Imogen Kealey: Liberation, Sphere / Little Brown UK, 9780751576023, C format paperback, available

German Edition: Die Spionin, Rütten & Loening, großformatiges Paperback

Imogen Robertson is a writer of historical fiction and Darby Kealey a writer and producer based in Hollywood; together they form the writing duo Imogen Kealey.

“Liberation” is a true page-turner of a novel very closely based on the real life of one of the most fearless female resistance fighters, Nancy Wake, to be turned into a movie by Anne Hathaway.  Nancy Wake went by many codenames; one “Helene” or “Madame Andree” but the Nazis occupying France hunted her by the name „The White Mouse” with a five million Franc bounty on her head.  Nancy was originally Australian when working as a journalist in Paris in 1936 until she met the love of her life, her husband Henri Fiocca who had  a sizeable fortune living in Marseille.  Soon Nancy joins the résistance using the cover of a wealthy wife of one of Marseilles prominent citizens  becoming one of their most fearless fighters after the Gestapo incarcerate her seemingly untouchable husband. 

It would be cruel of me to unveil more of Nancy’s breathtaking, extraordinary life and fighting from 1936 until the end of the war captured in this fast paced novel. Several books have been written about the legend Nancy Wake, all approaching her life story from a different angle but the Hollywood handwriting with all its drama building lies at the core of this thriller which makes for perfect summer reading set against a very dark historical background.  It certainly kept me breathless, shocked and in disbelief several times.