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Princess Elizabeth's Spy
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
Susan Elia MacNeal introduced the remarkable Maggie Hope in her acclaimed debut, "Mr. Churchill s Secretary." Now Maggie returns to protect Britain s beloved royals against an international plot one that could change the course of history. As World War II sweeps the continent and England steels itself against German attack, Maggie Hope, former secretary to Prime Minister Winston Churchill, completes her training to become a spy for MI-5. Spirited, strong-willed, and possessing one of the sharpest minds in government for mathematics and code-breaking, she fully expects to be sent abroad to gather intelligence for the British front. Instead, to her great disappointment, she is dispatched to go undercover at Windsor Castle, where she will tutor the young Princess Elizabeth in math. Yet castle life quickly proves more dangerous and deadly than Maggie ever expected. The upstairs-downstairs world at Windsor is thrown into disarray by a shocking murder, which draws Maggie into a vast conspiracy that places the entire royal family in peril. And as she races to save England from a most disturbing fate, Maggie realizes that a quick wit is her best defense, and that the smallest clues can unravel the biggest secrets, even within her own family. Praise for "Mr. Churchill s Secretary" Delightful may seem a strange word to describe a novel that takes place against the backdrop of the bombings of London during World War II, but it s appropriate for this debut novel. . . . As sweet as it is intriguing. "USA Today" A captivating, post-feminist picture of England during its finest hour. "The Denver Post" "" Daring . . . 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. Bookreporter A ripping good yarn [that] enthralls and satisfies. "Richmond Times-Dispatch""
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Laughterhp
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
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Pickpick

Really enjoyed this second novel in the Maggie Hope series. She ends up working in Windsor Castle as a tutor for Princess Elizabeth.

There are spies, mystery, intrigue, codes and code breaking. Set during WWII.

I definitely plan to continue this series! I love Maggie.

Laughterhp Forgot this was a June #Roll100 roll 15. @PuddleJumper 2y
PuddleJumper That's great! 2y
46 likes1 stack add2 comments
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nocto
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
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Panpan

The narrator was terrible. I sped her up (I never do that) to make her delivery slightly more bearable. If I read another in this series it‘ll be a print version. I enjoyed the characters and the plot was fun if you suspended disbelief enough, which is fine, but being full of anachronisms and weird geographical errors got a bit annoying.

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nocto
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
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Things I love about #libby — it remembers where you were when you return things unfinished and then check them out again months later! I enjoyed the first audiobook in this series last year but a different narrator for the second made me give up. Having another go...

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Andrew65
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
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Panpan

Thanks goodness I‘ve finished this one, not a good experience at all. I think it was because of the annoying narration more than the story. Was very disappointed by this book as I really enjoyed the first book, although it was read by a different narrator! I‘m sure I won‘t continue the series.

Melissa_J I don‘t think I‘ve ever seen you pan a book! 5y
Andrew65 @Melissa_J No that is an extremely rare event. The narrator was horrible, would have switched to a physical book which might have got it to so so but at that stage not prepared to pay for it and the library didn‘t have a copy. I think the last one was Gorky Park a few years ago. How they let the narrator continue without doing something about it I don‘t know. (edited) 5y
80 likes2 comments
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Andrew65
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
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Been listening to the audiobook of book 2 in the Maggie Hope Series. I really enjoyed the first one, but the narrator in this one (it is a different narrator) is irritating me. The dialogue she does well, but in the other narrative she has an irritating way to how she says sentences with her voice seeming to go up at the very end of the sentence. Just doesn‘t work for me.

Has anyone else read this by audiobook? Did it affect you in the same way?

Skeebies05 I bailed for that same reason!!! I have to read this series. I can‘t do the audio. 5y
Andrew65 @Skeebies05 Glad to hear I‘m not alone. What happened to the supervision and editing of this audiobook! 5y
Crazeedi I've read 3 or 4 of this series 5y
74 likes3 comments
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KyleAndLexisMom
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
Pickpick

Book number 2 in the Maggie Hope series was just as entertaining as the first! #Historicalmystery #secretagent #WWII

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catebutler
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
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#24in48 Hour 12 Challenge: I‘ve recently gotten back into audiobooks. When I commuted more, a few years ago, I listened to them every day. Now, I listen to them when I‘m exercising, on road trips, while cooking and cleaning. I‘ve fallen in love with Libby and others forms of listening have fallen behind. Tagged and pictured is my current audiobook, which I most likely will finish during the readathon. #24in48readathon

UwannaPublishme 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 5y
JaclynW Libby is wonderful! I love audiobooks! 5y
48 likes2 comments
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catebutler
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
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Hour 3 Check-in: Calling it a night at 2 hours and 34 mins. It‘s just after 1AM my time, and I‘m sleepy. 😴 Setting an alarm and will resume in the morning. Made a dent in, ‘The Gown, about 200 pages left and in between (multi-tasking) I listened to my current audiobook, ‘Princess Elizabeth‘s Spy‘. I have a WWII/Elizabeth II theme at the moment! #24in48 #24in48readathon

UwannaPublishme Great start Cate! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 It‘s only midnight here, so I‘m trying to read for another hour. Sleep well! 5y
catebutler @UwannaPublishme Thank you!! I‘ve been so happy to see several Littens participating. Happy reading! 🤓📚 5y
Crazeedi Loved the gown! 5y
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kspenmoll Loved Princess Elizabeth‘s Spy- the whole series! 5y
catebutler @Crazeedi I‘m absolutely loving it too! 5y
catebutler @kspenmoll I happened to stumble across the first on Libby a couple of weeks ago, they are fun! So happy to see there are several in the series. 5y
41 likes6 comments
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Booknerd2
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
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Pickpick

This one doesn‘t have a very good rating on here but I loved it. The history of England and WWII is very interesting and the mysteries just keep coming.

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Skeebies05
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
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This will probably be the last pool day for the summer. :( I ordered this book as same day delivery and it did in fact arrive the same day!

Nute You can get a book on the same day that it was ordered? That‘s amazing. 6y
34 likes1 comment
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Mollyanna
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
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So my #mounttbrreadathon was hijacked by work yesterday. I am at my favorite local diner for breakfast with the tagged ebook to try and get some reading in today. Here‘s the starter... 😋

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kspenmoll
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
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#WWII #historicalmystery #audiobook
Listened to this audiobook today while I did paperwork - such a pleasure. Watched the movie about Churchill‘s first months in office, Darkest Hour, with hubby last night. So many connections- timing of this book the same as movie- he & I had a wonderful discussion while he cooked dinner. Any good Churchill bios? He said so many seem too complimentary...wants a book that looks at the complexity of this man.

kspenmoll @Susanita Thanks! Will check it out. 6y
68 likes4 stack adds2 comments
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PurpleyPumpkin
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
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I decided to treat myself to a butter tart for breakfast while sneaking in a bit of my new audiobook. This tart was sooooo yummy! Not sure how the bakery made a butter tart without butter, but they did it!😋 Not pictured: the cappuccino I drank just after I took this picture. It was the perfect pairing. 👌🏽

84 likes2 comments
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Jennivardier
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
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Pickpick

I'm really loving this series! I love that Maggie Hope isn't perfect, she makes plenty of mistakes, but she's still determined to figure everything out and do the right thing.

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brownekr
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
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Mehso-so

I think I'm done with this series at the end of book 2. The hat I've been reworking today ended up mirroring my book feelings. #knittersoflitsy

Pet peeve: this one was much more RPF-y & I just don't care for it. Particularly when it involves people who are still alive. Palace novels are also just not my thing.

Structurally: no good red herrings, and all the solutions were heavily telegraphed except for the BONKERS stuff in the dénouement. Sigh.

brownekr ALSO, lots of "all the baddies were sexually deviant" in this one, which doesn't win points with me. 7y
3 likes1 comment
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brownekr
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
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I'm always amused when I get a library book that's been previously read by a copyeditor. Thanks, friend!

(I do always wonder: do folks read with pencil in hand just in case? Or was this person so perturbed by an errant "r" that they stopped reading and went to find such a utensil?)

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Equinm
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
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Panpan

⭐️. I was surprised at how TERRIBLE this book was as I truly enjoyed the first in the series. I kept hoping the main character (a female MI5 agent in 1940s Britain) would stop acting like a spoiled toddler, throwing tantrums and whining - but, sigh, she did not. It was painful to even finish this book. At this point, I would recommend the first book as a stand alone - and then maybe Wikipedia the plot lines of the rest of the series. 😬😏

Andrew65 Totally agree. Book 1 loved, book 2 - what happened? 5y
1 like1 comment
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Equinm
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
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Oh my - I'm up to 🙄🙄🙄 with this one. A female MI5 agent enters a 1940s gentlemen-only establishment, walks right up to her superior (who is in the midst of a meeting) and throws a temper tantrum demanding to be given information above her security clearance (that has nothing to do with her current assignment)?? Yeah...I'm not buying it. Blerg - but as I'm 3/4 done - I'm determined to finish!!

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Equinm
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
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Also started the 2nd in the Maggie Hope series (audiobook). Ms. Hope is an MI5 operative during WWII. She is gifted in mathematics, patterns, and codes. The 1st book did a good job developing the character - but the 2nd book seems to be a tad overdramatizing. I'm half way done and holding out hope for richer story development 🤞🏻🤞🏻.

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BarbaraTheBibliophage
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
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Panpan

2.5 stars. I enjoyed the first in this series enough to move right into this one. But this was dull as a bridge party with your great grandmother and her retirement home buddies. No disrespect intended to great grandmothers or retirement homes. I didn't find the characters charming. In fact some were frustrating stereotypes bordering on offensive.

Longer review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1722307182. Feel free to add me!

Sydsavvy Oh I hate to hear that! I liked the first one and here are some others I want to read. 8y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Sydsavvy I still like Maggie but the supporting characters in this one were just yuck. And the writing wasn't as good. I'm sad too. 8y
Suzze I was so-so on the first one so never picked up any more. My sister loves them. 8y
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Verity Did you spot the factual howler? In my edition it refers to Princess Elizabeth as second in line to the throne! I'm not sure who the author thought was in front of her (as her father is the King and she is his eldest child and he has no sons) but I nearly hurled my copy in across the room in rage. That was where the hate reading really started. I mean the (repeated) "Chelsea blues" references were bad enough but honestly.... /rant 8y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Oh shoot. I already returned this to the library, so I can't look for us. I remember a couple of references to lines of succession, including one referring to Edward VIII's abdication. Would she have been second in line before he abdicated? Either way, I don't like the feeling that an author would play fast and loose with the facts. I bought a ticket to my library fundraiser where the author is speaking. Now I want to get the book again and ask he 8y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Verity Forgot to tag you on my response above! 8y
Verity @BarbaraTheBibliophage yes she would have been but the book 4/5 years post abdication and I think it was in that context as in "the importance of keeping the second in line to the throne safe". I might have screen grabbed it... 8y
Verity @BarbaraTheBibliophage Forgot to say, if you're going to w fundraiser you could ask her if she has an British proof reader and if she does, why they don't spot the mistakes... #bitchy 8y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Verity I went back to Overdrive and took the book out again. You are 100% correct. Someone missed a huge error! I also read the acknowledgements. She didn't have anyone specifically checking royal-related aspects of the story. 8y
Verity I'm so glad i hadn't got it wrong! (If you know what I mean) It's not even a difficult one to get right. *headdesk* (but then the Chelsea blues one isn't hard to check either) 8y
Andrew65 Totally agree, what happened between book 1 and 2! 5y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Andrew65 Glad we could validate each other‘s opinion. 5y
47 likes12 comments
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BarbaraTheBibliophage
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
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I know the colors match, but fire as carrots just misses the mark with me. Sigh.

MrBook Lol, me too. 8y
Sue Carroty? Pretty sure that's not a thing. 8y
kammartinez That's...a really dissonant metaphor ^^;. 8y
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Gleefulreader Ouch. That feels really weak and lazy - both from the writing and editing perspectives. 8y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @MrBook @sue @kammartinez @Gleefulreader Thanks. Glad to know its not just too early in the morning for me. 😜 8y
Megabooks Carroty Flames sounds like a new hot vegetable fry at the grocery! 8y
Megabooks Or possibly a bad garage band. 8y
LauraBeth Agree! 8y
Hugoreads Or a wild hair color! 8y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Ebooksandcooks @Hugoreads LOL! All better options than the one the author chose. 😀 8y
Carol Maybe staring at the flames improved one's eyesight! 8y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Carol That's it! 😀 8y
PurpleyPumpkin That's hilarious!😂 8y
57 likes13 comments
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BarbaraTheBibliophage
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
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#TBRTuesday I'm excited about all of these, but not the deadlines that come with them! Three library books and one NetGalley. I need to stop sleeping so long!

Reviewsbylola Jane Steele and Me Before You are both fantastic. 8y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Reviewsbylola I have heard that over and over! 8y
Melkyl I agree with @Reviewsbylola Both of those are great! 8y
85 likes3 comments
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DaphneAdair
Princess Elizabeth's Spy | Susan Elia MacNeal
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I find myself impatient with some books lately - the kindle may actually make it worse. Anyone find the kindle (or other device) slows reading? (Shown: kid trying to get back on a sleep schedule.)

EricaO I don't have a dedicated ereader, but I find reading on my phone to be more distracted, which slows my progress. And I find myself skimming, then having to go back and reread, so I somehow manage to sacrifice both speed and understanding for...I'm not sure what I gain, exactly. Convenience while traveling, I suppose? 8y
2 likes1 comment