From Secret Intelligence to Soufflés: How WWII Shaped a Culinary Icon

From Secret Intelligence to Soufflés: How WWII Shaped a Culinary Icon

by | Feb 17, 2026 | Book review, Historical novels, Women's Struggles, World War II

Greetings Reader Friend!

This month, we discuss a surprising novel based on a little-known part of a famous chef’s life. Readers of a certain age may recognize the name of Julia Child, while younger readers can check youtube for her PBS cooking shows.
The Secret War of Julia Child, by Diana S. Chambers, cover image

How did Julia McWilliams progress from her role as a clerk for the Office of Strategic Services (the CIA’s predecessor) to gathering intelligence in World War II to becoming a celebrity chef and cookbook author?

Did her wartime life in Asia prepare her to dive into French cooking and cookbook writing (as Julia Child, her married name)?

In The Secret War of Julia Child, author Diana R. Chambers addresses these questions, as well as creating an entertaining, fact-based historical novel about Julia’s life, from her early years in Pasadena, California, to her departure from Asia at the close of World War II.

Julia’s “hunger for experience” comes through strongly in the novel—helping to explain why Julia rejected her first serious suitor, why she lobbied her boss to send her to Asia during World War II, and why she sought the most remote, adventuresome assignments during the war.

Chambers sets Julia’s adventures against the backdrop of women’s status in the U.S. in the 1940s—with fewer career opportunities than their male counterparts, most women (including Julia) sought the security of marriage. Julia’s height made her anxious that she wouldn’t find that security. Although she also desired independence, her goal of finding a husband emerges as a clear theme throughout the novel.

Julia views Paul Child in a negative light from their first meeting, when his Jeep splashed her with mud, leaving much change to follow through the novel. Their love story, with all its ups and downs, provides a non-linear thread reminiscent of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

Major Characters:

Julia McWilliams—protagonist; a tall, ambitious young woman who loves to take on challenges, but worries she’ll never find a husband

Paul Child—mapmaker whose brusqueness and apparent self-centeredness initially repel Julia

General “Wild Bill” Donovan: The real-life founder and head of the Office of Strategic Services; he hires Julia as a file clerk and later sends her into the field.

Lord Louis Mountbatten: The British chief of the South-East Asia Command; he’s friendly and polite to Julia, even when she secretly investigates his unit for potential moles

Jemadar Deepak Binoy: An Indian soldier; he’s a fictional character in the novel, highlighting the loyalty and bravery of the diverse personnel Julia encountered in the South Asia theater.

Caro McWilliams—Julia’s mother; she encourages Julia to be a free spirit, but also influences her to find a husband and settle down, fueling Julia’s internal conflict

Jane—a colleague and friend of Julia’s who served with her in Asia; Julia is frequently jealous of Jane’s attractiveness to men

Lieutenant James Mack—Mountbatten’s handsome assistant; he’s Julia’s romantic interest in Ceylon before Paul Child

Strengths:

Chambers immerses readers in the exotic locations of Julia’s experiences in a vivid, breath-taking way, including suspenseful descriptions of the dangers she encountered, both natural and human-caused.

Weakness:

Emphasis on romance seems a bit exaggerated, but this could be an accurate reflection of women’s perspectives in that era

Content Review:

This novel doesn’t shy away from the violence of war (as observed by Julia), or physical intimacy, but neither are portrayed graphically.

My Recommendation:

This novel offers an intriguing window into the years before Julia McWilliams became the Julia Child known to the world, as well as insights into the basic operations of the OSS in World War II. I enjoyed The Secret War of Julia Child, and I would recommend it to both foodies and history buffs.

Reader, can you recommend a novel set in the Asian theater during World War II?

When Beliefs Collide: Courage Under Fire in Tudor England

When Beliefs Collide: Courage Under Fire in Tudor England

by | Jan 17, 2026 | Book review, England, Historical novels, Martin Luther, Netherlands, Reformation

Long before bookseller Kate sets her eyes upon Thomas More, the chancellor of England, she already fears and hates him.

Why?

Discovery of the forbidden English Bibles she sells could send her to the stake.

In The Heretic’s Wife, author Brenda Rickman Vantrease skillfully weaves Kate’s life-or-death choices into this novel set in Tudor England.

The Heretic's Wife, by Brenda Rickman Vantrease, cover image

English Catholics contend with Bible-reading Protestants for the nation’s religious future, and Henry VIII loses patience with the Pope’s refusal to sanction his marriage to Anne Boleyn. In this fraught era, Kate marries John Frith, a Protestant reformer.

As Kate joins her husband in enabling the English people to read the Bible in their native language, they face threats from enemies in the king’s court, as well as Thomas More’s dungeons and torture.

Characters, of course, are at the heart of the story.

Main Characters:

  • Kate Gough (Kate Gough Frith) – The novel’s protagonist, she’s a fictional London bookseller, from a long line of religious dissenters, who works in her brother John’s bookshop.
  • John Gough – Kate’s brother, a bookseller who is deeply involved in the underground Lutheran movement
  • John Frith – A major historical figure and Protestant reformer, he’s Kate’s primary romantic interest.
  • William Tyndale – Famous historical figure as Bible translator; he’s Frith’s mentor and collaborator in Antwerp.
  • Sir Thomas More – Henry VIII’s Lord Chancellor, uses any available means to keep Protestant ideas (especially English Bibles) out of England.
  • Henry VIII – The King of England; he set in motion religious turmoil in England in his attempts to annul his first marriage and marry Anne Boleyn.

Supporting cast sympathetic to Reformed religion:

  • Anne Boleyn – Henry’s second wife
  • Thomas Cranmer – Future Archbishop of Canterbury
  • Thomas Cromwell – Henry’s powerful minister, aligned with political reform and, when convenient, with religious reform.
  • Lady Walsh – A noblewoman who shelters reformers
  • Endor – A mute, humble servant who offers kindness and comfort to those around her; her life reveals the suffering and lack of justice for common people

Sympathetic to More and Catholicism:

  • Lady Margaret Roper – Thomas More’s devout daughter

Strengths:

  • Strong, solid portrayals of the Reformation’s impact on common people (such as Kate’s family and others who endure hardships due to their Reformed beliefs and activities); these balance the well-known, high society characters of Thomas More, Henry VIII, Queen Catherine of Aragon, and Anne Boleyn.
  • Vivid, accurate historical details of the numerous people and settings in the novel.
  • In-depth characterization of Thomas More—beyond his one-dimensional portrayal in A Man for All Seasons
  • Two supporting characters, Endor and Lady Margaret Roper, appealed to me as sympathetic and multi-dimensional.

Weakness:

The complex plot—juggling multiple viewpoints, locations, and timelines—can occasionally disorient readers, though it mirrors the era’s chaos.

Content review:

This novel includes descriptions of torture and violence, as well as physical intimacy.

My Recommendation:

The Heretic’s Wife is perfect for fans of Hilary Mantel seeking suspenseful Reformation stories beyond palace intrigue. If you enjoy immersion in a bygone era with characters, both common folk and the high-born, who sacrifice for their ideals, and if you’d like to witness how the conflicting beliefs of Kate Gough and Thomas More collide in England in the 1500s, I recommend this gripping story.

Reader, can you recommend a novel that shows how the Reformation affected common people?

When Privilege Meets Purpose: A Review of Last Light Over Galveston

When Privilege Meets Purpose: A Review of Last Light Over Galveston

by | Nov 24, 2025 | Book review, Historical novels, U.S. History, Women's Struggles

For a well-bred young lady in 1900, the path to a comfortable life was clear: marry a wealthy gentleman. But what happens when that path clashes with a woman’s own burgeoning sense of justice and morality? This central question lies at the heart of Jennifer L. Wright’s Last Light Over Galveston, my book review choice for this month.

Last Light Over Galveston, by Jennifer L. Wright, cover image

Kathleen, a fictional eighteen-year-old from the Hudson Valley north of New York city, returns home with a new perspective on life after two years at a European finishing school. This creates a major conflict with her father, Lawrence, who raised her to become a genteel wealthy lady.

Kathleen’s presence at both the Croton Dam strike in the spring of 1900 and the Galveston, TX, hurricane of 1900, forces her to choose between her father’s values and her own, changing the direction of her life.

 

Major Characters:

  • Kathleen McDaniel—protagonist, young woman seeking her identity; she struggles to reconcile her privileged upbringing with the needy people and world she encounters
  • Lawrence McDaniel—father of Kathleen, wealthy farmer who hoped to secure his wealth by building a major dam on his land
  • Wesley Odell—impoverished young man, photographer and first love of Kathleen
  • Matthew Richter—young meteorologist protégé of Isaac Cline, befriended Kathleen
  • Theodore Walsh—Businessman recruited by Lawrence McDaniel to help fund dam construction and marry Kathleen
  • Isaac Cline—Galveston celebrity meteorologist and leading U.S. expert on storms who badly erred in his assessment of Galveston’s hurricane risk
  • Joseph Cline—brother of Isaac, also a meteorologist who never admitted any role in the Galveston disaster
  • Mother Camillus Tracy—strict but loving head of St. Mary’s orphanage; she took in Kathleen, in spite of her advanced age for placement in an orphanage
  • Emily—Kathleen’s roommate at St. Mary’s orphanage; an aspiring nun and inspiration to Kathleen
  • Maggie—lonely young girl in St. Mary’s orphanage; Kathleen took her under her wing 

Strengths:

This novel presents fascinating portrayals of Kathleen’s personal development and the backgrounds of the Croton Dam strike and the Galveston hurricane

Weakness:

Alternating chapters—between Kathleen’s lives in a manor house in New York’s Hudson Valley and in Galveston—may cause confusion for readers

Content review:

Descriptions of the casualties of both the Croton Dam strike violence and the Galveston hurricane are appropriate for mature readers

 

My Recommendation:

Last Light over Galveston is a powerful reminder of the significant storms that rage within us. It masterfully weaves together the Croton Dam strike and the cataclysmic Galveston hurricane of 1900 with the internal turmoil of a young woman fighting to define her own identity in a world that has already prescribed it for her. I recommend this novel to readers who enjoy coming of age stories, especially with inspirational themes, set within the context of historical events.

Reader, can you recommend a book, non-fiction or fiction, about a natural disaster and its impact on individuals?

Can a Saint Plot a Killing? Bonhoeffer’s Moral Dilemma

Can a Saint Plot a Killing? Bonhoeffer’s Moral Dilemma

by | Oct 23, 2025 | Book review, Germany, Historical novels, Holocaust, World War II

Should a man who participated in plots to kill Adolf Hitler be considered a saint?

Many people who have heard of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian and preacher, regard him as a saint for his courage in speaking out against Hitler and the Nazis.

But did he deserve such accolades?

At the heart of the debate: was Bonhoeffer’s involvement in plots to kill Hitler a sin against God (a violation of one of the 10 Commandments) or a virtuous act to prevent the deaths of millions of innocent people (including many Jews)?

Denise Giardina’s historical novel, Saints and Villains, gives readers an informed opportunity to make their own judgment about Bonhoeffer’s character.

Saints and Villains, by Denise Giardina, cover image

This book is labeled as historical fiction because the author filters a huge collection of facts through her novelist’s mind to create what she calls “a work of the imagination.”  

Characters:

Dietrich Bonhoeffer—protagonist; prepared through his childhood (up to age 14) to be a concert pianist, then decided to study theology

Dietrich’s family members:

Karl Bonhoeffer—Germany’s leading psychiatrist; opponent of Freud and psychoanalysis, not religious

Paula—Karl’s wife, daughter of Prussian aristocracy; religiously observant

Christel—his older sister, who marries Hans von Dohnanyi

Sabine—Dietrich’s twin sister

Suse (Baby)—younger sister who Dietrich taught and defended

Karl-Friedrich—oldest brother, not sympathetic to Dietrich

Walter—second-oldest brother (both were conscripted in Great War; Walter dies of wounds)

George Bell, Bishop of Chichester-British pastor and bishop; became Dietrich’s mentor and close friend

Elizabeth—Dietrich’s long-term love interest; her Jewish heritage plays a central role in the novel

Maria von Wedemeyer—Dietrich’s second and much-younger girlfriend and fiancée in his later days

Alois Bauer—abused boy who becomes prominent Nazi and antagonist of Dietrich

Fred Bishop—friend of Dietrich’s at Union Seminary in New York; introduces him to American Black culture

Lasserre—French friend of Dietrich’s at Union Seminary; pastor of a working-class mission in northeastern France

Uncle Rudi (General Rudiger Graf von der Goltz) Paula’s brother-in-law)—looks down on Jews, supports Hitler

Strengths:

Saints and Villains reveals the complexities, strengths and weaknesses of its major characters, while weaving them into a compelling, tension-filled plot.

Weakness:

This novel is rewarding, but not a quick read. Some readers may not have the patience to follow Dietrich through the many situations he encounters.

Content review:

Saints and Villains is a book for mature readers who can handle reading about some of the disturbing things done by the Nazis to silence their enemies and eliminate anyone they disapproved of.

My Recommendation:

Saints and Villains was a satisfying read for me, as it gave me a better understanding of Bonhoeffer, his enemies, and his culture—all while telling a fascinating, haunting story of the consequences of making choices that go against powerful, unrestrained rulers.  I recommend it to readers who wish to learn about Bonhoeffer and his cultural context.

Reader, can you recommend a novel or non-fiction book about Bonhoeffer that gives a balanced assessment of his life and legacy?

Mystery and Music in Prague

Mystery and Music in Prague

by | Sep 24, 2025 | Bohemia, Book review, Historical novels, Holocaust, Jewish History

Greetings, Reading Friend!

Prague is the topic for this month, with my review of Prague Sonata, a novel I had the privilege of reading while visiting Prague recently for the first time.

While I admired the picturesque, spire-filled city, its millennium of history impressed on me the suffering of so many in Prague—especially in the Jewish quarter, ravaged by persecution for many centuries, and the execution of Jan Hus for daring to defy the Church by expressing religious ideas.

Prague Sonata, by Bradford Morrow, cover image

Imagine you’re a young musicologist, who at a friend’s urging meets with an ageing holocaust survivor.

How could this brief encounter possibly change the course of your life?

And how could the hunt for missing musical manuscripts from three centuries ago drastically alter multiple people’s lives in the twenty-first century?

Prague Sonata, a musical mystery and historical novel, spans two continents and more than three centuries to answer these questions and more, while taking readers on a suspenseful ride.

Irena, aware that her life will soon end, gives Meta, a young musicology graduate student, an original manuscript of the middle movement of a sonata whose composer is unknown.

Meta’s life changes immediately. She travels to Prague to search for the two missing movements of the sonata, but multiple frustrations impede her pursuit.

Prague Sonata’s themes include passion for music, love, and devotion to a quest. The novel also reveals how some characters compromise their idealism for survival and profit.

Characters:

Meta—the protagonist, musicology graduate student, and rising pianist whose injury ended her performing career

Otylie Bartosová—the sonata’s Czech owner who divided the sonata into thirds and distributed it

Jakub Bartos—Otylie’s husband, a Jewish antiquarian who joins the Resistance when the Nazis invade Czechoslovakia

Irena Svobodova—Otylie’s best friend in Prague; she plays an important role in the later plot

Gillian—Meta’s best friend; she introduces Meta to the musical mystery

Paul Mandelbaum—Meta’s graduate school mentor, whose interesting connections to Prague enrich the plot

Tomás—pianist friend of Jakub who plays an important role in the plot

Gerrit Mills—Czech-American reporter, he becomes Meta’s romantic interest and research partner in Prague

Jaromir Láska—Otylie’s father, a poor music teacher who purchased the sonata from an antiquarian; he tells Meta to “guard it as if it were your own child”

Petr Wittman—Prague musicologist and author who becomes Meta’s bête noire

Jonathan—Gillian’s brother, a New York banker who is Meta’s romantic interest early in the novel

Strengths:

In addition to an engaging plot, the author portrays characters as multi-dimensional people, with strengths and weaknesses.

Weakness:

The novel’s length may lose some readers, although the length adds to the understanding of the personalities in multiple time periods.

Content review:

This novel contains several scenes of physical intimacy, which could have been omitted without weakening the plot.

My Recommendation:

As soon as I discovered that Prague Sonata features historical fiction involving music history, as well as an exciting plot, I was hooked.  Readers with similar interests, especially those who like stories transporting them to multiples locations and time periods will also enjoy this novel.

Reader, can you recommend a novel about Prague?

Between Crown and Chisel: The Princess Who Wouldn’t Yield Her Dream

Between Crown and Chisel: The Princess Who Wouldn’t Yield Her Dream

by | Aug 24, 2025 | Art history, Book review, England, Historical novels, Women's Struggles

Imagine you’re from a wealthy English family, coming of age in the second half of the 1800s, an independent female thinker, a supporter of women’s rights, and a sculptor.

How could you live out your identity if you were Princess Louise, daughter of the domineering, grief-obsessed Queen Victoria?

In the Shadow of a Queen, by Heather B. Moore, cover image

Heather B. Moore answers this question in her recent historical novel, In the Shadow of a Queen, based on her research into the life of Princess Louise, the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

The novel begins when Louise is twelve, includes her father’s death and many scenes of her interactions with family members and friends, revealing the unique personality of each individual. The author doesn’t shy away from conflicts, and she closes the story with Louise’s decision of what would be her life’s project.

 

Characters:

Princess Louise—fourth daughter and sixth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, a talented sculptor and independent thinker who chafed at her mother’s off-the-cuff dictums

Queen Victoria—a forceful personality who bonded so strongly with her husband, Prince Albert, that she depended to an unhealthy degree on her daughters, changed her mind frequently, and never recovered from Albert’s death

John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne—Scottish suitor of Louise, a commoner considered after no attractive royal options materialized

Sybil Grey—Louise’s loyal friend, daughter of General Grey, the queen’s loyal aide

Albert Edward (Bertie), Prince of Wales—Victoria’s oldest son, heir to the throne; a sympathetic older brother to Louise as she grows up, despite his moral lapses

Louise’s other brothers: Alfred, Arthur, Leopold (Leo)

Louise’s sisters: Victoria (Vicky), Alice, Helena, Beatrice

Strengths:

In the Shadow of a Queen captures the personalities of each member of the Victorian English Royal Family, as well as others. In particular, the author shows the pressures Queen Victoria exerted on Princess Louise (and her other children), and how Louise dealt with them.

 

Weakness:

The story reads more like a biography than a novel, because indeed, it’s a lightly-fictionalized biography.

 

Content review:

This novel reveals the character weaknesses of the royal family, including smoking, class discrimination, and adultery (all common in the era).

 

My recommendation:

I found this novel entertaining and educational. If you enjoy books that neither romanticize nor scandalize the lives of royals, In the Shadow of a Queen will give you an opportunity to get to know Princess Louise and reflect on her life, dreams, and achievements.

 

Reader, can you suggest favorite novels about royal families?