Monday, August 06, 2018

The Prisoner in the Castle by Susan Elia MacNeal


First Line: Always remember when you're on the run, instinct will take over-- and if you're not careful, you'll become nothing more than an animal.

As World War II rages on, Maggie Hope joins a group of agents imprisoned in Killoch Castle on a remote island off the northwest coast of Scotland. They all know too much about something-- especially Maggie. She knows what the British government is willing to do to keep its secrets. She knows the real location of the planned D-Day invasion. And she knows the double-crossers who are sending agents to their deaths.

But shortly after Camilla Oddell, a new prisoner, arrives, something happens that takes Maggie out of her boredom and frustration. One by one, people in the castle begin to die, and Maggie realizes that her priorities have changed. Convincing others of her ability to keep secrets no longer matters. What matters is her ability to survive.

If you have a suspicious nature like mine, it won't be all that difficult to narrow down the field of suspects in MacNeal's homage to Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, but it's still a fun read, and anyway, the best mysteries are about more than merely deducing the identity of a killer. The Prisoner in the Castle satisfies on so many levels, such as... The way MacNeal weaves historical facts into her narrative. The way she breathes atmosphere into her Hebridean setting. The way the action sequences in her book have your eyes glued to the page. And I could go on. In fact, I think I will.

The main strength of this book (and the entire series) is the character of Maggie Hope herself. Longtime fans have seen her grow from a clerical position at Bletchley Park to Winston Churchill's secretary to secret agent, and each step is believable. Maggie Hope is extremely intelligent and extremely dedicated. She can think on her feet, and she doesn't know when to give up. The high-powered ending of The Prisoner in the Castle shows how tough and resourceful Maggie is. Femininity is far from being a disadvantage, as many women actually proved during World War II. And-- lucky for her-- she's gathered friends around her who care deeply for her and who also refuse to take no for an answer. In war as in life, we all need friends.

If you're new to the series and simply cannot face going back to the beginning (Mr. Churchill's Secretary), you can begin here, but Maggie is such a wonderful character, I do hope you will reconsider. Susan Elia MacNeal's Maggie Hope series is one of my favorite historical mystery treats. Neither woman disappoints.
 

The Prisoner in the Castle by Susan Elia MacNeal
eISBN: 9780399593833
Bantam Books © 2018
eBook, 320 pages

Historical Mystery, #8 Maggie Hope mystery
Rating: A
Source: Net Galley


8 comments:

  1. What an interesting premise for a novel, Cathy. And trust you to feature a great-sounding series that I haven't (yet) tried. My poor TBR! Still, I do like a strong protagonist like Maggie...

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  2. I have read this series, but am not quite caught up. I'll have to look back and see where I left off. This one sounds wonderful and, of course, the setting grabbed me immediately. I need to see if my library has these on audio. I'm plowing through (which doesn't sound appealing but actually is) a bunch of books that way - at no cost to me. Well, just the annual fee for my library card. We're outside the Austin district these days.

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    1. You're speaking to me, remember? Plowing through books is right up my alley! LOL

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  3. My copy arrives in the mail today. Counting down...lol!

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  4. I only skimmed what you wrote right now, mine is here waiting for me!! I have read them from the start and so enjoy this series too! Just noticed your physical book--I really liked Kingdom of Strangers and wished Ferraris had written more than just the three...unless you know something I don't know!

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    1. I've been saving Kingdom of Strangers like it was the last bar of gold in Fort Knox, but I couldn't stand it anymore and had to start reading it. I'm with you-- I wish she'd write more!

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