Hall of Mirrors: Virginia Hall: America’s Greatest Spy of WWII
One of WWII’s most successful spies was a Baltimore native in her 30s. Her age and gender made the profession unlikely, not to mention having a wooden leg, the result of a hunting accident. Nicknamed “The Lady Who Limps” by the Nazis, Virginia Hall proved a master of disguise and was able to elude the Gestapo despite being on wanted posters all over France. She gathered intelligence and helped French resistance groups organize sabotage missions. When Germany invaded France, Hall knew she had to make a quick escape if she were going to survive. Remarkably, she crossed the snow-covered Pyrenees into Spain on foot. Rather than feel sorry for herself and dwell on the physical discomfort of the arduous journey, she made light of the situation, treating her wooden leg (affectionately nicknamed Cuthbert), like an annoying travel companion rather than a hindrance. Most would retire at this point, but Hall fought with her superiors to be allowed to return to France, putting herself in grave danger.
Gralley’s fictionalized account of Hall’s time during the war is fast-paced and tends to focus on the action, revealing less about her personal feelings. This is probably true to Hall’s character; in his foreword, the author explains that she spoke little about her life as a spy, never wrote a memoir, and didn’t give interviews later in life. For those left wanting to learn more, several Hall biographies are coming out this year, which readers will undoubtedly want to check out after being introduced to the fascinating woman in this novel. A very satisfying read.
