National Network for Equitable Library Service

From award-winning author Candace Fleming comes the powerful and fascinating story of the brave and dedicated young women who helped turn the tides of World War II for the Allies with their hard work and determination at Bletchley Park. "You are to report to Station X at Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire, in four days time....That is all you need to know." This was the terse telegram hundreds of young women throughout the British Isles received in the spring of 1941, as World War II raged. As they arrived at Station X—a sprawling mansion in disrepair surrounded by Spartan huts—they had no idea what work awaited them. Who had recommended them? Why had they been chosen? Most never found out. Bletchley Park, operating under the code name Station X, was a well-kept wartime secret where the critical work of code-cracking Nazi communications shaped the outcome of battles. Amid cryptographers, flamboyant debutantes, and absent-minded professors, it was teenaged girls who kept Bletchley running. Some did advanced math, others spoke foreign languages. They operated the massive bombe machines, deciphered wireless signals, and sorted decoded intel. They were expected to excel—and most importantly, to stay silent. Candace Fleming, acclaimed author of Crash from Outer Space, The Curse of the Mummy, and more, brings history to life with her sharp, engaging voice. This suspenseful and illuminating World War II story shines a light on a crucial, often overlooked piece of history where young women played a vital role behind the scenes.