The Door by Magda Szabo

Never in a million years would I have read this book if it hadn't been chosen by one of my book groups. Szabo is an award winning Hungarian author but I had never read anything by her.  This book she describes as "thinly veiled personal history".  Struggling author Magda hires a housekeeper named Emerence.  It is the relationship between Magda and Emerence that forms the core of the story.  It turns out to be a connection of hard earned trust and ultimate betrayal.  A short intense book that generated a deeply personal book group discussion.

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

Based on a real spy network, the story spans WWI and II.  When Mrs.St Clair takes her daughter Charlie to Europe, hoping to take care of an unwanted pregnancy in Switzerland, she has no idea that Charlie has another plan.  Charlie hopes to find her cousin and good friend Rose who seems to have disappeared in France during WWII.  Charlie manages to connect with Eve  - a member of the "Alice" spy network during WWI.  Together with Eve's charming but war damaged driver Finn, they being the search for Rose.  It is also a journey of self discovery for the three of them. A story of great courage and history that was all new to me.