The Dragonfly

Author: Leila Meacham
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing, 2019
Pages: 576
Rating: Highly Recommend

Synopsis: At the height of World War II, a handful of idealistic young Americans receive a mysterious letter from the government, asking them if they are willing to fight for their country. The men and women from very different backgrounds-a Texan athlete with German roots, an upper-crust son of a French mother and a very wealthy businessman, a dirt-poor Midwestern fly fisherman, an orphaned fashion designer, and a ravishingly beautiful female fencer - all answer the call of duty, but each for a secret reason of her or his own. They bond immediately, in a group code-named Dragonfly.

Thus begins a dramatic cat-and-mouse game, as the group seeks to stay under the radar until a fatal misstep leads to the capture and firing-squad execution of one of their team. But. . . is everything as it seems, or is this one more elaborate act of spycraft?

Review: A new book by the author of my favorite book ever, Roses? Yes, please! Even though I have sworn off World War II novels, I'll make an exception from time to time. 

This novel is typical Leila Meacham, complex, sweeping, engrossing, and just plain well-written. 

Each of the five main characters has a given name, an alias, and a code name. It's like keeping track of 15 different characters. However, I didn't get all hung up on these details and just enjoyed the story for what it is.

I have seen some reviews stating that this novel requires a suspension of belief, and some plot lines are implausible. I don't disagree, but it is historical fiction. Fiction means that it's made up, and authors do take certain liberties. I don't have a problem with this.