The Secrets Act by Alison Weatherby

Set during the Second World War, this young adult novel introduces the code breakers at Bletchley Park. Ellen meets Pearl, a forward, talkative Bletchley local, and the duo’s friendship forms the basis for the story. Alternating between the young women, it does not delve into the historical significance of the code-breaking, but into the characters and roles of those who work there. A teenage crush and sudden tragedy see the pair of friends thrown (slightly unconvincingly) into a world of spies, navigated by teenagers. The love story is far from the most interesting aspect of the novel, but the more complex story is twisting and dark, and offers more for adult readers.