Author Ariel Lawhon on Nazi-killing socialite spy Nancy Wake

Why haven’t more people heard of Nancy Wake?

An upper-class expat who smuggled documents and people out of WWII Paris, armed the French Resistance, and killed a Nazi commander bare-handed, this war heroine should be a household name — but she isn’t. Author Ariel Lawhon sets out to rectify the oversight in her latest novel, Code Name Hélène. The book is a meticulously researched and compulsively readable account of Nancy Wake’s life, tracing her journey from journalist to society wife to spy. 

Erica spoke with Ariel about writing Code Name Hélène, why this story has been overlooked for so long, and the fascinating truth behind Nancy’s signature red lipstick. They also discuss Ariel’s approach to writing fiction about real people, her favorite fictional marriages, and even get a behind-the-scenes peek at her next project.

Code Name Hélène is available to check out in regular print or large type, as well as ebook formats in CloudLibrary and Libby/Overdrive. You can also purchase it at your favorite bookstore.

Find out more about Ariel here.

Books Discussed In This Episode

• All Arial Lawhon books
• Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
• The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins