The Girl in the Blue Coat

(Paperback)

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"riveting... a gripping historical mystery." Publishers Weekly Meticulously researched, intricately plotted and beautifully written, The Girl in the Blue Coat is an extraordinarily gripping novel from a bright new voice in YA fiction. Amsterdam, 1943 Hanneke spends her days procuring and delivering sought-after black-market goods to paying customers, her nights hiding the true nature of her work from her concerned parents, and every waking moment mourning her boyfriend, who was killed on the front line when the Germans invaded. She likes to think of her illegal work as a small act of rebellion. But one day Hanneke gets a very unusual request. One of her regular customers asks her to find a girl. A girl who has disappeared from the secret room in her house. A Jewish girl . . . As she searches for clues Hanneke is drawn into a dangerous web of lies, secrets and mysteries. Can she find the runaway before the Nazis do PRAISE FOR THE GIRL IN THE BLUE COAT "A powerful, compelling coming-of-age story set against the dark and dangerous backdrop of World War II."Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale "[An] affecting novel ... Hesse's pacing infuses her story with thriller suspense, enriching the narrative with dramatic surprises both small and large." Booklist "The themes of love, betrayal, heroism, social responsibility, and atonement are beautifully intertwined with well-developed characters and a compelling story line. Thoroughly researched, this work brings history alive in a clear and concise way that rings true. A must-read for fans of historical fiction" School Library Journal "Rich in content and emotion, this is a first-rate companion to the historical tales of the onderduikers, the hidden Jews of Holland, and a compelling read" Kirkus Reviews

Reviews

Themes of guilt and betrayal, ingenuity and courage, and the divisive effect of the occupation on friendship and community weave through a gripping historical mystery * Publishers Weekly, starred review *
The strength of this novel is the author's ability to make the experiences of a seventy-year distant past seem immediate and vivid. * The School Librarian *

Author Bio

Monica Hesse is the author of YA sci-fi novels Stray and Burn (Hot Key), about a virtual-reality experiment designed to create perfect childhoods. She is also a feature writer for the Washington Post, where she has covered royal weddings, dog shows, political campaigns, Academy Awards ceremonies, White House state dinners and some events that felt like a mixture of all the above. She has talked about these stories, and other things, on NBC, CNN, FOX and other TV channels. She hosts a weekly Washington Post chat, Web Hostess, about the culture of the Internet, and lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband and their dog.