4.5 stars "The perilous and awe-inspiring true story of award-winning photojournalist Dickey Chapelle as she risks everything to show the American people the price of war through the lens of her camera."

Dickey's story opens in Manhattan in 1954. She is unhappy in her marriage, and her finances are messy. She has been struggling to find a higher paying job because of a previous assignment.

Dickey's work travels take her all over the world as a war correspondent, including Hungary, Cuba, and Vietnam. She is looking for the most outstanding picture that will tell the world what is going on and will bring peace. I enjoyed her inner musings and writings on the topic that were both philosophical as well as spiritual.

This is a must-read for lovers of historical fiction. I learned so much about the real life of an incredible woman who risked everything for years to share truth with the world. The novel is illuminating by covering refugees in Hungary, the situation in Cuba before and after the missile crisis, as well as Vietnam leading up to American entry into the war. The themes of humanity, war, career, persistence, resilience, and family are prominent in this historical account.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Erika Robuck for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

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THE LAST ASSIGNMENT by Erika Robuck is a historical biographical fiction story featuring the later portion of photojournalist Georgette “Dickey” Chapelle’s life. Ms. Robuck does a wonderful job of bringing her to life not only writing about her achievements, but also her impetuosity which could get her into dangerous and terrible situations. This standalone story is a look at an impressive woman in history that I knew nothing about.

Dickey Chapelle led an awe-inspiring life photographing and writing about her favorite men, the Marines, on Iwo Jima during WWII, Europe’s reconstruction, Hungary’s revolution, dictators, refugees, and strife in foreign countries, all the way up to once again being with her Marines during the Vietnam War until her death in country. Her photography and stories were featured in many major magazines, and she received many awards, but that was never her goal. She always wanted to take that one picture that would end all wars. While her family and friends always worried about her, she could never sit still on the sidelines when she believed her photography could shine a light on injustice.

This is an intensive look into this female photojournalist’s later life. She always wanted to be first on the ground to uncover the truth. She was interested in the Civil Rights Movement, and it would have been safer for her to stay home in the states, but she needed and preferred to be out in the world and covering international conflicts. Dickey was by no means perfect and got in trouble, even imprisonment in Hungary for her actions, but it was always because she truly cared about the people she was covering.

This historical biography is brought to life through Dickey and with the obvious extensive research of Ms. Robuck. It is interesting to follow Dickey through this period and remember how the stories she covered were portrayed at that time and then the changes, or not, in perspective, as it became history to be analyzed and studied.

I highly recommend this engaging historical biographical fiction story, and I am very glad to be able to go back myself and see the important work Dickey left for the world.

I love reading historical fiction especially when well researched and with beautiful writing! The Last Assignment is a must read! I was captivated by the historical significance of the first woman photo journalist, Dickey Chappell and her ground breaking work. I had never heard of her and her work and The Last Assignment brought her story to life and all that she endured as a woman to pursue her dream and purpose.

Dickie Chapelle military accreditation as a photojournalist has just been reinstated after her arrest for disobeying orders and she’ll jump at the next opportunity to report.

I love books that educate me on a real life bad ass woman like Dickie Chapelle. I had never heard her name before. There are so many of these bad ass women in history that we probably don’t know of. Dickie had quite the life and story to tell. While some of the war and political details bogged me down, I was there for Dickie’s fiery and ahead of her times personality.

“One photograph. That’s all it takes.”

The Last Assignment comes out 8/19.

'My goal is to make the picture to end all wars. And until my last assignment...I'll work to achieve it'.

Georgette 'Dickey' Chapelle may not have been the first female photojournalist or war correspondent but she was certainly a memorable one. Not content to simply photograph to tell a story, she sought to live the story in order to try and adequately capture the emotion and elicit the very essence of a particular moment of truth, '...I can't write about things unless I live them and feel for my subjects. I have to embed myself in their lives to understand'. In Dickey's case, this meant training with the Marines, parachuting out of helicopters and living with rebels set on overthrowing their government. Capturing the tumultuous times post WW2, as the world tried to simmer down from its rage and the threat new threat of communism reared its head, The Last Assignment covers about a decade of Dickey's time photographing rebellion around the world. Although she seemed happy enough to disregard any care for her personal safety, 'If I don't take my last breath in a battle zone, I haven't lived my vocation', she surely seemed to have nine lives - managing to extract herself through many precarious situations - only to do it again.

Using a mix of chapters broken up by letters, cables and radio interviews, The Last Assignment is a very readable fictionalised story about a very real and inspiring lady. Although focused on the wars that she covered, summarising the turmoil of the times and the fear of communism spreading. Dickey is definitely a lady you'll want to learn more about.

'My stories and pictures help fight war, poverty, and injustice, and I'm dedicating my life to that, no matter the cost'.

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. Before picking up this book, I was unfamiliar with Dickey’s life and her impact on world events and photography. After reading the book, I want to know more. Erika’s does a fantastic job bringing the reader into Dickey’s life and into the ride that is her life. Many times I found myself on the edge of my seat, waiting for the next shoe to drop. In the end, I laughed, cried and gained respect for Dickey and her career. Absolutely loved this book!

You all need to add this book to your TBR. Even if historical fiction is not your preferred genre, this book is worthy of your love and attention.


Thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Some books are more than five stars. It is a fact that must be universally acknowledged that Erika Robuck's latest novel deserves all the accolades. I began reading this book last night before bed. A big mistake that would have me reach for it at midnight, at 3 a.m. and at 9 this morning. Six hours later, it is still on my mind, and I have a feeling it's going to linger there for a long while.

The Last Assignment tells the story of American photojournalist, Georgette Louise Meyer, aka Dickey Chapelle, who wants to take THE photo that will show her people the price of war. Erika Robuck begins her tale in the post-WWII era during the Cold War Years, where Dickey covered Hungary, Cuba, and Vietnam.

Dickey is brash, determined to get what she wants, and since she works in a male-dominated profession, doesn't mind knocking a few heads and getting down in the dirt with American Marines to show she's up to the task. She survives a Soviet prison in Budapest, follows Fidel and Raúl Castro and Che Guevara as they fight in Cuba and works with several American troops and humanitarians as the Viet Cong grabs a chokehold in Vietnam. Dickey would rather jump out of a helicopter or plane with troops firing than a "pussy" landing. As her family and friends keep asking her, " Dickey, when are you going to stick around?, but she perseveres, and continues on her missions for Reader's Digest, Life, National Geographic, etc. Erika Robuck doesn't shy away from what our award-winning photojournalist finds. I liked that the author doesn't try to soften her for us. Dickey doesn't deserve that!

It's a raw, gritty, and down-in-the-dirt tale. I knew nothing about Dickey Chapelle before opening this book, and now I want to know everything about her. In between having her boots on the ground, those family moments with her Aunts and her brother and her friend, Stevie, show a woman who was just as well-rounded as you and I.


If you liked The Women or On Isabella Street, I highly recommend this title to you.




Expected Publication 19/08/25
Goodreads Review 09/08/25

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.
This insightful book brings alive the world of Georgettte “Dickey” Chappell, an award winning war correspondent photojournalist who covered WW2 through Vietnam.
Well written , with details that included her signature pearl earrings, this trail blazing woman was a well respected woman photojournalist in the journalistic and military communities.

The novel deals with the adventurous and over the edge life of photographer Dickey Chapelle. I admit that I didn’t know her or her work before and I was definitely impressed by the outstanding achievements and the extent of conflicts she covered as war correspondent.

I believe that most of the driving force of the book relies on the curiosity of reading what would Dickey do next, as she really lived a life different from what most people still do nowadays. Settings and other characters are quite well structured, although all serving the purpose of showing Dickey’s attitude and ways of being. In some instances the narration was redundant and excessive, with the result of being boring.

I can’t tell how faithful to the true historical character is the portrait that the authors draws, however, I found it often too self-centred and too drawn to the spotlight. I understand it serves the narrative purpose of showing her development, still it was too much for me. I could appreciate to some extent her willingness to be the testimony of history while it happened, but many of the choices felt too much unconsidered and dangerous for others. I couldn’t really make sense of the fact that it took seven conflicts for her to understand.

Although I didn’t fully like the book, I still enjoyed part of it and I would recommend it if you feel inspired by strong independent woman and lot of action.

I found the story of Dicky Chapelle fascinating, as I had never heard of her before, shame on me. I did wish at times for a deeper dive into the history and her work, and less focus relationships but that’s a personal bias. I might have enjoyed a non-fiction about Dickey more? But regardless I am grateful to this author for bringing this remarkable photographer back into our view.

Dickey Chapelle, a trail blazing and dynamic photographer is brought to life in this novel about her wide ranging exploits. Women just weren't war photographers when she started and there weren't very many of them even at the end of her career. She saw things and met people all around the world. This leans in on that and less so on her personal life. That said this is fine historical fiction and I learned a few things. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

*The Last Assignment* is one of those novels that grabs you by the heart from the very beginning and doesn’t let go. Erika Robuck delivers a beautifully layered story with just the right blend of suspense, history, and emotional depth. The writing is crisp and evocative, and the pacing never lags—I flew through this one. The protagonist is complex and compelling, and the themes of redemption, duty, and resilience are handled with such care. You can tell Robuck did her research, but it never feels heavy-handed; the historical elements only enrich the story. If you love a strong female lead, a touch of mystery, and historical fiction that feels both intimate and epic, this one is a must-read.

DNF at 39%. While I liked the premise of this one, I quickly grew bored. Dickey was not a super compelling character, and I found myself bored by the slow pacing.

This was not for me. The story had the potential to be interesting but I thought it dragged quite a bit and was very repetitive at times. It took me forever to get through this one. I also found Dickey to be incredibly arrogant, and for me this made her extremely unlikeable as a person.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC!

Another fabulous historical novel about women that followed their dreams. Dicky Chappelle was strong, confident, talented and had to fight every obstacle put in her way. Erika Robuck put her talents into overdrive to bring this women to life for us. I felt I traveled the world with Dicky and felt her joy, heartbreak and experiences. A must read for book clubs Will certainly make for great discussions about many subjects.

Erika Robuck takes on the remarkable and complicated life of photojournalist Dickey Chapelle in The Last Assignment, and while no single book could capture every chapter of such an extraordinary career, Robuck does an admirable job selecting the most impactful moments to highlight.

As a photographer, I found myself hoping for a deeper dive into Chapelle’s relationship with photography—her creative process, her connection to the camera, how she saw the world through her lens. That element felt somewhat overshadowed by the focus on her writing and the powerful stories behind each of her assignments. That said, Robuck clearly approached Chapelle’s legacy with deep respect and intensity, and the passion behind the storytelling comes through on every page.

This book is a strong introduction to a woman who defied expectations and reshaped war reporting. While I would love to read even more about the quieter, in-between moments of her life and her art, The Last Assignment is a moving and necessary tribute. I hope it inspires more readers to discover and remember Dickey Chapelle—not just for her bravery, but for her lasting contributions to journalism and history.

Fantastic historical fiction based on a fascinating woman I hadn't heard of, photojournalist Dickey Chapelle. What I liked most was that this was a balanced portrayal of Chapelle, highlighting not only her good works and daring but also her tendency toward impulsive choices. Unlike most journalists, Chapelle felt she had to insert herself into the lives of her subjects to really "get the story." Often, this put her needlessly in harm's way and against direct orders from the folks in charge of her assignment. Based on journals and articles Chapelle wrote, she acknowledges when she has made a mistake and how it affected those around her. This was also a fascinating look into the military conflicts of the 1950s and 1960s.

Courageous, reckless and on a tightrope toward danger, Georgette ‘Dickey’ Meyer Chapelle was the first woman photojournalist to report what was happening in hostile areas controlled by dictators. Heavily researched with a fascinating storyline, this book follows her family, marriage and career path from 1954 to 1965.

Why war? Why can’t humans learn to get along? This troubled her and I’ve wondered the same thing. She was high spirited and thought she could travel with the military to the front lines and bring back pictures to help educate readers. She had photos of crying babies, starving children, sick families and beautiful parts of the countries taken over by armies. She was determined to help people understand how destructive war and communism was in the world.

Dickey’s life was packed with events and Erika Robuck did an exceptional job of highlighting important pieces of her career including time spent in the hot spots of Hungary, Cuba, Laos and South Vietnam. While all of these places were on-the-edge risky and unbearable, she was able to capture hard-to-get photos. Yet, not all the publications were interested.

Dickey remarked that it saddened her to see people protesting the Vietnam war efforts and said too many Americans didn’t understand how dangerous totalitarian rule was in communist countries. Her last assignment came before she hit 50 years old in 1965.

It wasn’t that long ago and many countries today are still controlled by authoritarian governments. This book made me want to find out more about her life and this time period that I thought I knew pretty well.

My thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of August 19, 2025.

I needed this book! I needed to read a tale about a woman changing the world and changing herself along the way all the while leading with heart and a love of others. Dickey Chappelle is someone ALL women need to know about and Erika Robuck tells her story in a captivating and gripping way that makes you want to go up to a bar and buy Chappelle a drink and listen to ALL her stories and learn from her and then figure out how YOU are going to contribute to making the world a better place. This is a historical read for today. We need more stories about powerful women. My bookclub will LOVE this book and we will be discussing it for a long time. Big thanks Sourcebooks Landmark and Net Galley and of course Erika Robuck. It is my hope that Erica Robuck will bring forward the stories of other powerful women that we need to know more about soon! I will read them for sure.

“The Last Assignment” is a historical fiction book by Erika Robuck. I will admit, I’d never heard of Dickey Chapelle before - no reason I should’ve known about her, but wow do I wish I had heard of her before reading this book. Ms. Chapelle lead a very interesting life - from covering the end of WWII through conflicts in Europe to going to Cuba to cover the rebels (Castro brothers & Che) to reporting and photographing the early(ish) years of the Vietnam War. Ms. Chapelle was a correspondent, photographer and writer - not always publishing her work (due to her editors thinking some of her photos were too graphic - though sometimes the military did keep her photos for their records). This book was well written - engaging from about the beginning - and well researched - I did like where Ms. Robuck explained where she condensed things, changed timelines for a better fit, and gave her resources. I’ve recommended this book already to two people. If you liked “The Women” (Kristin Hannah’s book), you may want to read this one as a companion book (though the two books are very different in what they cover). A strong recommend to read from me.