Princess Elizabeth's Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal

A 'softer' assignment is sought for this fledgling spy, a sort of test mission. § Christine Zibas is a freelance writer and former director of publications for a Chicago nonprofit.Maggie Hope, the former secretary to Prime Minister Winston Churchill, is in the final days of her training to become a spy for MI-5-and it's painfully apparent that although she meets the intelligence and psychological qualifications, her physical skills are somewhat, well.lacking. While the storyline may take a far-fetched turn near the end, all in all this is a charming addition to the continuing Maggie Hope mystery series and well worth reading for fans of historical mysteries.

It all turns into a wild plot near the Christmas holiday, when the castle is loaded with dignitaries, and a seasonal pantomime is occupying the attention of the children. There's danger lurking everywhere in wartime, and it's no surprise that there is a turncoat or two hanging around the castle. Maggie even teaches her young student some simple codes (for fun) that later come in handy, of course. There is also the incorporation of codes, the enigma machine, and Bletchley Park (the wartime site of code-breaking). In order to protect the young heir to the throne, Princess Elizabeth, the story's spy-in-training Maggie Hope has been transferred from No 10 Downing Street to Windsor Castle under the guise of being the young princess's math tutor. While many mystery novels place the royal family on a pedestal, in PRINCESS ELIZABETH'S SPY, the royals are presented in a very human way, living during wartime in a drafty castle that the nanny equates to living in a cold, dark museum. All of the threats of Nazis and London bombings remain, but they are personalized through the character of Maggie and her friends, who just happen to be in some of the most sensitive spots of the government, including No 10 Downing Street, Bletchley Park, and now, among the royals at Windsor Castle. What the author does so well is incorporate research about the Second World War and mixes it into a very cozy-like mystery of wartime in Britain. Many of the favorite characters from the first novel reappear in this second in a series, including Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

Returning with her second Maggie Hope mystery, Susan Elia Macneal shines in her second novel, a more intimate mystery based on the childhood of Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret.

Princess Elizabeth's Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal