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Back to topThe Only Woman in the Room: A Novel (Hardcover)
February 2019 Indie Next List
“The Only Woman in the Room is the story of a woman who recreated herself several times over the course of her lifetime, as an actress who was a constant disappointment to her mother, a wife who learned state secrets about the Nazis, a refugee who convinced a movie mogul to cast her in his films, and a genius who developed a system to track German torpedoes but was turned away by the U.S. military because they believed she was too beautiful to be smart. The story of Hedy Lamarr is so much more than that of a Hollywood actress and war refugee. The fictional account Marie Benedict has woven is insightful, moving, and impossible to put down!”
— Kristin Pidgeon, Riverstone Books, Pittsburgh, PA
Winter 2019 Reading Group Indie Next List
“Marie Benedict has once again brought a deserving woman out of the shadows and into the spotlight. Hedy Lamarr, although well-known for her triumphs on the silver screen, should be featured in history classes for her contributions to science. Compelling, fascinating, and impossible to put down, The Only Woman in the Room is another triumph for Benedict.”
— Mary O'Malley, Anderson's Bookshop (La Grange), La Grange, IL
Description
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
About the Author
Marie Benedictis 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. She is a magna cum laude graduate of Boston College with a focus in history and art history and a cum laude graduate of the Boston University School of Law. Marie, the author of The Other Einstein, Carnegie’s Maid, The Only Woman in the Room, and Lady Clementine, views herself as an archaeologist of sorts, telling the untold stories of women. She lives in Pittsburgh with her family.
Praise For…
"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