General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction | Women's Fiction
Description
From the author of Sisters of the Resistance comes the story of WWII British Naval Intelligence officer Victoire Bennett, the real-life inspiration for the James Bond character Miss Moneypenny, whose international covert operation is put in jeopardy when a volatile socialite and Austrian double agent threatens to expose the mission to German High Command.
World War II London: When Victoire “Paddy” Bennett first walks into the Admiralty’s Room 39, home to the Intelligence Division, all the bright and lively young woman expects is a secretarial position to the charismatic Commander Ian Fleming. But soon her job is so much more, and when Fleming proposes a daring plot to deceive the Germans about Allied invasion plans he requests the newlywed Paddy's help. She jumps at the chance to work as an agent in the field, even after the operation begins to affect her marriage. But could doing her duty for King and country come at too great a cost?
Socialite Friedl Stöttinger is a beautiful Austrian double agent determined to survive in wartime England, which means working for MI-5, investigating fifth column activity among the British elite at parties and nightclubs. But Friedl has a secret—some years before, she agreed to work for German Intelligence and spy on the British.
When her handler at MI-5 proposes that she work with Serbian agent, Duško Popov, Friedl falls hopelessly in love with the dashing spy. And when her intelligence work becomes fraught with danger, she must choose whether to remain loyal to the British and risk torture and execution by the Nazis, or betray thousands of men to their deaths.
Soon, the lives of these two extraordinarily brave women will collide, as each travels down a road of deception and danger leading to one of the greatest battles of World War II.
4 STARS
Well, that was different. My feelings about this book were a bit of a roller-coaster ride. I will say that the foundation of the story and the people in it was good. I enjoyed the fact that there were several P.O.V.'s in the story. Both Paddy and Friedl
had their chance to share their often emotional stories. Friedl had the most intense story as she was thrust into the most danger. She often encountered and had to interact with some intensely dangerous people too.
Paddy was no light weight either although her path was so different. She was one smart, organized, forward thinking woman and it was enjoyable to watch her in action. Even when she had to work along with Ian Fleming. That was interesting because he was quite the character. Clever but couldn't be described as nice. He did know how to romance the women in his life, often pretty ruthlessly as he shuffled back and forth between them. Paddy can wiggle her way out of a lot of stuff. But it gets tough for her when her husband Julian, becomes suspicious of her suddenly keeping secrets.
Before that about half way through for me, it felt like things had slowed so much. I began to wonder if it would ever get moving more. Not to worry when it started moving, it took off.
I liked that everything comes together and has a good Epilogue.
" I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this book through Netgalley. And these are my honest opinions about it.”
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