Undercover Agent

How one of SOE's youngest agents helped defeat the Nazis

By: Mark Seaman

Narrated by: Peter Noble

Length: 14 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

Tony Brooks was unique. He was barely out of school when recruited in 1941 by the Special Operations Executive (SOE), the wartime secret service established by Churchill to 'set Europe ablaze'. After extensive training he was parachuted into France in July 1942 - being among the first (and youngest) British agents sent to support the nascent French Resistance.      

Brooks' success was primarily due to his exceptional qualities as a secret agent, although he was aided by large and frequent slices of luck. Among much else, he survived brushes with a British traitor and a notorious double agent, the Gestapo's capture of his wireless operator and subsequent attempts to trap Brooks, brief incarceration in a Spanish concentration camp, injuries resulting from a parachute jump into France and even capture and interrogation by the Gestapo - although his cover story held and he was released.

In an age when we so often take our heroes from the worlds of sport, film, television, music, fashion or just 'celebrity', it is perhaps salutary to be reminded of a young man who ended the war in command of a disparate force of some 10,000 armed resistance fighters and decorated with two of this country's highest awards for gallantry, the DSO and MC. At the time, he was just 23 years old.

This remarkable, detailed and intimate account of a clandestine agent's dangerous wartime career combines the historian's expert eye with the narrative colour of remembered events. As a study in courage, it has few, if any, equals.

©2020 Mark Seaman (P)2020 Bonnier Books UK

Inspiring and heroic story of a true patriotic legend

A truly inspiring story, accurately told and expertly narrated. Should you wish to understand more about clandestine operations in France in WWII, there is no better place to start. Tony Brooks is a patriotic legend and deserves greater recognition for his work. Hopefully this book will go some way to achieving that for him.

Now going to buy the book!

This is an excellent record of a remarkable man, a hero amongst so many, who deserves to have his name and story become as familiar as other agents’ did. In order to absorb the details better will now order the book for future reference. The author is well aware of the privilege of being invited by Tony B to write his story but clearly this was an honour well-deserved as Mr. Seaman researched thoroughly and wove together the story expertly, doing justice to this particular Undercover Agent and his comrades. So delighted and grateful this book has been written.

Good listen

Good story, interesting and orated well. An insight into a brave person and France during the war

Another Amazing Story About the golden Generation

This story about Tony Brookes is amazing on so many levels and demonstrates the fearlessness of that generation

Engaging story and narration

If you like stories about WWll heroes I highly recommend this audio book about Tony Brooks narrated superbly by Peter Noble.

"excellent, pity we had to wait so long to hear it

excellent book an good narration shame we had to wait so long for the story to be told.
He was a very brave young man as were so many of the SOE's recruits...

Wonderful insight.

What a fantastic look into a real hero's life. Thank you to the author for all his research and knowledge.

It’s hard to visualise the action due to the robotic monotonous reading

The reading is hard to get on with. It’s very much an unemotional, almost a computer voice. No feeling at all, no variation, no humanity, comes across to me.
The reader should be imagining what he is reading. All he does is read words. I don’t think he is enjoying the work. Maybe he should be paid more.

A story that deserves to be told.

I really enjoyed this book, the story of an unsung hero who has never got the recognition that he deserved. A real unsung hero who was barely out of school before he took the war to the nazis.

A Remarkable Man

An extraordinary person who deserves every honour he received according to this account. No wonder he survived as he did. His attention to security and incredible diligence comes across so well. He had luck but worked so hard on everyone's behalf but his own. It's hard to realise how young he was when he undertook his role in wartime France. This is an exciting account of one young man's exceptional service.
The narration is perfect and does not distract from the listening experience. I am so glad that I have heard about Tony Brooks and recommend this Audible book.