The Last Hope by Susan Elia MacNeal

 

First Line from Prologue: July 1943. General Walter Friedrich Schellenberg, cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth, raced his black Mercedes coupe through the dense pine forest and then up the cobblestone drive to the gates of the looming castle.

 

Maggie Hope has come a long way since she was Mr. Churchill's secretary. She's learned espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance, among other things. But now British Intelligence has ordered her to assassinate Werner Heisenberg, the physicist who may give Germany the atom bomb. Maggie is shaken to her core. How can the Allies even be sure that Germany does have the bomb? She travels to Madrid where Heisenberg is giving a lecture to gather more information.

Once in Madrid, Maggie finds her presence being requested at the British ambassador's by none other than French fashion designer, Coco Chanel. Maggie-- finally having the opportunity of a happily-ever-after of her own with John Sterling-- wants no part of being an assassin, but she knows what will happen if Germany has an atom bomb. Never have her professional and personal choices been more crucial. And... just what does Coco Chanel want with her?

~

It's always sad to see a favorite series end, but-- to be honest-- Susan Elia MacNeal's excellent Maggie Hope series had no choice. People in Maggie's line of work had notoriously short shelf lives. With everything she was being asked to do, her number was going to be up sooner rather than later. And what better way for her career to end than in this pedal-to-the-metal thrill ride, The Last Hope?

I have enjoyed every second of Maggie's service in World War II. She's grown from a bright yet naive young woman to a brave, resourceful agent for British Intelligence. In The Last Hope, Maggie finds herself in a moral dilemma facing betrayal and personal danger, and every step she took felt right to this reader. 

As usual with one of MacNeal's books, I felt right at home in the setting and time period, aided a great deal by the little details that the author added to the story. I'd often wondered how Londoners navigated bombed-out streets during the blackouts, and MacNeal mentions the "curbs painted phosphorescent white to glow in the dark." In addition, you simply have to have a bon-mot by the incomparable Winston Churchill. Once again, the man made me laugh when he said that the British "ambassador was descended from a long line of maiden aunts." I also enjoyed seeing Madrid in wartime. Maggie found it quite a change to be in a neutral country, and so did I.

 

In The Last Hope, a character asks Maggie, "Will I ever read about you?" to which Maggie replies, "Not if I do my job well." One of the things I am most grateful to Susan Elia MacNeal for is bringing to light just what so many incredibly brave women did in service to their country during World War II. Thank you, Susan. You took splendid care of Maggie, and I look forward to your new stories. 

The Last Hope by Susan Elia MacNeal

eISBN: 9780593156995

Bantam Books © 2024

eBook, 304 pages

 

Historical Mystery, #11 Maggie Hope mystery

Rating: A

Source: Net Galley

The Hollywood Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal

First Line: It was 1943 and America was at war.

 

When Maggie Hope's former fiancé, John Sterling, asks for her help, Maggie can't say no-- even if it does mean traveling from London to Los Angeles in the midst of war. The woman Sterling was engaged to was found floating dead in the pool at the Garden of Allah Hotel, and Sterling doesn't believe Gloria's death was an accident.

 

Maggie barely begins to investigate when she knows Sterling is right. Gloria's death was not an accident. She didn't slip, hit her head, and fall into the pool to drown. But in proving Sterling's fiancée was murdered, Maggie is going to find herself traversing the darkest side of L.A., the side no one would ever see in a Disney film, and her life will be in danger.

 

~

 

Maggie Hope had a lot to deal with in the previous book in this series, The King's Justice, and this trip to Los Angeles is just what she needed. Los Angeles. Hollywood. Sunshine. Beaches. Palm trees. Walt Disney. Movie stars. It's almost idyllic... until Maggie begins investigating the death of John Sterling's fiancée.

The Hollywood Spy is a book in which the mystery is intriguing, but it's not the star of the show. The star is actually the dark underbelly of the city of Los Angeles. As I read this, I was chilled by the parallels between Los Angeles in 1943 and our country in the last few years. Segregation on steroids. Race riots. The Ku Klux Klan with its filthy fingers into so many political pies. Enlisted men being given baseball bats and told to bust up as many non-white heads as they could. The police looking the other way. Reading "the cops and the Klan go hand in hand" made my blood run cold, and I can only imagine how MacNeal felt as she was writing the book. There are scenes in The Hollywood Spy in which I felt as though I'd fallen down the rabbit hole to hell.

Maggie is her usual strong self, and I was cheering her on at the end of the book as she laid down the law to some officious jerk, but in many ways, I think the mystery in The Hollywood Spy was weakened by its setting. There was a real feeling of menace as Maggie was followed around the streets of Los Angeles, and I liked her shock at being back in a segregated country, but... there just happened to be a chance for Maggie to show off her codebreaking skills. There was more than one minor character who was obviously going to play a pivotal role in the action, almost as though they had neon signs over their heads...

 

Now, it sounds as though I spent my time reading and nitpicking, but I didn't. My mind would make note of these things, but my mind was also enjoying the fast-paced story a great deal. Maggie Hope is one of those characters who I'd follow anywhere. Her intelligence and bravery make each book in this series shine, and The Hollywood Spy is no exception. Susan Elia MacNeal has crafted a book that will have readers not only enjoying the characters, the mystery, and the danger, but also learning a lot about Los Angeles in the 1940s. (And those Author's Notes at the end are a must for her research and a suggested reading list.)

 

Will Maggie be staying in Los Angeles? No. She's got another interesting assignment waiting for her. And now here it comes again: the long wait until I meet her again.  

The Hollywood Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal

eISBN: 9780593156933

Bantam Books © 2021

eBook, 352 pages

 

Historical Mystery, #10 Maggie Hope mystery

Rating: A-

Source: Net Galley

The King's Justice by Susan Elia MacNeal

First Line: Each incoming tide of the Thames brought another layer of debris, and, when the waters receded, mysteries could be found buried in the silt.

Not many people would consider defusing bombs in London as a relaxing break from spying, but then they aren't Maggie Hope. Her war began with being Winston Churchill's secretary and her resume has grown since then. However, everything she's done has taken a toll on her.

In an effort to avoid thinking about some of the things she's done (or that have been done to her), she finds herself enjoying living life on the edge: defusing bombs, riding a motorcycle at breakneck speed on London's bombed out streets, drinking too much, smoking too much. Her friends see the change in her, but they don't know what to do.

When she's asked to look into the theft of a Stradivarius, one of the finest violins ever made, Maggie can't resist, although she found it easy to refuse to help with the manhunt for a serial killer who's targeting conscientious objectors. Little does she know that she's the only one who can uncover the connection between the robbery, the murders, and a link to her own past.

I've been a fan of Susan Elia MacNeal's Maggie Hope series since the very first book, Mr. Churchill's Secretary, and it's been a joy to watch it get stronger with each new book. The King's Justice follows this trend. As always, MacNeal can easily put us right in the middle of wartorn London by inserting facts about the Tower of London being hit during the Blitz, giving names and histories to the ravens at the Tower, mudlarking, and defusing bombs (which reminded me of watching Anthony Andrews in Danger UXB). But it was what I learned about conscientious objectors that had the most effect on me, and I really liked how it was woven into the story.

As much as I learn about World War II and the people who fought in it by reading these books, it's the character of Maggie Hope who always brings me back. She's quite simply amazing. Starting out as rather naive, she's grown so much, learned so much, and her quick wits and steely resolve have gotten her out of more than one hair-raising circumstance. The thing that I like about Maggie the most is-- regardless of what she's done-- she's not Wonder Woman. Bullets don't bounce off her. Everything she's done, everything she's experienced, has had an effect on her, and in The King's Justice, we see it all coming to a crisis point. She's got what we now call PTSD, and how she realizes it and how she works through it is one of the best parts of the book.

By the book's end, Maggie has a new adventure awaiting her, one that I'm really looking forward to. That's about the only bad thing about a wonderful series like the one Susan Elia MacNeal has created: the interminable wait for the next book. If you're new to the series, you can read this as a standalone, but I strongly advise against it. You'll miss too much just in character development alone. Start with Mr. Churchill's Secretary. (You can thank me later.) As for all you fellow Maggie Hope fans, rejoice! You've got another excellent book to savor!

The King's Justice by Susan Elia MacNeal

eISBN: 9780399593857

Random House © 2020

eBook, 352 pages

Historical Mystery, #9 Maggie Hope mystery

Rating: A+

Source: Net Galley

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

The Paris Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal

First Line: Only a single small sparrow, hiding in the high branches of the green chestnut trees, dared to pierce the Avenue Foch's eerie silence with her chirps and trills.

Being dressed in Chanel and staying in a chic hotel in German-occupied Paris is a long way from Maggie Hope's beginnings as Winston Churchill's secretary, but she's on two missions: one, to find her half sister Elise who disappeared after escaping from a concentration camp. Two, to find the whereabouts of captured agent Erica Calvert's research, which is vital for planning the Allied invasion of France. These objectives are going to take all of Maggie's talents for deception and spycraft because England's Special Operations Executive has a traitor who is endangering every one of their agents.

I've been a fan of Susan Elia MacNeal's World War II-era Maggie Hope series since the first, Mr. Churchill's Secretary-- and it's almost impossible to believe that was seven "installments" ago! In each book, Maggie has grown from a woman with a talent for mathematics and thinking on her feet to an agent who not only trains new recruits but does dangerous undercover work herself. The entire series is a homage to the incredible sacrifices that so many (sometimes nameless) people made in the name of freedom during World War II. In MacNeal's capable hands, this series is both enlightening and highly entertaining.  

I'm also happy to say that in The Paris Spy, everything comes together with a sizzle; it's MacNeal's best book yet. Occupied Paris comes to life in all its swastika-drenched angst, and the excellent pacing just never lets up. There are some surprising characters who do not behave as one would expect, and there is danger from so many different angles that it's almost impossible to see how on earth Maggie can pull everything together. It's not all derring-do and razzmatazz in The Paris Spy, however. Bad things happen to good people and the things that agents must do change them both inside and out.

This is a perfect book-- and a perfect series-- for fans of historical mysteries featuring strong female characters. (Think Bess Crawford or Maisie Dobbs.) But... if you ever find yourself with a code to crack or the Gestapo closing in, put your money on Maggie. She'll get the job done.

The Paris Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal

eISBN: 9780399593819

Bantam Books © 2017

eBook, 320 pages

Historical Mystery, #7 Maggie Hope mystery

Rating: A+

Source: Net Galley

The Queen's Accomplice by Susan Elia MacNeal

First Line: The winds were changing.

The Blitz may be on hold in London, but the blackout is ongoing-- which is a bad thing for females who must travel the streets at night. A killer is butchering young women in exact recreations of Jack the Ripper's crimes, and he is targeting women who are reporting for duty to be Churchill's spies and saboteurs abroad. 

Officers at MI-5 quickly realize that they need the help of special agent Maggie Hope to find "the Blackout Beast." But once a trap is set, what's going to happen when the murderer sets his sights on Maggie?

This is the ongoing story of young American Maggie Hope and her experiences in England during World War II-- and it's a pip. Looking to branch out from Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs or Charles Todd's Bess Crawford? Then you must meet Maggie Hope. 

In this sixth installment of Maggie's story, author MacNeal brings home the fact of exactly what female spies faced during the war, and it was ugly. I'm not going to go into any detail because it would just cause my blood pressure to spike. Suffice it to say, Maggie doesn't take kindly to the facts either, and it's going to be interesting to see what kind of fight she puts up against this injustice. 

But this isn't just a tale of espionage and women's rights. MacNeal turns everything on its head by throwing a homicidal maniac loose on the darkened streets of London. A serial killer? Really? It sounds same old, same old, but it's not. It's exciting and scary and certainly keeps the pages turning at a rapid clip. MacNeal proves that she can write more than "just" women's period drama. Much more.

These Maggie Hope stories should be read in order because of continuing storylines, and developing characters and relationships, but if you like richly textured historical mysteries with a strong female lead, you're not going to mind a bit. Bit by bit, more is coming to light about the roles women really played during World War II. MacNeal has done her research, and Maggie is the fantastic result. 

If you love historical mysteries oozing with period detail, spine-tingling action, and wonderful characterizations, look no further than Susan Elia MacNeal's Maggie Hope. 

The Queen's Accomplice by Susan Elia MacNeal

eISBN: 9780804178730

Bantam Books © 2016

eBook, 368 pages

Historical Mystery, #6 Maggie Hope mystery

Rating: A

Source: Net Galley


  

Mrs. Roosevelt's Confidante by Susan Elia MacNeal

First Line: It was morning and Eleanor Roosevelt opened the door of the President's bedroom without knocking.

Shortly after the attacks on Pearl Harbor, Winston Churchill arrives in Washington, D.C. He's there to work with Franklin Roosevelt concerning the U.S.'s entry into World War II, and Maggie Hope is along, posing as Churchill's typist. 

When one of Eleanor Roosevelt's aides is murdered and the First Lady herself implicated in the crime, Maggie finds herself quickly drawn into Mrs. Roosevelt's inner circle. Fortunately Churchill's "typist" is skilled at code breaking and espionage because her investigation has to be kept secret. Who would target the First Lady-- and why? What Maggie uncovers is a conspiracy that must be stopped.

Any reader who's a fan of Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs or Charles Todd's Bess Crawford should definitely give Susan Elia MacNeal's Maggie Hope series a try. I've been a MacNeal fan since the first book in the series, Mr. Churchill's Secretary. There's something about a strong, intelligent female faced with the world at war that pulls me right into a story-- if it's well written-- and MacNeal's books certainly are.

I like how the author weaves fascinating historical facts into her stories. This time the subplot featuring wrongfully accused Wendell Cotton and his defender Andi Martin are based on fact and highlight Eleanor Roosevelt's activism. This subplot also serves to illustrate the President and First Lady's desire to help the disenfranchised-- and how much they were disliked for it in certain circles. FDR had to tread carefully in order to get approval for his most important legislation-- like America's entry into the war. Eleanor found this extremely distasteful and tried to circumvent her husband's caution and political maneuverings. This would make her a perfect target for the sort of plot MacNeal has created.

Once again both fictional and historical characters come to life, although I do wish there were fewer references to Franklin's and Eleanor's teeth. FDR's daily routine, his love of martinis, Eleanor's direction of food and hospitality in the White House-- even a quirk or two of Churchill's all ring true and revved up my enthusiasm even more. Add bugged rooms, wire tapping and the like, and you've got a fast-paced story of which you must know the outcome.

Everything was wrapped up rather abruptly at the end, which leaves me wondering what Maggie will be up to in the next book. If you're new to the series, do you have to read them in order? I would advise it because of various events in the series' timeline and because Maggie's character grows and changes throughout. But if you're caught up with Maisie and Bess, you've got time for a new series with a strong female lead, don't you? Even if you don't, Maggie is certainly worth making time for!

Mrs. Roosevelt's Confidante by Susan Elia MacNeal

eISBN: 9780804178716

Bantam Books © 2015

eBook, 352 pages

Historical Mystery, #5 Maggie Hope mystery

Rating: B+

Source: Net Galley

The Prime Minister's Secret Agent by Susan Elia MacNeal

First Line: There will always be an England!

In The Prime Minister's Secret Agent, Maggie Hope finds herself teaching at her old spy training camp on the west coast of Scotland. This should be a time of rest and healing, but Maggie seems to be a bit of a trouble magnet. When three ballerinas-- including one of Maggie's dearest friends-- become sick with a very strange illness in Glasgow, she partners with MI-5 to uncover the truth. What she finds could put countless British lives at stake.

I really enjoy following Maggie Hope to see what war intrigues she gets herself into. This time we see a very different woman who's been changed by her experiences in Europe in the previous book. She's a leaner, meaner Maggie, and when she begins work on saving her friend, she's in no mood to put up with government subterfuge. MacNeal has done her research, and she doesn't try to paint historical figures we've come to think of as heroes as saints. Men-- like Churchill for example-- had to make impossible choices because they knew they were in a life-or-death struggle with Hitler. Sometimes, the choices that were made were questionable. The author does readers a great service by giving them a more complete picture.

One element that made this book even more suspenseful was the constant weaving in of facts surrounding the impending attack on Pearl Harbor. Everything from what the Japanese were doing and when they were doing it to what people like Roosevelt and Churchill knew-- and when they knew it. This is some fascinating reading that gives a real sense of foreboding to the narrative.

This book can be read as a standalone, but for the evolution of Maggie's character, I would suggest that you begin at the beginning with Mr. Churchill's Secretary-- especially if you've read and enjoyed authors like Jacqueline Winspear or Charles Todd. And don't be surprised if you find Maggie Hope just as addictive as I do.

The Prime Minister's Secret Agent by Susan Elia MacNeal

ISBN: 9780345536747

Bantam Books © 2014

Paperback, 320 pages

Historical Mystery, #4 Maggie Hope mystery

Rating: A

Source: Net Galley 

His Majesty's Hope by Susan Elia MacNeal

First Line: The urn the ashes came in was beautiful-- shiny and black, with an enamel swastika on one side.

Since protecting Princess Elizabeth at Windsor Castle, Maggie Hope has been training as a new member of the Special Operations Executive, an elite black ops group whose mission is to aid the British war effort abroad. Maggie's first mission as a part of the SOE? To parachute into the heart of Germany to deliver badly needed supplies-- and to plant a listening device in the Berlin office of one of Hitler's trusted advisors. She will be the first female spy sent across the Channel. While in the Nazi capital, she takes the opportunity to gather information to pass on to SOE headquarters in London. The information she uncovers exposes an even more malevolent side of Nazi policy and puts her-- and others-- in mortal danger.

After the high octane conclusion to Maggie's last adventure in Princess Elizabeth's Spy, I assumed that there would be more of the same. There wasn't-- and that's not a bad thing. What this book may lack in nail-biting, rapid-fire action, it more than makes up for in Maggie's undercover work as a spy. Let's face it: all that action and chasing and running around would spell a quick ending to Maggie's career as a spy, and I definitely would not like to see that happen.

The action may be toned down slightly, but MacNeal shows readers the very real danger people faced if they opposed Hitler's policies. She does this by introducing several fine new characters. There is a Gentile woman married to a Jewish doctor, a German secretly fighting as a member of the Resistance, and a gifted young nurse whose mother is a high-ranking member of Hitler's team of wizards. Permeating the entire story is the evil of one of Hitler's lesser known plans that was carried out in German hospitals.

Maggie continues to grow in these books. She's not the weak-limbed, naive young girl she was at the beginning. She's gone through rigorous physical training and has even more opportunity to use that keen mind of hers to piece bits of information together. Her impetuosity has been tempered a bit, probably because she's more capable of recognizing her own mortality. In addition, she learns even more about her past because three members of her family figure quite prominently in the story.

Susan Elia MacNeal brings war torn Europe to life through her characters. His Majesty's Hope stands alone well, but it would be a shame for you to miss any part of Maggie Hope's adventures. I'm looking forward to discovering what this strong, intelligent woman will be up to next.

His Majesty's Hope by Susan Elia MacNeal

ISBN: 9780345536730

Bantam © 2013

Paperback, 368 pages

Historical Mystery, #3 Maggie Hope mystery

Rating: A

Source: NetGalley

Princess Elizabeth's Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal

First Line: The midday summer sun in Lisbon was dazzling and harsh.

Adolph Hitler is determined to conquer England, and a plot is set in motion to get King George VI and his family out of the way so the much more amenable Duke and Duchess of Windsor can assume the throne. In the mean time Maggie Hope, recently promoted to MI-5 from Winston Churchill's secretarial pool, has washed out of the physical part of her training in Scotland. Sent back to London, she is dismayed when she learns that she's to go to Windsor Castle to be the math tutor to fourteen-year-old Princess Elizabeth-- until she's told of both the plot and the fact that the young royal's life may very well be in danger.

Her first day in Windsor Castle doesn't bode well. The place is war-time austere with many of its furnishings and treasures packed away for safekeeping. The castle is huge, cold, damp and drafty with endless corridors that make getting lost easy. When Maggie finally finds the dining room that evening, she's given a dressing-down because she isn't properly attired, and the ladies-in-waiting who have the rooms closest to hers are a gossiping, judgmental lot.

Fortunately the princesses are much easier to deal with, and Maggie does find a person or two with whom to become friends. She's going to need all the help she can get because hardly any time passes at all before it's very clear that someone does mean the royal family harm. Maggie needs every bit of her quick wits to protect her young charge.

I really enjoyed the first Maggie Hope mystery, Mr. Churchill's Secretary, but this second book in the series grabbed me by the eyeglasses and wouldn't let me go until I'd turned the last page. Maggie still has her math smarts and quick mind for codes as well as her spirit. When standing her ground with her MI-5 superior or giving the dragon in the Windsor Castle dining room a piece of her mind or even when she tells her new handler what a waste of space he is, it's hard not to cheer aloud for a young woman who refuses to be treated as anything less than an equal.

It was just as much fun to read about Maggie and her interactions with the young princesses: Margaret theatrical and a typical younger sister, and Elizabeth, serious and conscious of her future role in life, yet still a teenager writing letters to a certain young man serving in the Royal Navy-- Prince Philip of Greece.

MacNeal has the knack of using real-life people as characters in her books and making them every bit as interesting as her fictional characters. There's nothing wooden or dusty or historical about Churchill or King George or the young princesses. Touring the corridors and dungeons of Windsor Castle is a treat, and so is seeing the ancient residence decked out for Christmas, but the best part of the book is the ending. Not everything about it is completely plausible, but it's so much fun that I don't really care. I refuse to say anything more except that I'd love to have Queen Elizabeth read Princess Elizabeth's Spy and let us know her thoughts about it!

The last chapter of the book sets up the third book in this series perfectly, and I can't wait until it's published. Maggie Hope has shown herself to be one smart woman. When told she's a washout on the physical part of her training, she incorporates running and other strengthening exercises into her daily routine. However, she is a young woman, and-- unless it has something to do with codes and cyphers-- she tends to think with her heart instead of her head. Will she have learned anything after protecting Princess Elizabeth? Only time (and the next book) will tell!

Princess Elizabeth's Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal

ISBN: 9780553593624

Bantam Books © 2012

Paperback, 384 pages

Historical Mystery, #2 Maggie Hope mystery
Rating: A+
Source: the author

Mr. Churchill's Secretary by Susan Elia MacNeal

Title: Mr. Churchill's Secretary
Author: Susan Elia MacNeal
ISBN: 9780553593617
Publisher: Bantam Books, 2012
Paperback, 384 pages
Genre: Cozy, Historical Mystery, #1 Margaret Hope mystery
Rating: B+
Source: the publisher

First Line: Half an hour before Diana Snyder died, she tidied up her desk in the typists' office of the Cabinet War Rooms.

Margaret Hope postpones her Ph.D. studies in advanced mathematics at M.I.T. in order to travel across the Atlantic to sell her deceased grandmother's London home. Winston Churchill has just been sworn in as Prime Minister, war rages across the Channel, and the threat of invasion looms larger each and every day. Margaret finds herself impressed by the spirit and attitude of the English in buckling down to do what must be done-- especially in the face of what Hitler represents to the world-- and she decides to stay to do her part.

Although she graduated at the top of her class and has all the prerequisites for a job with British Intelligence, the only job she can get is as a lowly typist in the offices of the Prime Minister. But even insignificant typists have access to the War Rooms, and Maggie's job exposes her to the machinations of those who are determined to change the course of history.

Once I started Mr. Churchill's Secretary, I could not put the book down. MacNeal created a wonderful cast of characters inhabiting Maggie's house and place of employment, and since there are people wanting to use her for their own ends, there's the added spice of reading and trying to identify the spies, wherever they may be. 

Churchill plays a very small role in the book, and-- as is appropriate for someone with his talent and wit-- he provides one of the best lines in the book when meeting Margaret Hope for the first time: "Yes. We must have hope in this office." Maggie is an excellent character. She's naive-- not used to the spy business at all-- but she's quick-witted, and MacNeal keeps her true to character by not turning this sheltered college graduate into Lara Croft at the first sign of danger.

As the pieces are put into place, the reader is immersed in life in London during the Blitz, and by the time those pieces are all where they should be, the action takes off like a house afire. I haven't had this much enjoyment in reading a book for quite a while, and I'm most certainly looking forward to the next book in the series, Princess Elizabeth's Spy.