The Invisible Woman

I love this book. Although it’s a novel, Virginia Hall was a real person. She was recruited by the Allies to be a spy.

The book is written in present tense—which I usually find distracting—but it works in this book. It really lends an air of immediacy to the story. My heart didn’t stop pounding through the entire book. Even though I knew the basics of Virginia Hall’s life, this novel really brings it to life. She was an extraordinary woman.

Virginia Hall is one woman whose stunning personal story ought to make her a household name. Robuck’s fascinating novel drops the reader into France in March of 1944, where the Nazis terrorize the population and American Special Ops leader Virginia Hall is doing all she can to subvert the occupiers and assist in the lead-up to D-Day. I barely breathed while reading this novel of one of the founding ladies of the CIA – and the best part of all? The story is true, and oh-so-inspiring. 

Any woman who worked as a spy against the Nazis during World War II is worth reading about, but Virginia Hall was a pioneering agent for the SOE who has only started to gain widespread recognition in recent years. Hall was known as the “limping lady” because she had lost part of her leg and used a prosthesis that she named Cuthbert. Now that’s a woman I’d happily invite to dinner!

Drawn from the life of real OSS agent, Virginia Hall, The Invisible Woman completely blew me away. It’s hard to imagine that this book is based on a true story. It has all the elements of a great thriller while also vividly drawing rich characters in an authentic setting. Impeccably researched and flawlessly written, I should warn you that you won’t be able to put this book down.