THE BRIGHTWOOD CODE

A World War I story that shines a light on a little-known group of heroic young women is the latest from noted historical fiction author Hesse.

It’s 1918, and 18-year-old Edda St. James works the overnight shift as an operator at Bell System’s Washington, D.C., Central switchboard. The hours suit her: She can sleep the day away, trying to escape memories of her months in France. Flashbacks to her experiences near the front lines gradually disclose details of how those months shaped her. Edda shocked her Baltimore socialite parents when she applied to be a Hello Girl for the American Expeditionary Forces. She proved to be a natural in memorizing codes, connecting calls, and conversing in French. But her confidence in her abilities was swept away in a single night when, unable to remember the code, she could not put a connection through—and 34 American soldiers died. Back in the States, Edda blames herself—and when a voice on the other end of the switchboard line demands she tell the truth, she realizes that someone knows about her deadly mistake. Edda takes Theo, a fellow tenant at her aunt’s boardinghouse, into her confidence, and together they try to determine what the anonymous voice wants. The large cast of characters, who are cued white, are fully developed, and the short chapters and engaging writing will have readers racing to discover the secret.

A well-researched work that stands out for its explorations of guilt and trauma.