Double Crossed: The WWII Spies Who Saved D-Day

A thrilling WWII middle-grade narrative nonfiction account of Operation Bodyguard, in which the Allied forces used spies and double agents to deceive the Nazis about their true plans for D-Day.

"Throws you right into the action--real spies playing for the highest possible stakes!" --award-winning author Steve Sheinkin

In the fall of 1943, German troops controlled nearly all of continental Europe. The one chance the Allies had of punching through the German front meant keeping the enemy distracted and in the dark. They had to take the Germans by surprise on "D-Day."

The mission: trick the Germans into believing the Allies would strike anywhere but their true target, the beaches of Normandy. Featuring historical photos and breathtaking true accounts, Double Crossed tells the exhilarating story of Operation Bodyguard, the mind-boggling effort to lay a false trail for the Germans using fake armies, decoy landings, and the covert work of double agents and spies who risked their lives. With millions of lives hanging in the balance, victory--or defeat--in World War II depended on the Nazis being caught unaware.

Author: Rebecca E. F. Barone
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
Published: 04/28/2026
Pages: 224
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.60lbs
Size: 8.36h x 5.36w x 1.03d
ISBN: 9781250345561
Audience: Ages 9-12


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 02/01/2026
Booklist 02/01/2026
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 03/01/2026
School Library Journal 03/01/2026 pg. 90
Publishers Weekly 03/02/2026
Horn Book Magazine 03/01/2026 pg. 76

About the Author

Rebecca E. F. Barone is an engineer and author. She has worked on technical projects as diverse as injury analysis for the NFL and engine calibration for hybrid cars. Realizing her love of books in addition to numbers,
she now describes the world with words rather than equations. Her first three books, Race to the Bottom of the Earth: Surviving Antarctica, Unbreakable: The Spies Who Cracked the Nazis' Secret Code, and Mountain of
Fire: The Eruption and Survivors of Mount St. Helens together received twelve starred reviews and were
featured on numerous "best of year" lists. She lives in Ohio with her family.