Secrets, Spies and Lies – Who Can You Trust? – The Star Society

Jul 14, 2026 by Two Sues On the Aisle

By Two Sues on the Aisle, Susie Rosenbluth and Sue Weston

The Star Society is a historical fiction novel by Gabriella Saab, inspired by the real life of Audrey Hepburn. It begins in Arnhem, Netherlands, after the Nazi invasion, the story focuses on twin sisters raised by a single mother who flee occupied Europe in search of freedom, each convinced the other has died.

Years later, their paths cross in post-WWII America. However, their reunion is quickly threatened as secrets from their past catch up to them. The Star Society is a captivating spy story exploring the paranoia of 1950s America, questioning trust, truth, and the true cost of survival.

The Star Society

The Sisters

Both twins remain driven by a belief in justice, placing hope for a fresh beginning in America.

Ada Worthington-Fox: Formerly an aspiring Dutch ballerina turned resistance fighter. Ada had risked everything to help others escape before being captured and tortured by the Gestapo. Now a rising Hollywood actress, she has changed her name to erase any ties to the past and forge a new life as an actress.
Ingrid: Married and living in Washington, D.C., Ingrid has built a career as an FBI investigator. An assignment to uncover subversion in Hollywood leads her straight to her long-lost sister. She keeps their relationship a secret in the hopes of protecting Ada from government scrutiny.

As their world collides, the sisters are forced to confront painful memories, including their mother’s motivations. Was she a Nazi collaborator, or simply a desperate mother trying to protect her children?

Historical Relevance

The Star Society is set on a backdrop of historical intrigue with global connections. As the high-stakes drama unfolds, secrets are revealed. It is difficult to distinguish the good guys from the bad and the truth from lies, as the plot connects several real-world historical realities.

Following the surprise Nazi invasion on May 10, 1940, ordinary Dutch citizens formed a massive underground network. They hid over 300,000 people, coordinated escape routes, and gathered Allied intelligence under threat of torture and execution. Ada, an active participant in the resistance, was captured by the Gestapo, tortured, and released. Scarred for life, she flees to America.

While in 1950s America, the Red Scare, investigations by the House Un-American Activities Committee, and McCarthy-era paranoia created an atmosphere of witch hunts. Suspects were coerced into naming names to save their careers, their aggressive tactics, false accusations, and forced testimony, which reminded Ada of Gestapo methods and focus, which was largely antisemitic and homophobic.

Secrets, Spies, and Lies

Ada and Ingrid try desperately to distance themselves from their past. In a precomputer era, this should have been easy, but then, Ada’s picture appeared in the tabloids.

The novel touches on a world where women were marginalized in the workplace, former Nazi intelligence assets were quietly recruited by Western intelligence, and a simple identity change could obscure a person’s history, until the press caught wind of it. The sisters share a dark secret. They need to decide how to balance the cost of justice with personal safety. Should they speak up or remain silent?

The story connects narratives that resonate today, our inability to trust the media, and the strength of families. The Star Society is a page flipper, a haunting tale ripped from history, that will leave you wondering.