Edith is a naive young woman who accepts a position with the Control Commission in Berlin after WWII. She finds herself getting involved with espionage, Nazi sympathizers and war criminals. I really enjoyed this story, and loved the way recipes were used to transmit messages back and forth. A solid read for fans of historical fiction.

This is a review of a copy provided to me by the publisher. This is a story of Germany after WWII and follow a British woman, Edith, as she leaves England to help Germany restart its school system but the main focus is her recruitment as a spy. I enjoyed the story line, I did have a bit of trouble in the beginning sorting out the characters. Once I clarified who was who, I got caught up what would happen next. There are several plot twists and turns, and the ending at least to me was not predictable. I like that in a book, overall I would recommend this book.

Pretty much this entire book gave me a headache. I'm not sure if it's because I just don't have it in me to keep up with all the twists, turns or subterfuge of spy novels (since I recently read another spy novel that I felt much the same way about) or if the author is so busy creating confusion and doubt about who to trust and who reports to whom that they create a mess not worth the reader following. In this case, Edith, a British spinster and teacher, is recruited by her cousin Leo to go work in Germany after the end of World War II, particularly with the opportunity to get close to acquaintances of theirs prior to the war. She's supposed to oversee the Education Commission (which rarely appears in the book at all) while ferreting out Germans that might be useful to the British. Except for her friend Dori and her boss Vera want her hunting people down to get revenge. Her friend Adeline and her boss want help getting Germans for the Americans. A Jewish man she meets wants to use her information for revenge before moving on to Palestine. And of course there's all the Germans that are still hiding their loyalty to the Nazis. This doesn't even begin to cover the possible connections and motives of the OTHER people in the book. Instead of being intriguing and compelling it's exhausting. It's a shame too, because it could be really interesting to read about circumstances in Germany after World War II and at the start of the Cold War, if it was really done right.

I really enjoyed this book. Historical fiction is one of my go-to genres and although I have read many WWII related stories, but this was an entirely different perspective - post WWII in Germany, the competition between the Americans, British & Russians, the suffering of Germans (not directly involved or supportive of the Nazi regime) after the country's defeat, and the often assisted escape of many of the Nazi perpetrators of the horrors inflicted on so many not considered worthy of an envisioned world of the perfect Aryan race. The characters were well-developed and believable. And without providing any spoilers, the ending left the reader with some feeling of satisfaction for the wronged major characters. Would definitely recommend this to others!

Miss Graham’s Cold War Cookbook is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society meets Hunting Hilter. A historical fiction post WWII with startling twists and turns with Miss Edith Graham, a school teacher from Britain, covert actions in Germany. As Germany is rebuilding after the war, the revelation of the horrific actions to the Jewish population and so many other victims from the Nazi scientists and leaders. As a result, the continued secrecy of these horrors compels Miss Graham to enter the world of spies that leads her down a rabbit hole then to another and to another one. As one reads, you join forces with Miss Graham wanting for justice and truth for the victims and survivors.

I was hooked from the beginning with this story that occurred mainly in Germany after World War II. A tale of spies, mystery, and intrigue that includes recipes from different nationalities. I recommend this book!

Historical fiction at its best a novel that drew me right in..Well developed characters and story.An author I will be following,#netgalley#harpercollins

I live historical fiction and this is a new area of discovery for me about the time right after the WWII is over and the intrigue surrounding finding war criminals. Great story telling and characters you can invest in.

I got to 25% and couldn’t finish it. The premise was intriguing but the characters were flat and the action seemed slow.

I've read very few books that deal with the immediate time period after WWII and didn't realize how much rich history there is. After reading Miss Graham's Cold War Cookbook I've a new found appreciation for it and hope more historical fiction stories are centered around it.
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Filled with spies, competing Nations, the search for Nazi scientists and the new enemy known as Russia, this story is chocked with intrigue. Pulling all this together is Edith, a woman coming into to her own through the work she engages in. It is this same work that sheds light on the true reality of post war Germany and forces Edith to determine who she is and what she really stands for.
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Miss Graham's Cold War Cookbook is a historical fiction gem, weaving together a story of the creation of East and West Germany and the plight of the German people. It also brings to light what justice meant after a war that wrought some of the most atrocious crimes against humanity, while also bringing forth the most courageous of acts. I cannot share enough how engrossed I became in this tale. It brought on a full range of emotions and I highly recommend you pick it up.
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Thank you Book Club Girl and William Morrow Books for my DRG.

i absolutely adored this historical fiction. It gave me a look into post WW2 Germany that I never thought about. The main characters were likable.

This may have been the best historical fiction book I’ve ever read, set in Europe (mostly Germany) after the conclusion of WWII, when occupying forces were in control. The detail on what Germany looked like, the destruction of streets and buildings in major cities like Berlin, how refugees from Poland and elsewhere streamed in, was fascinating. I had read a factual account long ago, but the description of regular residents surviving in basements of destroyed buildings was striking and heart-rending. What was fascinating were the accounts of former high Nazi officials, the loyalty still held by many Germans to them, and the competing roles of British, American and Russian intelligence to get to the scientists first to exploit them. Characterizations were excellent, couldn’t be better. From what I can tell, Ms. Rees has not written historical fiction previously, but this was an exceptional book and I sincerely hope she will write more in this genre.

My favorite genre when reading, is historical fiction, mainly World War 2. This novel is the first one I have read that has taken place in Germany in the years following the war. Germany, now ravaged is teeming with displaced persons, refuges from the concentration camps, and Germans, both officers and regular citizens still loyal to Hitler and the Nazi regime. American, British, and Russian governments are anxious to apprehend the Nazi officers, each for their own benefit. Edith Graham, the main character, is an English schoolteacher who has spent the duration of the war at home caring for her mother, teaching, and tending to her victory garden. She is ready for a change and accepts a position in Germany to help get the schools up and running again. Her cousin Leo involves her in espionage for the British government. Her means of conveying information back home are through coded recipes. She is charged with obtaining information on an old boyfriend who was a doctor in the Nazi regime and his wife. The story is fast paced, the characters well drawn, and trying to decipher the many recipes an added bonus for me,! I highly recommend.

Celia Rees cooks up a Cold War serving filled with drama, espionage and subterfuge. Add in a dash of Edith Graham's naivete mixed with a dose of Dori's seasoned skills, #MissGrahamsColdWarCookbook rises to the occasion especially in the final chapters.

Unassuming Edith is a pawn in the British government's game and subject to the whims of the Commission and OSS. Brought in under the guise of rebuilding Germany's education system, she's recruited to deliver behind-the-scene information to capture high-ranking former SS officers.

Taking to her assignment, she devises a plan to send Dori secret messages hidden inside recipes. When things heat up will Edith be able to reveal the mole before being burned?

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early read in exchange for an honest review. While the ending kept me on the edge of my seat, the first section was difficult to follow as well as keeping track of the array of characters. Be prepared to stew before getting swept away by the story while remembering that the best revenge is served cold.

I have a hard time deciding how I feel about this book. On the one hand, the story is well-written & researched. However, for some reason, I had a hard time getting through this book. It seemed overly long to me. There was a long prologue before the main story of the female characters going to Germany to act as Cold War spies began. I also had a hard time emotionally connecting to any of the characters, which (spoiler alert) ended up being a good thing. And the ending was pretty devastating to me. All in all, it was a book with a solid plot line it was interesting learning what was happening in post-war Germany. It was right in my wheelhouse. I loved The Huntress & The Alice Network. But in the end, the length of the book & a lack of connection to the characters made it fall a little flat for me. I would recommend you try it however. Other reviews have been much more positive.

Espionage combined with post-war recipes makes for a fascinating combination! The story follows Edith Graham, a thirty year old spinster who wants some adventure in her life. She is recruited to work with the Control Commission to help establish schools on war torn Germany. Edith collects recipes and menu plans which highlight the regional cuisine of Europe and the creativity of the cooks in preparing food during a time of scarcity and rationing. Part of Edith’s job is to be a spy looking for Nazis who are trying to escape Germany. What follows is a exciting tale highlighting the horrors of WWII and the resilience of the people to start again. I highly enjoyed this book and was quite surprised with the culmination.

Miss Graham's Cold War Cookbook by Celia Rees seemed almost personal for me. Although most of my ancestors immigrated from Prussia to the USA in the late 1800s, one of my great grandfather's sisters and her family stayed behind. She and my great grandfather corresponded throughout WWI and WWII, and those letters were eventually passed on to me several years ago. They are heartbreaking, and so, at times, is this book.

But, Miss Graham's Cold War Cookbook is also intriguing and charming and smart and and complex and filled with incredibly well-research historical details and a full cast of wonderfully flawed characters.

The storyline begins with Dori, a war-tested English spy, and Edith, a 30-year old English teacher whom Dori convinces to join her in a covert search for four missing colleagues in post-WWII Germany. The two create a system to send coded information back and forth through recipes - thus the title.

The rest of the story is a tangle of spies and operatives, Nazis and Nazi hunters, each with different motives and ideas of justice, and each working their own agenda. Throw in a collection of displaced people, just enough romance to keep things interesting, and more than a few perfectly played red herrings, and you've got a great read.

The writing was consistently smart, the plotting was well-timed and didn't require there reader to jump across too many gaps, and the characters were believable and engaging, if not always likable.

Two things kept me from giving this five stars. I would have liked a better understanding of how the code worked. I kept trying to figure it out on my own - which was distracting. And, despite the opening chapter, I read the entire book believing Edith was the main character, since everything was written from her POV. It was somewhat jarring to suddenly realize I was wrong.

This review is based on an advance copy read.

Miss Graham's Cold War Cookbook is a historical fiction tale with strong women figures. It is a post-WWII story set mostly in Germany. Edith, our main character, came up with the idea to use codes hidden within recipes in order to share information without being found out by watchful eyes. Celia Rees, the author, uses detailed descriptions to paint a clear picture of the times. She also used vocabulary that, while relevant to the setting, was not familiar to me. Even with my Kindle making checking the dictionary easy, I spent a bit of time looking up vocabulary. I enjoyed the idea of the book but found it difficult to get into. At 33% I considered giving up on it, but I wanted to love the book so much that I continued. At best, I found it to be an interesting story of an era I enjoy reading about.

Fast-moving story with compelling characters. You always have the questions of who is on your side, and which side will be victorious? I appreciated the different aspect of a cookbook/recipe exchange as the method of coding messages between co-conspirators.

A fast moving story of the allies working in post WWII Germany. Each ally using spies to flip German doctors and scientists, while some agents are for war criminals. Ms. Graham is used by the allies, spies and agents to flip a former German lover. She uses collecting recipes as a way to code to communicate with agents. Many surprising turns with a satisfying conclusions. Lively dialogue and fully developed characters.