Sunday, May 15, 2022

On My Radar: Susan Elia MacNeal's Mother Daughter Traitor Spy

 

 
I've been a fan of Susan Elia MacNeal's Maggie Hope historical mystery series since the very first book, Mr. Churchill's Secretary. Maggie has come a long way in the series, and I'm looking forward to seeing what her next assignment will be. In the meantime, MacNeal has a standalone novel also set during World War II that will be released in September. It sounds like a winner. Let me tell you more about it!


Available September 20, 2022!

 
Synopsis: 

"June 1940. France has fallen to the Nazis, and Britain may be next—but to many Americans, the war is something happening “over there.” Veronica Grace has just graduated from college; she and her mother, Violet, are looking for a fresh start in sunny Los Angeles. After a blunder cost her a prestigious career opportunity in New York, Veronica is relieved to take a typing job in L.A.—only to realize that she’s working for one of the area’s most vicious propagandists.

Overnight, Veronica is exposed to the dark underbelly of her new home, where German Nazis are recruiting Americans for their devastating campaign. After the FBI dismisses the Graces’ concerns, Veronica and Violet decide to call on an old friend, who introduces them to L.A.’s anti-Nazi spymaster.

At once, the women go undercover to gather enough information about the California Reich to take to the authorities. But as the news of Pearl Harbor ripples through the United States, and President Roosevelt declares war, the Grace women realize that the plots they’re investigating are far more sinister than they feared—and even a single misstep could cost them everything.

Inspired by the real mother-daughter spy duo who foiled Nazi plots in Los Angeles during WWII,
Mother Daughter Traitor Spy is a powerful portrait of family, duty, and deception that raises timeless questions about America—and what it means to have courage in the face of terror.
"

 
MacNeal really does  her research. She's always finding something new for me to learn, and she certainly knows how to weave those historical nuggets into a very entertaining story. I can't wait to get my hands on this one!

If you've been tempted by her Maggie Hope series but haven't sampled it yet, this standalone could be the perfect book for you to read. (Just don't be surprised if you find yourself wanting to read about Maggie afterwards!)

12 comments:

  1. This sounds like an interesting insight into a part of WW II that I don't know well, Cathy. I hadn't really thought of the propaganda machine in this country at that time, but of course it was there. I do like it when historical fiction gives us a look at those parts of history you don't learn in the classroom.

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    1. I really like that, too, and MacNeal is wonderful at finding these snippets of fascinating history!

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  2. I haven't read this author but this does sound interesting so I'm putting her on my list. I hope to be able to check her out sometime later this year.

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  3. I enjoyed the first Maggie Hope mystery, so this definitely piques my interest also. Propaganda within our own borders is unfortunately topical, so seeing the issue from another time period could be helpful.

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  4. Nazis in Los Angeles, too? Now I remember Nathan Lane is in a movie about Nazis in California. I'll have to measure my Nazi-o-meter tolerance level, but it sounds like an interesting book.

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    1. It should be. MacNeal has had more than one of her Maggie Hope books deal with Nazis, but she never dwells on them, if that makes sense.

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  5. Replies
    1. I'm glad it did make sense, and-- as you can see-- I translated your comment easily.

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    2. You missed your calling. If you'd been around during WW II, you could have been a code breaker.

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  6. You translated it better than I can. This cries out for better lighting over my laptop keyboard at night. I can't see much of the keyboard at this point due to a shorter lamp as the old one broke.

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