Status
Available
Series
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Thriller. Historical Fiction. HTML:For fans of Jacqueline Winspear, Laurie R. King, and Anne Perry, Mr. Churchill�??s Secretary captures the drama of an era of unprecedented challenge�??and the greatness that rose to meet it. London, 1940. Winston Churchill has just been sworn in, war rages across the Channel, and the threat of a Blitz looms larger by the day. But none of this deters Maggie Hope. She graduated at the top of her college class and possesses all the skills of the finest minds in British intelligence, but her gender qualifies her only to be the newest typist at No. 10 Downing Street. Her indefatigable spirit and remarkable gifts for codebreaking, though, rival those of even the highest men in government, and Maggie finds that working for the prime minister affords her a level of clearance she could never have imagined�??and opportunities she will not let pass. In troubled, deadly times, with air-raid sirens sending multitudes underground, access to the War Rooms also exposes Maggie to the machinations of a menacing faction determined to do whatever it takes to change the course of history. Ensnared in a web of spies, murder, and intrigue, Maggie must work quickly to balance her duty to King and Country with her chances for survival. And when she unravels a mystery that points toward her own family�??s hidden secrets, she�??ll discover that her quick wits are all that stand between an assassin�??s murderous plan and Churchill himself. In this daring debut, Susan Elia MacNeal blends meticulous research on the era, psychological insight into Winston Churchill, and the creation of a riveting main character, Maggie Hope, into a spectacula… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Chatterbox
I hardly know where to start. This novel leaps and jumps all over the place -- now we're in Mr. Churchill's office! Now we're witnessing a meeting of IRA agents! Now we're in a ballet studio -- and that is the least of its sins. Frankly, it's more of a show and tell -- you know, the kind of
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research project you produced in grade school, to show and tell your teacher how much you had learned about a subject. Only, in this case, it's the readers who are treated to the author's download of endless reams of information showing how well she has absorbed the facts, figures, anecdotes, etc. of London in 1940. Maggie, waiting for Mr. Churchill to show up and dictate, looks out a window and begins thinking (usefully for the reader!) of all the preparations for war she has seen. She is walking up Regent Street when *bam*, she thinks about war. "She went over it again. FDR and Mrs. Roosevelt were in the White House. The Golden Gate Bridge was finally finished. The syncopated sounds of Glenn Miller were playing on the wireless, Picasso's cubism and Dali's surrealism were causing a sensation back in Boston had a crush on Errol Flynn. How did war figure into that scenario? It didn't -- and yet it was a reality." Most of the book is made up of just such banalities, combined with the occasional anachronism ("that won't be pretty" one character mutters), a convoluted and improbable plot that requires incredible levels of suspension of disbelief, plot twists that resemble pretzels, all designed to get the characters just where the author wants them, etc. I wouldn't have finished this had it not been an ER book; as it was it was a painful process, akin to taking a rather nasty medication. There are plenty of great and suspenseful mystery novels set in WW2 London; this is a very bad book that aims to capitalize on the interest in the period and the personalities and the success of the Maisie Dobbs series. Anyone hoping for something of that caliber is likely to be very disappointed, unless they know nothing of the period and don't particularly care whether a plot trips over itself and improbable coincidences abound. I try to view every novel through the prism of its genre -- it's possible for a romance novel, a suspense novel or a mystery to get a five star rating from me even if it's not "literature" and if it doesn't feature perfect writing or plotting. That's what the label "thumping good read" is for. This, on the other hand, landed somewhere between being a wallbanger (a book you hurl at the wall) and a thumping bore. I very rarely say this, but I recommend avoiding at all costs; frankly, I'm hoping I don't encounter a more frustrating and tedious book this year. Show Less
LibraryThing member Liz1564
This is an Early review copy. Thank you.
This novel is a mystery/thriller/social novel set in 1939 right before the blitz began in England. Maggie Hope, born in London but raised by her aunt in the US from the time she was a few months old, has become one of Winston Churchill's secretaries. And if
Then there are the excess characters who seem to flit across the pages for no reason. Twins in the theater who "coo," when they are around men, a tomboyish roommate who gets engaged to an RAF pilot, Maggie's lesbian aunt who writes her letters and thinks ominous thoughts back in the states. And then there are the major characters. Inept IRA agents in elaborate disguises who concoct fantastic plots doomed to fail. The young men at 10 Downing who escaped from Bertie's Wooster's circle. ("Old bean," old chap,") Government ministers straight out of an adaption of a John Buchan novel.
And the author has definite quirks. She describes EVERY outfit EVERY character wears EVERY time the character appears. Maggie just doesn't walk into a room. She walks down the corridor, up the steps, around the corner, past the library before she opens the doors and enters the room. Likewise, she can't just get home, Every landmark and street is described on her way to the tube or bus. War preparations get the same treatment.
The thing is that there is just too much term paperish information, too many holes in the plot, too many characters, too many unnecessary scenes (a ballet rehearsal!), too many 21st century ideas. Would Maggie really discuss his sexuality with her gay friend? Would a seasoned IRA agent not check to see if someone is really dead before leaving the body? Would Maggie, brilliant though she may be, really be able to solve a code so easily and then understand what it means? And would that secret message actually have a connection to her personally?
And Mr Churchill's secretary? She does get to type the "This was their finest hour" speech" as the Prime Minister composes it right in front of her as he stares out a window.
This novel is a mystery/thriller/social novel set in 1939 right before the blitz began in England. Maggie Hope, born in London but raised by her aunt in the US from the time she was a few months old, has become one of Winston Churchill's secretaries. And if
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the novel really was about what it was like to work at 10 Downing Street during the war, it might have been a very interesting read. However, MacNeal's book seems to be about everything else but that. Maggie is in London because a grandmother she never knew existed has left her a Victorian house and, inexplicably, added a codicil to the will that Maggie must personally oversee the sale of the building. That is the first rather silly premise. The second is that Maggie so easily gets a job in the inner sanctum of 10 Downing on the word of a few friends, even though she has some dubious connections. Then there are the excess characters who seem to flit across the pages for no reason. Twins in the theater who "coo," when they are around men, a tomboyish roommate who gets engaged to an RAF pilot, Maggie's lesbian aunt who writes her letters and thinks ominous thoughts back in the states. And then there are the major characters. Inept IRA agents in elaborate disguises who concoct fantastic plots doomed to fail. The young men at 10 Downing who escaped from Bertie's Wooster's circle. ("Old bean," old chap,") Government ministers straight out of an adaption of a John Buchan novel.
And the author has definite quirks. She describes EVERY outfit EVERY character wears EVERY time the character appears. Maggie just doesn't walk into a room. She walks down the corridor, up the steps, around the corner, past the library before she opens the doors and enters the room. Likewise, she can't just get home, Every landmark and street is described on her way to the tube or bus. War preparations get the same treatment.
The thing is that there is just too much term paperish information, too many holes in the plot, too many characters, too many unnecessary scenes (a ballet rehearsal!), too many 21st century ideas. Would Maggie really discuss his sexuality with her gay friend? Would a seasoned IRA agent not check to see if someone is really dead before leaving the body? Would Maggie, brilliant though she may be, really be able to solve a code so easily and then understand what it means? And would that secret message actually have a connection to her personally?
And Mr Churchill's secretary? She does get to type the "This was their finest hour" speech" as the Prime Minister composes it right in front of her as he stares out a window.
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LibraryThing member AlmaB
The characters are best characterized as caricatures. Aside from the nifty historical tidbits the story was not particularly engaging. The premise was promising and perhaps the series will improve. However, I don't foresee myself being tempted to pick up the sequel.
LibraryThing member Oregonreader
A young British woman, raised in America, has returned to London on family business. When war breaks out, she joins Churchill's staff as a typist. My initial impression was that the book was intended as an historical novel because early on the author includes many of Churchill's speeches and
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devotes some time to describing the work in his office. But the book is really a combination of historical novel and mystery and doesn't really measure up as either one. The characters are sketches to a large degree and the plot twists and turns are unbelievable and confusing. Our heroine encounters Nazi spies, IRA terrorists, long lost relatives, secrets involving her life which are being kept from her by British Intelligence. The story builds rather slowly but the last part heads in to a wild ride of crazy plot turns and unbelievable rescues. Show Less
LibraryThing member lit_chick
2012, Random House, Read by Wanda McCaddon
Publisher’s Summary: adapted from Audible.com
London, 1940: Winston Churchill has just been sworn in, war rages across the Channel, and the threat of a Blitz looms larger by the day. But none of this deters Maggie Hope. She graduated at the top of her
My Review:
Maggie Hope is English by birth, but, having lost both parents (or so she believes) at a young age, she has been raised in the US by her aunt, Edith. When her grandmother dies and leaves her the family home, she must return to London to sell it. But it doesn’t sell – so Maggie takes in some roommates to help keep the old place afloat and settles in to make the best of things. I love that she is an exceptional mathematics student and heading to graduate school in 1940.
In London, it is, of course, a troubled and deadly time: frequent bombings set off air raid sirens, sending the multitudes underground. Once inside the prime minister’s office, Maggie has access to the War Rooms, where she is exposed to the machinations of war: battery, mobilization, spies, murder, and intrigue; and where she will decode the intent of a menacing faction planning to assassinating Churchill. MacNeal has obviously researched the era meticulously and provides wonderful insight into the character of Winston Churchill.
The Prime Minister’s Secretary has all the makings of a great story, but I think the plot line needed to stop short of Maggie’s hidden family secrets. For my part, this introduced unnecessary clutter into an already intriguing plot.The discovery that Maggie’s dead father is not dead, and his re-introduction into her life raises the questions of his motivation for disappearance, his decision to desert her, her capability to eventually forgive – and the story was strong enough without all of this complication.
The Maggie Hope series popped up on one of those Recommended for You bulletins while I was reading the Maisie Dobbs series, which I loved – so I wanted to explore. Based on this first installment, I don’t think I’ll like the series as well as Winspear’s, but I liked it well enough to listen to another.
Publisher’s Summary: adapted from Audible.com
London, 1940: Winston Churchill has just been sworn in, war rages across the Channel, and the threat of a Blitz looms larger by the day. But none of this deters Maggie Hope. She graduated at the top of her
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college class and possesses all the skills of the finest minds in British intelligence, but her gender qualifies her only to be the newest typist at No. 10 Downing Street. Her remarkable gifts for codebreaking, though, rival those of even the highest men in government, and Maggie finds that working for the prime minister affords her a level of clearance she could never have imagined.My Review:
Maggie Hope is English by birth, but, having lost both parents (or so she believes) at a young age, she has been raised in the US by her aunt, Edith. When her grandmother dies and leaves her the family home, she must return to London to sell it. But it doesn’t sell – so Maggie takes in some roommates to help keep the old place afloat and settles in to make the best of things. I love that she is an exceptional mathematics student and heading to graduate school in 1940.
In London, it is, of course, a troubled and deadly time: frequent bombings set off air raid sirens, sending the multitudes underground. Once inside the prime minister’s office, Maggie has access to the War Rooms, where she is exposed to the machinations of war: battery, mobilization, spies, murder, and intrigue; and where she will decode the intent of a menacing faction planning to assassinating Churchill. MacNeal has obviously researched the era meticulously and provides wonderful insight into the character of Winston Churchill.
The Prime Minister’s Secretary has all the makings of a great story, but I think the plot line needed to stop short of Maggie’s hidden family secrets. For my part, this introduced unnecessary clutter into an already intriguing plot.
The Maggie Hope series popped up on one of those Recommended for You bulletins while I was reading the Maisie Dobbs series, which I loved – so I wanted to explore. Based on this first installment, I don’t think I’ll like the series as well as Winspear’s, but I liked it well enough to listen to another.
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LibraryThing member bymerechance
British-born, American-raised Maggie Hope is in 1940 London, living with several roommates in her grandmother’s house while she tries to sell it. With her talent for math, she’d love to be a private secretary for new prime minister Winston Churchill, but only men get those coveted spots. She
Besides Maggie and her friends, MacNeal introduces the reader to the collaboration between IRA terrorists and an anti-Semitic group, both of whom want to bring down Churchill. I felt that there was far too much buildup to the action, which was then all over the place for the final third of the novel. Not all the twists and turns felt entirely believable, and there were some inconsistencies in the timeline that threw me off.
As a light mystery, Mr. Churchill’s Secretary does its job. As a window into the early months of Churchill’s tenure, it fell a bit flat for me. For a better sense of the period, I can only assume the accounts by Churchill’s actual secretaries, which MacNeal mentioned in her historical note at the end, would be more interesting.
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gets tapped to work at 10 Downing Street after all when another typist is murdered. She also decides to seek the truth about her long-dead parents.Besides Maggie and her friends, MacNeal introduces the reader to the collaboration between IRA terrorists and an anti-Semitic group, both of whom want to bring down Churchill. I felt that there was far too much buildup to the action, which was then all over the place for the final third of the novel. Not all the twists and turns felt entirely believable, and there were some inconsistencies in the timeline that threw me off.
As a light mystery, Mr. Churchill’s Secretary does its job. As a window into the early months of Churchill’s tenure, it fell a bit flat for me. For a better sense of the period, I can only assume the accounts by Churchill’s actual secretaries, which MacNeal mentioned in her historical note at the end, would be more interesting.
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LibraryThing member themythicalcodfish
An excellent spy novel, with a believable Strong Female Protagonist and an engaging plotline. Moreover, the novel (unlike many set during WW2) does not gloss over all the societal ills that went on at the same time, whether the Nazi Sympathizers and rampant Anti-Semites in the United Kingdom, or
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the underlying conflict with Ireland. I will admit that I had a near-nuclear meltdown when I found out I'd have to wait 3 1/2 months until October 2012 for the sequel to come out, I liked it that much. Show Less
LibraryThing member TooBusyReading
I generally love historical fiction, especially if it is heavy on the history, and I'm interested in the WWII era. This story about (well, this should be obvious) Mr. Churchill's secretary, fell flat for me.
The first thing I noticed about the book is that the writing seemed to lack flow, that the
Yes, there were mysteries and surprises including a murder right off the bat. There was intrigue and betrayal, not too much romance. Still, there was too much fiction (including a fictional title character) and not enough history. That combined with a writing style that made me too conscious of the author's efforts and a story that just didn't catch my imagination is why this one just didn't work for me.
I was given an advance edition of the book for review.
The first thing I noticed about the book is that the writing seemed to lack flow, that the
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dialogue seemed stilted. And then I realized that the story itself was boring me. It wasn't until about two-thirds through the book that the action picked up.Yes, there were mysteries and surprises including a murder right off the bat. There was intrigue and betrayal, not too much romance. Still, there was too much fiction (including a fictional title character) and not enough history. That combined with a writing style that made me too conscious of the author's efforts and a story that just didn't catch my imagination is why this one just didn't work for me.
I was given an advance edition of the book for review.
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LibraryThing member grayday101
Maggie Hope, born in Britain but raised in the US by an aunt after the death of her parents, is astonished to learn that she is the heir of a grandmother she never knew. According to the terms of the will, she is required to go to Britain and settle the modest estate personally. So in the summer of
The rackety old Victorian proves difficult to sell and expensive to maintain, so when a couple of her friends quit their jobs and lose the associated housing with the American Embassy after Britain enters the war, she offers to take them in. As London fills up with workers for the war effort, a few more friends take refuge with Maggie, who has determined to stay and support her country of birth. To make ends meet, she takes a job in the Prime Minister's office as a typist, although she thinks it a waste of her degree in mathematics and her language skills.
***POSSIBLE SPOILER***
Visiting the cemetery to lay flowers on the graves of her parents, killed in a traffic accident when she was very young, she is perplexed to find only her mother's grave. She queries her aunt, who confesses that her father had survived the accident, but went mad as a result, and has been permanently institutionalized. Maggie is determined to locate him.
Through a number of characters the story offers a fair representation of the widely differing opinions of Britons about the war. The entwined threads of the missing father and the home-grown terrorism rachet up the suspense to a satisfying and hair-raising conclusion. But the real charm for me is watching the characters cope with rationing, bombing raids, clothing coupons, and all the other vicissitudes - from inconvenience to mortal danger - of wartime London.
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1939 she puts her plans for graduate school on hold and travels to London to sell her grandmother's house, despite her aunt's misgivings.The rackety old Victorian proves difficult to sell and expensive to maintain, so when a couple of her friends quit their jobs and lose the associated housing with the American Embassy after Britain enters the war, she offers to take them in. As London fills up with workers for the war effort, a few more friends take refuge with Maggie, who has determined to stay and support her country of birth. To make ends meet, she takes a job in the Prime Minister's office as a typist, although she thinks it a waste of her degree in mathematics and her language skills.
***POSSIBLE SPOILER***
Visiting the cemetery to lay flowers on the graves of her parents, killed in a traffic accident when she was very young, she is perplexed to find only her mother's grave. She queries her aunt, who confesses that her father had survived the accident, but went mad as a result, and has been permanently institutionalized. Maggie is determined to locate him.
Through a number of characters the story offers a fair representation of the widely differing opinions of Britons about the war. The entwined threads of the missing father and the home-grown terrorism rachet up the suspense to a satisfying and hair-raising conclusion. But the real charm for me is watching the characters cope with rationing, bombing raids, clothing coupons, and all the other vicissitudes - from inconvenience to mortal danger - of wartime London.
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LibraryThing member Soniamarie
I was really excited about this book, but it was very disappointing for me. The conversations btw all the characters were so mundane and dull. So and so's dancing...so and so's boyfriend... It didn't delve into the war as I hoped it would, really. There's an interesting side story about an angry
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Irish organization, but all in all, I found this terribly dull. It was one of those books I would pick up, read ten pages, put down, force myself to pick again a few hours later, read then pages... The Churchill speeches..my gawd, I'd shorten those a bit and also...it does a lot of head hopping. Also, it introduces way too many people at once. I began losing track of who was who by chapter three. Show Less
LibraryThing member yonitdm
I loved this book. I loved the idea of seeing the historical period through the eyes of one of Churchill's secretary. I loved the characters, the vivid imagery, the exciting story, the twists, turns, the mystery, the red herrings. I love a good heroine who is brilliant, savvy, strong, and does
I cannot wait for the rest of the series. They'd better come regularly and quickly, I'm not patient! :)
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plenty more rescuing than being rescued! This would make a fabulous movie, if hollywood doesn't muck it up as they often do . . .I cannot wait for the rest of the series. They'd better come regularly and quickly, I'm not patient! :)
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LibraryThing member PamelaBarrett
College educated Maggie Hope, moves from Boston to London to sell her grandmother’s old Victorian home. Maggie, who was raised by her aunt after her parents died, never knew her grandmother and wasn’t emotionally attached to the house, so she figured it would be an easy sell. What she didn’t
The premise of this novel is great, based on real people during a terrible time in history and the author makes Churchill come alive, but I can’t rate this as a favorite because I thought that the other British characters weren’t true to the time period, and didn’t come across “English” enough. Although I did love the authors historical notes at the end of the book, and reading them gave me a better appreciation of the finished work. There is also a second Maggie Hope book coming soon so I look forward to reading that one to see how the author develops the character. I read this book through Librarything Early Reviewers program. Caution there is some swearing and sexual conversations.
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count on was the time involved and the timing of her visit—right in the middle of Hitler’s march to take over Europe. She soon sees that selling a house with England on the brink of war isn’t going to happen, so she gets a job as a secretary for Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Besides the looming war, there are other troubling events happening, including the murder of a former secretary in Churchill’s Cabinet War Room. The premise of this novel is great, based on real people during a terrible time in history and the author makes Churchill come alive, but I can’t rate this as a favorite because I thought that the other British characters weren’t true to the time period, and didn’t come across “English” enough. Although I did love the authors historical notes at the end of the book, and reading them gave me a better appreciation of the finished work. There is also a second Maggie Hope book coming soon so I look forward to reading that one to see how the author develops the character. I read this book through Librarything Early Reviewers program. Caution there is some swearing and sexual conversations.
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LibraryThing member itbgc
I would highly recommend Mr. Churchill’s Secretary to those who enjoy historical fiction. I enjoyed the intelligent main character, Maggie, and how she interacted with Winston Churchill and his staff during World War II. The book was fun to read because of the mystery, suspense, romance, and the
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spies; and I look forward to reading the next book in the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member Berly
Susan MacNeal's Mr. Churchill's Secretary was less of a history novel and more of a mystery/adventure piece, and an enjoyable one at that. Maggie Hope is the heroine of the story. She is a brilliant young women off to study at MIT, who is sidetracked by the death of her grandmother. She must
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venture to England to tidy up the estate. While there, she is drawn to the English people and the country and stays on. She winds up being the lowly secretary in Churchill's office, a post far below her intelligence, but she is trapped by the norms of war-torn London in the 1940's. She rents out her house to an interesting bunch of women, who all become friends. Maggie is soon drawn into the the life of the IRA, mysterious coded messages, MI-5 and enemy agents. The characters are a little thin, but the action is good and the tone is amusing. A very good read. And I hear there are more Maggie Hope books planned! Show Less
LibraryThing member BooksCooksLooks
I enjoyed this story of Maggie, a young woman born in England but sent to the US when her parents were killed in a car accident. As a young adult she learns that she has inherited her grandmother's house in England so she goes back to the country of her birth to see what to do about the family
This is a job far below her skill set as Maggie is a brilliant mathematician - quite unusual for a woman at this time. As she is doing the ordinary she uses her math skills and finds herself breaking a code that alludes to an assassination plot against Mr. Churchill! Maggie finds herself knee deep in espionage and danger.
The book was fun and I enjoyed Maggie as a character but there were various historical flaws along the way that broke the overall flow of the novel. When involved in a book and I read something that doesn't belong it's like a big crash in my head and it is quite jarring. Whether it be a modern dialog usage or giving a woman a degree she could not have obtained at the time it just ruins the mood of the book.
As to characters, as I said I did love Maggie but some of the others weren't as well developed and Winston Churchill was almost a caricature instead of a character which is a shame because there is so much historical record about the man. Even though he is almost ancillary to the plot he didn't have to be portrayed quite so one note.
I feel that Maggie is going to return to have more adventures and I would certainly join her again - but I would borrow rather than buy.
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home. She finds herself there at a difficult time, with neither the wherewithal to fix up the house or sell it. She ultimately takes in some friends as roommates and ends up with a job in the secretarial pool in the office of Winston Churchill. This is a job far below her skill set as Maggie is a brilliant mathematician - quite unusual for a woman at this time. As she is doing the ordinary she uses her math skills and finds herself breaking a code that alludes to an assassination plot against Mr. Churchill! Maggie finds herself knee deep in espionage and danger.
The book was fun and I enjoyed Maggie as a character but there were various historical flaws along the way that broke the overall flow of the novel. When involved in a book and I read something that doesn't belong it's like a big crash in my head and it is quite jarring. Whether it be a modern dialog usage or giving a woman a degree she could not have obtained at the time it just ruins the mood of the book.
As to characters, as I said I did love Maggie but some of the others weren't as well developed and Winston Churchill was almost a caricature instead of a character which is a shame because there is so much historical record about the man. Even though he is almost ancillary to the plot he didn't have to be portrayed quite so one note.
I feel that Maggie is going to return to have more adventures and I would certainly join her again - but I would borrow rather than buy.
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LibraryThing member Readerwoman
A great new start to a series - interesting background about the start of the WWII in London, the codebreakers, the start of women as more than just pretty faces behind receptionist desks, and an intimate look at what it meant to be involved, behind the scenes, in war work. The protagonist, Maggie
I received an ARC from Early Reviewers to read and comment on. My comments are my own.
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Hope, wants to be more than a typist, but is caught up, unawares in murders, spy networks and even a touch of romance. Very enjoyable - look forward to the next title. I received an ARC from Early Reviewers to read and comment on. My comments are my own.
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LibraryThing member Shuffy2
Maggie Hope, an American living in London at the outset of WWII, goes to work as a secretary for Winston Churchill and stumbles into something greater than mere dictation.
Maggie’s parents died in a car accident when she was a child, she was taken in by her aunt who had left England for the US.
Overall not a bad read, while fictional it did hold some historical nuggets. I was unaware of the involvement of the IRA with the Nazi’s during WWII until reading this book. Starting out, I did not construe it as serious espionage thriller so I enjoyed the book; I took it for what it was- a fun, historical fiction mystery.
Maggie’s parents died in a car accident when she was a child, she was taken in by her aunt who had left England for the US.
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But now upon the death of a grandmother who was unbeknownst to her, Maggie unwillingly returns to London in order to sell the house left to her in the will. Once in London Maggie, a brilliant mathematician postpones her return to the states where she was set to study for her PhD at MIT. She obtains employment as a secretary even though there seems to be more than meets the eye. It doesn’t take long for Maggie to use her decoding skills to stumble upon a plot, she jumps headfirst into a conspiracy that ensnares and penetrates her life deeper than she realizes. Overall not a bad read, while fictional it did hold some historical nuggets. I was unaware of the involvement of the IRA with the Nazi’s during WWII until reading this book. Starting out, I did not construe it as serious espionage thriller so I enjoyed the book; I took it for what it was- a fun, historical fiction mystery.
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LibraryThing member klaidlaw
I received this book as part of the Early Reviewers program. For a first book, this is an enjoyable mystery set in London at the beginning of the Second World War. It starts with the death of a member of the Prime Minister's typing pool and moves to IRA bombings, the beginnings of the London Blitz
I think my greatest complaint of the book is that the characters are not as fully developed as they need to be to draw the reader into the book and make one care about them. When attempting to write a book that includes some of the most important figures in mid- 20th C British history, it can be difficult to match what we know with what the author feels she/he needs to tell the story. I think that is a trap that Ms. MacNeal has fallen into in this book. All that being said, I enjoyed the book.
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and intrigue. For anybody who loves British mysteries, this will be an easy read. It does have its weak moments, but that is to be somewhat expected from a first novel. The overall layout and drama of the book are sufficient to keep the pages turning. I look forward to seeing what else Ms. MacNeal can bring to the mystery genre. I think my greatest complaint of the book is that the characters are not as fully developed as they need to be to draw the reader into the book and make one care about them. When attempting to write a book that includes some of the most important figures in mid- 20th C British history, it can be difficult to match what we know with what the author feels she/he needs to tell the story. I think that is a trap that Ms. MacNeal has fallen into in this book. All that being said, I enjoyed the book.
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LibraryThing member kqueue
A thoroughly enjoyable mystery set in London at the beginning of World War II. Maggie Hope, a brilliant mathematician who was raised by her eccentric blue-stockinged Aunt after being orphaned at a young age, is exasperated that the only job she can get to help the war effort is that of a secretary
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to none other than the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. The job is anything but ordinary, however, and there's murder afoot that somehow involved Maggie. I particularly liked the author's details of wartime London, and the way she captured the spirit of a nation. This is the first of a new series featuring Maggie, and I look forward to the next installment. Show Less
LibraryThing member KateBaxter
Mr. Churchill's Secretary is a well-researched, fast-paced story starring mathematician, Maggie Hope. Maggie postpones starting her PhD studies at M.I.T. to go back to London to claim and sell the inherited home of her grandmother. May 1940 is no time for America raised, Maggie Hope, to be anywhere
She is somewhat put-off by the fact that capable and bright women are sent to the secretarial pool and not permitted to serve where their academic proclivities may be better utilized. In the end, Maggie proves herself to be an invaluable asset but not without a grand adventure in the meanwhile. I eagerly await the next installment of the Maggie Hope mysteries.
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near London, let alone working as a secretary and stenograher in Mr. Churchill's War Room. She is somewhat put-off by the fact that capable and bright women are sent to the secretarial pool and not permitted to serve where their academic proclivities may be better utilized. In the end, Maggie proves herself to be an invaluable asset but not without a grand adventure in the meanwhile. I eagerly await the next installment of the Maggie Hope mysteries.
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LibraryThing member michigantrumpet
A quick fun read, which I know many of my friends will enjoy. That portions of the book take place in on of my favorite London museums -- the Cabinet War Rooms -- and with a nod to Wellesley College just a few miles away from me, makes me inclined to look favorably on this book. Nevertheless, it
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was not quite what I'd expected - very little about Churchill and what was there mostly in caricature. A nice debut effort and I will likely look for her second book in the series when published. Show Less
LibraryThing member agjuba
I did appreciate the author's thorough research and inclusion of myriad small details about life in London during WWII, but I found the thriller plot line to be too fantastical and coincidental to be believable. All in all, it was a pleasant diversion for a weekend, but not an eminently memorable
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read. Show Less
LibraryThing member sunqueen
Although this was a fairly enjoyable read, there were spots in the book when I had to go back a few pages to figure out who was who or to try to understand some of the jerky plot jumps.
LibraryThing member ToReadToNap
This is a spirited and well-researched book and a promising start to a new series in the spunky-young-woman-detective-historical-mystery genre. Maggie Hope is an American-raised and educated young woman who also happens to be a British subject, in London at the beginning of World War II. Through a
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series of events she becomes not only a secretary to Winston Churchill, but also embroiled in an assassination plot, a cover-up, a personal mystery, a murder mystery, and varies capers involving Nazi sympathizers, the IRA, and MI-5. Whew! I daresay Susan MacNeal attempts to cram a lot in this first novel. Characters are well-drawn and show promise for later developments, and the first several chapters are well-paced. I found myself drawn quickly into the book and looking forward to returning to it each evening. However, about 3/4 of the way through, the plot starts to feel a bit like a run-away train with not one but several endings. In addition, occasionally, for all the excellent research that is evident, the characters act more like 2012 than 1940 versions of themselves. Still, as the introduction to Maggie Hope and her friends and associates, this book is a good read and a promising debut. As a side note, I was delightfully surprised to find that the main character of Maggie, as well as the author herself, are fellow alums of Wellesley College so this gives me a particular fondness for this book and hopes for the future of the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member BarbN
Over all I enjoyed this book, which came courtesy of Early Reviewers, although I found the plot advanced in a disjointed fashion and in some cases complelely left any semblance of possible reality. The settings were told in the characters' voices and were well written and in places the dialogue
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sparkles with somewhat Bertie Wooster like humor. There is a strong feminist bent, which though I enjoyed, I suspect may have been anachronistic. (Or present, but not spoken about as openly as in this story.) On the negative side transitions in the story are too jumpy and the gods ex machina pull our heroine's chestnuts from the fire too many times. Overall, I would say as a casual read with some snippets of history this book is entertaining; if one approaches it with a critical literary eye, or really wants a better understanding of Churchill and his world it will be a sad disappointment. Show Less
Awards
Edgar Award (Nominee — First Novel — 2013)
Macavity Award (Nominee — First Novel — 2013)
Barry Award (Winner — 2013)
Dilys Award (Nominee — 2013)