Wrens Under the Radar is a wartime tale inspired by the true story of eight Wrens based in Blenheim, New Zealand from November 1942 to May 1944. War is declared on Germany, and Betty's fiance Fred enlists. Desperate to do her bit, Betty signs up with the Wrens, hoping to venture overseas. Instead, she finds herself on a top-secret mission in a farmhouse near Blenheim, along with seven other Wrens. In their role as telegraphers and classifiers, their task is to monitor the transmissions from Japanese submarines in the Pacific. The Wrens become part of the community and attend dances and church services with the locals, but they are sworn to secrecy about the work they do.

WRENS is the name of the Women’s Royal New Zealand Naval Service. Colleen Shipley is a NZ author who lives in Blenheim.