Paris Undercover

A Wartime Story of Courage, Friendship, and Betrayal

By: Matthew Goodman

Two women in Nazi-occupied Paris created a daring escape line that rescued dozens of Allied servicemen. With one still in a German prison camp, the other wrote a book about it—a memoir built on fabrications. Now the bestselling author of Eighty Days shares their incredible, never-before-told full story.

“A heart-pounding tale of betrayal that is impossible to put down.”—Lynne Olson, author of Madame Fourcade's Secret War

Etta Shiber and Kate Bonnefous are the unlikeliest of heroines: two seemingly ordinary women, an American widow and an English divorcée, living quietly together in Paris. Yet during the Nazi occupation, these two friends find themselves unexpectedly plunged into the whirlwind of history. With the help of a French country priest and others, they set out to rescue British and French soldiers trapped behind enemy lines—some of whom they daringly smuggle through Nazi checkpoints hidden inside the trunk of their car.

Ultimately the Gestapo captures them both. After eighteen months in prison, Etta is returned to the United States in a prisoner exchange. Back home, hoping to bring attention to her friend Kitty’s bravery, she publishes a memoir about their work. Paris-Underground becomes a publishing sensation and Etta a celebrity. Meanwhile Kate spends the rest of the war in a Nazi prison, entirely unaware of the book that has been written about her—and the deeds that have been claimed in her name.

In researching this story, Matthew Goodman uncovered military records and personal testimonies that reveal, for the first time, the shocking truth behind Etta’s memoir and the unexpected, far-reaching consequences of its publication. More than just a story of two women’s remarkable courage, Paris Undercover is a vivid, gripping account of deceit, betrayal, and personal redemption.

©2025 Matthew Goodman (P)2025 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Of the countless books written about the French Resistance, Paris Undercover stands out as a true original: a riveting, masterfully researched exposé of the explosive reality behind the story of two women imprisoned by the Nazis for helping Allied soldiers escape from behind enemy lines. When one of the women is released early and publishes a falsehood-filled memoir, this portrait of courage and friendship morphs into a heart-pounding tale of betrayal that is impossible to put down.”—Lynne Olson, author of Madame Fourcade’s Secret War and Empress of the Nile

“With elegant language and his trademark meticulous research, Matthew Goodman peels back the layers of mythmaking to reveal a riveting true story that reads like a movie script and showcases the power of humans to persist in the face of overwhelming odds.”—Elizabeth Letts, author of The Perfect Horse

“A smart, vividly realized account of a daring wartime escapade that turns out to be far more complex and problematic than it first appears, Paris Undercover is a gripping and provocative feat of historical investigation—full of surprises to the very end.”—Gary Krist, author of Empire of Sin and The Mirage Factory