Absorbing account of a facet of WWII history I’d never heard of before.

I have read countless firsthand accounts of World War II, and I am always fascinated by the different perspectives, and how the war affected each in different but profound ways, whether they were fighting in Europe or Asia, on the land or the seas or the skies overhead, or whether they were part of the resistance or just trying to survive as their country was invaded and occupied. As much as I enjoy them, many are parallel or overlapping experiences. This. World War account was completely new ground for me—actual spies on American soil.

What makes it even more absorbing is the fact that it was close members of the author’s own family, and it was fun to walk with her as she ferreted out the family secrets. I am so glad she decided to share what she learned, rather than burying it like her relatives tried to.

She cites many contemporary sources and FBI files, so it is surprising to me that no one has heard the story before, since news stories even mentioned her family by name.

I love family histories and WWII stories, and this checked both boxes. I loved it.

This is an extraordinary story of a woman in her 50s who finds out through a letter that her grandfather was a Nazi spy sent to Hawaii to spy on Pearl Harbor to aid the Japanese in their attack. Her father was young when they moved to Hawaii. He acclimated very well and began to identify with his newly adopted country. The research the author did was extensive. Through a freedom of information act request which took over a year, she was able to secure the FBI files on her family. It’s fascinating to watch the story unfold. The storyline is a solid five stars however the writing is not. I would recommend this book to everyone.

Family of Spies by Christine Kuehn Schiponi

Imagine waking up one day and finding out your family has secrets which include a trail of Nazi spies. A knock at the door, and a letter begin an avalanche of stories which unveil a story bigger than life.

Otto Kuehn, the author’s grandfather, worked for the Nazis during World War II. He was eventually sent to Oahu, Hawaii to spy on US ships and send the information back to the Nazis. His young son Hans even befriended US navy personnel, which seemed harmless to the sailors, but had a wealth of information to aid Hitler’s cause.

Christine’s story-teller father Eberhard never breathed a word of any of this, even among all the tales he told Christine while growing up. This incredible five star story will capture your attention from the first paragraph until the last word.

This is one of those books that I had to pace myself on because I didn't want it to end. I loved the story and the structure and the Kuehn's writing style. From the moment I picked it up, I was texting specific people telling them to keep an eye out for it. Everyone assumed it was fiction, because how could such a compelling and crazy story be real? More non fiction books should be written like this.

A mix of standard nonfiction and memoir, this book tells the story of the author’s family and their role as spies for the Japanese leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor. While I did like the personal/memoir elements and found them compelling overall, I felt that there was too much repetition of statements about how the author could never do the horrible things her family did, and how her dad had no idea his parents and siblings were Nazi spies. I understand not wanting to be painted with the Nazi brush, but it got to be a little much. The ending also felt really abrupt. There wasn’t a good sense of closure. It felt like she had wrestled for decades about whether to tell the story, finally decided to rip the bandaid off and do it but it wasn’t quite “done.” All that being said, I devoured this book. I read it quickly and enjoyed it and would recommend to anyone interested in WWII or family histories.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Family of Spies has claimed the top spot on my 2025 reading list, and for good reason. Christine Kuehn delivers an extraordinary true story that explores how family secrets can reverberate across generations, leaving lasting scars that reshape entire family dynamics.
From the first page, this book proved impossible to put down. Kuehn's masterful storytelling had me finishing it in record time, and I'm already planning to reread it—something I rarely do. The moment this hits the shelves, I'll be buying copies as gifts because this is a story that deserves to be shared.

What makes this book truly compelling is how Kuehn invites readers to step into her shoes and experience her complex relationship with her father. The love she holds for him, coupled with the growing sympathy you feel as his story unfolds, creates an emotionally devastating reading experience. Her father's journey through World War II—particularly his time living in Pearl Harbor and the aftermath of that tragedy—reveals how historical events can tear families apart in ways that echo for decades.

The scope of the family's espionage activities is staggering. Kuehn reveals that her father's parents, older brother, and sister were all involved in spy networks. The older brother remained in Germany, working directly for the Nazis under Goebbels, while his sister Ruth became entangled in a dangerous affair with Goebbels himself. It was Ruth's relationship—and a dark secret she harbored within the Nazi world that Goebbels desperately wanted to keep hidden—that ultimately led to the family being dispatched to Hawaii as operatives.


The most heartbreaking aspect centers on the two young brothers, including the author's father, who were left to carry the crushing weight of their family's involvement in espionage activities for both the Japanese and Germans. These innocent children were unknowingly living in the center of a treacherous operation, carrying the crushing psychological weight of secrets they didn't even know existed. The revelation of their family's true activities would come later, forcing them to reconcile their childhood memories with a devastating reality. Kuehn captures the psychological toll of these secrets with remarkable sensitivity, making you feel the impossible burden these children faced and the ways it shaped their entire lives.

Family of Spies is more than just a family memoir—it's a profound examination of loyalty, betrayal, and the prices we pay for the choices of those who came before us. This is essential reading for anyone interested in World War II history, family dynamics, or simply exceptional storytelling.

In Family of Spies, author Christine Kuehn Schiponi takes readers on a fascinating journey, prompted by a jarring phone call that unearths her prominent family's remarkable, long-held secret involvement in World War II. Setting Kuehn Schiponi on a compelling quest for the truth, this truly gripping and dramatic piece of nonfiction reveals how the Kuehn family found themselves astonishingly forced out of Germany and relocated to Hawaii, tasked by Nazi leader Joseph Goebbels with spying half a world away from home. This incredible true account is the culmination of decades of meticulous research, and it reads with the intimacy of a memoir. The family and espionage secrets are intense, and her grandfather's connection to both Germany and Pearl Harbor is utterly shocking. I could not imagine learning my family was directly involved with passing secrets on to the Japanese, leading to the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. I was enthralled by Kuehn Schiponi's decades-long determination to uncover her family's hidden past and her captivating ability to weave the narrative together as her research comes to light. For anyone who loves family sagas, WWII history, historical drama, or the unraveling of profound family mysteries, Family of Spies is a 272 page must read. I look forward to experiencing the audiobook version. Thank you NetGalley, author Christine Kuehn Schiponi, and publisher Celadon Books for this advanced reader copy. 4/5

This was a very good book. It was well-written. I would highly recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Jaw-dropping and utterly absorbing—this is the kind of history that reads like a thriller.

Family of Spies unearths an astonishing true story: a German-American family who became Nazi and Japanese spies—and helped set the stage for Pearl Harbor. Christine Kuehn’s search for answers becomes a gripping personal and historical investigation, peeling back the layers of betrayal, survival, and generational trauma.

Told with dual timelines and cinematic pacing, this book is as emotionally powerful as it is historically significant. If you think you know the story of WWII and Pearl Harbor—think again. This hidden chapter will leave you stunned.

What an incredible true story. I’ve read a lot of WWII nonfiction over the years but nothing quite like this. The story flows like a mystery novel but the author’s connection to the events unfolding ads a surprising twist. I’ll be recommending this one!

What an amazing book that tells a story I've never heard. I can't imagine uncovering the secrets uncovered over 30 years.