The Alice Network

The Alice Network is a 2017 historical novel by American author Kate Quinn. It was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.

The story is based on the real-life World War I spy ring called the Alice Network, which operated in German-occupied France and Belgium. Three historical figures are used as characters in the novel:

• Louise de Bettignies, the ring leader (code name Alice Dubois, called Lili in the book);
• Léonie van Houtte, her lieutenant (code name Violette Lameron in the book); and
• Cecil Aylmer Cameron, a British Intelligence officer (called Captain Cameron and Uncle Edward in the book), who recruited both women.

The novel uses a dual narrative approach, alternating between events that occurred beginning in 1915 and in 1947. The 1915 story involves a fictional character named Eve Gardiner (code name Marguerite Le François), who was selected by Captain Cameron to join the Alice Network in Lille, France, under the direction of Lili.

The primary character in the 1947 story is the fictional American college student Charlotte (Charlie) St. Clair. Charlie finds Eve in England and enlists her help to find Rose Fournier, Charlie's French cousin who went missing during World War II. In the end, Eve and Charlie find that they both have reason to hunt down a certain restaurant owner, profiteer and collaborator named René.