We have a dual time line story following mother and daughter during the two world wars this month! Welcome Amy to the Index!

Illinois , Washington DC , 1910s, 1940s , 1914-1918 (US WWI), 1939-1945 (US WWII) , World War I, World War II , Spy, Unusual Profession , Older Hero/Heroine , Based on Actual Characters or Events, Dual Timeline/Split Time, Mystery , Mental Problems, Secrets , Green-Amy Lynn

The Codebreaker’s Daughter Dinah Kendall’s role in the US capital for the Office of Strategic Services is far from the thrilling espionage career she dreamed of. Instead of covert missions, she crafts rumors aimed at undermining Axis morale while trying to live up to the expectations of her demanding mother, Lillian. Yet, as Dinah navigates her duties, she uncovers a startling revelation: Lillian was once a codebreaker during the Great War alongside some of the nation’s most brilliant minds. The deeper Dinah dives into her mother’s journal, the more the secrets of the past come to light—including the heavy cost of high-stakes codebreaking. Just when Dinah begins to excel in her new position, she is implicated in a series of suspicious activities that cause others to question her loyalty. As she navigates a web of intrigue, she must piece together the truth in time to confront the shadowy threat that could compromise the impending D-Day invasion.

Amy’s Website

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Questions about Amy’s Story

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

Following Lillian as a young woman during the first world war, then showing her relationship with her young adult daughter during the second was a joy and a challenge. This is my first dual-time novel, and I loved the chance to show one woman’s growth and change over thirty years of her life.

 

Did you include a real historical character or incident in your story?

Two of the codebreakers who feature in both the WWI and WWII storylines, Elizebeth and William Friedman, are historical figures and pioneers of American codebreaking. Nearly everything that happens to my fictional main character Lillian at Riverbank during WWI actually occurred to the codebreakers working there—I’ve already had readers writing me to say the novel inspired them to read biographies of that unique location, and even visit the Fabyan Villa Museum to see the setting.

 

Did you stumble upon anything in your research for this book that you thought was strange or surprising?

I don’t want to say too much because of spoilers…but the crossword puzzle scare mentioned in the novel really did happen, and it’s one of those almost-too-wild-to-be-believed incidents that I love slipping into my novels.

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Questions about Amy’s Reading

What was the last Christian Historical Novel that made you cry? The All-American by Susie Finkbeiner. Those who have read it understand why, but they were the good kind of tears that come from a story well-told.

What was the last Christian Historical Novel that surprised you with a plot twist you didn’t see coming? I love mysteries, and The Burning of Rosemont Abbey by Naomi Stephens had so many fascinating secrets, clues, and twists and turns. It’s the perfect cozy crime read for history lovers!

What other Christian Historical Novels are similar to yours in setting or storyline? I love Sarah Sundin’s WWII novels, and her detailed research and inclusion of little-known history inspired me in my own writing. (Her website has so much fascinating historical content as well!)

Amy is giving away either a signed paperback (USA Only). Enter the Rafflecopter below!

**If you don’t want to enter the Rafflecopter, tell me in a comment below: “I’m not entering the Rafflecopter, but please throw me in the hat” so I can manually put you in there for a chance.**

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Ready for a new Marriage of Convenience? We have debut author Christine Hill Suntz delivering us one of the newest. Welcome, Christine!

Canada , Toronto , 1830s , 1800s Foreign , Laundry, Lawyer , Disguised/Dual Identity, Widowed , Marriage of Convenience/Arranged Marriage, Upstairs/Downstairs , Suntz-Christine Hill

The Lawyer and the Laundress Lawyer James Kinney isn’t looking for love, and laundress Sara O’Connor doesn’t want to be found. When their paths cross in a British colony on the brink of rebellion, a marriage of convenience may be their best hope of survival. Widower James Kinney knows his precocious daughter, Evie, needs more than his lessons on law and logic, but Toronto offers few options. Classes with the neighbor children seem ideal until James discovers Evie is secretly spending her time with Sara O’Connor, a kind and mysteriously educated servant. For propriety’s sake, James forbids their friendship. But then Evie falls victim to the illness ravaging the city, and James must call upon Sara’s medical knowledge and her special bond with Evie to save his daughter’s life. When Sara’s presence in his household threatens scandal, however, James offers an unexpected solution: become his wife, in name only, and help him raise Evie to be a proper young lady. If Sara can ignore the sparks she feels when they’re together, his logical proposal could keep her secret secure forever. But soon, the forces of rebellion unravel their tidy arrangement. When James is accused of treason, Sara must find the courage to face a past that could save her husband’s life.

Christine’s Website

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Questions about Christine’s Story

 

Did any of the characters in this book “surprise” you?

Granny definitely surprised me. She was meant to be an unimportant side character, almost a plot device. But every time I wrote her into a scene, she took over! I know it sounds unbelievable that a character could control a scene (isn’t the writer supposed to be in charge?), but that’s Granny! When I finished the story, I realized why Granny had emerged as such an important character. Our society favors youth, and it’s easy for us to ignore the wisdom of the older generation. I hope Granny can remind us to listen to the elders God has placed in our lives to teach, guide, and encourage.

 

Why did you choose the geographical location and year in which your book is set?

The Lawyer and the Laundress is set in 1837 Toronto, the site of the short-lived Upper Canada Rebellion. Every Canadian child learns about this rebellion in school, and it has lived in my imagination for years alongside its leader, William Lyon Mackenzie, a fiery Scot who was an orator and politician…not a military leader. Although the rebellion failed to achieve its goals, we look back on this event as the beginning of responsible government in Canada. I am so excited to bring this time period to life for my readers.

 

What research did you have to look up to make your character’s professional decisions authentic?

As part of my research for The Lawyer and the Laundress, I bought a washboard, made soap, and washed the old-fashioned way. I made lye from hardwood ashes and tallow from beef fat to make my own soap (FYI, this is way hard). I boiled, soaked, scrubbed and rinsed my clothes. My arms got a workout and my clothes were clean! And suddenly all those scenes in old books when kids get in trouble for getting their clothes dirty made a lot more sense. Laundry was hard work.

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Questions about Christine’s Reading

What Christian Historical Novel taught you something about the craft of writing because it was so well done? Tell us a bit about what it taught you. I keep raving about Laura Frantz’s The Indigo Heiress. She creates nuanced characters whose thoughts and actions never stopped surprising me. This book is also a masterclass in how to do marriage of convenience well. So much goes into the setup to make character motivations and decisions believable. Laura Frantz does it perfectly.

What Christian Historical Novel are you most excited to read that hasn’t yet come out? I`m so excited to read Jenelle Hovde`s No Stone Unturned which releases July 15th. Regency Romance is one of my favorite genres and this one has enemies-to-lovers, ruins, and mystery, too. It`s going to be a perfect, sparkling summer read.

Christine is giving away either a (signed paperback) (USA Only) (or an ebook)(Internationals Entry welcome). Enter the Rafflecopter below!

**If you don’t want to enter the Rafflecopter, tell me in a comment below: “I’m not entering the Rafflecopter, but please throw me in the hat” so I can manually put you in there for a chance.**

If you can’t see the Rafflecopter on this post, go here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway