The Lost Girls of Paris: A Novel

“Grace knelt to examine the suitcase. There was nothing terribly extraordinary about it, rounded like a thousand other valises that travelers carried through the station every day, with a worn mother-of-pearl handle that was nicer than most. Only this one wasn’t passing through; it was sitting under a bench unattended. Abandoned.”

Grace’s discovery of Eleanor’s abandoned suitcase in Grand Central Station launches the novel’s central mystery. Grace, as the reader’s proxy, will spend much of the novel investigating the suitcase’s mysterious owner and story. The details in the description of the suitcase highlight its connection to The Importance of Ensuring Historical Accuracy; the suitcase is one of many and has no one to speak for it, but it becomes an access point for an unusual story.

“The idea had come to her weeks earlier as she watched one of the girls in the radio room decode a message that had come through from a field agent in France with a swift and sure hand. Her talents were wasted, Eleanor thought. The girl should be transmitting in the field. The idea was so foreign that it had taken time to crystalize in Eleanor’s own mind.”

The author uses this passage describing Eleanor’s original idea for the female SOE unit to provide historical context. In 1940s England, gender roles were rigid, and although women could hold jobs, they were rarely allowed access to high-stakes, dangerous roles. Eleanor is an unconventional thinker who is motivated by her desire to help England and by her personal belief in the talents of women.

“Just because you don’t know why you’ve come, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be here. We often find purpose where we least expect it—or not.”

This passage, in which Eleanor is speaking to Marie, exemplifies Eleanor’s dedication to her work, which leads her to be a stern and inspiring figure in her interactions with the agents. Eleanor believes that Marie will find a sense of purpose while training with the other women, but she also knows that Marie will need strong