The Brightwood Code

By: Monica Hesse

Narrated by: Saydee Dickinson

In a breathless, haunting, and rich historical mystery, New York Times bestselling author Monica Hesse speaks to the depths of trauma and the power of memory.

Seven months ago, Edda was on the World War I front lines as one of two hundred “Hello Girls,” female switchboard operators employed by the US Army. She spent her nights memorizing secret connection codes to stay ahead of spying enemies, and her days connecting vital calls between platoons and bases and generals, all trying to survive—and win—a brutal war. Their lives were in Edda’s hands, and one day, in fateful seconds, everything went wrong.

Now, Edda is back in Washington, DC, working as an American Bell Telephone operator, the picture of respectability. But when her shift ends, Edda is barely hanging on, desperate to forget the circumstances that cut her time overseas short. When Edda receives a panicked phone call from someone who utters the fateful code word “Brightwood,” she has no choice but to confront her past. With precious few clues and help only from Theo, a young man bearing his own WWI scars, Edda races to uncover what secrets may have followed her across the ocean.

Timely and unforgettable, The Brightwood Code sheds light on hidden history and the brutality of being a woman in a war built by men.

©2024 Monica Hesse (P)2024 Little, Brown Young Readers

Critic reviews

“The Brightwood Code has everything I love in a book, an overlooked history woven into a fascinating narrative, and a strong heroine forging her own path forward.”—Stacey Lee, New York Times bestselling author of Reese’s Book Club pick The Downstairs Girl

“I finished this book in one sitting, and I still can’t stop thinking about Monica Hesse’s stunning exploration of women’s trauma (and their undervalued roles!) in the First World War. The Brightwood Code is a gripping historical mystery, with powerful feminist themes and a perfectly complex resolution that feel as relevant today as ever.”—Jordyn Taylor, award-winning author of The Paper Girl of Paris, Don’t Breathe a Word, and The Revenge Game

“Readers biting their nails over Edda’s fictional journey will come up for air amazed by the real heroism of the Hello Girls. Monica Hesse has a genius for illuminating the darker corners of history with a kaleidoscope of heartbreaking characters and astonishing plot twists.”—Elizabeth Wein, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Code Name Verity and Stateless

Great story!

It was interesting to hear about the Hello Girls and their part in WWI. I particularly enjoyed the narrator.

Great story! Captivating and educational

I loved how the history and the mystery were so wonderfully brought together. I learned a lot and enjoyed the resolution of the mystery. Great story and excellent narration.

An Unusual Topic

I think the author captured the time period very well. I enjoyed characters Edda and the male friend who borrows cigarettes even though he doesn’t smoke. I felt that I needed a lesson in how the Bell Telephone system worked so that I could understand the job that the telephone operators did. Still, this was a story that deserved telling.