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A Novel
by Jane Healey
A female codebreaker puts her future and her heart on the line in a stirring novel about love, loyalty, betrayal, and Cold War spy games by the bestselling author of The Secret Stealers.
1947: Adventurous Radcliffe graduate Catherine "Cat" Killeen cancels her wedding and upends a future that no longer suits her. At the behest of her professor and hungry for a challenge, Cat arrives in Virginia to work on a confidential military project. A student in cryptoanalysis, Cat is already ahead of the game―to assist in rooting out Soviet spies who have infiltrated the US.
Joining the "government girls" of Arlington Hall, Cat gains the respect of her superiors and the friendship of her peers. Then, on a night out in DC, Cat runs into Jonathan Dardis, her arrogant and privileged Harvard rival and newly minted agent for the FBI. What Cat and Jonathan share is a competitive drive and an attraction that's becoming just as spirited. They're also united in the same critical goal for America. Together, they're diving deep into the shadows of espionage.
The stakes of the codebreaking operation grow ever higher, and Cat's relationship with Jonathan opens her heart. Amid dangerous intrigue and grave secrecy, Cat is ready for every risk―no matter how personal the stakes get.
What are you reading this week? (8/14/2025)
I just finished The Women of Arlington Hall by Jane Healey . I was attracted to the story line of young women taking jobs in Washington DC in the late 1940's, 50's as that is what I wanted to do when fresh ou...
-Connie_K
"A stirring tribute to the American codebreakers who helped identify spies during the Cold War, Healey's novel offers up a joyful ensemble of women at the top of their game while also providing a nuanced look at the motives behind those who chose to betray their country. This is a terrific read: ripe with romance, filled with nail-biting suspense, and a celebration of the power of female friendship." ―Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Stolen Queen
"Jane Healey knocks it out of the park with her new heavy hitter The Women of Arlington Hall. This page-turner has all the goodies historical fiction lovers will devour: Cold War espionage; a brilliant, fiery female codebreaker; spies in love (yes, please); girl code; passion; and suspense. Catherine (Cat) Killeen, just out of Radcliffe, is accepted into the special Russian Section intelligence unit to help foil the Russians' plot to steal atomic secrets from the United States in the 1940s. A woman of her time and ahead of her time, Cat stops at nothing to reconstruct the elusive KGB codebook and track down those Russian spies living in America, who infiltrated the highest levels of government―even if the price tag is her own life. Healey doesn't miss a beat merging real-life events with fictional flair and rich plot twists. Lots of recognizable Cold War players make cameos: Herbert Hoover, Klaus Fuchs, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. Unputdownable. Healey at her very best." ―Lisa Barr, New York Times bestselling author of The Goddess of Warsaw
"With The Women of Arlington Hall, author Jane Healey brings historical fiction readers everything we look for in an enthralling read. Healey weaves deep and meticulous research on the Cold War–era codebreakers into a page-turning plot replete with spies, romance, intellectual puzzles, little-understood historical events, betrayals, and suspense. Alongside a heroine who, appealingly, is both brainy and still finding her way in life, we learn about the complex world of post–World War II political intrigue, even as she navigates the twists and turns of her personal life. A fascinating, fun, and compelling read." ―Joy Jordan-Lake, bestselling author of Echoes of Us
This information about The Women of Arlington Hall was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Jane Healey is the author of The Saturday Evening Girls Club, Goodnight from Paris, The Secret Stealers, and The Beantown Girls, a Washington Post and Amazon Charts bestseller. She is also the host of the Historical Happy Hour podcast, where she interviews fellow historical fiction authors about their latest novels. A graduate of the University of New Hampshire and Northeastern University, Jane shares a home north of Boston with her husband, two daughters, a cat, and a dog. For more information on the author and upcoming events, or to schedule a virtual book club visit, please see her website at www.janehealey.com.
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