The Color of Courage
Codename Odile
In the heart of Marseille, amidst the vibrant street art of Cours Julien, a young graffiti artist uncovers a hidden piece of history that will change her life forever.
Marseille, August 2004
Arriving to attend the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts, Sil Anderson discovers a suitcase filled with letters and diaries of Lise de Baissac, a courageous female SOE agent during World War II.
Transported into Lise’s world, Sil follows the story of a woman who risked everything to fight against Nazi oppression. Lise’s journey from fleeing occupied Paris to orchestrating daring missions in Poitiers and Normandy unfolds with intense bravery and strategic brilliance.
Inspired by Lise’s story of female empowerment and courage, Sil creates a mural titled “The Color of Courage,” weaving in Lise’s portrait with snippets from her letters.
Alongside her artistic journey, Sil finds herself drawn to her enigmatic landlord, Justin Bellamare, mirroring the classic Marseillaise love story of Lise and Gustave Villameur.
For both Lise and Sil, the ultimate reward for their rebellious spirit is love. And love conquers all.
What readers say
“I have enjoyed Hannah Byron's books - every one of them. But I must say, I think this is her best. Incredibly well written and so well researched this book demonstrates the authors love for the details of the resistance heroes of WWII. And she paints pictures with words so the reader is pulled into each scene. I highly recommend this book.”
“The first of a series of novels about female WW2 SOE agents by the author of “The Resistance Girls” series, Hannah Byron, the story is told in dual timeline style, where the action alternates from present-day to the dangerous years in occupied France during WW2. A well-researched and enthralling read — you will not be disappointed!”
“This book introduces us to the real life SOE agent Lise de Baissac. Alongside Sil Anderson in 2004, the book tells their parallel stories.
Sil accidentally finds some letters written by Lise, through which Sil develops a better understanding of the role of SOE and their agents, as well as the type of person Lise was. The book explores how dangerous it actually was to be an SOE agent in Occupied France, living on your nerves, constantly looking over your shoulder not being able to trust anyone.
Whilst not an autobiography, Hannah has clearly done extensive research into the real life Lise de Baissac MBE CdeG.
I couldn’t put this book down so cannot recommend it highly enough!”
Explore the dual-timeline series "Timeless Agents" where the lives of modern heroines intertwine with the courageous journeys of WWII's female agents. Discover how their resilience and bravery still inspire us today. Amidst tales of daring resistance and intelligence gathering, a tender love story emerges, echoing the universal hope of women across generations.
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