The Brightwood Code - by Monica Hesse (Paperback)

About the Book

A cryptic message forces eighteen-year-old American Edda to investigate what secrets followed her across the ocean, even as she tries to make sense of her time as a telephone operator on the French front lines of World War I.

Book Synopsis

Timely and unforgettable, The Brightwood Code sheds light on hidden history and the brutality of being a woman in a war built by men.

"The Brightwood Code has everything I love in a book." --Stacey Lee, New York Times bestselling author of Reese's Book Club pick The Downstairs Girl

Seven months ago, Edda was on the World War I front lines as one of two hundred "Hello Girls," female switchboard operators employed by the US Army. She spent her nights memorizing secret connection codes to stay ahead of spying enemies, and her days connecting vital calls between platoons and bases and generals, all trying to survive--and win--a brutal war. Their lives were in Edda's hands, and one day, in fateful seconds, everything went wrong.

Now, Edda is back in Washington, DC, working as an American Bell Telephone operator, the picture of respectability. But when her shift ends, Edda is barely hanging on, desperate to forget the circumstances that cut her time overseas short. When she receives a panicked phone call from someone who utters the fateful code word "Brightwood," Edda has no choice but to confront her past. With precious few clues and help only from Theo, a young man bearing his own WWI scars, Edda races to uncover what secrets may have followed her across the ocean.

New York Times bestselling author Monica Hesse delivers a gripping thriller that will leave you guessing until the last page.

A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
Starred reviews from: ★ The Bulletin ★ The Horn Book ★ Publishers Weekly ★ SLJ

"Page-turning." ―The Washington Post

Review Quotes

A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A Los Angeles Public Library Best Book of the Year
A CCBC Children's Choice Book
Starred Reviews from Publishers Weekly, BCCB, The Horn Book, and SLJ

"The Brightwood Code has everything I love in a book, an overlooked history woven into a fascinating narrative, and a strong heroine forging her own path forward." --Stacey Lee, New York Times bestselling author of Reese's Book Club pick The Downstairs Girl


* "An evocative novel that seamlessly blends elements of mystery, history, and psychology, this is a must-read for anyone looking for a thought-provoking puzzle that explores the lasting impacts of war. Highly recommended." --SLJ, starred review

* "Hesse maintains steady suspense...Red herrings abound as the chapters race toward a climax." --The Horn Book, starred review

* "Hesse yet again proves herself to be a master in matching a compelling mystery with a vividly detailed historical setting [in] a book that is an absolute page-turner...This easily deserves a spot next to Wein's Code Name Verity as an exemplar of the wartime drama." --BCCB, starred review

* "[A] gripping historical thriller." --Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Engaging writing will have readers racing to discover the secret. A well-researched work that stands out for its explorations of guilt and trauma."--Kirkus

"I finished this book in one sitting, and I still can't stop thinking about Monica Hesse's stunning exploration of women's trauma (and their undervalued roles!) in the First World War. The Brightwood Code is a gripping historical mystery, with powerful feminist themes and a perfectly complex resolution that feel as relevant today as ever." --Jordyn Taylor, award-winning author of The Paper Girl of Paris, Don't Breathe a Word, and The Revenge Game


"Readers biting their nails over Edda's fictional journey will come up for air amazed by the real heroism of the Hello Girls. Monica Hesse has a genius for illuminating the darker corners of history with a kaleidoscope of heartbreaking characters and astonishing plot twists." --Elizabeth Wein, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Code Name Verity and Stateless


"This page-turning narrative, with its flashbacks to Edda's time overseas, its solid sense of wartime D.C. and the strong characterization of the protagonist, will resonate with readers."--The Washington Post

About the Author

Monica Hesse is the New York Times bestselling author of Girl in the Blue Coat, American Fire, The War Outside, and They Went Left, as well as a Pulitzer Prize finalist columnist at the Washington Post. She lives outside Washington, DC with her family. Monica invites you to visit her online at monicahesse.com.