Why we’re excited
When Germany overran Belgium in 1914, a British nurse, a French teacher and a Belgian princess started hiding Allied soldiers cut off behind the lines, knowing the punishment was a firing squad. Edith Cavell, Louise Thuliez and Marie de Croy helped build an escape line that moved men across the frontier, until someone inside it turned on them.
Candice Millard writes history that moves like an adventure story, from The River of Doubt and Destiny of the Republic to Hero of the Empire and River of the Gods. Readers who like their history told through a handful of vivid people should put this on the list.
On our most-anticipated list since 1 November 2026. See all the most anticipated books →
What to know about The Life Savers: Three Fearless Women and a Secret Network in the Great War
Candice Millard is new to The Bookish Elf: none of their books has a review here yet.
From the publisher
World War I. Thousands of soldiers trapped behind enemy lines. The German Army executing anyone who helped them. But three fearless women — a nurse, a teacher, and a princess — ran a secret network to save the men. An astonishing true story of heroism, betrayal, and daring by the New York Times bestselling author Candice Millard.
“It is the stern necessity of war that the punishment for hostile acts falls not only on the guilty but the innocent as well.” —German Field Marshal von der Goltz Pasha.
In the summer of 1914, Germany invaded neutral Belgium, which fell swiftly. As martial law descended upon the country, British nurse Edith Cavell, French school teacher Louise Thuliez, and Belgian princess Marie de Croy began hiding British, French, and Belgian soldiers stranded behind enemy lines. The penalty for harboring Allied soldiers was death.
Inspired by their bravery, others took up the cause and an extraordinary network began smuggling the soldiers over the border. They hid them in secret passageways in cities and royal castles, treated their wounds, gave them money, disguises, false papers, recruited guides to ferry them to safety.
The German response grew more ferocious as hundreds of Allied soldiers slipped past them. As the danger grew the women accelerated their efforts to save more lives — but there was a traitor lurking in the network.
The Life Savers is a heart-stopping narrative showcasing indomitable women who deserve to be celebrated as some of World War I’s greatest heroes.
Description supplied by the publisher.
We haven’t read The Life Savers: Three Fearless Women and a Secret Network in the Great War yet. When our review goes up, it will replace this page.
