillip Clayton--a man with much more experience, all classified, of course. The two will pose as brother and sister and travel the country together. They've got a mystery to solve....

My thoughts: I found this a compelling read. At the time I started the novel, I didn't know the Doll Woman was real. I was just enjoying it for what it was: historical romance with a strong mystery element set during one of my favorite historical periods to read about. The characters are developed nicely. The romance isn't rushed. The pace is strong and steady. It has its melodramatic moments near the end, but, all in all I enjoyed it.

The Doll Woman received money from the Japanese government in exchange for information about American ships damaged at Pearl Harbor and our shipyards on the West Coast.

Set in Washington DC in 1942, cryptographer, Eloise Marshall, is mourning the death of her brother who was killed during the bombing of Pearl Harbor. She wishes there is more that she could do to help the war effort. FBI Agent Phillip Clayton wants to enlist but his color blindness precludes this. When the FBI discovers a possible spy who is relaying messages to the Japanese via code messages about dolls, Phillip and Eloise are asked to join forces to find the spy.

Full of twists, turns, coded messages, doll collectors, and doll sellers, Eloise and Phillip traveled throughout the US as brother and sister following leads. Alexander kept my interest from start to finish as I learned about doll collecting as well as how coded messages could be so misleading unless you understood the various codes. Eloise was so knowledgeable about codes and her instincts were so spot on when she read something and immediately realized how it had been coded. I thoroughly enjoyed following Phillip and Eloise across the US as they followed leads and discovered new information until they finally cracked the case.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

I love historical fiction, especially when the basis of the story is an actual event. The Cryptographer's Dilemma by Johnnie Alexander is just such a story, and I enjoyed it a lot. While Eloise and Phillip are fictional characters, the WWII FBI case of a traitor named the Doll Woman is true. Alexander has written a fascinating story of an FBI agent and a civilian code-breaker on a cross-country chase to track down the woman who has sent seemingly encoded letters. Eloise and Phillip have their individual issues to deal with, and as the adventure continues and the mystery deepens, there might be a bit of romance to add to the mix. Suspense, historical details, realistic and relatable characters, and twists to the plot all keep the pages turning. Readers who like to read historical fiction will not want to miss The Cryptographer's Dilemma.
I was given a complimentary copy of the book from Barbour Publishing and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.

Barbour Publishing presents another book in its series of mysteries based on true events that can be further researched on-line or using the references mentioned in the epilogue. . This plot surrounds a Doll Collector whose Boston store served as the focal point for a spy that sought to provide Japan critical information following the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941.

The story centers on one of the Code Girls, whose primary task was to decrypt messages intercepted from the German and Japanese. Eloise Marshall was “drafted” by the FBI to work alongside Phillip Clayton, a colorblind FBI agent who was not qualified to serve in the Air Corp. Together they were assigned the job of identifying the source of several letters that alluded to troop movements within the US Armed Services. The work would take them across the country - from Washington DC to Seattle WA and several places in between.

This reader was intrigued - not only by the story, but by the events that served as the catalyst for the book. More than once on-line sources were consulted providing more depth to the story as additional details of this WWII traitor were revealed. The author has provided an attention-keeping story rooted in history. I give the book five stars.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

I hope the rest of the books in this new series of WWll heroines are as great as this one. I love that I got to learn about a spy I had never heard of from WWll. I loved the characters and the romance and the intrigue. Eloise and Phillip both grow during this case. This story made me look up the real Doll woman to see how she was really captured. Very enjoyable. I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

The premise of the book was a great one and I know the author did a ton of research for this story. It is based on true events. The story has great character development and is well detailed.

Pub Date: 01 Aug 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

The premise was interesting, but as somebody who does not typically read Christian Fiction, the inferences to religion started to take away from the story.

The Cryptographer’s Dilemma by Johnnie Alexander starts the new exciting Heroines of WWII. I have an interest in reading historical fiction that focuses on the World War II. This one does not disappoint. I enjoyed getting to know Eloise and loved her strength and determination to solve a mystery. The story is based on true events that I found intriguing and wanted to find out more about that. There is suspense, adventure, danger, and romance. I thought it was a pretty good book.

I am giving The Cryptographer’s Dilemma four and a half stars. I recommend it for readers who enjoy reading clean historical fiction. I look forward to reading the next installment from the Heroines of WWII series, Liz Tolsma‘s A Picture of Hope.