This is the second book I have read by Kristin Harmel. The first one being The Room on Rue Amelie. Both set in occupied France during WWII. And both equally good.
It’s July of 1942 and Eva Traube’s family is living in an apartment in Paris. She has just gotten word from a friend on the street that the Nazis will be rounding up 20,000 Jews and he warns that her and her family should go into hiding. Troubled, Eva heads home to tell her parents. However, her parents don’t believe and refuse to leave. Later that evening, Eva and her mother are called to watch the children across the hall and it’s during that time that the Nazi’s show up at Eva’s apartment and take her father away.
From there begins Eva’s journey to save herself and her mother as she becomes a part of the resistance. Eva’s role in the resistance is a forger, she forges documents so that children who have lost their parents can cross over to Switzerland. It’s a dangerous job, especially since she is so good at it and it’s just a matter of time before the Nazis are hunting her down.
I love WWII books and this one does not disappoint. Whereas The Room on Rue Amelie focused on British and American pilots who were shot down in France and the network needed to get them out safely, The Book of Lost Names focused on a behind the scenes look at the many roles needed to move people out safely – from forgers to escorts. Ordinary people, like Eva, who put themselves at risk to help their fellow humans.
Seriously, this is a good one.
-Kelley