Publication Date: June 23, 2026
For fans of novels featuring strong, smart female protagonists, the first in a series about the novice female American spies in North Africa and the Mediterranean that changed the tide of World War II.
In 1942, during the height of World War II, Wild Bill Donovan, the director of the United States’ first spy agency, believes women are the key to winning the intelligence battle with the Nazis. To that end, he partners fledgling agent Kit Thomas with British MI6 agent Mark Williams and sends them to one of the most perilous places in the world—Massawa, Eritrea—to investigate the theft of millions of military payroll dollars.
In Massawa, Kit and Mark discover a conspiracy by Nazi sympathizers, known as the Vichy, to shut down the only Allied naval base on the Red Sea—which is an essential resource in stopping the Nazi invasion of North Africa. As they work to reveal the conspirators, Kit and Mark engage in a dangerous and tempestuous dance of trust versus mistrust.
When a private contractor based in North Africa is suspected of diverting military payroll funds in the midst of World War II, both British and American intelligence agencies take notice.
Author Pam Webber weaves a tale of espionage in Massawa featuring an unusual investigative pairing. From the American side, an inexperienced female agent, Kit Thomas, is tapped to pose as a courier.
It’s hard to imagine, but women at that time still faced limitations in the service. Kit, however, proves to be an excellent choice. She manages to ferret out key information pointing toward a conspiracy.
Her partner, Mark Williams, is more of an enigma. He has quite a bit of experience, but there’s something about him that makes Kit unwilling to trust him fully.
Together, they get caught up in a high-stakes battle that could shut down the only Allied naval base in the area—opening the door to unlimited resources for the Nazis.
Massawa brings both the time period and the setting to life in a race to seek answers.
Pam Webber is a bestselling author of historical fiction. Her novels include, The Wiregrass, Moon Water, Life Dust, and the soon to be released, Massawa. The Historical Novel Society, Southern Literary Review, and Readersfavorite.com highly recommend her work because of the memorable characters, engaging stories, and immersive settings.
As a second career novelist, Pam loves meeting with book clubs, writing circles and civic organizations. She was honored to be a panelist at Virginia Festival of the Book, the Library of Virginia, and James River Writers.
Pam is also an internal medicine nurse practitioner and former nursing educator. She and her husband, Jeff, live in the beautiful Northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
