I have been devouring WWII nonfiction and historical fiction since I was in middle school, and I am always delighted when I come across a book that focuses on someone lost to history or an area mostly ignored. In this case, the country of Norway and the second female United States ambassador Florence “Daisy” Harriman.

While the story is based on the true events within Daisy’s time as the US Ambassador to Norway, author Alix Rickloff gives her a fictional niece named Cleo. Having run away to Poland following a called off wedding, Cleo goes to Daisy when her partner goes missing. Believed to be dead, but refusing to accept what she is being told, Cleo continues to dig while she also tries to find her footing inside her aunt’s world.

The book was easy to invest in and the pages flew as multiple streams of plot converged into an ending with limitless possibilities. I thought the pacing was good and I really loved that Rickloff chose to highlight a very important person in history whose name won’t be found in a history book.

Thank you Uplit Reads for the gifted copy.