Author Christine Kuehn didn’t know much about her family growing up. But a stranger’s letter led her to discover that her grandfather, grandmother, and aunt were all spies for the Japanese.
The family was instrumental in gathering intelligence in Hawaiʻi prior to the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.
Her grandfather, Otto, was found guilty of spying in Honolulu, and her father, Eberhard, was a Punahou teenager who was taken with his family to the Sand Island Detention Camp.
Kuehn went on a three-decade journey to unearth and wrestle with the dark secrets of her family’s past. She spoke with The Conversation about her new book, “Family of Spies: A World War II Story of Nazi Espionage, Betrayal, and the Secret History Behind Pearl Harbor."
The book has won praise from Publishers Weekly, The New York Times calls it “an amazing and gripping tale,” and it’s on their list of most anticipated titles this fall.
"Family of Spies" can be purchased here.
Editor's note: This interview discusses suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988.
This story aired on The Conversation on Dec. 2, 2025. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m.
