Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
From the co-author of The Zhivago Affair, a finalist for the National Books Critics Circle Award, comes the riveting story of a wealthy heiress who joined the OSS and was the first American woman in uniform to be captured by the Germans; her imprisonment among the Nazi elite and daring escape in 1945 comprise one of the more remarkable untold episodes of WWII. Gertrude "Gertie" Legendre was a society heiress from South Carolina who lived a charmed life during the 1920s and 1930s. But the attack on Pearl Harbor gave her a different focus and she joined the OSS (the predecessor to the CIA). First in Washington and then in London, some of the most closely-held government secrets passed through her hands. As the Allies advanced into France in September 1944, she was ordered to Paris. Headstrong and eager "to smell the fighting," she fell into Nazi hands. Subjected to repeated interrogations, including by the SS, she held to the fiction that she was merely a U.S. embassy clerk. Her toughness averted a potential intelligence disaster, and unlike most prisoners, Gertie was presumed valuable to Nazis who knew they'd soon need a bargaining chip with the victors. Moved from city to city throughout Germany for six months before her dramatic escape into Switzerland, she was able to witness the collapse of Hitler's Reich as no other American did.
A Guest of the Reich provides a propulsive, heart-racing account of a little-known chapter in the story of the war, and a vivid portrait of a truly extraordinary woman.
Synopsis
From the co-author of The Zhivago Affair, a finalist for the National Books Critics Circle Award, comes the thrilling story of a wealthy heiress who joined the OSS and was captured in September 1944 behind enemy lines, becoming the first American woman in uniform taken prisoner on the western front--before her daring escape from Nazi Germany. Gertrude "Gertie" Legendre was a big-game hunter and society woman from South Carolina who lived a charmed life in Jazz Age America. Her adventurous spirit made her the inspiration for a Broadway play, Holiday, which became a film starring Katherine Hepburn. The attack on Pearl Harbor led Gertie to join the OSS, the wartime spy organization that preceded the CIA. First in Washington and then in London, some of the most closely-held government secrets passed through her hands. In 1944, on leave from duty in liberated Paris, she was captured by the Nazis after accidentally crossing the front lines. Subjected to repeated interrogations, her toughness averted a potential intelligence disaster. Moved from city to city throughout Germany, including a stay in Berlin, she was able to witness the collapse of Hitler's Reich as no other American did, until the day she escaped into Switzerland. A Guest of the Reich is a propulsive, heart-racing account of a little-known chapter in the story of the Second World War, and an irresistible portrait of a truly extraordinary woman.
Synopsis
From the co-author of The Zhivago Affair, a finalist for the National Books Critics Circle Award, comes the dramatic story of a South Carolina heiress who joined the OSS and became the first American woman in uniform taken prisoner on the Western front--until her escape from Nazi Germany. Gertrude "Gertie" Legendre was a big-game hunter from a wealthy industrial family who lived a charmed life in Jazz Age America. Her adventurous spirit made her the inspiration for the Broadway play
Holiday, which became a film starring Katharine Hepburn. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Legendre, by then married and a mother of two, joined the OSS, the wartime spy organization that preceded the CIA. First in Washington and then in London, some of the most closely-held United States government secrets passed through her hands. In
A Guest of the Reich, Peter Finn tells the gripping story of how in 1944, while on leave in liberated Paris, Legendre was captured by the Germans after accidentally crossing the front lines.
Subjected to repeated interrogations, including by the Gestapo, Legendre entered a daring game of lies with her captors. The Nazis treated her as a "special prisoner" of the SS and moved her from city to city throughout Germany, where she witnessed the collapse of Hitler's Reich as no other American did. After six months in captivity, Legendre escaped into Switzerland.
A Guest of the Reich is a propulsive account of a little-known chapter in the history of World War II, as well as a fascinating portrait of an extraordinary woman.
Synopsis
"I read
A Guest of the Reich breathlessly, and found myself amazed by the pluck, guts, and courage of Gertrude Legendre."
--Lisa Birnbach, author of
True Prep "Thrilling "
--Bill Dedman, author of Empty Mansions
The dramatic story of a South Carolina heiress who joined the OSS and became the first American woman in uniform taken prisoner on the Western front--until her escape from Nazi Germany.
Gertrude "Gertie" Legendre was a big-game hunter from a wealthy industrial family who lived a charmed life in Jazz Age America. Her adventurous spirit made her the inspiration for the Broadway play Holiday, which became a film starring Katharine Hepburn. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Legendre, by then married and a mother of two, joined the OSS, the wartime spy organization that preceded the CIA. First in Washington and then in London, some of the most closely-held United States government secrets passed through her hands. In A Guest of the Reich, Peter Finn tells the gripping story of how in 1944, while on leave in liberated Paris, Legendre was captured by the Germans after accidentally crossing the front lines.
Subjected to repeated interrogations, including by the Gestapo, Legendre entered a daring game of lies with her captors. The Nazis treated her as a "special prisoner" of the SS and moved her from city to city throughout Germany, where she witnessed the collapse of Hitler's Reich as no other American did. After six months in captivity, Legendre escaped into Switzerland.
A Guest of the Reich is a propulsive account of a little-known chapter in the history of World War II, as well as a fascinating portrait of an extraordinary woman.