I found this book rather hard to read without having to look up several complex words that were used in the context. Overall it made my reading experience unenjoyable. I want to be able to understand what I’m reading.

Thank you netgalley and publisher for the digital copy of The Librarian Spy. Due to my rating I will not be posting my review on my socials.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story featuring two parallel stories: one set in Lyon and the other in Lisbon. Elaine Rousseau and Ava Harper, unknowingly to each other, work together to assist the Resistance in providing vital information to the Allies plus rescue refugees.

It’s an intriguing story, one full of well-researched facts and tidbits plus two strong independent characters who capture our attention with their dedication and bravery. I especially enjoyed learning more about Lisbon, a city I’m soon to travel to.

With a fine supporting cast of characters, Martin gives us a tremendous insight into a group of unsung heroes who contributed much to the war effort.

I was fortunate to receive an early ebook copy with no expectation of a favourable review.

This is such a fabulous story, telling the tale of two woman in two countries who work tirelessly to help refugees caught up in the dreadful war, it shows courage, and strength and sheer determination that helped win the war, and this is a story not to be missed by anyone who loves historical fiction.

Ava Harper is working as a librarian at the Library of Congress in Washington DC and she loves it, she is a lover of reading and protecting books, but when she is asked to journey to Lisbon to help with the war effort by collecting newspapers and anything that could help she jumps at the chance, never realizing that this would make such big changes to herself and people in need.

Elaine Roussea is living in occupied Lyon in France working for the resistance, Elaine has been through heartbreak already and is determined to do what she can to help and this means printing the resistance newspapers a dangerous job but she has learnt well and when she discovers a young mother and son in need of help she puts coded messages in the printing hoping that someone will understand and help.

These coded messages that Ava discovers pushes Ava to make sure that this woman and child are saved, and she works hard and pulls in help to ensure it happens, even though Ava and Elaine don’t meet they organize things to make sure it happens, two strong and caring woman can make all the difference in this terrible times.

This book tells the story of heartache, of pain and hurt but it also tells the story of what happens when people get together and fight for safety and to help each other, truly this story is heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. I cheered these woman on and I cried tears of sadness and joy when the tide turned. I loved getting to know them both and learned about their lives and their loves, there are so many characters in this story that I loved and cried for. I do highly recommend this one, I loved it.

My thanks the Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

The Librarian Spy by Madeline Martin is an emotional World War II historical fiction story featuring two young women, one American and one French. These two women come to understand the power of the written word especially during a period of world history where life seemed intrinsically out of control.

‘The written word held such importance to her through the years. Books had been her solace in a world turned upside down, a connection to characters when she was utterly alone …. In the war, they had given her insight, understanding, and appreciation.’

Madeline was inspired by, firstly, the history of America’s library of spies in neutral Lisbon. The reader is introduced to Ava, who worked at the Library of Congress but was transferred to Lisbon because of her language skills and where she was to serve as a spy. Secondly, we meet Elaine in Lyon, who is helping the French Resistance by working with the printing press and distributing factual accounts of the war through an underground newspaper. These women connect through a coded message sent out through the printed pamphlets.

The Author’s Note at the end of the book is very informative and shows the amount of research undertaken. It’s so rewarding to delve into the history behind the fiction. This is the first time I have read about Lisbon during WWII and the role librarians played in gathering information. I had never read anything about Portugal during the war and I was fascinated by this perspective.

For readers who love historical fiction set during this period, The Librarian Spy is a great addition. A tale full of drama, secrets and suspense, intrigue and history that proved riveting reading. This is a story where the reader will experience the full range of emotions, with some events requiring a tissue box to be close at hand. A truly profound story.

‘There was nothing Ava Harper loved more than the smell of old books. The musty scent of aging paper and stale ink took one on a journey … These were tomes once cradled in the spread palms of forefathers, pored over by scholars … In those fragrant, yellowed pages were stories of the past and eternal knowledge.’




This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Ava's job at the Library of Congress in Washington was one she loved. A lover of books of any description, her handling of the ancient texts was thrilling. When the US Military offered her the job of spy in Lisbon, Portugal where her librarian job would be the perfect cover, she was to photograph and copy all print, newspapers and the like, those printed by the underground, the hated German copy, and anything that could be sent back to the relevant authorities. It was dangerous, but the adrenalin kept Ava working late into the night as the war deepened.

Elaine lived in Lyon, France and was desperate to find her husband Joseph. He was missing after an argument they'd had and when she was approached by Etienne, she learned he'd been arrested by the Nazis and taken to a notorious prison. Elaine had begged Joseph to allow her to join the Resistance - that's what the fight had been about - and now Etienne took her under his wing, and her fight for justice began as she joined other members. Her learning how to run the printing press in the abandoned warehouse was the start of months of exhaustion, fear, and close brushes with the Nazis, but they were determined. Coding was sent out in the newspapers, and Ava picked up the anomalies...

The Librarian Spy by Madeline Martin began in 1941 and is set in Lyon and Lisbon where the two main characters were doing their bit in helping to end the war. Both courageous women, Ava had none of the rationing that occupied France had, but she and her contemporaries were wary of the Portuguese secret police, who passed on relevant information to the Nazis. Elaine had to be on alert twenty four hours a day, and that was exhausting. But they all felt it, and deemed it well worth while. There are many other, highly important characters in this book, with the focus being on the Resistance and helping refugees; a different view, once again, of the horrors of WWII. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

Meticulously researched and with the fiction skilfully woven around fact, The Librarian Spy offers readers a fresh take on World War Two. Set half in Lisbon and half in Lyon, the book offers glimpses at two different aspects of the war circa 1943.
In Lisbon, we see an abundance of refugees, who’ve fled other parts of Europe in the hope of securing passage to America. Here there are glittering parties, plenty to eat and drink and also spies aplenty from both sides of the war. This is the wartime world of Ava Harper, a Library Of Congress librarian, whose role is to gather as much newspaper information as she can and convert it to microfiche for transport to America for analysis. I loved Ava. Not only has she a backbone, she also has a conscience. I loved her commitment to doing what she could to help the refugees she sees in her everyday life.
In Lyon, food is scarce, people are scared, Nazis and Nazi collaborators are everywhere and the Resistance is strong. This is the home of Hélene Bélanger, who becomes involved in the resistance after her husband’s disappearance. Working under the false identity of Elaine Rousseau, she learns how to operate the printers used to publish Combat, a resistance newspaper calculating in the Lyon area. Like Ava, Elaine is filled with compassion and when she meets a young Jewish mother trying to flee with her son, she cannot help but step in to help. He coded messages find their way to Ava, which instigates the rescue.
These two women are unbelievably brave, Elaine especially, and it was so ea#y to admire them both. Their story is compelling and beautifully told. It is one I will definitely be reading again.

Set in 1941, with dual timelines of two women, Ava and Elaine. Both working against the Nazis of WWII.

Ava and Elaine find themselves connected through coded messages hidden in Combat, an underground newspaper Elaine helps produce and both women want to help reunite a Jewish family in America.

The women's experiences in the book are quite different, Ava doesn't live in a country occupied by Nazis and is not actively working for the Resistance as Elaine is. They both however struggle to know who to trust and how they will be able to help reunite the Jewish family.

I was educated by this book about library spies during World War II and I highly recommend this book for anyone that enjoys reading Historical Fiction.

The Librarian Spy: a novel of World War II about two women and their roles in WW11 base on a true story by Madeline Martin. Librarian at the Library of Congress, Ava received an offer from the US Military to work undercover in Lisbon as a spy, a job she could not refuse. While in France, Elaine wanted to protect her homeland from the Nazis and decided to begin an apprenticeship at a printing press run by the Resistance. During the battle in Europe, Ava and Elaine connected. The readers will continue to follow Ava and Elaine to find out what happens.

The Librarian Spy was the first book I read by Madeline Martin. The Librarian Spy started slowly for me; however, halfway through the book, I began to enjoy the plot and the characters of The Librarian Spy. I enjoyed Madeline Martin's portrayal of her characters and the way they intertwine with each other throughout this book. The Librarian Spy is well written and researched by Madeline Martin. I did like Madeline Martin's description of the settings of The Librarian Spy, which complemented the book's plot.

The readers of The Librarian Spy will learn about the importance of the Resistance during WW11. Also, the readers of The Librarian Spy will understand the problems communities had during the German occupation of Europe.

400 enthralling pages about two women, war and coded messages. 400 pages of struggles, spies and fears. 400 pages of risks, fighting for freedom and life in a time of danger and war.

This book I could not put down. It is such a strong and intriguing book that just drew me in. The story although there were tough times, gave way to an uplifting and inspiring tale of these two women, Ava and Elaine, and how their worlds entwined through a war that was most horrendous and very scary.

I loved this book and the story, the characters and the hope of getting through this tough time. You felt as if you were there with them and struggling right along side of them.

A revelation, a wonderful book and one I highly recommend.

Set in 1941 in Lisbon and Lyon, the novel tells of the lives of two women, Ava and Elaine, working against the Nazis in WW2. Ava is a librarian at the Library of Congress in Washington DC when she is approached to join a special government group and go to Lisbon to work for a covert operation (the IDC) obtaining intelligence on the Nazis from newspapers and other publications. Portugal has remained a neutral country during the war so she will be able to French and German newspapers and flyers from the underground, film them on microfilm and send then back to Washington where they are analysed. Elaine (real name Hélène) joined the French resistance when her husband was arrested for being a member of the resistance, something he had kept secret from her. At first Elaine would help distribute the underground newsletter the group printed and later learnt how to operate the printer herself.

I loved the way Madeline Martin immerses us in two separate words during WW2. There is the difficulty of life in Lyon, occupied by the Germans with spies and Nazi collaborators around every corner. People are barely getting by with not even enough food available to meet the meagre rations allowed, while the Germans can be seen in the restaurants and bars eating well and drinking French wine. The little details of daily life and things Elaine would do to eke out her rations, such as collecting breadcrumbs to add to meals to stretch them further, added extra colour to the novel. In contrast, life in Lyon is much easier for Ava with no rationing and plenty of food available, but she still needs to be careful of the Portuguese secret police and German spies. She is also distressed by the thousands of refugees from all parts of Europe who have flooded into Portugal, that she can see waiting in long queues outside the American embassy every day waiting for visas to freedom.

Although Ava and Elaine are the main characters in the novel, both courageous and dedicated, the secondary characters are just as important. James, who works with the British Librarians in Portugal, other women and men in the resistance in Lyon and their bravery in the face of possible capture and torture and the refugees with their harrowing stories of persecution, loss of loved ones and hope of freedom. It was interesting too to get a glimpse of how the allies were gathering intelligence in Europe to use to use against the Nazis by sorting propaganda from the real and to store for future historians. A riveting and fascinating read that I recommend to those who enjoy historical fiction.

Having read ‘The Last Bookshop in London’ I was excited to read the authors latest work. As a librarian and lover of books I am drawn to stories about books and librarians and this was an inspiring and suspenseful read.
This outstanding historical fiction story takes Librarian, Ava Harper from her comfortable and safe life working in the Library of Congress in Washington DC and transports her to Lisbon in Portugal as a Librarian ‘under cover’. I was not aware there were Librarian spies in WWII so this was a fascinating fact. Ava is tasked with collecting information on German activities through underground newspapers, photos, letters …anything she can get her hands on. She microfilms the material and sends it back to the US Army. Any information that can help the war effort against Germany is crucial.
Elaine Roussea lives in war torn Lyon, France and works for the resistance after her husband Joseph is arrested by the Nazis. Elaine becomes involved in printing ‘Combat’ the underground newspaper for the resistance. It is very dangerous work as the Nazis are constantly arresting and torturing resistance members.
‘Combat’ becomes the link between Ava and Elaine. Ava sees a coded message Elaine has printed in ‘Combat’ requesting assistance in rescuing a Jewish mother and child from Lyon and transporting them to America. Ava must do what she can to help.
The backdrop to this story is the horrors of life in Lyon with the Nazis terrorising the Jewish community and the dangers experienced by the resistance. Life in Lisbon is not so harsh but the uncertainty of the lives of refugees that arrive in the city is heartbreaking.
The Librarian Spy is a compelling historical fiction read and one I highly recommend. A definite 5/5

Ava Harper is a librarian at the Library of Congress in Washington DC and she cares for precious and rare books. The US military contact her, Ava can speak two languages and with her experience using microfilm and they recruit her to work in Portugal. Her cover story is she's a librarian, she actually takes tiny photos of magazine articles, book pages, correspondence, newspapers and even an underground French one. The American army is collecting information on the Germans, what’s happening in France and it’s to be used to win the war

Elaine Roussea lives in occupied Lyon, France, she works for the resistance, and she helps print and distribute an underground newspaper called Combat. After her husband Joseph was arrested, Elaine had to change her name and she decided to help her country gain it’s freedom. The Germans are desperate to find them, they worry about someone infiltrating their group and a collaborator dobbing them into the Gestapo.

Ava and Elaine are complete strangers, they find themselves connected through the coded messages hidden in Combat and both want to help reunite a Jewish family in America. How can two women who have never met, get Sarah and Noah safely out of France, to Portugal and obtain the necessary visas for them to enter America?

The women's experiences during the war are somewhat different, Ava didn’t go hungry like Elaine, she wasn’t living in an occupied country and she didn't have to worry about being captured and tortured. Both women however struggled with knowing who they could trust, Lyon and Lisbon were both full of spies. Ava and Elaine made friends and formed connections with the people they worked with, this made them vulnerable, led to inevitable heartache and loss.

Inspired by discovering the history of America’s library of spies in neutral Lisbon, and about a French woman who joined the resistance and helped print an underground newspaper. Madeline Martin has written an outstanding historical fiction story, it’s revitalizing to read and learn new information about the Second World War. I received a copy of The Librarian Spy from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review. I highly recommend this book, five stars from me and I'm defiantly going to read the authors previous novel The Last Bookshop in London.