Emma

With a story of intrigue and danger during the Second World War, Susan Page Davis highlights another fascinating role that women took on during the 1940s. I hope you enjoy learning more about Emma!

Over to you, Susan:~

Brief physical description

Emma Shuster, 24, light brown hair, blue eyes. She’s a studious young lady, daughter of a mathematics professor, who studied literature and mathematics herself. She is quiet and modest, and is 5 feet, 4 inches tall. The year is 1912, and her wardrobe is practical and classic in style—always correct, with a little flair, but never attention-drawing.

Think actress Marion Davies

Strengths and weaknesses

Emma is very quick mentally and able to understand complicated issues. She loves her father and academics. She feels uncomfortable around people who are unkind or insensitive. Her faith is strong, but she is still afraid when threatened. She dislikes being alone in the world and isolated from family and friends, yet she can enjoy solitude and find it productive. She is practical and cares deeply but privately about her values and people she loves.

Quirk (if any)

Emma has a genius for codes and ciphers.

Your inspiration for the character

Real young women recruited as cryptographers during World War I.

Background to the story

Emma Shuster finds her father, a mathematics professor, murdered in his office. She had helped him on a project, creating ciphers for a banking firm. After his funeral, a Lieutenant John Patterson approaches her. Navy brass had hoped Professor Shuster would work for them. Now he wants to recruit Emma to work for the military.

In her new duties with the Navy, Emma cracks encrypted messages sent by German sympathizers who try to sabotage American business and communications. She learns that German and Austrian agents are conducting terrorism and promoting unrest in the United States. Their aims are to keep America from entering World War I on the side of the Allies, and to stop America from manufacturing and transporting munitions and supplies to England and her allies. Emma’s job is to stop them.

Thanks Susan – Emma’s story sounds fascinating. I’m looking forward to reading it!

Special Spotlight ~ this Saturday I will be spotlighting Carrissa Lathrop from Robin Jones Gunn’s new release, Under a Maui Moon.