The Prime Minister's Secret Agent

A Maggie Hope Mystery

By: Susan Elia MacNeal

Narrated by: Susan Duerden

Length: 9 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 

For fans of Jacqueline Winspear, Charles Todd, and Anne Perry comes a gripping mystery featuring intrepid spy and code breaker Maggie Hope. This time, the fallout of a deadly plot comes straight to her own front door.   

World War II rages on across Europe, but Maggie Hope has finally found a moment of rest on the pastoral coast of western Scotland. Home from an undercover mission in Berlin, she settles down to teach at her old spy training camp, and to heal from scars on both her body and heart. Yet instead of enjoying the quieter pace of life, Maggie is quickly drawn into another web of danger and intrigue. When three ballerinas fall strangely ill in Glasgow—including one of Maggie’s dearest friends—Maggie partners with MI-5 to uncover the truth behind their unusual symptoms. What she finds points to a series of poisonings that may expose shocking government secrets and put countless British lives at stake. But it’s the fight brewing in the Pacific that will forever change the course of the war—and indelibly shape Maggie’s fate.

©2014 Susan Elia MacNeal (P)2014 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“[A] stellar series . . . [Susan Elia] MacNeal has written an impeccably researched, wonderfully engaging story.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune

“A treat for WWII buffs and mystery lovers alike.”—Booklist

“[MacNeal] seamlessly mixes fact and fiction.”—Publishers Weekly

The narration spoils the book

What made the experience of listening to The Prime Minister's Secret Agent the most enjoyable?

The series is interesting and the time period and history described makes for a good read.

Would you be willing to try another book from Susan Elia MacNeal? Why or why not?

I like the author but some else needs to narrate.

What didn’t you like about Susan Duerden’s performance?

Her cadence and breathy deliver is hard to listen to. There are emphasis where there shouldn't be and her raspy whispery voice is annoying.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No

Revisionary History

What disappointed you about The Prime Minister's Secret Agent?

Long dragged out conversations that appear to be US and British hate-baiting. Listened for over 2 hours of the nice hour book and and never found out what the mystery was. Depression and anger run rampant

What could Susan Elia MacNeal have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Quit writing made up conversations that last 30 minutes about philosophy (Churchhill rants on and on )

Which scene was your favorite?

Could not find a favorite scene because I could not tolerate listening for HOURS with out a story to follow.

Dissapointed

If you could sum up The Prime Minister's Secret Agent in three words, what would they be?

Waste of time

What could Susan Elia MacNeal have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

This book is basically about Maggie working through her issues so she can go do spy work again. I felt like this could have been condensed into a couple chapters at most and then get on with the story.

Any additional comments?

I've really enjoyed the series so far. I was looking forward to this book, but was disappointed because the whole book felt like an interlude between stories rather than a story in itself. I kept waiting for the story to pick up speed, by the time it started gaining momentum it was over.

slow....

slow story line, slow reading, slow developing the story line. just hated the section on Clara's mother - really? just not as exciting as the other books by far. was a dialed in story, dialed in performance. will give serious thought before purchasing the next one, maybe borrow from the local library instead. oh and let me add boringly slow.

GET IT RIGHT!!!!

There were several goofs in this book including name mix-ups. But the one inexcusable error was referring to a sailor as a "private"!! Insulting. If you are going to write a book about war and the military at least get the ranks and ratings correct!!!

Enjoyed

Would you listen to The Prime Minister's Secret Agent again? Why?

I enjoyed the different turns and twists in this installment of the series.

Any additional comments?

I still have a challenge with the narration style of the narrarator, although she does do a lovely job with the character voices

Great series <br />

Good plot, character and intrigue in the whole Maggie Hope mystery series. Thoroughly enjoyed them all.

I rate this a 2.5

Hmmm...I give this a 2.5. I like the characters but I was hoping for a resolution to threads. I felt this book was just taking us from the last book to the next with no real story. Sure, the secret disease could be considered a "mystery" that Maggie had to solve but it was pretty much unsatisfying. I have to admit I like Hugh. I hope we hear more about him.

Oh, and I'm annoyed by blatant errors. In one scene "... a sailor - a private-..." is introduced. There ARE no privates in the Navy. I have a tendency to question other research when I see something like this. Maybe I'm hypercritical in this regard. Frankly, I was disappointed by this minor slip.

The narrator is still annoying. I have listened to other books that she's read (other authors' books) and she's been quite good. I really don't like the way she portrays Maggie especially.

I will read subsequent books because I care about what happens to the characters. I wish the author and/or editors would tighten things up a bit.

First and LAST time I listen to this reader!

This book came highly recommended, but was ultimately a disappointment.
I wish I'd read the reviews because this reader nearly had me giving up after 1/2 hour! Her inflection is puzzling & incredibly annoying, and Maggie is voiced like a 12-yo? I was thankful the final 1/3 or so had little narration, because at least the dialog was less grating.
I'm a big fan of Her Spyness (whose reader is stellar!) & enjoy Maisie Dobbs, so the concept is cool but poorly executed, and barely fulfills its title.

A little disappointing

Maggie Hope, our favorite spy, seems to be only a secondary story line in this book. Very disappointing to Maggie Hope fans. The pacing is slow and story line is convoluted until the few ending chapters when the author snaps out of the doldrums and sews everything together a bit too neatly.

Don't enjoy listening to this person's voice

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

I would have enjoyed a dramatised version of this book - I LOVE the stories but the person chosen to read this book has a very monotone voice which I can't listen to.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I love so many; I can't pick just one.

Who might you have cast as narrator instead of Susan Duerden?

Jenna Coleman - I think she would have done an amazing job

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment; I've been looking for the hard copy of this book for AGES but unable to find it so thought I'd get the audio version. Didn't enjoy the narration at all.

Any additional comments?

How do I return it?