Based on a real remarkable woman, this gripping historical fiction novel is perfect for fans of The Alice Network. The best thing about this book is it introduces new readers to a real hero and extraordinary woman who should be recognized.

Erika Robuck's The Invisible Woman is a poignant and captivating historical novel that shines a light on an often-overlooked figure from World War II. Set against the backdrop of Nazi-occupied France, Robuck's narrative follows the true story of Virginia Hall, a remarkable woman whose courage and resilience defy the conventions of her time. What truly sets The Invisible Woman apart is its exploration of themes of identity, bravery, and the resilience of the human spirit. Virginia's journey from a marginalized and underestimated figure to a legendary hero is both inspiring and empowering. Robuck skillfully delves into Virginia's psyche, capturing her fears, doubts, and triumphs with nuance and sensitivity. The Invisible Woman is a masterfully crafted tale that will appeal to fans of historical fiction and espionage thrillers alike. With its gripping plot, well-drawn characters, and powerful themes, it is a testament to the indomitable spirit of those who fought against tyranny and oppression. Erika Robuck has once again proven herself to be a gifted storyteller, and The Invisible Woman is sure to leave a lasting impression on readers long after they've turned the final page. Highly recommended.

I love historical fiction, and I always learning about the women behind our wars, especially since it isn't something we learn about in school. I am in awe of everything Virginia Hall did, and it left me wanting to learn more about the women of WWII!!

Historical fiction about brave women is one of my favorite genres. THE INVISIBLE WOMAN is a fantastic one to add to that list. Our main character, Virginia Hall, is strong, brave, and unforgettable. This is a very exciting novel and I’d highly recommend it. Thank you to Berkley for my gifted copy!

There are so many stories of the hidden heroes of WWII and it's always fascinating to learn more. Virginia Hall was a real woman who acted as an American spy embedded in France working with the French resistance. More stories like this should continue to be told and taught.

Given my grandma's role in WWII (she helped build planes), I find I am especially drawn to stories that focus on women's roles in war efforts. Going into this one, I'd never heard of Virginia Hall, but goodness, what a truly incredible and almost unbelievable story of all the work she did as an Allied spy during WWII. This was fascinating to read not only how she did her work, but also how risky the work she did truly was. This was written in a way that captivated me as I learned more about Virginia and her network. Thanks to NetGalley for the look at this February 2021 release - I'm glad I finally took the time to read this amazing historical profile!

I love when books are based on a true story. I found the beginning really enticing but it sort fo dropped off for me. I think it might just be 'right book wrong time.' I think I will give it another go in the future.

Erika Robuck http://www.erikarobuck.com is the author of eight novels. The Invisible Woman was published in 2021. It is the 39th book I completed reading in 2023.

Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of mild violence and mature situations, I categorize this novel as PG. This novel is a dramatized account of the European experiences of SOE agent Virginia Hall.

The story begins with the 39-year-old Hall returning to occupied France in March of 1944. She had been living in France at the outbreak of the war. She serves for a while as an ambulance driver before the fall of France. She flees before the invading Germans to England. In 1941 she is recruited into the SOE. Shortly after training she is deployed to France.

Hall grew up in Baltimore in a well-to-do family. Before the breakout of the war, Hall had served in the US embassies in Poland and Turkey. While in Turkey, she seriously injured her foot in a hunting accident. Hall reminisces about her early assignments with the SOE and her training.

Because of her foot injury, the Gestapo gives her the nickname of ‘the limping lady’. After a close call with the Gestapo while an SOE agent, she returns to England. The SOE leadership is reluctant to send her back, so she joins the OSS returning to France as a radio operator. She serves in three locations with the Resistance, staying in the field until the end of the war. Several of her adventures as an agent are depicted in the novel. She continued her intelligence work with the CIA after the war.

I enjoyed the 9.5+ hours I spent reading this 365-page WWII-era historical fiction novel. The novel mixes fact and fiction but stays close to the actual Hall’s experiences. She was a unique individual with many close calls during WWII. I like the chosen cover art for the novel. I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Definitely not my usual choice of book, but it was really good! It was non-stop action and extremely intense, The Invisible Woman was a good read and the author created some very intriguing characters. I will not forget Virginia Hall and what she (and the others) went through to liberate France for a very long time!

Fascinating historical fiction based on the true story of a woman who served in the resistance in France during WWII. Virginia Hall was an American who served with British special forces and trained to be dropped behind enemy lines and help coordinate the French Resistance. She also was a disabled person from a hunting accident and she wore a prosthetic leg the whole time! Some of the chapters are a little too long on rumination of the past, but I enjoyed the suspense and her adventures during the war.

I loved this book! What a fantastic account of an early OSS operative. If WWII spy novels appeal to you, you’ll live Ms. Robuck’s account of Virginia Hall, an American spy.

History + Spies + Nazies. It's all here in this historical novel. This gave me insight to a historical event I had very little knowledge of. It was well written and a quick read. Great for historical fiction lovers.

I tried to get in to this one, but it just wasn’t for me. I had to DNF at 20%. If in the future I give this one a shot I will update my review.

Virginia Hall was one of WWII’s most successful spies. Yet, she is often overlooked. In The Invisible Woman, Virginia tells the story of her missions as a spy. She is considered to be one of the most wanted spies by the Nazis. Thus, she avoids the wanted posters by disguising herself as an old woman. Could Virginia manage to work for the Resistance while being invisible or would the Nazis discover her disguise?

I have heard of Virginia Hall while reading Sonia Purcell’s excellent biography called A Woman of No Importance. Therefore, I was eager to see a dramatized retelling of her life. I thought Mrs. Robuck did an excellent job in making Virginia a complex woman. Mrs. Robuck fleshes out Virginia’s story. We do not know her background. Her past slowly unravels throughout the novel. Virginia is a person who has a hard time to trust. This made her appear frigid and reserved. The novel shows Virginia’s weaknesses and insecurities. I found Virginia’s attitude to be very understandable. She was also a determined woman who never stopped trying to get her revenge. Therefore, Virginia was very strong-willed. Thus, while it was hard for me to warm up to Virginia because of her aloofness, I still found her relatable.

Overall, this novel shines light on an important but forgotten spy. The characters are very complex. While there were a few unnecessary scenes, I thought the story was fast-paced! It read like a thriller! It was written in a dark tone and had suspense, action, and revenge! The novel is very emotional and gripping. There were a few horrific scenes in the novel that made me a bit uncomfortable. Still, I thought the author did an excellent job in portraying the horrors and traumas of war. I recommend this novel for fans of The Brass Compass, Mistress of the Ritz, and The Lost Girls!

I had not heard of Virginia Hall prior to reading this book, and I thought Robuck did an excellent job of bringing her to life. It amazes me that no matter how many WWII historical fiction books are written, there is always another that comes out and teaches me something new each time, and this one certainly did. Virginia Hall is from Baltimore, and was recruited to be an Allied spy for Europe. She trusted the wrong person early on and it cost her, she has since learned her lesson and vowed never to make that mistake again.

This story captured my attention immediately from the start, and held it most of the way through. It drug a bit for me in the middle, but by the end it picked up again and I was not ready for it to end as I was so caught up in her story and the other characters. This was very well written and I definitely recommend this one for those that love historical fiction and/or WWII novels.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the digital copy to review.

There is no doubt that Virginia Hall played an invaluable role in the liberation of so many in France during WW2. She truly was the invisible woman and a total badass for surviving through so many close calls. However, I felt that this book almost did a disservice to her story. In the story, Virginia was portrayed as brave and courageous, but her character development was very flat and lacked any sort of emotions (and the repetitive "ice heart" phrase got old...). These extremely heavy real life incidences felt rushed through and not given a moment of reflection. Maybe that's how she was able to survive as long as she did through this time, but as for the fictional story...it felt flat. The flashbacks also didn't seem to support the story and it was very difficult keeping all the characters straight. I kept listening because Virginia is an incredible part of history!

Wow! What an incredible story. It was beautifully written and I was so sad when it was over. The characters were so engaging and I felt like I was living in the pages with them. If you’re a fan of historical fiction I would highly recommend this novel. Thank you netgalley for my free review copy.

The Invisible Woman by Erika Robuck is a well researched, interesting book about Virginia Hall, a spy in WWII-era France. Virginia's story is fascinating, and the author does a wonderful job blending what is known about Virginia with plausible fiction based on the era. There were a lot of characters, and at times I did feel the story was hard to connect with, but the overall plot was fantastic! I am so glad I read this book.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced ebook copy. All opinions are my own.

I tried this one and couldn't really connect with the characters and found myself not super invested. Thanks for the opportunity to review.

I am a member of the American Library Association Reading List Award Committee. This title was suggested for the 2022 list. It was not nominated for the award. The complete list of winners and shortlisted titles is at <a href="https://rusaupdate.org/2022/01/readers-advisory-announce-2022-reading-list-years-best-in-genre-fiction-for-adult-readers/">