Widowland : a novel
(Book)

Series information from Fantastic Fiction.

"To control the past, they edited history. To control the future, they edited literature. The year is 1953. Edward VIII and Wallis are preparing for their coronation, and the country is tense with expectation. In honor of the event, Adolf Hitler will be making his first visit to the UK since its surrender to the Germans in 1940. One oppressive change conforming with Nazi ideology is the strict classification of women into hierarchical groups, ranging from the beautiful and privileged Gelis (named after Hitler's adored niece) down to the barren Widows, who are treated as inferior domestic help and considered worthless. Rose Ransom, a Geli, remembers life before but knows better than to let it show. She works for the Ministry of Culture, editing classic books to fit in better with the new regime. When graffiti that quotes subversive lines by famous women starts popping up all over the country, Rose finds herself embroiled in the investigation to discover the criminals behind it. Nobody knows the power of words better than she does, and the truth behind them is almost impossible to ignore. Caught up in an assassination plot in which the Widows are the key suspects, she is forced to choose between the language of the law and that of her heart."--