Mr. Churchill's Secretary

A Maggie Hope Mystery

By: Susan Elia MacNeal

Narrated by: Donada Peters

Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

BARRY AWARD WINNER • Heralding the arrival of a brilliant new heroine, Mr. Churchill’s Secretary captures the drama of an era of unprecedented challenge—and the greatness that rose to meet it.

“With any luck, the adventures of red-haired super-sleuth Maggie Hope will go on forever. . . . Taut, well-plotted, and suspenseful, this is a wartime mystery to sink your teeth into.” —Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Rose Code

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 spectacularly crafted novel.

©2012 Susan Elia Macneal (P)2012 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“This wonderful debut is intelligent, richly detailed, and filled with suspense.” (Stefanie Pintoff)

“A terrific read.... Chock full of fascinating period details and real people including Winston Churchill, MacNeal’s fast-paced thriller gives a glimpse of the struggles, tensions, and dangers of life on the home front during World War II.” (Rhys Bowen, author of Royal Blood and winner of the Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards)

“Think early Ken Follett, amp it up with a whip-smart young American not averse to red lipstick and vintage cocktails, season it with espionage during the London Blitz, and you’ve got a heart-pounding, atmospheric debut. I loved it.” (Cara Black, author of Murder in Passy)

Enjoyed This New Author For Me.

What did you love best about Mr. Churchill's Secretary?

I had no particular problem with any of the book. All women know the predjudice involved in evaluating our skills. I always enjoy a book about a woman who has interests, as an adult, that uses intellectual skills with being dehumanized. Maggie is smart, analytical, but very empathetic too. She doesn't try to be one of the guys except to try to excel at the things she does best.

The blending of history and fiction is very masterfully done. I am a Churchill fan and have read his biography. What a character.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Maggie because she is bright, grows with each experience and is very plucky.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Maggie was being pursued and was hiding in the Anderson shelter. It taxed one to think a out how she could escape. Kept your attention.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

What History Didn't Tell Us.

Any additional comments?

Immediately listened to the second book and am looking forward to the next. My dad was a WWII vet and I have read extensively about that era. It is fun to see the authors skill in using fact and fiction.

Pleasant Period Piece

Where does Mr. Churchill's Secretary rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Pleasant. Easy on the ears. I ran out of Rhys Bowen to listen to and tried this one. Not sorry, but not yet a "can't wait for the next one" series. I'll order the next one, but not sure about the third.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Mr. Churchill's Secretary?

Silly question for a mystery read. When the character reveals him/herself to be a scoundrel.

Have you listened to any of Wanda McCaddon’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Mine wasn't done by Wanda. It was Donada Peters, which is what the cover says, and she was very good. Get it straightened out, eh?

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Nope. Just very pleasant.

Winston Churchill is a solid tertiary character!

Margaret hope and her family connections are a wonderful entry into the world of spies and intriguing Bletchley Park.

Excellent narration

Excellent narration: Modulation, mimicry and emotion. Disappointed this narrator didn't do the whole series! KPO

Great historical detail

Maggie is a wonderful heroine - smart, resourceful, and determined to "do her bit" in fighting the war. The historical detail makes this story come alive, and descriptions of the blitz show the pluck of the British throughout. There are several story arcs, and they all come to a satisfying conclusion. Maggie is a feminist, but not a feminist. She wants to use her skills to the fullest, but she is still a woman, not a faux man. My only slight criticism is that several times I thought the story had come to a satisfying conclusion, then to find that, wait! There's more! That's OK - I wanted more! A more serious criticism is that the narrator slipped in her voices a few times. That is more a criticism of editing - should have caught that! Not enough to destroy my pleasure in a good story. Looking forward to downloading the next in the series.

very juvenile

it was just ok. nothing to sing about. I liked that i learned about about that time

Great! Loved it!

Captivating, well developed characters, I love the relationship between Maggie and Winston Churchill, anxious to enjoy the next book.

Riviting Story. Couldn't Stop Listening.

If you could sum up Mr. Churchill's Secretary in three words, what would they be?

Good historical fiction.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Mr. Churchill's Secretary?

When Paige (Clair) and Murphy killed (?) the dancer.

Have you listened to any of Wanda McCaddon’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I loved it. It made me both laugh and cry.

Any additional comments?

This story made me care about the characters. It was very well done. I can't wait to read the next book.

Good first book.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I like Mr. Churchill's Secretary! Like many first books in a series Ms. MacNeal wanted to tell you everything about everyone so some parts were tedious. Overall I enjoyed the book and I did not figure who the duplicitous character was until very near the revolution point. This was very cleverly done.

I did find one mistake. I am not sure if it was written incorrectly and the editor missed it or if the narrator misspoke. However, it was Edward VIII who abdicated for the woman he loved not Edward VII.

If found it easy to listen to as I drove to and from work. you can follow what is happening without taking away from paying attention to road.

I plan to get the second book and will follow the series as it progresses.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Mr. Churchill's Secretary?

The last few chapters were the best but isn't that usually the case with a mystery. I particularly liked the last scene between Mr. Frame and Michael Murphy.

What does Wanda McCaddon bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Wanda McCaddon (Donada Peters) does a good job of narrating the book. Her lovely British accents are very well done and you just can't get that when reading. She does a darn good American accent for Maggie too.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Depending who was in the cast I would go see it. It might make a better "made for TV" movie than a feature film but still the casting is everything.

I actually enjoyed this book after awhile

I almost gave up on this one. But all of a sudden, I figured out who everyone was and started to enjoy it. I’ve ordered the next book and I wasn’t sure I would early on. It’s definitely not a cozy mystery if that’s what you’re expecting. You have to pay attention to this one.