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Wow! What a fabulous book! It entranced, mesmerized and amazed me at each page turn. This will undoubtedly be a favourite of the year for me. I was impressed by the sheer tenacity, courage and ingenuity of the four women who were entrusted and given free reign to pull out all the stops in espionage, forging letters, rigging radio broadcasts, creating black propaganda, changing postcards and inventing publishers. During World War II, these women called Donovan's Dreamers were sought out because they were women, a highly unusual move but a stroke of genius.

Elizabeth "Betty" MacDonald, Jane Smith-Hutton, Barbara "Zuzka" Lauwers and Marlene Dietrich were all very different yet fiercely loyal to their cause and to Morale Operations Branch. They were trained in languages, translating, intercepting messages, disseminating materials, starting rumors, trailing people, firearm mastery, and eavesdropping. Marlene buoyed spirits with her seductive voice and live broadcast messages. All four worked tirelessly and after the war, some felt bereft without purpose. I like that the author described their lives before and after the war and gave a great sense of their personalities.

I learned more about Operation Sauerkraut and propaganda in general. The Pearl Harbour boy story particularly tugged at my heart. These women could think on their feet and were risk takers and adventurers.

This book is an important one, powerful and interesting, and the author manages to include a lot of information without any stuffiness or drudgery. It was a pleasure to read.