It's 1939 and two women find themselves swept up in the war effort.

In occupied France, Marie-Louise is recruited into a secret intelligence network. She leaves her two children in the care of others as she seeks out information about German military activity to help the Allies. Her efforts will see her reach the top of the organisation and she'll find love on the way.

In England, in the Sussex countryside, Sarah is a wife and mother and looks after evacuees. Her husband is away from home, after joining up, and increasingly it's clear he's engaged in top secret war work. Eventually the couple work together, creating a safe house for foreign agents.

Ultimately these two worlds collide as both women show their commitment, resourcefulness, resilience and sacrifice. 

Told as parallel stories, it's an engaging read made poignant and powerful through it being inspired by the lives of real women - Marie- Madeleine Fourcade, the only female leader of a French Resistance network, named Noah's Ark, and Barbara Bertram - whom Rachel Hore acknowledges in her author's note.

I've discovered Rachel's writing rather late in the day - this is her 15th novel, but I very much enjoyed 'The Secrets of Dragonfly Lodge', set in Norfolk. I'll be reading more!