The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Lawhon, Ariel. Code Name Hélène. Doubleday, 2020.

In Part One, Hélène arrives in France with her partner Hubert on a mission to help the Maquis drive the Germans out of France. They meet with Gaspard, one of the Maquis leaders, who is hostile towards them. The second leader they meet with, Fournier, welcomes them to his camp. With the help of her friend Denis, Hélène arranges for a shipment of supplies to arrive from London.

In the past plot line, Hélène is referred to as Nancy. Nancy has drinks with her friend Stephanie in Paris. She meets a wealthy man named Henri Fiocca who has a crush on her. Nancy travels to Vienna and Berlin with her fellow journalist Frank Gilmore to write a story about Hitler. When she returns traumatized, Stephanie whisks her off to Marseille—Henri’s hometown. There, Nancy dances with Henri. Once back in Paris, he asks her out. They walk by the Seine and kiss.

In Part Two, Hélène and Hubert help train Fournier’s men. One day while visiting a nearby village, they witness the wife of a maquisard being tortured by the Germans. Hélène recognizes one of the officers, Wolff, from Vienna. Gaspard invites them to interrogate a captured Gestapo agent named Roger le Neveu. Hélène is disgusted. She demands that Gaspard disperse his men instead of keeping them all in one place.

Nancy and Henri become a couple. One night, he introduces her to his father, Ranier. Ranier brings Marceline, Henri’s ex, as a joke. Marceline brags about working for the Police Commissioner. One night, Henri proposes but Nancy tells him she needs time to decide. About a week later, after buying her a companion for her puppy, she accepts. They have a small wedding and honeymoon in Cannes. Henri tells her must leave soon to fight in the war. Nancy asks him for one of his company’s trucks to use as an ambulance.

In Part Three, The Germans attack Fournier’s men but the Maquis win the battle. Gaspard joins them and Hélène agrees to arm his men, but he must follow her commands. They are joined by a fellow British agent called Anselm who helps train new Maquis recruits. D-Day brings the Allies to Normandy and helps the Maquis feel more confident. The Maquis are forced to retreat when the Germans attack. They are left with no radio and no way to communicate with Britain.

With Henri gone, Nancy takes to driving an ambulance. She also helps smuggle Jews across the border. Marseille gets bombed. The French army surrenders to the Germans, bringing Henri home unharmed. Nancy joins an underground organization and becomes friends with two men: Patrick O’Leary and Ian Garrow. Garrow gets arrested and sent to Mauzac, a concentration camp. Nancy and O’Leary help free him by bribing one of the guards.

In Part Four, Hélène manages to secure another radio by biking to a nearby village and asking for help from a friend of Denis’. Hélène learns that Gaspard’s men kidnapped and raped a few German women. Among them is Marceline, who is now a Vichy spy. Hélène orders a firing squad and kills the soldiers, along with Marceline.

Nancy gets arrested while on a train. O’Leary saves her by telling the police she is his mistress. Henri gets arrested by Marceline and Police Commisionner Pacquet. O’Leary gets arrested, causing Nancy to flee France through the Pyrenees.

In Part Five, Hélène, Hubert, and a few loyal soldiers manage to kill Wolff and other German soldiers at their headquarters in Montluçon. Marceline and Pacquet torture Henri for information about Nancy. When he does not comply, they kill him. When the Germans evacuate Vichy, Hélène and her friends are free to go home. She returns to Marseille and learns that Henri is dead. She moves to London. A year later, she reunites with Buckmaster, O’Leary, Hubert, and Denis.

Nancy arrives in London. She joins the Special Operations Executive where she works under Maurice Buckmaster. Garrow works for them as well, and the two are glad to be reunited. Nancy completes her training and gets sent to France.