Overview

The extraordinary true story of the unlikely friendship between three women — Mussolini’s daughter, a German spy, and an American socialite — who conspired to assist the Allies. In 1943, Edda Mussolini, daughter of the fascist dictator, gave her father and Hitler an extraordinary ultimatum: release her husband, Italy’s former foreign minister, Galeazzo Ciano, from prison, or risk her leaking her husband’s incendiary diaries to the press. Instead, Hitler and Mussolini vowed to do everything in their power to destroy the diaries — even if it meant killing Edda. They ordered Hilde Beetz, a German spy, to seduce Ciano in prison in order to learn the diaries’ location. But Beetz fell in love with Ciano, and joined forces with Edda to try to save him from execution. When this failed, Edda fled with Hilde’s assistance. Upon learning of Edda’s escape, US intelligence sent in socialite Frances de Chollet to find Edda and get her to hand over the diaries to the Americans. Against all expectations, what developed was a rich and humanising friendship. With all the twists and turns of a spy thriller, this is the story of three women whose lives were drawn together in one of the most unlikely rescues of the Second World War.

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9781914484537

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Praise for Irena's Children: the extraordinary story of the woman who saved 2,500 children from the Warsaw ghetto: '[An] incredible account.' * New York Times Book Review * Praise for Eliza Hamilton: the extraordinary life and times of the wife of Alexander Hamilton: 'Drawing from an impressive breadth of sources ... this is an expertly told story that's certain to captivate Hamilton fans and intrigue anyone interested in early US history.' * Publishers Weekly * Praise for The Secret of Chanel No. 5: the intimate history of the world's most famous perfume: 'Mazzeo has written an account of the rarest of things - an international olfactory icon - that fairly rushes off the pages. Here is the life of one of the 20th century's most interesting and deeply complicated women, a fascinating cultural history, and the story of an extraordinary perfume.' -- Chandler Burr, <i>New York Times</i> scent critic and author of <i>The Perfect Scent</i>

Author Information

Tilar J. Mazzeo is the New York Times and San Francisco Chronicle bestselling author of books that include Irena’s Children, The Widow Clicquot, The Secret of Chanel No. 5, and The Hôtel on the Place Vendôme. She also writes on food and wine for the mainstream press and is the Clara C. Piper Associate Professor of English at Colby College. Her books have been published in over 16 languages internationally.

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