Under Two Flags

Published by: Black Rose Writing
Release Date: March 26, 2026

 
Synopsis

When dreams collide with war, survival becomes the ultimate performance.

In October 1916, eighteen-year-old Josephine Therese Marzynski leaves Boston for Berlin to pursue a dream of studying opera at Germany’s most prestigious music conservatory. Living with family friends and immersing herself in German culture, she finds unexpected beauty and friendship in the heart of a war-torn country.

When America enters the Great War in April 1917, Josephine’s world transforms overnight—from welcomed student to enemy of the state. Trapped in Berlin, Josephine must navigate rationing, bureaucratic interrogations, and the constant threat of suspicion. Her survival depends on those who risk their own safety to protect her, while she struggles with divided loyalties between her American identity and the German people who have become her chosen family.

Based on the true story from Josephine’s memoir and set against the backdrop of a city slowly starving under the weight of war, Under Two Flags is a gripping tale of resilience, moral complexity, and the transformative power of music in humanity's darkest hours. As Josephine fights to secure passage home, she confronts impossible choices that will test everything she believes about loyalty, survival, and the true meaning of patriotism.

Praise

“Daly sensitively explores war, patriotism, and ambition in this well-researched tale!”
– Kate Quinn, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Alice Network

“…. an unforgettable story with a fascinating and courageous female character at center stage. The lovely prose brought me to the front row for every note. Brava, Janis!”

— Martha Hall Kelly, New York Times bestselling author of The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club and The Lilac Girls

“… a richly detailed, emotionally resonant, and beautifully told historical fiction novel. Both a celebration of women’s resilience and a poignant meditation on belonging, Daly’s story shines from the first note to the last.”
— Eliza Knight, USA Today bestselling author of Confessions of a Grammar Queen