Along with famous names like Julia Child and Marlene Dietrich, readers will discover such intrepid agents as Amy "Cynthia" Thorpe, who seduced a Vichy official and stole naval codes from the French embassy; Virginia Hall, who earned a Distinguished Service Cross for her work with the French resistance running an underground railroad for downed fliers; and others who recruited double agents, pioneered propaganda and subversion techniques, and tracked the infamous Nazi commando Otto Skorzeny.

This book gives amazing empowerment to women. The beginning stages of OSS depended largely on a newer strategy than previously held with spying. Women came from all walks of life and took charge of the new opportunities to make a difference. Each woman noted in this book gave everything they had willingly and took risks unimaginable to the women of the era. From simple coding and support in the offices of a newly forming branch of warfare to the brave and life endangering risks of spying in enemy camps and infilterating the most dangerous of areas for information and rescue. They took charge of new challenges and made a permanent and lasting impression for women world wide to follow. It gives me great motivation and encouragement to get through days I think are tough, even knowing that I haven't even begun to be challenged as they were. Very good book for research of the special ops of WWII. ( )