Publication Date: June 17, 2025
In the heart of the US capital, Dinah Kendall’s role for the Office of Strategic Services isn’t the thrilling espionage career she dreamed of. Instead, she spends her days crafting rumors aimed at undermining Axis morale. As Dinah navigates her duties, she uncovers a startling revelation: Her mother, Lillian, was once a codebreaker, cracking military ciphers during the Great War alongside some of the nation’s most brilliant minds. The deeper Dinah dives into her mother’s past, the more secrets come to light—including the heavy cost of high-stakes codebreaking.
Lillian, though resolute in her decision to avoid war work, reluctantly enters the fray when old friends in Washington, DC, seek her expertise. Both mother and daughter find themselves working behind the scenes—and working together—to support the Allied cause. But just when Dinah begins to excel in her new position, everything she’s worked so hard to obtain comes crashing down around her. Caught in a web of intrigue and unsure who to trust, she must piece together the truth in time to confront the shadowy threat that could compromise the impending D-Day invasion.
A compelling World War I and World War II home front novel inspired by true stories of codebreakers and OSS agents. Courage, danger, and a mother-daughter bond interweave in this compelling historical tale that will appeal to readers of Sarah Sundin and Madeline Martin.
A young American woman contributes to the war effort by generating deceptive messages to undermine the enemies.
Author Amy Lynn Green delivers a dual timeline that encompasses both world wars while primarily focusing on World War II in The Codebreaker’s Daughter. Much of the content is based on actual events, which adds a layer of depth to the plot.
Dinah Kendall yearns for a more interesting task than just research and creating propaganda designed to damage the morale of Axis forces. Learning more about cryptography leads her to unlock a coded journal from her mother.
Lily’s story unfolds in the background, filling in important details about the use of codes in the war and the race to develop ciphers. It’s interesting to note that history marks the contributions of men in the field but sparsely recognizes women like Elizabeth Friedman.
Mother and daughter must work together when a plot twist threatens not only Dinah’s safety but also the missions abroad.
The Codebreaker’s Daughter illustrates the behind-the-scenes war efforts in the United States and the dangers surrounding them.
Amy Lynn Green has always loved history and reading, and she enjoys speaking with book clubs, writing groups, and libraries all around the country. Her debut novel, Things We Didn’t Say, was nominated for a 2021 Minnesota Book Award and won two Carol Awards. hings We Didn’t Say and The Blackout Book Club received starred reviews from both Booklist and Library Journal. Amy and her family make their home in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
