A Cool and Lonely Courage: The Untold Story of Sister Spies in Occupied France

A Cool and Lonely Courage: The Untold Story of Sister Spies in Occupied France

Susan Ottaway
$27.00
Publication Date: September 30th, 2014
Publisher:
Little, Brown and Company
ISBN:
9780316326988
Pages:
336

Description

The incredible true story of British special agents Eileen and Jacqueline Nearne, sisters who risked everything to fight for freedom during the Second World War.

When elderly recluse Eileen Nearne died, few suspected that the quiet little old lady was a decorated WWII war hero. Volunteering to serve for British intelligence at age 21, Eileen was posted to Nazi-occupied France to send encoded messages of crucial importance for the Allies, until her capture by the Gestapo.

Eileen was not the only agent in her family; her sister Jacqueline was a courier for the French resistance. While Jacqueline narrowly avoided arrest, Eileen was tortured by the Nazis, then sent to the infamous Ravensbrvºck women's concentration camp. Astonishingly, this resourceful young woman eventually escaped her captors and found her way to the advancing American army.

In this amazing true story of triumph and tragedy, Susan Ottaway unveils the secret lives of two sisters who sacrificed themselves to defend their country.

About the Author

Susan Ottaway is the author of several books, including Violette Szabo: The Life That I Have, a biography of SOE agent Violette Szabo for which she personally interviewed Eileen Nearne. She has appeared on BBC television to be interviewed about her work, and she took part in the four-part television series for the Discovery History Channel entitled George Cross Heroes.

Praise for A Cool and Lonely Courage: The Untold Story of Sister Spies in Occupied France

"Riveting."—Publishers Weekly

"A realistic picture of life as a spy: lonely and filled with constant fear. Ottaway is a gifted storyteller, rarely losing momentum and skillfully weaving family strife, SOE bureaucratic problems and on-the-ground Resistance work into a cohesive narrative.... A compelling story sure to please history buffs and novices alike."—Kirkus Reviews

"A remarkable and haunting book."
---The Guardian [Bookshop] (UK)

"An incredible, inspiring story....Eileen Nearne was one of the bravest secret agents of World War II."
---Annabel Venning, DailyMail (UK)

"A life of incredible heroism and courage."
---Daily Express (UK)