I received an E-Arc from the publisher and Netgalley for an honest review!

This was an adventurous book! Intrigue, historical adventures and romance takes places in this story. So much was happening!

The ups and downs of code breaking with Grace and Robert. You get a feel how they connect through so many different things. The ups and downs!

I enjoyed how many things that Grace went through. She had friendship, rivalry, romance, heartbreak and adventure. She showed off her strength many times. I loved the beginning of the book how she was brought into the fold of codebreaking.

Robert had his own ups and downs. I loved how he flirted with Grace. He endured depression and his mental health during post war times. This was a hardship on him and even on Grace. Remember back in the day they did not have as much help as we do now.

The story works through pre and post war. I got a sense of the mental state of mind of Grace and Robert during both times. You can see how how human they are.

I did love the dog's name that Grace and Robert had!

I rarely read this type of genre but I"m glad I did! It's a great story and pick it up if you like codebreaking, adventure, historical fiction and a relationship that has been through so much. Pick it up when it comes out, you won't regret it!

I enjoyed the fictionalized account of Elizabeth Friedman. She was a fascinating person who was never credited for her work in either of the world wars.

The story pulled me in from the first chapter and held it throughout my reading. Captivating and fascinating, Lady Codebreaker is outstanding historical fiction.

K.D. Alden is an author I can’t wait to read more of.


Strong recommendation from me.



Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the DRC!

I’m a marketing and publicity associate Forever, so I am reading this for work! Aaaaaaand there's a character limit on reviews here are some more words

Lady Codebreaker by K.D. Alden is a great historical fiction that is based off of a fabulous real and courageous woman: Elizebeth Smith Friedman.

Spanning decades, from around WWI to the post-WWII era, we are taken alomg for a ride to see all of the fascinating and larger than life events that happened to a complex, intelligent, feisty, and strong woman. I never knew of Elizebeth amd it was great to learn about her and her husband and the roles they played in codebreaking for the US.

Of note, the fact vs fiction note by the Author at the end of the book is definitely worth reading as it gives a lot of context and sets straight some of the liberties that were taken in order to be able to have a novel that was realistic, interesting, and workable.

4.5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Forever for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 3/12/24.

Histfic fans will adore this brilliant tale based on the true life of codebreaker Elizebeth Friedman and her husband Robert. Crackles with intrigue, romance, courage, and the fight to safeguard America during WWI and II, from Al Capone, and even J. Edgar Hoover.

To me, a great historical fiction novel hits two notes: it is in itself a captivating story, but also it is interesting enough that I want to learn more about the history it references. Lady Codebreaker definitely hit both of those notes, and I find myself obsessed with codes once more, picking up the threads I left after reading Alan Hodges’s book on Alan Turing.

Lady Codebreaker follows the story of Grace and Robert, a married couple who are cryptoanalysts for the US military. The story spans a massive 4 decades, starting from their entry into code breaking and moving into the aftermath of World War 2. Readers get a glimpse of the painstaking process and the import of code breaking from the tail end of WWI through the prohibition and all through WWII.

Through Grace, we experience the position of women and the challenges and heartbreak that went along with simply being female in that time. We get a taste of the strength of female friendships and the bitterness of rivalry. There are so many beautiful quotes in this book that I can’t wait to take a highlighter to once I get a physical copy.

In Robert, we get a heartbreaking look into issues of depression and mental health. This theme is apparent from the very beginning of the prologue, and every time we jump forward into the post-war era, my heart broke a little more for him.

The way Alden weaves the story through the decades, jumping the reader back and forth between war time and post-war time makes the unfolding of events hit so much harder than a purely chronological telling. It also makes the vast timespan encompassed by the plot feel less overwhelming.

This is a wonderful story for any historical fiction lover, woman in STEM, proponent of mental health awareness, and any woman looking for a beautiful yet heartbreaking read. I will absolutely be adding this to my high school math classroom library (the romance is all closed door) as soon as it is released for use in book groups.