The Postwoman by Michael Kenneth Smith is a well written and well researched look into the life and efforts of a young woman who fought to save lives and end of tyranny of the Nazis. Dedee was a young nurse in Belgium when World War II turned her life upside down. She was shocked and terrified at how quickly the Nazis were able to overrun her country and at the horrors that came with them. She saw wounded Allied soldiers dragged out of hospitals to be taken to work camps or worse. She witnessed Jews being beaten and tortured by Nazis in the streets while so many others stood by and did nothing to stop the atrocities. Living under a reign of fear was not an option for Dedee, so she decided that if others wouldn't take a stand then she would have to find a way. She, along with her father and other brace patriots, set up a system for smuggling downed Allied pilots out of the country and back to England where they could recover and then rejoin the fight. Her actions saved hundreds of lives, but no good deed goes unpunished. The Nazis knew of the efforts and hunted mercilessly to bring the leader to their form of justice. Could Dedee avoid her pursuers and run the operation in secret to the end of the war?
Mr. Smith has found a knack for writing stories about real people so that unknown heroes and heroines come to life and their stories can finally be heard. It is obvious that Mr. Smith has taken his time to do the research needed to honor this heroine for the work that she did during one of the most trying times in world history. The writing is smart and the narrative flows very well from one segment to the next. I hope that Mr. Smith continues to do his research and find more fascinating people to inform the world about.
