Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This gripping psychological thriller features a little-known chapter of WWI history: the story of the Hello Girls, individuals employed by the U.S. Army to operate phone lines in France. In 1918, 18-year-old Edda returns home from her station in France, haunted by a mistake she made that cost her job--and possibly others' lives. Now, she resides in her aunt's boardinghouse in Washington, D.C., and works night shifts as an American Bell Telephone operator. One night, she gets a call: "You have to tell the truth before it's too late," followed by the ominous secret code, "Brightwood." Hesse (They Went Left) skillfully portrays Edda's heightened emotional state and post-traumatic stress, as well as her urgency to untangle a mystery and resolve her guilt. As Edda gathers clues and tracks down possible callers, her sympathetic boardinghouse neighbor Theo joins her search, which adds friendship and romantic tension that brightens her solitary existence. Narrative flashbacks to the harrowing WWI battle zone, interspersed throughout Edda's richly drawn present day in D.C. and Baltimore (complete with marches for women's suffrage), tease out the mystery in this worthwhile historical novel. Characters read as white. Ages 14--up. Agent: Ginger Clark, Ginger Clark Literary. (May)
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Review by Horn Book Review
In 1918 Washington, DC, eighteen-year-old Edda St. James is working as a switchboard operator for the Bell telephone company while living in her aunt's boarding house. Though she is grateful for the job, she still suffers fear and anxiety from her recent stint as a Hello Girl operator on the WWI French front, where she patched through coded messages under extreme pressure. Now an anonymous caller has taken her right back with the mention of one word: Brightwood. The word she forgot in a crucial moment, the word she is convinced got the entire Forty-Eighth Regiment from Baltimore killed in battle. Edda is terrified. Who is the caller, and what do they want? With the help of her handsome neighbor, Theo, Edda sets out to discover the caller's identity and somehow atone for her devastating mistake. Hesse maintains steady suspense by alternating between Edda's recent past in France and her present. Red herrings abound as the chapters race toward a climax, and readers may believe that several different characters could be responsible for Edda's torment until the truth, shockingly personal and close to home (and involving a serial sexual abuser), is finally revealed. Historical fiction fans will enjoy this illuminating look at a little-known aspect of WWI. Jennifer Hubert SwanSeptember/October 2024 p.75 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A World War I story that shines a light on a little-known group of heroic young women is the latest from noted historical fiction author Hesse. It's 1918, and 18-year-old Edda St. James works the overnight shift as an operator at Bell System's Washington, D.C., Central switchboard. The hours suit her: She can sleep the day away, trying to escape memories of her months in France. Flashbacks to her experiences near the front lines gradually disclose details of how those months shaped her. Edda shocked her Baltimore socialite parents when she applied to be a Hello Girl for the American Expeditionary Forces. She proved to be a natural in memorizing codes, connecting calls, and conversing in French. But her confidence in her abilities was swept away in a single night when, unable to remember the code, she could not put a connection through--and 34 American soldiers died. Back in the States, Edda blames herself--and when a voice on the other end of the switchboard line demands she tell the truth, she realizes that someone knows about her deadly mistake. Edda takes Theo, a fellow tenant at her aunt's boardinghouse, into her confidence, and together they try to determine what the anonymous voice wants. The large cast of characters, who are cued white, are fully developed, and the short chapters and engaging writing will have readers racing to discover the secret. A well-researched work that stands out for its explorations of guilt and trauma. (author's note) (Historical mystery. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
