Incredible depth into history from Prohibition through WW2. Fascinating story of a woman genius who can decipher coded from messages all over the world yet is not accepted because she's not male. Newspaper jumble puzzles are nothing compared to this. She meets and eventually marries another brilliant codebreaker and ends up heading up her own very successful team, yet the credit is taken by others. These people were invaluable to winning the war. Many lives and a lot of money were saved because of them. A very fully dimensional Grace painfully transitions through different roles at work and in her personal life. Formidable foes, threats and danger.

I received this book free from the author and NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#LadyCodebreaker #KDAlden #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #HistoricalFiction #NetGalley

Synopsis

Fans of Kate Quinn and Kristina McMorris will love this gripping historical novel based on the true story of the woman who used her codebreaking skills to bring down Prohibition gangsters and WWII Nazis, and who ultimately helped found the present-day CIA.

Grace Smith has never been one to conform to society’s expectations. She flees small-town Indiana to seek adventure—and finds more than she bargained for when she’s hired by an eccentric millionaire to learn codebreaking. Soon she’s using those skills to help head the government’s fledgling cryptanalysis unit.

During Prohibition, Grace takes up the fight against rumrunners—not to mention Al Capone himself. And as the country careens from one Great War to another, it’s Grace who must crack the secrets of foreign governments, catch spies, and derail saboteurs . . . before it’s too late.

With wry wit and sheer grit, she forges her own path as a codebreaker, wife, mother. She’s spent a lifetime going up against powerful men and winning. But as war rages and the stakes grow impossibly high, Grace faces a truly impossible choice: her family or her country?

My reviews

Riveting. Etta is a wealthy heiress and disguises herself as a man to be an outstanding newspaper reporter. Centered around a true explosion and disaster, it's a great story of how people come together to survive a tragedy in their town, an investigation to determine what happened, and two people coming together in a non-traditional society role. Wonderful characters.

I received this book free from the author, publisher and CelebrateLit book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#TheUndercoverHeiress #KellyJGoshorn #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #ChristianHistorcalRomance #BarbourFiction

realistic, informative, page-turner, easy-to-read, romantic

About the Book

Book: The Undercover Heiress of Brockton

Author: Kelly J. Goshorn

Genre: Christian Fiction / Romance / Historical Fiction

Release Date: August 1, 2025

A Socialite in Disguise Seeks Truth and Justice

Henrietta “Etta” Maxwell is a hard-hitting investigative reporter for The Enterprise Daily. The catch? Etta must pen her columns under the nom de plume, Henry Mason—a fact that routinely puts a knot in her knickerbockers.

Leo Eriksson is a second-generation firefighter with a passion for rendering aid to those in need. When Leo discovers that Henry Mason is really Henrietta Maxwell, the fire department’s wealthy benefactress, he agrees to keep her identity secret. After a sudden blast rocks the Grover Shoe Factory, Leo and Etta team up to determine if the explosion is related to a series of suspicious fires in the area.

When an unnamed source reveals Etta’s secret identity to a rival reporter, she falsely accuses Leo of being the informant. As the truth comes to light, Etta must persuade Leo to give her a second chance or lose the only man she’s ever loved.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Kelly J. Goshorn weaves her affinity for history and her passion for God into uplifting stories of love, faith, and family set in nineteenth century America. Her debut novel, A Love Restored, won the Director’s Choice Award for Adult/YA fiction at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference in 2019, and earned recognition as both a Selah Award finalist in the Historical Romance category and as a Maggie Award Finalist for Inspirational Fiction. When she is not writing, Kelly enjoys spending time with her young adult children, binge-watching BBC period dramas, board gaming with her husband, and spoiling her Welsh corgi, Levi.

More from Kelly

A Little Swedish Flavor

Beginning in 1844, Swedish immigrants began arriving in Brockton, Massachusetts. By 1920, Swedes accounted for approximately 30% of the city’s population. Their long-lasting impact on Brockton’s character remains evident today with annual cultural celebrations and religious festivals.

The Undercover Heiress of Brockton is set in the Swedish neighborhood of Campello. My hero Leo Eriksson’s favorite meal is Kalops, a savory beef stew that is traditionally served with boiled potatoes and pickled beets. For Leo, a bachelor who takes most of his meals at The Drake Tavern, the dish recalls happy childhood memories of his mother’s cooking.

Kalops contains typical stew ingredients like carrots, celery, onions, and garlic, but what makes this dish unique is the addition of allspice. Allspice adds a warm spicey flavor to the recipe that makes it perfect for a chilly winter day.

I had the opportunity to taste test this recipe, and while I would never brag about my own cooking skills, I have to say that it turned out quite well. I’d love to hear from you if you decide to give this traditional Swedish dish a try.

Kalops (Swedish Beef Stew)

Recipe courtesy of Skandibaking.

SERVINGS: 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS

2.4 lbs chuck roast (or other beef cut suited for stews)

1 medium onion

2 cloves garlic

3 large carrots

1 stalk celery

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

1/4 tsp ground allspice (or more to taste!)

2-3 bay leaves

3 cups beef stock (can also use water and bouillon)

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

SERVED WITH: 7 large potatoes

INSTRUCTIONS

Prep the beef by cutting into 1 inch cubes. Season well with salt.
Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil when preheated and add beef in one layer, searing on all sides. If you need to sear the meat in batches, you can remove one batch before adding the next to ensure that it browns well.
Dice your onion and celery while the beef is cooking (or prep ahead of time). Finely mince the garlic cloves.
Once the meat is browned on all sides, add in the onion, celery, and garlic. Cook until just softened.
Chop your carrots into bite sized pieces. You can either add the carrots now if you like them super soft or add them with about 45 minutes left of cooking if you prefer them to have more of a bite.
Add one tablespoon of butter and let it melt. Once melted, add in three tablespoons of flour and stir until everything is coated. Add in ground allspice.
Pour in beef stock, stirring while adding to dissolve the flour coating. Once all of it has mixed in, add in 2-3 bay leaves. Now is a good time to taste for initial seasoning – add in salt and pepper to taste.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cover. Let the stew simmer for about an hour and 15 minutes; add more water or stock if needed! Now is also the time to add the carrots if you want them to be less soft.
Simmer for an additional 45 minutes or until the beef is very tender – in the meantime, prepare the potatoes for serving.
Prep potatoes by peeling and cutting in half. Place in a pot with cold water and add salt. Heat over medium-high heat with the lid on until it boils. Remove the lid and boil for about 15 minutes or until a knife poked into the center of a potato releases easily (you can also just taste for doneness!). Drain and set aside until ready to serve.
Remove bay leaves. Check for final seasoning (add more salt if needed). Add stew to bowls and serve with boiled potatoes. Garnish with fresh parsley if you would like. Enjoy!