When we think of Los Angeles during the WWII era, we often think of movie stars and palm trees, but Los Angeles was also the home of Hitler sympathizers such as the Silver Shirts and the German American Bund. These fanatics hoped to turn the US into a replica of Hitler’s Germany.
In 1940 Veronica Grace has just graduated from Hunter college and been offered her dream job at Mademoiselle. When her affair with a married man becomes known, she’s told she will never work in New York and Mademoiselle rescinds her offer. With her mother, Violet Grace, they decide to go to Los Angeles where they can live rent free in Violet’s brother’s vacation house.
Soon after their arrival, Veronica is offered at typing job. Violet also finds employment embroidering blouses for wealthy women. Both women discover their employers are involved with the Nazi movement in the US. When the FBI dismisses their concerns they go to an old friend of Veronica’s father who introduces them to the man behind the infiltration of the Nazi organizations. He recruits them as spies. They discover they have joined a very dangerous game.
The historical background for this novel is chilling and very well researched. I particularly enjoyed reading the Afterward about the real people involved in the spy operation.The plot is somewhat slow moving in the beginning as the basis of the story is set up, but after the women become involved in the spy operation the pace picks up and it’s quite exciting.
I thought the characters were very well done. They started as politically naive, but they grew throughout the story. Veronica, particularly, discovered that her journalism skills fit well with her work as a spy. If you enjoy historical novels, or spy novels, I highly recommend this one.
I received this book from Random House for this review.
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