The Secret Keeper

You can always count on Canadian author Genevieve Graham to give you a compelling, heartwarming story filled with well-researched historical facts. In her upcoming book, The Secret Keeper, she explores WWII through the eyes of twin sisters, one who becomes a codebreaker and the other a pilot.

Blending interesting bits of Canadian history with characters readers will come to care for, this story pulls readers into WWII and opens their eyes to the significant role that Canada, and Canadian women in particular, played in defeating the Nazis.

The story starts out slowly as readers get to know the twin sisters - Dot, the smart but reserved sister and her twin Dash, who is mechanically inclined and itching for adventure! The story gains momentum when they join the WRENS, the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service, find their callings and navigate the male-dominated roles they take on to help the war effort. And hold onto your hats for some nail-biting scenes that give readers a satisfying ending and may have them shedding a tear or two.

Hollywood tends to downplay the great impact that Canadians played in WWII so I loved learning more about Canada's pivotal role (including a spy school!) and some of the important roles that women took on -  radio operators, codebreakers, mechanics, spies, and pilots (including the amazing 'ATA Girls' - Air Transport Auxiliary in Britain) despite the popular view that women weren't strong enough to join in the fight. The Official Secrets Act also plays a role and it was interesting to witness its impact on the personal lives of those who signed it.

This is a story about the personal journey of two young women that also sheds a bright light on the unsung female heroes of WWII. This is a great book for fans of Kristin Hannah's The Women, who want to read more about the courageous women who battled not only wartime foes, but the misogyny that prevailed at the time. 

Note: I highly recommend reading the author's notes at the end of the book.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada for the advanced copies of this book which were given in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Author: Genevieve Graham

Genre: Historical Fiction (Canada)

Type and Source: eBook and Trade Paperback from publisher

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada

First Published: April 2, 2024

Book Description from GoodReads: From USA TODAY and internationally bestselling author Genevieve Graham comes a gripping World War II novel about two sisters who join the war effort—one as a codebreaker and the other as a pilot—and the secrets that threaten to tear them apart. Perfect for fans of The Rose Code and The Nightingale .

Twin sisters Dot and Dash Wilson share many things, and while they are practically inseparable, they are nothing alike. Dot is fascinated by books, puzzles, and Morse code, a language taught to both girls by their father, a WWI veteran. Dash’s days are filled with fixing engines, dancing with friends, and dreaming of flying airplanes. Almost always at their side is their best friend Gus—until war breaks out and he enlists in the army, deploying to an unknown front.

Determined to do their duty, both girls join the WRENS, Dash as a mechanic and Dot as a typist. Before long, Dot’s fixation on patterns and numbers takes her from HMCS Coverdale , a covert listening and codebreaking station working with Bletchley Park in England, to Camp X, a top-secret spy school. But when personal tragedy strikes the family, Dot’s oath of secrecy causes a rift between the sisters.

Eager to leave her pain behind, Dash jumps at the opportunity to train as a pilot with the Air Transport Auxiliary, where she risks her life to ferry aircraft and troops across the battlefields of Europe. Meanwhile Dot is drawn into the Allies’ preparations for D-Day. But Dot’s loyalties are put to the test once more when someone close to her goes missing in Nazi-occupied territory. With everyone’s eyes on Operation Overlord, Dot must use every skill at her disposal to save those she loves before it’s too late.

Inspired by the real-life stories of women in World War II, The Secret Keeper is an extraordinary novel about the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood and the light of courage during the darkest of nights.