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

Great Series!

This is a great series - loved the first two books. This one was very good, but it seemed more like a set-up for the next installment. Character development was a little shallower, plot a little lighter, but it was still very good. The narration was EXCELLENT!

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.

Everything excellent.

Exciting story. Not keen on reader. Love the background research and history. Love Maggie Hope.

Great series <br />

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

I preferred to read the story then to listen .

read most of the books.This one listened but still preferred my own imagination to the narrators. a little too monotonous for my taste.

Quite enjoyable

Well done. Overall quite enjoyable. Good story, good character development, good narration. Good installment to the series

Nice story - but oh, the accents!!!

Would you try another book from Susan Elia MacNeal and/or Susan Duerden?

Maybe

If you’ve listened to books by Susan Elia MacNeal before, how does this one compare?

Worse

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

The accents are absolutely terrible - the worst sorts of parodies of the Nazis, Japanese, etc.

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

No

Any additional comments?

The long segments of disconnected bits of history were not well executed, and hard to follow in audio format

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

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.

Love this series of historical background

There is some mystery, history and romance. Nice combination. Can't wait to read the next one. I also love the improvements in the Audible app. Finally I can write a review without having to go to my computer.