The Codebreaker's Secret

📚 Book Review 📚

Title: The Codebreaker’s Secret

Author: Sarah Ackerman

Genre: Historical Fiction +

The Codebreaker’s Secret, is an absolutely stunning dual timeline narrative with a mystery woven into its historical timelines that will have you flipping the pages late into the night. Or in my case over morning coffee. The morning of book club 😂#coffeeandcurrentlycramming is the only way we roll in @booksfriendbookclub We are the “pantsers” of the group. If you are more of a “planner” or “plotter” we’d love to have you read with us too! And maybe keep us in line!!

But, less about how I overcommit to books and more about this beauty. Friends, this book has it Wall. Historically all about Hawaiian history you likely have never heard of (Hello, “the dungeon”), friendships, mystery, grief, finding yourself, and just the right amount of love sprinkled in. The characters are so well develop it’s impossible to pick a favorite!

1943 - As the Pacific war rages on Isabel “Izzy” Cooper gets a dream assignment as a Codebreaker in Hawaii. She desperately wanted a chance to be reassigned from Washington, D.C. to Hawaii to avenge her brother’s death who’s plane was shot down on “Pearl Harbor”. She’ll be balancing her time between proving herself in a man’s field of codebreaking and spending time with her brother’s best friend who takes her to all his favorite places.

1965 - Journalist Lu comes back home to Hawaii to cover the story of the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Grand Opening; Rockefeller’s newest and grandest project. She gets more than a hotel story when a VIP guest goes missing and is found dead. With the help of a veteran journalist and photographer, an unlikely mentor; these two stumble upon quite the mystery. A mystery that goes back to the days of war and codebreaking.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 I love the way these two timelines were so different with the history and mystery, but they worked! The author zippered them together perfectly. Seamlessly. This books is full of the elements you crave and I think it’s always a testament to a good author when the secondary characters are just as good as the main ones. For fans of a tidy ending that’s what you get here which doesn’t always happen in the historical fiction genre.

Thank you author @saraackermanbooks for zooming with our bookclub last night! Your were so patient answering all our questions and such a delight!