What’s New Wednesday with Linda Shenton Matchett
w/Giveaway
Spies
& Sweethearts, my latest historic romance released today.
The story is inspired by the brave women who worked undercover with America’s
Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and Britain’s Special Operations Executive
(SOE). Located all over the globe, these women were often stationed in
enemy-occupied territory. Their identities are only now being revealed as more
and more documents are being declassified, but many of the gals went to their
graves never having shared their role in the fight against evil.
Women who raised their hand to work as spies,
saboteurs, cryptographers, cartographers, analysts and experts in propaganda,
recruiting, and communications came from all walks of life. Wealthy, poor,
single, married, and divorced, they were secretaries, actresses, socialites, royalty,
nurses, home makers, musicians, mothers, teachers, and telephone operators to
name a few.
I’d like to introduce you to just a few of these
stalwart women who served in France:
Virginia Hall: A native of my hometown, Baltimore,
Maryland, Virginia transferred from SOE to OSS in April 1944 after her cover
was blown in occupied France where she established agent networks. Well-known
by the Gestapo for her exploits, they wanted her dead, and the sooner the
better. Nicknamed the Limping Lady, she wore a wooden prosthetic leg as a
result of a hunting accident when she was a young woman. Reports indicate that
she often hid important items in the leg. She changed her image, transforming
herself into an older woman and was sent back into occupied France where she
organized three units of more than 300 agents that took part in sabotage
against the Germans. She also maintained radio contact with London, sending
vital information to headquarters.
Many Frenchwomen worked for OSS in occupied France.
Hélène Deschamps was the daughter of an officer in the French colonial army and
took on the responsibility of reporting Nazi activities along the
Mediterranean. She spied on German defense works and fortifications, the
strength and movement of enemy troops, and the transport of equipment and
ammunition. Jeanette Guyot was a member of the Pathfinder mission during which
she was charged with locating parachute fields, organize reception committees,
and arrange for safe houses and local informants.
Betty Lussier was born in Canada, the daughter of a
decorated WWI RAF pilot. Her family moved to Maryland while she was a child. A
pilot in her own right, she headed to England at the age of twenty to join
Britain’s Air Transport Auxiliary. Angry that only male pilots were allowed to
fly into combat zones, she resigned. A month later she was recruited by the
OSS, and after completing her training was assigned to Algeria where she
collected intelligence and sent it to headquarters. She then moved to Cannes,
France where she tracked down Nazi spies, many of whom she managed to turn into
double agents.
Each of these women risked her life to save a world at
war. I don’t believe I have what it takes to serve as an undercover agent. Do
you?
About
Spies & Sweethearts:
A secret mission. A fake bride. A run for their lives.
According to the OSS training manual, the life
expectancy of a radio operator in Nazi-occupied France is six weeks. Partnered
with one of the agency’s top spies, Gerard Lucas, newly-minted agent Emily
Strealer plans to beat those odds. Then their cover is blown and all bets are
off. The border to neutral Switzerland is three hundred miles away—a long way
to run with SS soldiers on their heels.
Will Emily and Gerard survive the journey?
And what about their hearts? Nothing in the manual
prepared them for falling in love.
About Linda:
Linda
Shenton Matchett is an author, speaker, and history geek. She writes about
ordinary people who did extraordinary things in days gone by. A volunteer
docent and archivist for the Wright Museum of WWII, Linda is also a lecturer
with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute through Granite State College. She
is also a trustee for her local public library. Linda was born a stone’s throw
from Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland and has lived in historic places all
her life. Now located in central New Hampshire, her favorite activities include
exploring historic sites and immersing herself in the imaginary worlds created
by other authors.
Connect with Linda:
Website/Blog:
http://www.LindaShentonMatchett.com
Pinterest:
http://www.pinterest.com/lindasmatchett
Goodreads:
http://goodreads.com/author_linda_matchett
Amazon
Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Linda-Shenton-Matchett/e/B01DNB54S0
