Cathy C. (cathyskye) -
Helpful Score: 7
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.
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.
Rebecca R. (Waterlogged) reviewed Mr. Churchill's Secretary (Maggie Hope, Bk 1) on + 51 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
This first novel of the series was great fun. I think somewhere along the line Maggie Hope may find out she is related to Maisie Dobbs. Like the Maisie series, Maggie is a protagonist enmeshed in the historic events of her time. I love how the men around her, locked into their traditionalist perspectives, repeatedly underestimate her. I also like how she questions her own emotions, making her a relatable heroine. Can't wait for more in the series.
Alice J. (ASJ) -
Helpful Score: 5
Absolutly excellent. Wonderful glimpse into 1940 wartime London. The fear of air raids described very well. Loved the way Winston Churchill was portrayed. Main Character Maggie was well written and complex. Supporting cast even the villians were well done. I believe this is a start to an awesome new series.
Joy L. (vintagejoy) -
Helpful Score: 4
I hate to be the dissenting view, as everyone seems to like the book. But I found myself not liking the main characters much at all. Not even the MC. The story was confusing to me with several different new characters added early, and a bunch of catastrophes taking place in what appear to be entirely individual happenings that don't seem to add up to anything. Just did not like it. I also did not like the language being thrown around; to me it didn't seem necessary to the story.
Thomas F. (hardtack) -
Helpful Score: 3
An interesting mystery. However, there were three major historical errors I had problems with.
First, by the time period in which this mystery takes place, the British had most, if not all, German spies under their control. Soon, they would have them all. Yet the author has them still operating for Germany in the story. The story also has the Germans knowing, through a spy, that the British were working on their codes and knew of the Enigma machine. The British knowledge of the Enigma machine was one of the best kept secrets of the war and the Germans never knew it was broken, as they believed it was unbreakable. Fortunately, brilliant Polish mathematicians had reversed-engineered the Enigma before the war began. And the Poles shared this knowledge with the French and British.
Second, the heroine at one point goes back to her house and makes a quick overseas call to her aunt in the United States. Not possible. Even after the war, overseas' calls, for most people, required making an 'appointment' for the callers to be connected. During the war, unless you had official permission, you had to apply to make a call overseas, and it was usually denied.
And third, one of the men close to the prime minister was an almost openly gay man. Not only was this "sexual persuasion" illegal at the time, but it was also deemed a great security risk. Not that there were not gay men working at the highest levels, but none of them were as openly gay as this character.
Despite this, the World War II background caught my attention and I have the second in the series on my WL.
First, by the time period in which this mystery takes place, the British had most, if not all, German spies under their control. Soon, they would have them all. Yet the author has them still operating for Germany in the story. The story also has the Germans knowing, through a spy, that the British were working on their codes and knew of the Enigma machine. The British knowledge of the Enigma machine was one of the best kept secrets of the war and the Germans never knew it was broken, as they believed it was unbreakable. Fortunately, brilliant Polish mathematicians had reversed-engineered the Enigma before the war began. And the Poles shared this knowledge with the French and British.
Second, the heroine at one point goes back to her house and makes a quick overseas call to her aunt in the United States. Not possible. Even after the war, overseas' calls, for most people, required making an 'appointment' for the callers to be connected. During the war, unless you had official permission, you had to apply to make a call overseas, and it was usually denied.
And third, one of the men close to the prime minister was an almost openly gay man. Not only was this "sexual persuasion" illegal at the time, but it was also deemed a great security risk. Not that there were not gay men working at the highest levels, but none of them were as openly gay as this character.
Despite this, the World War II background caught my attention and I have the second in the series on my WL.
