From the New York Times bestselling author of Rise of the Rocket Girls comes the never-before-told story of a small cadre of influential female spies in the precarious early days of the CIA—women who helped create the template for cutting-edge espionage (and blazed new paths for equality in the workplace) in the treacherous post-WWII era.

In the wake of World War II, four agents were critical in helping build a new organization that we now know as the CIA. Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudmeier, called the “wise gals” by their male colleagues because of their sharp sense of humor and even quicker intelligence, were not the stereotypical femme fatale of spy novels. They were smart, courageous, and groundbreaking agents at the top of their class, instrumental in both developing innovative tools for intelligence gathering—and insisting (in their own unique ways) that they receive the credit and pay their expertise deserved.
     Throughout the Cold War era, each woman had a vital role to play on the international stage. Adelaide rose through the ranks, developing new cryptosystems that advanced how spies communicate with each other.  Mary worked overseas in Europe and Asia, building partnerships and allegiances that would last decades. Elizabeth would risk her life in the Middle East in order to gain intelligence on deadly Soviet weaponry. Eloise would wield influence on scientific and technical operations worldwide, ultimately exposing global terrorism threats. Through their friendship and shared sense of purpose, they rose to positions of power and were able to make real change in a traditionally “male, pale, and Yale” organization—but not without some tragic losses and real heartache along the way.   
     Meticulously researched and beautifully told, Holt uses firsthand interviews with past and present officials and declassified government documents to uncover the stories of these four inspirational women. Wise Gals sheds a light on the untold history of the women whose daring foreign intrigues, domestic persistence, and fighting spirit have been and continue to be instrumental to our country’s security.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Rise of the Rocket Girls comesthe never-before-told story of a small cadre of influential spies in the precarious early days of the CIA-women who helped create the template for modern espionage in the treacherous post-WWII era but whose lasting contributions went largely unnoticed…until now.



In the wake of World War II, four agents were critical in helping build a new organization that we now know as the CIA-Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudmeier. These women, or "wise gals" as their male colleagues called them (because of their sharp sense of humor and even quicker intelligence), were not the stereotypical femme fatale of spy novels. They were smart, courageous, and ground-breaking agents at the top of their class, instrumental in creating tools for intelligence gathering in the decades to come while simultaneously working across the globe to keep peace at the height of the Cold War.



Adelaide rose through the ranks and became branch chief, developing new cryptosystems that advanced how spies communicate with each other. Mary was the first senior-level female executive in the organization. Elizabeth became the first woman awarded the Intelligence Medal of Merit. Eloise became chief of scientific and technical operations. Through their friendship and shared sense of purpose, they rose to positions of power and were able to make real change in a traditionally "male, pale, and Yale" organization-but not without some tragic losses and real heartache along the way.



Meticulously researched and beautifully told, Holt uses firsthand interviews with past and present officials and declassified government documents to uncover the stories of these four inspirational women. Wise Gals sheds a light on the untold history of the women whose daring foreign intrigues, domestic persistence, and fighting spirit have been and continue to be instrumental to our country's security.

“A sweeping epic of a book, Holt’s Wise Gals rescues five remarkable women from obscurity and finally gives them their rightful place in world history. This is a fascinating story of pioneers and patriots, of science and technology, of ambition and sacrifice…of female spies. I particularly admired the Cold War sequences, with their insider accounts of both the space and nuclear arms races, but it’s the breathtaking scale of this story that truly stuns: spanning continents and decades with impressive skill and impeccable research, yet simultaneously sharing the tender secrets from each woman’s life to make this political history personal. A book you won’t regret reading. Five women you won’t forget.” –Kate Moore, author of The Radium Girls and The Woman They Could Not Silence

“Too often we argue about where we should go when we have little idea how we got to where we are. Nathalia Holt’s Wise Gals is the engrossing story of a group of dedicated women who not only served the nation as intelligence professionals, but also helped to forge a path towards equality and opportunity. As entertaining as it is instructive.” –General Stanley McChrystal, U.S. Army (Ret), author of My Share of the Task and Team of Teams