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The Brightwood Code

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What to expect

Timely and unforgettable, The Brightwood Code sheds light on hidden history and the brutality of being a woman in a war built by men.

Seven months ago, Edda was on the World War I front lines as one of two hundred “Hello Girls,” female switchboard operators employed by the US Army. She spent her nights memorizing secret connection codes to stay ahead of spying enemies, and her days connecting vital calls between platoons and bases and generals, all trying to survive—and win—a brutal war. Their lives were in Edda’s hands, and one day, in fateful seconds, everything went wrong.

Now, Edda is back in Washington, DC, working as an American Bell Telephone operator, the picture of respectability. But when her shift ends, Edda is barely hanging on, desperate to forget the circumstances that cut her time overseas short. When she receives a panicked phone call from someone who utters the fateful code word “Brightwood,” Edda has no choice but to confront her past. With precious few clues and help only from Theo, a young man bearing his own WWI scars, Edda races to uncover what secrets may have followed her across the ocean.

New York Times bestselling author Monica Hesse delivers a gripping thriller that will leave you guessing until the last page.

A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year Starred reviews from: ? The Bulletin ? The Horn Book ? Publishers Weekly ? SLJ

“The Brightwood Code has everything I love in a book.” —Stacey Lee, New York Times bestselling author of Reese’s Book Club pick The Downstairs Girl

“Page-turning.” -The Washington Post

Critics Review

“The Brightwood Code has everything I love in a book, an overlooked history woven into a fascinating narrative, and a strong heroine forging her own path forward.” —Stacey Lee, New York Times bestselling author of Reese’s Book Club pick The Downstairs Girl
 
“I finished this book in one sitting, and I still can’t stop thinking about Monica Hesse’s stunning exploration of women’s trauma (and their undervalued roles!) in the First World War. The Brightwood Code is a gripping historical mystery, with powerful feminist themes and a perfectly complex resolution that feel as relevant today as ever.” —Jordyn Taylor, award-winning author of The Paper Girl of Paris, Don’t Breathe a Word, and The Revenge Game
 
“Readers biting their nails over Edda’s fictional journey will come up for air amazed by the real heroism of the Hello Girls. Monica Hesse has a genius for illuminating the darker corners of history with a kaleidoscope of heartbreaking characters and astonishing plot twists.” —Elizabeth Wein, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Code Name Verity and Stateless
 
“Engaging writing will have readers racing to discover the secret. A well-researched work that stands out for its explorations of guilt and trauma.”—Kirkus
* "[A] gripping historical thriller." —Publishers Weekly, starred review
Author Monica Hesse
Narrator Saydee Dickinson
Duration 8 hours
Release Date
ISBN 9781668641248
Format Audiobook
Publisher Hachette Audio
Genre Children’s / Teenage fiction: Crime and mystery fiction, Children’s / Teenage fiction: General fiction, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Historical fiction, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Relationship stories – Romance, love or friendship, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Warfare, battles, armed forces, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Physical and mental health conditions
Availability US

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