The Excitements

Wray (a pen name for the prolific romance novelist Christine Manby) writes a hilarious and touching novel that spans time and crimes. Josephine and Penny Williamson are sisters and nonagenarian World War II veterans living in England. When they are invited to receive the Légion d’honneur in Paris, they travel there with their nephew Archie. The trip is more than it seems. Returning to Paris resurfaces old memories for both sisters, who have some secrets of their own from their time serving in the war. Will one last heist be their downfall? Or will they finally get revenge on those who have wronged them in the past? This novel offers a fascinating look into the lives of women who served in Britain’s Women’s Royal Navy and the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry during World War II. The snappy dialogue, both spoken and in Morse code, and the hijinks of Penny especially, will delight readers. However, the novel also touches on more serious topics, like lost love and familial relationships, with compassion. Penny and Josephine shine through as tough and capable in spite of, or perhaps because of, their age and experience.