Title: The Codebreaker’s Daughter
Author: Amy Lynn Green
Major Themes: Codes, Ciphers, Espionage
Synopsis: Dinah had the opportunity of a lifetime to work for the government in Washington, helping with the war effort—but found that she had to face her conflict with her mother.
I have read most of Amy Lynn Green’s books, and enjoyed every one that I read. She has a knack for telling a story in a fresh, new way. So, when I saw The Codebreaker’s Daughter available for review, I jumped at the chance! What a treat it was to read.
Publisher’s description:
In the heart of the US capital, Dinah Kendall’s role for the Office of Strategic Services isn’t the thrilling espionage career she dreamed of. Instead, she spends her days crafting rumors aimed at undermining Axis morale. As Dinah navigates her duties, she uncovers a startling revelation: Her mother, Lillian, was once a codebreaker, cracking military ciphers during the Great War alongside some of the nation’s most brilliant minds. The deeper Dinah dives into her mother’s past, the more secrets come to light—including the heavy cost of high-stakes codebreaking.
Lillian, though resolute in her decision to avoid war work, reluctantly enters the fray when old friends in Washington, DC, seek her expertise. Both mother and daughter find themselves working behind the scenes—and working together—to support the Allied cause. But just when Dinah begins to excel in her new position, everything she’s worked so hard to obtain comes crashing down around her. Caught in a web of intrigue and unsure who to trust, she must piece together the truth in time to confront the shadowy threat that could compromise the impending D-Day invasion.
My thoughts:
Quite soon after I started reading The Codebreaker’s Daughter, I realized that William and Elisabeth Friedman were important characters. That made me quite interested because I had just listened to Code Girls by Liza Mundy, which tells the story of the women who broke codes during World War II. (For the record, I found Code Girls extremely interesting for the history it told, but I can’t recommend it without reservations. It has a very feministic slant, and the author endorses same-sex relationships.) The Friedmans were leaders in breaking enemy codes during World War I, and helped with training and breaking codes during World War II. It was obvious that Amy Lynn Green studied the story of the Friedmans; I thoroughly enjoyed reading their story in this book after hearing it in the other.
I was very interested in watching the interactions between Dinah and her mother. It made me think about my own relationship with my daughters—are there ways I can make them feel more loved and accepted, rather than feeling like they are inferior? Dinah ended up in trouble and danger in part because she felt like she had to prove herself to her mother. The ending was wonderful!
The Codebreaker’s Daughter is labeled as a Christian book. I didn’t see very many references to faith in it, but it was very clean. There is actually no romance in the story, and no violence, although one man tried to kiss Dinah against her will. I enjoyed it, and will be watching for more books by this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.
No warnings!
Age levels:
Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults
Links to buy this book:
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Hardcover | Audible Audiobook (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
Leave a Reply