The Only Woman in the Room

by Marie Benedict

Overview

The New York Times and USA Today Bestseller!

She possessed a stunning beauty. She also possessed a stunning mind. Could the world handle both?

Her beauty almost certainly saved her from the rising Nazi party and led to marriage with an Austrian arms dealer. Underestimated in everything else, she overheard the Third Reich's plans while at her husband's side, understanding more than anyone would guess. She devised a plan to flee in disguise from their castle, and the whirlwind escape landed her in Hollywood. She became Hedy Lamarr, screen star.

But she kept a secret more shocking than her heritage or her marriage: she was a scientist. And she knew a few secrets about the enemy. She had an idea that might help the country fight the Nazis…if anyone would listen to her.

A powerful novel based on the incredible true story of the glamour icon and scientist whose groundbreaking invention revolutionized modern communication, The Only Woman in the Room is a masterpiece.

Other Bestselling Historical Fiction from Marie Benedict:

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie

Lady Clementine

Carnegie's Maid

The Other Einstein

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781492666868
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	01/08/2019
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	108,722
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Marie Benedict is a lawyer with more than ten years' experience as a litigator at two of the country's premier law firms and for Fortune 500 companies.

Editorial Reviews

10/01/2018
In her rousing historical novel, Benedict (Carnegie’s Maid) imagines lesser known aspects of Hedy Lamarr’s life—before she took the film world by storm in the ’40s, and her later efforts as a hobbyist inventor during her acting years. In 1933, 19-year-old Hedwig “Hedy” Keisler, of Jewish heritage, is performing in a stage production in Vienna when she catches the eye of military munitions manufacturer Friedrich Mandl. His wealth and influence in the face of threats to Austria’s precarious independence lead Hedy’s parents to encourage a union. Mandl is a controlling, abusive husband, but the keenly intelligent Hedy—whose intellectual curiosity was always encouraged by her father—absorbs every word of her husband’s meetings with high-level political and military operatives, hiding her growing horror at her husband’s willingness to offer concessions to fascist influences. In 1937, Hedy escapes his hold and heads to Los Angeles, where she takes the screen name of Lamarr and strikes a lucrative contract with MGM. As her career blossoms and war wages in Europe, Hedy, learning of Hitler’s treatment of Jews, sets out to create something that could change the stakes in the Allied effort: a radio-guided torpedo system far superior to the one already in use. Benedict paints a shining portrait of a complicated woman who knows the astonishing power of her beauty but longs to be recognized for her sharp intellect. Readers will be enthralled. Agent: Laura Dail, Laura Dail Literary Agency. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

"Once again, Benedict shines a literary spotlight on a historical figure whose talents and achievements have been overlooked, with sparkling results. The Only Woman in the Room is page-turning tapestry of intrigue and glamour about a woman who refuses to be taken for granted. Spell-binding and timely." — Fiona Davis, national bestselling author of The Masterpiece

"Benedict paints a shining portrait of a complicated woman…Readers will be enthralled." — Publishers Weekly

"A captivating story of a complicated woman blazing new trails." — Kirkus Reviews

"[A] compelling fictionalized biography pays tribute to the overlooked scientific contributions and the hidden depths of a stunning beauty and beloved movie star." — Booklist

"Relevant today, especially women’s worth in a man’s world… a worthy read about this gorgeous and talented woman." — New York Journal of Books

"The fictional account Marie Benedict has woven is insightful, moving, and impossible to put down!" — Shelf Awareness

"This. Book. Is. Amazing." — Woman’s Day

"A spellbinding reading experience that implies that even celebrities are still human just like everyone else in the world." — Midwest Book Reviews

From the Publisher

2018-10-28

One of the most beautiful women ever to grace the silver screen, Hedy Lamarr also designed a secret weapon against Nazi Germany.

In her latest portrayal of a lesser-known woman scientist, Benedict (The Other Einstein, 2016, etc.) spins the tale of Lamarr, born Hedwig Kiesler, from her late teens in Austria through her success in Hollywood. Born to Jewish parents in a posh Vienna neighborhood, Hedy endures her mother's criticism while following her father's encouragement to pursue both science and acting. Although she finds early success with the risqué Ecstasy, the film's nudity haunts her efforts to be taken seriously. Just as she achieves the respect of her peers as a stage actress, Hedy catches the eye of Fritz Mandl, a wealthy, charismatic older man who owns several munitions factories. Rumored to have mistreated his former mistresses and to be in league with the fascist (albeit anti-Nazi) Austrian Christian Social Party, Fritz determines to wine, dine, and wed Hedy. Once married, however, Hedy finds herself virtually imprisoned and often abused by her jealous husband. Yet Hedy proves invaluable to Fritz when she begins to gather secret information from their well-connected, politically ambitious house guests. After all, who would suspect such a beautiful woman of understanding military secrets? Yet as Germany and Italy begin to join forces against Austria, Hedy discovers just how mercenary Fritz can be. A daring escape leads Hedy to America, where she vows never to be under another man's thumb. Once out of Fritz's reach, Hedy not only returns to acting, but also embarks on a new career as an inventor. Remembering the sensitive information carelessly revealed at Vienna dinner parties, she develops a brilliant radio-communication device. But will the American Navy accept such a weapon from a woman?

A captivating story of a complicated woman blazing new trails.

Kirkus Reviews