Princess Elizabeth's Spy
A Maggie Hope Mystery
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4.2 • 177 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
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.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Early in WWII, after the Battle of Britain, fears of a German invasion of England remain high in MacNeal's enjoyable sequel to Mr. Churchill's Secretary. American expat Maggie Hope, formerly the prime minister's secretary, is training in Scotland to become a spy for MI5. Dismissive of so-called "women's work," Maggie reluctantly accepts her first assignment to go undercover at Windsor Castle as math tutor to the 14-year-old Princess Elizabeth. After the initial, somewhat slow scene-setting chapters, which depict scheming Nazis as well as the dubious loyalty of the duke and duchess of Windsor, the plot picks up momentum with false starts, double agents, and red herrings. MacNeal provides a vivid view of life both above and below stairs at Windsor Castle. Excerpts from actual news broadcasts and speeches by the future Elizabeth II and Churchill add historical authenticity.
Customer Reviews
A Summer Read
It has spunky girls, Churchill’s words, and a view of WWII London and Windsor Castle. It has a big cast and lots of excitement but some of the plot devices are telegraphed or contrived. How did they get out of the sub?
Princess Elizabeth’s Spy
A terrific story with great characters and interesting twists.