The Paris Agent is set in 1940s France, England, and Germany and 1970s England, and the author has been praised for her extensive research and dedication to crafting a sense of verisimilitude in her writing. As the dual timelines unfold, the core challenges encountered by each character reflect the enduring impact of wartime experiences on individuals and their families. 

The Special Operations Executive (SOE) was formed in 1940 and dissolved in 1946. Led by high-ranking British officials, the SOE’s primary aims were to send spies into Axis-occupied territories in order to create secret armies and sabotage Axis-led efforts. Missions included disrupting municipal factories’ production, leading labor strikes, and engaging in direct attacks.

Postwar Britain saw the creation of a welfare state in 1946 and the National Health Service in 1947, as well as the nationalization of several industries. As Noah demonstrates, veterans struggled to acclimate back into normal society. By 1970, the year in which Charlotte, Noah, and Theo dive into their historical mission, Britain had already undergone several swings of the political pendulum, and the turmoil of postwar reconstruction had largely quieted. The author employs these dual timelines to imply that the emotional and psychological reckoning of war often must be postponed until financial stability and material safety have been regained, allowing survivors the chance to process their wartime experiences.