Book of Forbidden Words - four hundred years apart, three women are linked by an encrypted manuscript.

In 1952, Milly Bennett is living in suburban New York with her husband, George, and their two children. During the war, she served as a codebreaker in a highly confidential operation, so secretive that she never disclosed her work to her husband. But now she is bored and longs to find something fulfilling. When her former boss tracks her down, he asks Milly's help in deciphering the contents of a 400-year-old encrypted manuscript, and she becomes inspired by the story she uncovers. Amidst the paranoia of the McCarthy-era Red Scare, Milly is unaware that her activities could be problematic. The story shifts to Paris in 1552, Paris where former nun Lysbette Angiers brings her writings to Charlotte Guillard's printing shop. Charlotte agrees to print the manuscript, which contains radical thoughts of female equality, in the hope that one day, people will be open to nonconformist ideas. 

Book of Forbidden Words by Louise Fein is a thought-provoking story that explores important themes such as equality, free-thinking, censorship, book banning, and the strength of resilient women. Fein incorporates historical figures into this impactful story, inspired by the real-life encrypted Voynich manuscript, which remains undeciphered. Having read Fein's previous three books, including Daughter of the Reich, I was pleased to find her latest work to be another interesting and compelling read. 

Rated 4 out of 5 stars.

Historical Fiction.

Publication Date: February 17, 2026.

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