Nicholas Reynolds

Co-authored by Nicholas Reynolds and Katie S. Sanders, this is the untold story of the Allies' secret weapon in occupied France, to be published by HarperCollins in August 2026.

Peter J. Ortiz's path to becoming the most battle-decorated member of OSS—and one of the most decorated Marines of World War II—was unlike any other. Born in New York and raised between California and France, he would have stints as a merchant seaman, dude ranch manager, race car driver, lion tamer, circus performer, and Hollywood stuntman and actor. As a teenager, Ortiz ran away from boarding school in France to join the French Foreign Legion.

In 1944, Ortiz parachuted into France on two inter-Allied missions. Operating deep behind enemy lines, he traveled throughout Southeastern France—at times donning his Marine uniform—arming and training the Maquis, blowing up Nazi infrastructure, and aiding downed Allied airmen. 

Two months after the Normandy landings, Ortiz jumped back into the French Alps, this time with a team of Americans he recruited for "Le Grand Parachutage," a drop that sent more than 150 tons of supplies raining down to the Maquis to fight the Axis. When his six-man patrol was surrounded by more than one hundred Germans at the village of Centron, Ortiz faced a choice: fight the enemy or save the village from Nazi annihilation.

During World War II, American intelligence grew exponentially from cottage industry to industrial conglomerate. It did so under great pressure in order to win the war against the Axis. Told through the eyes of memorable codebreakers and spies, this groundbreaking book is a rare look across the board at the many kinds of intelligence that developed during the war and laid the foundation for post-war growth. It is documented yet readable, and can serve as an introduction or an overview. In addition to being a New Yorker "Best of 2022" Selection, Need to Know was recognised as a finalist for the 2022 Gilder- Lehrman Military Book Prize.

Hemingway was far more involved in the world of secrets and intrigue than has previously been acknowledged, and that involvement made an important difference in his life. Starting with the Spanish Civil War and ending with the Cuban Revolution, the author finds a coherent thread, then examines the hidden cost. 

General Ludwig Beck was a thorough-going traditionalist who, by stages, turned against Hitler and then took the reins of the German conspiracy to overthrow him.  The last act of the tragedy occurred on July 20, 1944, when the conspirators' bomb failed to kill the dictator.  Beck committed suicide a few hours later.

How the Marines planned and prepared for war, deployed to theater, crossed the line of departure and, in the spring of 2003, fought their way to Baghdad—and beyond. This first overview of Marines in Operation Iraqi Freedom is grounded in oral history interviews, contemporary reports, and first - hand journals.