I have been a fan of Kristina McMorris ever since I read Sold on a Monday. She has a way of immersing the reader into the lives of the characters she writes about. Ways We Hide was no exception. Although Ways We Hide started out a little slow for me, it wasn’t long before I was completely hooked and absorbed in the story. I felt such compassion and admiration for the two primary characters of Fenn and Arie. It was hard not to like them and root for them. Kristina McMorris not only transported me back in time in her newest historical fiction saga but allowed me to learn new things due to her impeccable research. She placed Fenn and Arie at the Italian Hall Disaster in Eden Springs in 1928. The disaster actually occurred in Calumet, Michigan in 1913. The date and place were altered to fit the story. Finn and Arie were living in Eden Springs with their families and were not only present during this tragedy but they were victims of it as well. The families that settled in Copper County were a mishmash of different nationalities, Dutch and German being the most abundant and common. At that Christmas Eve party, organized for the striking miners and their families, 73 deaths occurred. When someone falsely made a claim of a fire, everyone rushed to the stairs to escape the building. That stampede resulted in tragedy and death. More children than anyone else died that night. As Finn was being crushed under the bodies on top of her, it was Arie’s reassuring gestures and words that saved both of their lives that night. That avoidable tragedy haunted Fenn for her whole life but helped to forge the beautiful friendship between Fenn and Arie. Fenn had also started developing an interest and talent for magic and illusion. She was most influenced by the talent of Harry Houdini.

Things in Michigan’s copper mining district grew harder and harder. When Arie’s father was offered a new and more promising position, Arie and his family moved to Amesboro, Michigan. Arie came to tell Fenn his news. She knew she would miss him. Arie was Fenn’s only and best friend. Shortly after Arie’s departure, the unthinkable happened. Fenn’s father died leaving her an orphan. Her mother had died several years before and Fenn had no other family. She was placed in an orphanage. Fenn was bullied there and wanted to escape in the worst way. She devised an ingenious plan and managed to escape. Fenn made her way by bus to Amesboro and Arie. Arie’s family took Fenn in and they became her family. Fenn continued practicing magic. When Fenn and Arie discovered that they truly had feelings for each other that went beyond the friendship they had built they acted on it. Somehow, without Fenn and Arie realizing it, they had fallen in love with each other. Arie wanted Fenn to marry him but that old tragedy would once again come back to haunt Fenn and influence Fenn’s actions. Fenn would leave Arie and the only family she knew. She would begin her career in illusion in earnest.

During the early 1940’s, Fenn’s career as an illusionist prospered and she gained the recognition that she had always desired. One night in New York, as Fenn was making her way home after a performance, she was presented with an opportunity that she had a hard time passing up. Fenn was recruited by British intelligence to use her unique skills to make gadgets to aid captured soldiers. Fenn needed to make sure that the person who had tried to recruit her was legitimate so she reached out to Arie. He was now employed by the army as an engineer. She had had no contact with Arie since her untimely and sudden departure. Arie was surprised but not too pleased that Fenn had called him. He had not heard from her since she vanished from his life. After Arie told Fenn he knew of her recruiter, Fenn readily accepted the challenge and found herself in London. During that time, Arie came to see her one time and then vanished somewhere in Holland. Arie’s reputation and safety were on the line. Fenn’s feelings for him had never dissipated. She volunteered to go to Holland to try and find Arie, clear his name and bring him home safely. What would Fenn find when she was dropped into Nazi controlled Holland? Would her gadgets and knowledge of illusions help save her and Arie? What secrets was Arie hiding? Would Fenn’s efforts and resourcefulness help her to locate Arie and bring him home safely?

Kristina McMorris was able to weave historical details, real people, actual events and facts with some fiction to create Ways We Hide. It brought with it intrigue, dangers, temptations, cruelties, hope, struggles, family, love, loyalty and ingenuity. I instantly connected with the characters in Ways We Hide. Kristina McMorris once again proved to be a masterful storyteller. In the author’s note, Kristina McMorris, noted that the “grim fallout at Bethnal Green station” in London actually occurred. Many of the gadgets Fenn was given credit for designing were actually developed by Hutton, the man who recruited Fenn. Most of the gadgets mentioned were actually used by the soldiers. I really enjoyed reading Ways We Hide and highly recommended it.

Thank you to Sourcebook Landmark for allowing me to read Ways We Hide by Kristina McMorris through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Publication was September 6, 2022.

I do not usually pick up historical fiction, I am more of a mystery and romance reader, but this story was fantastic. I enjoyed this book from start to finish and as we readers often say, "I stayed up past my bedtime reading!" I had not read Kristina McMorris' previous books, but they are now on my TBR list. Highly recommend.

Historical fiction about a female illusionist recruited by Britain as a spy during WWII. Strong plot and characters. While the story sounded pretty improbable, the author provides extensive details in her author's note about real life events that inspired her. Highly recommended.

I'm in the minority, but this book did not grab my attention. I've been captivated by stories set in WW1/2 and had hoped that Ways We Hide would be no different. One hundred pages into the book and I was disappointed that the story did not grab hold of my attention.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

The first part of this book grabbed from the very first page and held tight. The friendship forged was amazingly detailed and felt like the audience was included.
The atmosphere was a little lacking in description but over all that part was ok.
The relationships forged were well done and thoughtful.
The book was thought provoking and well written.
Coming back in an almost full circle until a bitter twist comes into play.
I did not see that coming and was left saddened and shaken.
A great read

Arie and Fen have been friends since they was children. One night everything changes but will it last? Fen has always been fascinated with finding ways to imitate her hero Houdini. When war breaks out, she is asked to help with the war effort. Is she helping or are secrets being kept? When she hears rumors about Arie, she tries to protect him but does she have all the facts?

If you are looking for fascinating information, adventure, romance and overall great storytelling, “The Ways We Hide” is the book for you. Every time I read one of Kristina’s books, I gain insight into an incredible piece of American History. So many stories/details that were never taught in school, are richly illuminated in her work. I highly recommend checking out her entire catalog of works. You will learn, you will laugh, you will cry and you will walk away with gratitude that McMorris decided to put pen to paper.

Having thoroughly enjoyed Sold on a Monday, I was thrilled to read the latest by Kristina McMorris.

Fenna Vos is a survivor, a woman illusionist/escapologist who is recruited by British Intelligence to use her skills of misdirection and illusion to help Airmen, POWs and others covertly fighting the Nazis in Europe during WWII.

There is no doubt that McMorris is an incredibly talented writer who is able to draw her readers in with her heartbreaking yet heartwarming stories. However, personally I had a hard time following this story. It took me some time to get into the story, and due to its length and slow moving plot, I found myself getting distracted, confused and unfortunately, losing interest more than once.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Right from the beginning I was hooked on this lovely book based on true events. Historical fiction is one of my favorites to read and this one definitely did not disappoint. The characters were all so well developed that you appreciated everything they went through and did. I loved the Harry Houdini references too! Such a lovely book.

The Ways we Hide is a riveting novel about WWII, with the added intrigue of stage magic and escapism. Fenna's work as an illusionist gets her noticed, and she travels to Europe to assist in the war effort. The war becomes more personal for Fenna when she runs into someone important from her past, Arie, and she has to go undercover to assist him. Like all novels set during this time period, there is a lot of pain in these pages, but also a lot of hope. The true events that inspired this story are simply amazing. This novel is perfectly written and deeply engrossing. Historical fiction at its finest.

A poignant story inspired by true events. It had everything I love in historical fiction, the era is WWII, family drama, and intrigue. A unique story with strong characters and an engrossing illusionist storyline.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the eARC.
#NetGalley

3.5 stars. This unusual fictionalized story revolves around the role of magic to help allied forces during WWII. In the book's Afterword, the author presents some interesting background on how the story took shape for her. The legend of Harry Houdini plays a significant role in the book. Although I have read more books bout WWII than I care to remember, this one was different. I found the earlier chapters more compelling than the middle to final ones. Some events in the story line appeared over the top to me - hard to imagine their really happening. I recommend the book with some reservations.

The Ways We Hide is an original WWII historical fiction novel. The story was engaging, the characters interesting to get to know, and the history was compelling and had content I was unaware of (and I read a LOT of WWII historical fiction). I also enjoyed the parts set in copper country. So little literature about this region of the US exists, and I appreciated learning more about the large mining companies' influences on all aspects of people's lives. And the magic - who doesn't love a little bit of magic (literally)?

The afterward of McMorris's book is detailed and shows how well she researched the book. I also appreciated the numerous references she provided for additional reading. These are always hallmarks of good historical fiction.

My only criticism is that it got a little ponderous at times. The main protagonist had too many inner dialogues where she worked through scenarios for her situation. When this occurred, I wanted to push the narrative along.

Fans of WWII fiction will want to add this to their TBR list.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ebook version of this novel in exchange for a review.

This powerful historical novel centers around a true WWII story, which makes it all the more intense and captivating, as it reveals the military team of inventors and magicians recruited to help troops behind enemy lines to cleverly evade the Nazi's. Fenna, our heroine, comes from a hardscrabble childhood in Michigan with both survival skills and traumatic secrets. As WWII unfolds abroad, Fenna serves as the onstage assistant to an escape artist. But it turns out that clever Fenna is really the one to have designed all the escapes and illusions. She has also grown disillusioned with lack of recognition to be looking elsewhere for something to do.

One night, a British man in the audience asks to speak with Fenna after the show. Turns out he’s Major Hutton from M19, and wants her help creating gadgets, devices and plans to help stranded soldiers elude and escape the German military. Thus Fenna gets recruited to a role that the real Hutton did, which inspired the role of Q in James Bond.

Fenna’s resourceful, courageous, and willing to take danger head on as she volunteers to go behind enemy lines in the German occupied Netherlands to rescue her best friend Arie from childhood. At times harrowing, inspiring and heart-warming, Fenna embodies the bravery of soldiers fighting the Nazi’s during WWII.

I find myself continually thinking and reflecting about this book in the week since I’ve read it, and I’m adding to my reading list other books by Kristina McMorris.

I’m recommending this book to all my friends – and its provocative plot would make great fodder for book group discussions.

Thanks to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy.

(This review will be live at the link below on Sept. 15)
The Ways We Hide features the protagonist Ida Vos, a woman we first meet as a magician, having designed and created illusions for the stage in the early 1940s. This alone is interesting but as we get to know her we learn that she carries with her a sense of loneliness and independence due to bringing raised in an orphanage after her alcoholic father dies. Prior to his death she experienced a trauma that only the young boy, Arie, who suffered it with her understands. She ends up living with his family. As she grows up Arie is her stability and the two of them practice magic tricks together.

Without giving away too much, I'll tell you that they are separated and then during the war their paths cross again in London. He is in intelligence, and she's been recruited to help develop tools that can be hidden to help Allied Forces, maps, knives, and all sorts of things a soldier behind enemy lines might need.

Ida ends up pushing herself into a mission that she thinks will help save Arie in Nazi occupied Holland. Nothing ends up as she imagined. Ida is confronted with the horrors of war and she and Arie must save a young girl who lives with a Nazi officer but who has Jewish roots that may soon be discovered. How Ida manages to overcome the trauma from her childhood that still haunts her, danger from being discovered by the Nazis, her natural distrust of strangers that she now must depend upon (the Dutch resistance during WWII was incredible and deserves attention), grief that continues to find her, together make for a thrilling tale that once I got halfway through the book kept me intrigued as though I watched it unfold on a screen.

The author does a superb job with descriptions and characterizations. Her notes at the end are not to be missed as so much is explained and examined. An incredible amount of research was put into this novel and it shines because of that effort. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and recommend it to all who enjoy historical fiction.

I received an advance complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher through NetGalley without obligation of any review.

Reviewed by Cindy Thomson, www.cindyswriting.com

Ways we hide was a very interesting story. Fenna was a inventor, performer of illusions, escape artist and so much more. WWII found her working for British intelligence. Fenna designed tools of the trade to help downed Pilot's escape when downed or captured. Great history along with some romance. Enjoyed story.

Good story. Great title in light of the magic aspect. I was engaged in the beginning of the story and found myself bored in the middle.

Ways We Hide by Kristina McMorris. The back cover fits this book to a tee. She performing tricks to get herself and others out of tough situations. I remember hearing about the escapades of Houdini when I was young. I even remember watching a movie about him. Kristina McMorris brings things in history together in a beautiful way. The section in the back of the book about how the story came to be answered many of my questions.

A woman magician is recruited to help in the war effort, creating ways to hide people to get them to safety. She is very good at her job.

I am a big fan of Kristina McMorris’ books, and I have to say, this is her best work yet. It has magic, intrigue, history and romance woven into an intricate, compelling and engaging plot. A young girl named Fenna with Dutch ancestry is growing up in a simple home in the Copper Country of Michigan. She is fascinated with magic tricks and Houdini, and masters many illusions. One day, a tragedy shapes her life both through what she is forced to directly experience and through the beginnings of an enduring friendship that will last a lifetime. When she has to face a personal loss at a young age, her friend ultimately is there for her. But scarred by tragedy and immersed in fear, she takes a career opportunity to use her magic to embed objects that will help the Allied cause, leaving her friend and hopefully all the associated memories behind. As the years pass, she settles into her life in England, until she encounters her friend again. When she learns he may be in trouble, she does the only thing she feels she can do, and the plot really takes off from there, This was a lengthy book, but it never dragged for me. I liked the short chapters and stayed up late into the nigh5 to find out what happened. It was realistic, yet hopeful. Fans of WW II historical fiction will welcome this powerful story.