Code Name Butterfly by Embassie Susberry

Book Blurb
Paris, 1941. With Nazi occupation imminent, journalist Elodie Mitchell plans to return home to Chicago. But an unexpected invitation to a Josephine Baker show changes everything.

Mistaken for the star, Elodie is whisked backstage, where she uncovers an underground resistance movement hidden beneath the glitz and glamour.

Drawn into a whisper network of spies, Elodie accepts a perilous mission: to go undercover as Josephine’s cousin and gather vital intelligence.

In a world on the edge of darkness, Elodie must summon unwavering courage to protect her beloved adopted city and its people – and getting caught is not an option.

My Review
I was really excited when I was contacted by Harper Collins asking if I was interested in reading Code Name Butterfly by Embassie Susberry that had Josephine Baker’s wartime work at the centre. I knew a little about Josephine’s time in Paris working for the resistance, but was eager to learn more so I jumped at the chance to read this book. 1940’s Paris, Elodie Mitchell is over from Chicago, studying French Literature when a chance meeting sees her given a ticket to Josephine Baker’s Paris show where her life changes forever. As she finds herself posing as Josephine’s cousin, going to parties and finding information for the resistance, she sees a different side to Paris, a place of informants for the Germans, a place that is dangerous. Full of suspense, thrills and a touch of romance, this book is a real page turner.

In Code Name Butterfly Embassie Susberry seamlessly intertwines her historical characters and the fictional ones. Elodie has come to Paris wanting to live, find herself before returning home to Chicago. As well as studying French Literature she has been a reporter on the start of the war for her cousin’s newspaper, sending updates to Chicago on what it is like to be in Paris at that time. I loved that her character was naive in some ways, she has the idealism of youth, especially when it came to relationships. Spending time with Josephine and her team seems to make her grow up, accept that not everything is black and white so to speak. Through Elodie, Josephine and their colleagues Grant and Pierre, Embassie is able to address racism in that period. I was quite surprised at how in Paris, Josephine and others of colour were treat better than they had been in America, which is why Josephine Baker chose to stay in France. All of the characters were complex, had different life experiences that they brought to the resistance and to this story, all adding their own layers to the plot.

Embassie Susberry has written a thrilling and compelling read. Her research shone through in her writing, her understanding of what was happening at this time in Paris and the importance of Josephine’s work as she had access to those in power. As I mentioned before, there are many layers to this book; a touch of romance, adventure, thrills and plenty of suspense. Embassie doesn’t shy away from to work the resistance had to do and there were more than several moments I was on the edge of my seat, speed reading so I could find out the the result of those parts of the book. The descriptive prose brought to life Paris in the 1940’s, the emergence of the invite only Jazz Clubs, the juxtoposition of the beautiful city and the darkness of the unfolding war.

I was so glad I said yes to reading Code Name Butterfly. Historical Fiction is still my favourite genre and I learnt a lot from reading this book historically, and I also loved it on a personal level. This was at times a seat of your pants exciting read, full of suspense and action, and in other parts there was the wonderful relationships between the characters, especially Elodie and Josephine and also a touch of romance. The wonderful prose really brought this period and characters to life, and made is such a joy to read. Fans of historical fiction should give this book a go, you will not be disappointed.