Paris Undercover: A Wartime Story of Courage, Friendship, and Betrayal

Two women in Nazi-occupied Paris created a daring escape line that rescued dozens of Allied servicemen. With one still in a German prison camp, the other wrote a book about it--a memoir built on fabrications. Now the bestselling author of Eighty Days shares their incredible, never-before-told full story.

"Goodman's gripping account chronicles the events--both courageous and horrifying--and illustrates how loyalty and betrayal can coincide in wartime and its aftermath."--The Washington Post

"A heart-pounding tale that is impossible to put down."--Lynne Olson, author of Madame Fourcade's Secret War

LONGLISTED FOR THE AMERICAN LIBRARY IN PARIS BOOK AWARD

Etta Shiber and Kate Bonnefous are the unlikeliest of heroines: two seemingly ordinary women, an American widow and an English divorcée, living quietly together in Paris. Yet during the Nazi occupation, these two friends find themselves unexpectedly plunged into the whirlwind of history. With the help of a French country priest and others, they set out to rescue British and French soldiers trapped behind enemy lines--some of whom they daringly smuggle through Nazi checkpoints hidden inside the trunk of their car.

Ultimately the Gestapo captures them both. After eighteen months in prison, Etta is returned to the United States in a prisoner exchange. Back home, hoping to bring attention to her friend Kitty's bravery, she publishes a memoir about their work. Paris-Underground becomes a publishing sensation and Etta a celebrity. Meanwhile Kate spends the rest of the war in a Nazi prison, entirely unaware of the book that has been written about her--and the deeds that have been claimed in her name.

In researching this story, Matthew Goodman uncovered military records and personal testimonies that reveal, for the first time, the shocking truth behind Etta's memoir and the unexpected, far-reaching consequences of its publication. More than just a story of two women's remarkable courage, Paris Undercover is a vivid, gripping account of deceit, betrayal, and personal redemption.

Author: Matthew Goodman
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Published: 02/04/2025
Pages: 448
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.64lbs
Size: 9.41h x 6.41w x 1.41d
ISBN: 9780593358924


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 01/01/2025
Library Journal 03/14/2025 pg. 1

About the Author
Matthew Goodman is the author of four previous books of nonfiction. His book Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland's History-Making Race Around the World was a national bestseller. His most recent book, The City Game: Triumph, Scandal, and a Legendary Basketball Team, received the New York City Book Award and was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award. Goodman has appeared on numerous national radio shows, including NPR's The Diane Rehm Show, All Things Considered, and On the Media.