A story of friendship and family with the burdens of a war. Fen has to figure out how to move on after a few devastation’s that she experienced. Well written and worth the read.

In THE WAYS WE HIDE, a terrifying, near-fatal, narrow escape during her childhood in the 1920s turns out to be a predestination of sorts for things to come for Fenna Vos, the daughter of an immigrant Dutch miner in America’s Upper Midwest.

In their native tongue Vos means “fox,” her father taught Fenna. Thus she was already, in the words of author Kristina McMorris, “fated to be inquisitive and friendly yet sly and elusive, a solitary creature not meant for a pack. And like the Arctic fox, whose fur changes color with the seasons, I was adept at fading into the background.”

Good traits for not one, but two, subsequent career paths. Fenna shares a clandestine childhood friendship with Arie, whose family are also Dutch emigres. One day she discovers a gift from him under her pillow: a well-thumbed copy of Houdini’s magic tricks. The little volume, as well as memories of the tragedy she could never have escaped without Arie’s help, will end up shaping her destiny. So, too, will her deep connection with Arie.

Fenna becomes transfixed by the notion of “escaping the inescapable.” Mastering Houdini’s skills of illusion and deflection, peppered with extraordinary moxie, she manages to outwit a series of gatekeepers [you’ll get no plot spoilers in this review] in her youth. Ultimately, she lands on her feet—and on stage, following in Houdini’s footsteps—although she’s most comfortable behind the scenes, devising and designing complex escape illusions for her stage partners.

After a performance one night during one of her tours, she’s offered the opportunity of a lifetime: to go to England and join an MI9 classified section designing spycraft for the Allied forces and POWs: such as gadgets hidden in buttons, lipsticks, and Monopoly boards.

From the first scene of McMorris’s novel where life and death escapes are offered as stage entertainment (though we hold our breath nonetheless, because an illusionist’s trick can still go horribly wrong), we are led through a series of ever more dangerous offstage life and death escapes, where there is no sure denouement. Escapes from the inescapable must occasionally be improvised or re-imagined on the spot; and Fenna is never entirely sure who to trust. She has been hired for her skills in the art of deception; yet is she herself being deceived by someone? Or by more than one person? Including those in whom she has always placed her trust?

In THE WAYS WE HIDE the stakes are always impossibly high—and then they change, only to grow even higher. War rages on, with a ticking clock, just like a timed escape from a water tank or an airless capsule. Each of Fenna’s narrow escapes, too, are timed or doomed to failure—which would be catastrophic. There is no time to mourn a loss: characters must acknowledge it and move on, or more precious moments will be gone forever. Even true emotions remain hidden; revealed too late. McMorris has written a story of WWII that rings completely true, has no time for sentiment, yet grabs your gut and your heart from the first page, and never lets go.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book. The Ways We Hide is a beautiful and breathtaking story of bravery and love. The characters are so well developed and yet human. That this amazing story is inspired by real life events just makes it all the more amazing. This is a testament to just what lengths we will go to for those that matter.

Historical fiction is my absolute favourite genre so I was super excited to get my hands on this book early.

This was a great book and I really liked Fen and was rooting for her the whole way. The way the whole story was set up to use her childhood love of magic/illusion and Houdini was perfect. From her escaping from the orphanage to escaping from Holland during the war to her career before and after the war.

I found the first part of the book a bit slow. Once Fenna was recruited to work for M19 the pace of the book really picked up and it was hard to put down!

My only knock on this story was the ending with Arie (no spoilers here). I really liked his character and was rooting for them as a couple the whole way through. The whole situation in Holland was not really believable but this is a fictional story so I understand the author's spin on this.

Make sure you read the Author's Note at the end. It is fascinating to see how she pulled the story together and did her research. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the ARC of this book.

A tragedy where children were trampled trying to escape a false fire alarm impacted Fen’s life. Her life was spared, thanks to Arie’s help. This experience bound them together for life. Fen also had a fascination with Houdini which led to the stage & then to working for MI9 during WWII.

Ways We Hide, by Kristina McMorris tells the remarkable story of Fen, her fear of closed places, her development of escape trips for the stage, and her work making escape tools for POWs. It is a story of courage and love that defies time and distance.

I wish to thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks LANDMARK Publishing for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Where do I begin? This book covers so much and it hooks you at the very beginning. It is like having 3 or 4 books all in one. It is brilliantly written, the story flow works, the characters are amazing and it really involves the reader in the story. This is not the first book that I have read by this author and it will not be the last. I am a huge fan.

This story begins in New York City before WWII. Fenna has been fascinated with the magician Houdini since she was a child and as a young woman she is part of a magician team that entertains all over the country. She is the main person behind the scenes but on stage acts as the assistant. If this was all of the book I would have been pleased but the story evolves when the British government hires her to go to London and work with MI9 developing spy implements that will help downed pilots, POWs, and soldiers and spies in the field. If you are a James Bond fan this will grab you. She connects with an old flame and they work together to try to free a young Jewish girl and others. I do not want to say more but believe me this is a great book for anyone who loves espionage, and action all wrapped up in a web of magic. I loved it and highly recommend it.

Wow, just wow. This is a BEAUTIFULLY written story. Historical novels are usually out of my wheelhouse, however I’m glad I read this. The MC is SO real, flawed, strong, and tainted by her past - I love her! No damsel in distress for this story.

You won’t regret reading this book, the twists and turns are captivating! Check trigger warnings, but it’s a book based during WW2 so it has a lot of mentions of the time period, especially around Nazis. MC is first generation American with a Dutch father who eventually makes her way over to London to help the Allies in an unusual way due to her love of magic tricks.


Themes: action, Houdini, escape artist, strong female MC, WW2, death, love, PTSD, alcoholism, Nazi, escaping, gadgets, military, spies, family, fire, trauma, orphans, NOT HAE (but happy enough), historical, Europe, unions, immigrants, mentions of anti-Semitic (nazis), grief

I was provided a free arc in exchange for a review through netgalley, however my review is 100% my own.

This is historical fiction based on true facts during World War II.
It is as intense as the 1940's were!

If you love Magic and Illusions you will adore Fenna who is the main character in these pages.
She, as we discover, has not had an easy childhood.
Her favorite pastime is learning about her idol who was Houdini. She worshipped and learned about his life and tricks until Fenna herself masters this art of mystery and way more. She is good!
The British Intelligence offers Fenna a position as a spy because of her skills and this is where the journey gets interesting for all!

I enjoyed this story, though at times I felt it was a bit long and confusing.
I do think anyone, who enjoys World War II history will truly love "Way We Hide".

Thank you to NetGalley and #SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for this ARC and for allowing me to provie my own review.

Interesting to learn about how talented people, especially women devised ways to thwart the Nazis and help the Allie’s during WWII.

Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the copy of The Ways We Hide. Even though the writing never grabbed me, this was a captivating and intricate story. I loved how Fenna used her stage magic background to solve real-life problems. Fenna and Arie were great characters and I liked how their relationship evolved. The first half of the book was about their childhood and it went on a little too long for me. This could have been a great dual timeline book because the part of the book when they were adults was much more exciting than the childhood part, even though the childhood part was important to the story. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

THE WAYS WE HIDE is a complex historical novel about overcoming loss and conquering fears. A childhood tragedy leaves the principal character strikingly alone and required to be both innovative and mature at a very early age.

This historical novel takes us through a series of seemingly insurmountable challenges for our heroine, culminating in a a harrowing espionage journey through Nazi occupied Holland. The character is almost breathlessly innovative and intrepid and, while she verges on the cusp of being impossibly clever, this reader was with her all the way and accepted her heroics as “ what the situation required.”

While there was almost too much “ over the edge” adventure in this novel, It was a reminder of the challenges of survival in wartime and the heroism that emerges.

This sweeping WWII era book of historical fiction weaves a credible tale based on real people and events. First begun in copper mining country in Michigan, young Fenna survived a tragic theater stampede which was started by someone yelling “Fire!”. She witnessed the bodies and severely injured (mostly children) laid out after barely escaping herself. This emotionally scarred her for life. Soon after, her widowed father was killed in a mining accident and she was sent to an orphanage. She escaped and found her way to a family who had moved several towns away. During this time she had become intrigued with Houdini, magic, and escapism. Through that interest, she was recruited to assist the British is the war effort and her adventures continue in designing items. She eventually gets drawn into rescue work in the Netherlands. This book is well researched and may relate to a film to be screened later this year or in 2023 “The War Magician” with Benedict Cumberbatch. Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this ARC to be published September 6, 2022.

I’m a fast reader, but I needed to read this slowly so I could absorb every detail and feel every emotion. This book was oh so good, stunning in its portrayal of human emotion, love and loss. I’m not good enough with words to do it justice.

Fenna Vos loves magic and illusions. She’s smitten with Houdini. She suffered loss and tragedy and her love of the magical world of Houdini got her through these hard times. She becomes quite adept at illusions and trickery herself, so as a young woman she is recruited by M19 to invent and design gadgets meant to help those fighting the Nazis. She finds that her skills will be put to good use to save those she loves.

I cheered Fenna on, I cried with her, I chewed off all of my fingernails and I stayed up way too late reading. I’m so grateful for the ARC of this book and would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher. This is my honest 5-star review.

4.25 – 4.5 STARS

Amidst the ravages of life and war, illusion plays an integral role in this gripping, cleverly crafted saga about love and loss, set against a devastatingly real WWII backdrop.

Although “The Ways We Hide” boasts a unique and compelling premise with complex, relatable characters, I found the pacing to be a bit sluggish at times, especially as it pertained to the backstory—which could have been told through flashbacks or alternating between chapters of past and present as a more effective means of driving the story forward.

That said, this historical fiction delivered a distinctive twist and an interesting perspective that immediately drew me in. Add the romantic angst between Fenna and Arie into the mix, and this story kept me engaged from start to finish.

Kristina McMorris’ latest book, The Ways We Hide, is a must read if you love historical fiction and novels set during WWII. I thought it was fascinating that Kristina used a little known piece of history, how allies used Monopoly boards to smuggle escape aids to Allied POWs, to develop a story. Kristina is a gifted storyteller. The novel kept me engaged as Fenna meets and overcomes one obstacle after another beginning in her childhood. Her role as inventor and magician assistant ends up taking her to England and working with British intelligence.
The novel was a roller coaster of suspense and action. I found myself gasping at some points wondering how Fenna was going to get out of the current mess. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book for my honest review.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was a phenomenal novel and I loved everything about it...the characters, the storyline, the writing, everything. Fenna is a magician working at MI9 and gets dropped into Holland to help clear childhood friend, Arie. This book was suspenseful, action packed, tender and just wonderful. I definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction but this book would appeal to such a wide audience. I would give this book 50 stars if I could!! Now I'm off to read Sold on. A Monday by this author.

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley.
PTSD affects a lot of people and Fenna Vos is no stranger to it after what she experienced as a child. Now as an adult, it still comes back to remind her of the tragedies she has lived through as she tries to help other people. First she is an entertainer who looks up to Houdini as the master of illusion. Then she helps out with the war effort from a distance before volunteering to go on a mission personally. It's an interesting read based on some true parts of WWII.

Fenna Vos grew up in a mining town in Michigan, where a tragic incident has left traumatic memories that she has managed to suppress by studying the work of Harry Houdini.
It is 1942 and WWII is raging in Europe. Fenna is an adult now that performs on stage in New York City as the assistant to an escape artist. In reality, she is the genius behind the artist’s tricks, controlling each aspect of their act, from conception to the construction of contraptions, and the actual performance. It is in one of her shows that a British military intelligence officer offers her a job in London designing escape gadgets for POW’s, aviators, and members of the Resistance. The job is challenging and sometimes frustrating, but her biggest challenge is a test of her loyalty that threatens to destroy the walls she has set up to survive.
This is a fascinating, well-researched book that deals with a little-known fact from WWII. The language is beautiful, and the story kept me engaged from start to finish. I feared for Fenna, cried with and for her, and admired her courage and fortitude, as well as her ability to observe, empathize and rationalize her feelings. Her will to survive leads her to find answers and solutions. Through adversity, regrets, and loss, she strives to move on in life honoring her loved ones. I am truly in awe of this character and of the whole story.
I also enjoyed the author’s notes on the inspiration behind the story and her research on the subject. This is a five-star book for me; one of my favorites of all time. I cannot recommend it enough.
Thanks to NetGalley and to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with a free digital copy to review this book prior to its release.

The Ways We Hide presented a very different view of WWII. This is the first Kristina McMorris book that I have read. The female protagonist is a magician. The first half of the book is largely background and is historically accurate in many aspects. The second half of the book has Jenna working her magic to help the war effort.

Sections of this novel work very well. The background of Jenna's life was most interesting for me, primarily because the details of Jenna's life were explored in depth. Her relationship with her father, with Arie, and with his parents convey real complexity in both strengths and weaknesses. Perhaps because I am not interested in magic, the parts of the novel that focused on Jenna's career in magic was not as interesting to me, although how magic tricks were used in the war effort was instructive. Jenna's journey to Holland was set up to be emotionally draining, and in ways it was. However, it also dragged in places. I kept imagining how a film of this section of novel would best be able to capture the content and tension.

Admittedly, the ending of this novel was disappointing to me, and so I am struggling to get past it. I do appreciate why it was necessary, while also being disappointed. I do want to thank the author and publisher for providing this ARC, in exchange for my honest review. The above opinions are my own, and although I wish there was a choice of half a star, there isn't. My actual choice would be 3 1/2 stars. Thank you also to NetGalley for offering access to this title.

Fenna Vos has experienced a lot of highs and lows in her short life. From surviving a stampede of people trying to escape what was later learned was a false cry of “fire”, to the loss of her parents to illness making her an orphan. Through these early experiences, she meets and befriends Arie, who finds a book on magic by Houdini. Thus began her journey into learning about magic and the tricks of the illusions.

Fast forward to 1942, after an argument with her onstage partner, she is approached by a man from British Intelligence. He knows she is the mastermind behind the tricks performed on stage and presents her an opportunity to support the Allied troops. Unsure of what to do, she calls Arie to ask if he knows the man through his network with the military. Arie is brief with her about the person and ends up hanging up on her, leaving the reader to wonder what fractured their relationship.

While in England, working with MI9 to find ways to help Allied forces with their contraptions, Fenna encounters Arie. He leaves soon after and she discovers through a meeting with British intelligence that he has disappeared on a mission and has failed to report in. Fenna suggests that she go to Holland as bait to flush him out. As she trains for this mission, she is told by a friend that she overheard the officer going with Fenna is being sent to kill Arie for fear he has turned on the Allies.

What ensues is a tense adventure where so many things go wrong, but not too many that leave the reader shaking their head wondering how much bad luck one person could have. McMorris weaves a story of survival, love, and betrayal masterfully that leaves you rooting for Fenna to successfully complete her mission and reunite with Arie. She is a strong female protagonist that utilizes her intelligence and trade to survive all that life is throwing or has thrown at her. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#netgalley #arc #thewayswehide #kristinamcmorris #sourcebookslandmark