The White Lady by Jacqueline Winspear

THE WHITE LADY by Jacqueline Winspear is an action-packed work of historical fiction which alternates between WWI, WWII, and the immediate post war years. The main character is Elinor DeWitt/White who as a young teen helped with wartime surveillance and active resistance in Belgium during the First World War. Later, living in England, her skills were used again and she received a small “grace and favour” Kent country home in recognition of her service. It is there that she discovers an organized crime threat to her neighbors and uses her connections to combat the danger. I thought that her character was very well-developed and it was easy to empathize with her. I particularly liked the parts of the story which were set in wartime. However, I was a bit confused by the end when it seemed that her nemesis ultimately acted out of character. Perhaps I missed something? Overall, THE WHITE LADY is an excellent story by an award-winning author and received starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, and Library Journal. Readers will also enjoy The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn.