eBook, 352 pages
English language
Published Oct. 15, 2012 by Bantam Books.
Susan Elia MacNeal introduced the remarkable Maggie Hope in her acclaimed debut, Mr. Churchill’s Secretary. Now Maggie returns to protect Britain’s beloved royals against an international plot—one that could change the course of history.
As World War II sweeps the continent and England steels itself against German attack, Maggie Hope, former secretary to Prime Minister Winston Churchill, completes her training to become a spy for MI-5. Spirited, strong-willed, and possessing one of the sharpest minds in government for mathematics and code-breaking, she fully expects to be sent abroad to gather intelligence for the British front. Instead, to her great disappointment, she is dispatched to go undercover at Windsor Castle, where she will tutor the young Princess Elizabeth in math. Yet castle life quickly proves more dangerous—and deadly—than Maggie ever expected. The upstairs-downstairs world at Windsor is thrown into disarray by a shocking murder, which draws Maggie into a vast conspiracy …
Susan Elia MacNeal introduced the remarkable Maggie Hope in her acclaimed debut, Mr. Churchill’s Secretary. Now Maggie returns to protect Britain’s beloved royals against an international plot—one that could change the course of history.
As World War II sweeps the continent and England steels itself against German attack, Maggie Hope, former secretary to Prime Minister Winston Churchill, completes her training to become a spy for MI-5. Spirited, strong-willed, and possessing one of the sharpest minds in government for mathematics and code-breaking, she fully expects to be sent abroad to gather intelligence for the British front. Instead, to her great disappointment, she is dispatched to go undercover at Windsor Castle, where she will tutor the young Princess Elizabeth in math. Yet castle life quickly proves more dangerous—and deadly—than Maggie ever expected. The upstairs-downstairs world at Windsor is thrown into disarray by a shocking murder, which draws Maggie into a vast conspiracy that places the entire royal family in peril. And as she races to save England from a most disturbing fate, Maggie realizes that a quick wit is her best defense, and that the smallest clues can unravel the biggest secrets, even within her own family.
This novel is a bit of a stretch from a historical perspective (which is why I rate it 3 stars). Otherwise, the mystery, plot, and characters are interesting, entertaining and critical to what is a good tale.
I am enjoying this series. I got started because my best friend gave me one that is further along, so I decided I ought to read the preliminary adventures of Maggie Hope.
I especially like the historic details, the main characters, and interesting plot twists. I don't usually go in for anything that involves clandestine sneaking around - makes my teeth itch and knees sweat. But this was fun.
I did, however, have to chuckle and mentally thank a previous reader (my copy was from the library) who made a few unobtrusive notes, pointing out some small but rather glaring content errors. And all in the midst of the denoument!
Was Ms. MacNeal on a tense, impossible deadline? Did she lose some of her notes to Nazi saboteurs? Were her editors asleep at the switch? Because honestly someone should have caught them, particularly the one that was a complete contradiction …
I am enjoying this series. I got started because my best friend gave me one that is further along, so I decided I ought to read the preliminary adventures of Maggie Hope.
I especially like the historic details, the main characters, and interesting plot twists. I don't usually go in for anything that involves clandestine sneaking around - makes my teeth itch and knees sweat. But this was fun.
I did, however, have to chuckle and mentally thank a previous reader (my copy was from the library) who made a few unobtrusive notes, pointing out some small but rather glaring content errors. And all in the midst of the denoument!
Was Ms. MacNeal on a tense, impossible deadline? Did she lose some of her notes to Nazi saboteurs? Were her editors asleep at the switch? Because honestly someone should have caught them, particularly the one that was a complete contradiction only 4 sentences apart.
Mind you, I do not blame the author. No author can possibly catch things like that, especially having led us on such a merry chase for hundreds of pages.
No, that is what the long list of acknowledged supporters at the back of the book were supposed to have been doing. I hope they'll serve her better in the future.
I look forward to gobbling down the next volume, and not only to find out if they do!
