The Parisian Spy

A Gripping WW2 Love Story

De: Hannah Byron

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

Delve into 'The Parisian Spy,' Book 3 of The Resistance Girl Series, where Océane, the daughter of Agnès from 'In Picardy's Fields,' takes the center stage.

Paris, 1942

Within the shadows of war-torn Paris, young French American Océane Bell aspires to focus solely on her medical career. Enrolling at Sorbonne Medical School and working as an apprentice doctor at Hôtel-Dieu de Paris hospital, she seeks solace in healing.

However, destiny has other plans. When Océane crosses paths with the charismatic French artist, Jean-Jacques Riveau, love sparks instantly. Once distant from the tumultuous currents of politics, she finds herself drawn into the maelstrom of war as her beloved Jean-Jacques joins the French Resistance, ultimately falling into the clutches of the Gestapo.

A treacherous gambit unfolds as Océane infiltrates 84 Avenue Foch, the sinister headquarters of Dieter Von Stein, the malevolent commander of the Paris Gestapo. Desperate to find her lover, she offers herself as the SS Obergruppenführer's new personal physician.

Yet, in the shadows, allegiances waver, and a perilous contest of wits begins. Von Stein, a puppet master of darkness, has sinister plans for both Océane and Jean-Jacques. Their survival teeters on a razor's edge as Océane strives to outwit the nefarious Dieter. Will love and courage triumph amidst the deserts of North Africa?

'The Parisian Spy' is a spellbinding tale that narrates the valor of a heroine who confronts malevolence and persists against all odds. Join us on this gripping journey as The Resistance Girl Series continues to captivate with its tales of love, courage, and sacrifice amidst the tumultuous backdrop of history.

La Résistance

I belong to a Woman Veterans on line book club, and ‘The Parisian Spy’ was the March pick. The January pick was ‘In Picardy’s Fields’ and February was ‘The Diamond Courier’. I hadn’t been able to find the time to read-read any of them but Audible suddenly released them all last week, in time for me to get the listen in before my meeting. I was glad at first and thrilled by the end of the book.

Océane Bell is a French American student studying medicine at the Sorbonne. The circumstances that bought her to a Europe on the brink of a world war were quite interesting and gave her motivations that were compelling. She often did unexpected things, and was rarely a cliché.

Hannah Byron weaves in actual locations and historical figures into the story with ease. There’s the fictional artist Jean-Jacques Riveau, called Rémix, Océane’s boyfriend, who knows real French painters. Byron describes the actual Paris SS counterintelligence (Sicherheitsdienst) headquarters at 84 Rue Foch and creates the fictional Dieter von Stein, who appears to have been based on the actual Hans Josef Kieffer, as its evil head. Byron doesn’t give an overview of the place, she describes it only from the point of view of her characters. Her narrative doesn’t intrude; it encourages learning more.

That brings me to the Audible narration. It’s an artificial voice, and while it is pleasant, there were some jarring misreads - using the word genealogist for gynecologist will sure pull you out of a story about a doctor real fast. I don’t speak German, but the French in the narrative - ouch. I didn’t know there were so many ways to pronounce The Seine, or for that matter, Océane or her nickname, Océ. I got used to it and stopped noticing it after a while, and the story and the characters were worth riding it out. I do hope the author’s publishers find their way to giving this book the top notch Audible performance it deserves. Bahni Turpin or XE Sands would be great for this.