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"Susan Elia MacNeal introduced the remarkable Maggie Hope in her acclaimed debut, Mr. Churchill's Secretary. Now Maggie returns to protect Britain's beloved royals against an international plot--one that could change the course of history. As World War II sweeps the continent and England steels itself against German attack, Maggie Hope, former secretary to Prime Minister Winston Churchill, completes her training to become a spy for MI-5. Spirited, strong-willed, and possessing one of the show more sharpest minds in government for mathematics and code-breaking, she fully expects to be sent abroad to gather intelligence for the British front. Instead, to her great disappointment, she is dispatched to go undercover at Windsor Castle, where she will tutor the young Princess Elizabeth in math. Yet castle life quickly proves more dangerous--and deadly--than Maggie ever expected. The upstairs-downstairs world at Windsor is thrown into disarray by a shocking murder, which draws Maggie into a vast conspiracy that places the entire royal family in peril. And as she races to save England from a most disturbing fate, Maggie realizes that a quick wit is her best defense, and that the smallest clues can unravel the biggest secrets, even within her own family"-- show lessTags
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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 show more 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! show less
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 show more 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! show less
In my review of Winston Churchill's Secretary, the first of the Maggie Hope books, I said that the series showed promise as MacNeal settled into her talents as a writer. With this second installment, MacNeal is certainly starting to live up to that promise. Although some of the language is still a bit clunky (and there are far too many mentions of birds), the story itself flows much more smoothly than it did in the first book and MacNeal takes fewer shortcuts to get her characters in and out of situations.
Newly installed with MI-5, Maggie Hope is placed at Windsor Castle at Christmas in 1940. Posing as Princess Elizabeth's math tutor, she is really there to ferret out a possible plot against the future queen's life. Descriptions of life show more at Windsor Castle during this period are well-done, and glimpses of historical personages are clearly well-researched. Once again, MacNeal does an excellent job bringing to life a fascinating aspect of Britain during WWII, while at the same time allowing Maggie to grow as a character and as a spy. I look forward to reading more! show less
Newly installed with MI-5, Maggie Hope is placed at Windsor Castle at Christmas in 1940. Posing as Princess Elizabeth's math tutor, she is really there to ferret out a possible plot against the future queen's life. Descriptions of life show more at Windsor Castle during this period are well-done, and glimpses of historical personages are clearly well-researched. Once again, MacNeal does an excellent job bringing to life a fascinating aspect of Britain during WWII, while at the same time allowing Maggie to grow as a character and as a spy. I look forward to reading more! show less
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.I am enjoying this series. I got started because my best friend gave me one that is further along, so I decided I ought to read the preliminary adventures of Maggie Hope.
I especially like the historic details, the main characters, and interesting plot twists. I don't usually go in for anything that involves clandestine sneaking around - makes my teeth itch and knees sweat. But this was fun.
I did, however, have to chuckle and mentally thank a previous reader (my copy was from the library) who made a few unobtrusive notes, pointing out some small but rather glaring content errors. And all in the midst of the denoument!
Was Ms. MacNeal on a tense, impossible deadline? Did she lose some of her notes to Nazi saboteurs? Were her editors show more asleep at the switch? Because honestly someone should have caught them, particularly the one that was a complete contradiction only 4 sentences apart.
Mind you, I do not blame the author. No author can possibly catch things like that, especially having led us on such a merry chase for hundreds of pages.
No, that is what the long list of acknowledged supporters at the back of the book were supposed to have been doing. I hope they'll serve her better in the future.
I look forward to gobbling down the next volume, and not only to find out if they do! show less
I especially like the historic details, the main characters, and interesting plot twists. I don't usually go in for anything that involves clandestine sneaking around - makes my teeth itch and knees sweat. But this was fun.
I did, however, have to chuckle and mentally thank a previous reader (my copy was from the library) who made a few unobtrusive notes, pointing out some small but rather glaring content errors. And all in the midst of the denoument!
Was Ms. MacNeal on a tense, impossible deadline? Did she lose some of her notes to Nazi saboteurs? Were her editors show more asleep at the switch? Because honestly someone should have caught them, particularly the one that was a complete contradiction only 4 sentences apart.
Mind you, I do not blame the author. No author can possibly catch things like that, especially having led us on such a merry chase for hundreds of pages.
No, that is what the long list of acknowledged supporters at the back of the book were supposed to have been doing. I hope they'll serve her better in the future.
I look forward to gobbling down the next volume, and not only to find out if they do! show less
Maggie Hope, transferred from #10 Downing St and the position of Mr. Churchill's Secretary (book #1) to MI5 and training for undercover missions, finds her shortcomings are not acceptable and flunks out of the "spy" school not because of her brain but that she has no brawn. She is given the domestic assignment of protecting Princess Elizabeth from a possible kidnapping plot. She shows up at Windsor Castle as the new Maths tutor and after a few minor issues develops a rapport with the future queen and her younger sister.
As a "servant" she is privy to numerous issues that lead to danger and intrigue as well revelations that she may have preferred not to know. The writing is crisp and exciting and draws the reader further and further into show more the plot, until you are afraid to read more and yet you can't stop. A great sequel to the introductory book, only making the reader want MORE! show less
As a "servant" she is privy to numerous issues that lead to danger and intrigue as well revelations that she may have preferred not to know. The writing is crisp and exciting and draws the reader further and further into show more the plot, until you are afraid to read more and yet you can't stop. A great sequel to the introductory book, only making the reader want MORE! show less
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.I have read all the Maggie Hope books, except the grand finale "The Last Hope". Realizing that I had missed this one, the 2nd of the series, I circled back before tackling the series conclusion. This story was very enjoyable. Maggie, having washed out of MI-5 spy training on the physical requirement side, is recruited on a quasi-spy basis to go undercover as a math tutor to young Princess Elizabeth at Windsor castle while actually acting as a bodyguard and "human sponge" to determine, what, if any basis there is to a vague rumor of a plot against the heir to the throne.
As the 2nd book of the series, the characters are a bit better developed than in the first book, and the reader, as well as Maggie, learns more of her backstory. And show more there is plenty of guesswork as to who is behind the various plots and plans. Maggie is a bit slow on the uptake in recognizing the villains, but given her relative newness to the espionage game that is forgivable, and she acknowledges her shortcomings and improves.
All in all, a fine entry in the series, even in by reading out of order, I realize things will get much worse for our girl before they get better . . . . show less
As the 2nd book of the series, the characters are a bit better developed than in the first book, and the reader, as well as Maggie, learns more of her backstory. And show more there is plenty of guesswork as to who is behind the various plots and plans. Maggie is a bit slow on the uptake in recognizing the villains, but given her relative newness to the espionage game that is forgivable, and she acknowledges her shortcomings and improves.
All in all, a fine entry in the series, even in by reading out of order, I realize things will get much worse for our girl before they get better . . . . show less
This second book in the Maggie Hope series in some ways was much more exciting than the first one (which I thought was pretty thrilling when I read it). I loved the premise and the setting at Windsor Castle during the Second World War is hard to be beat. Maggie is sent to Windsor Castle on assignment from MI-5. As far as the public is concerned, she is there to teach a 14-year-old Princess Elizabeth math. Her actual assignment though is to keep both princesses safe as word has circulated in English intelligence that the Germans would try to kidnap Elizabeth, who is the heir to the throne, and then when Germany invades England, they will put the abdicated Duke of Windsor and his bride Wallis Simpson on the throne. Maggie finds herself in show more the middle of a hodgepodge of lies and deceit at the castle, and her job protecting the royal princesses is dangerous and turns quite deadly. I like Maggie. She is an intelligent and strong woman who is used to thinking on her feet, and she is not usually deterred by unexpected and dangerous occurences while she is completing a mission. Ms. MacNeal does a good job of keeping up the tension in this book, and it's a page-turner for sure. And I must say she has a different take on book endings. They do set the reader up to read the next book in the series. And Maggie's no-holds-barred approach in these books is addicting. I certainly will be reading book number 3. show less
With the recent celebration of Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee, it’s especially engaging to read a novel about her as a young Princess—set in some of England’s darkest days during the brutal bombing attacks by Germany during WWII. While the adventures of Maggie Hope, spy and mathematician, with the fourteen-year-old Princess are fictional, MacNeal’s portrayal of Elizabeth rings delightfully true. Here’s the very young woman who already holds a powerful sense of duty to her people and carries her responsibilities with great love and care, even while she’s still a mischievous child as well—and those black-and-sable corgis! No matter that Elizabeth’s favorite dog has the habit of biting, the Princess is still devoted to him, show more and riding is her favorite activity. The “inside view” from Windsor is warmly entertaining from beginning to end. Maggie’s rooms at the top of Victoria Tower come complete with a loo on the roof. Creative plumbing added in later, apparently. Keep checking the closets because the scoundrels have slipped into the castle and it will take all of Maggie’s intelligence and gumption to keep the Princess safe.
As with her first Maggie Hope book, Mr. Churchill’s Secretary, MacNeal excels both at creating a sense of place in history and at developing characters that draw us in and hold us there. She’s particularly good at giving us a cast of characters with multiple people we feel compelled to suspect. She’s great at planting clues, along with a fair share of misleading but true clues, so that you keep turning the page in anticipation of figuring out what’s up, but you’re unlikely to catch the Nazis before all is revealed. MacNeal’s plot is pleasantly twisted.
The idea of betrayal and what drives people to it arises in a number of ways in this book. Sometimes blind chauvinism, too arrogant to see the value of a woman’s mind, causes inadvertent, stupid betrayal. Sometimes war, both on the home front and on the battlefield, wounds so deeply and destroys men so thoroughly that they thrash about trying to save themselves from emotional drowning and in doing so betray those around them. Sometimes the heart has to have certainty to hold onto love, and a kind of betrayal can hide in the shadows among even the most loyal. Sometimes people must choose who to betray and who to protect when they are forced by evil circumstances.
The variations on this theme underlie many of the intertwined plotlines of the mystery, but despite this seemingly heavy idea, the novel is primarily a fun read with a sense of humor and a playfulness that will entertain you. Take for example—at one point Princess Elizabeth takes a cue for defensive action from her Corgi and bites a villain in the ankle. If you’re not laughing, you’re made of stone (and biting your own nails—it’s a scary moment, clever of MacNeal to combine with humor).
I definitely recommend curling up with Princess Elizabeth’s Spy. show less
As with her first Maggie Hope book, Mr. Churchill’s Secretary, MacNeal excels both at creating a sense of place in history and at developing characters that draw us in and hold us there. She’s particularly good at giving us a cast of characters with multiple people we feel compelled to suspect. She’s great at planting clues, along with a fair share of misleading but true clues, so that you keep turning the page in anticipation of figuring out what’s up, but you’re unlikely to catch the Nazis before all is revealed. MacNeal’s plot is pleasantly twisted.
The idea of betrayal and what drives people to it arises in a number of ways in this book. Sometimes blind chauvinism, too arrogant to see the value of a woman’s mind, causes inadvertent, stupid betrayal. Sometimes war, both on the home front and on the battlefield, wounds so deeply and destroys men so thoroughly that they thrash about trying to save themselves from emotional drowning and in doing so betray those around them. Sometimes the heart has to have certainty to hold onto love, and a kind of betrayal can hide in the shadows among even the most loyal. Sometimes people must choose who to betray and who to protect when they are forced by evil circumstances.
The variations on this theme underlie many of the intertwined plotlines of the mystery, but despite this seemingly heavy idea, the novel is primarily a fun read with a sense of humor and a playfulness that will entertain you. Take for example—at one point Princess Elizabeth takes a cue for defensive action from her Corgi and bites a villain in the ankle. If you’re not laughing, you’re made of stone (and biting your own nails—it’s a scary moment, clever of MacNeal to combine with humor).
I definitely recommend curling up with Princess Elizabeth’s Spy. show less
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Author Information
16 Works 6,538 Members
Susan Elia MacNeal graduated cum laude from Wellesley College, with departmental honors in English literature and credits from cross-registered classes at MIT. She attended the Radcliffe Publishing Course at Harvard University. She is the author of the Maggie Hope Mystery series. Her writing has been published in The Wall Street Journal, The show more Huffington Post, Fodor's, Time Out New York, Time Out London, Publishers Weekly, Dance Magazine, and various publications of New York City Ballet. She's also the author of two non-fiction books and a professional editor. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Awards and Honors
Awards
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Princess Elizabeth's Spy
- Original title
- Princess Elizabeth's Spy
- Original publication date
- 2012-10-16
- People/Characters
- Maggie Hope; Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom (heir apparent at this time); George VI, King of the United Kingdom; Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom; Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon; Edward VIII, Duke of Windsor (now abdicated) (show all 32); Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor; Clive Wigram, Baron (fussy governor of Windsor Castle); Owen Morshead, Sir Owen (Windsor librarian); Sam Berner (Master of the Mews); Hugh Thompson (MI-5, Maggie's handler); Archer Nevins (MI-5, briefly Maggie's sexist, philandering handler); Marion Crawford (royal governess, Crawfie); Clara Knight (royal nurse, Alah); Gregory, Lord Strathcliffe (badly scarred RAF pilot, equerry); George Poulter (footman, formerly Lord Strathcliffe's manservant); Lily Howell (Lady-in-waiting to Queen consort Elizabeth); Laura (Lady-in-waiting to Queen consort Elizabeth); Polly (Lady-in-waiting to Queen consort Elizabeth); Alistair Tooke (Windsor Gardener); Marta Tooke (bio); Audrey Moreau (Windsor maid); Mr. Ainslie (Windsor butler); Mrs. Beesly (Windsor housekeeper); Wodenaz (alias of a spy at Windsor Castle); Donald Kirk, Admiral; Detective Chief Superintendant Wilson (Windsor police); Joachim von Ribbentrop (Nazi, known in Britain as Brickentrop for his bad manners); Claus Becker (high-ranking German intelligence); Torsten Ritter (German intelligence); Frank Kraus (German intelligence); Christopher Boothby
- Important places
- Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire, England, UK
- Important events
- World War II
- Epigraph
- "Be a governess! Better be a slave at once!" -- Charlotte Bronte, Shirley
Cryptogram: Message written in a cipher or in some other cryptic form which requires a key (qv) for its meaning to be discovered. --A Lexicon of Cryptography ("Most Secret," Bletchley Park) - Dedication
- To Judith Merkle Riley, 1942-2010, mentor, friend, and the real Maggie Hope. Thank you.
- First words
- The midday summer sun in Lisbon was dazzling and harsh.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"Elise Hess. I'll be taking care of you while you stay with us."
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- Members
- 891
- Popularity
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- Reviews
- 83
- Rating
- (3.75)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 8
- ASINs
- 8
