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Average rating3
For fans of Jacqueline Winspear, Laurie R. King, and Anne Perry, Mr. Churchill’s Secretary captures the drama of an era of unprecedented challenge—and the greatness that rose to meet it. 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.
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7 primary booksMaggie Hope is a 7-book series with 7 primary works first released in 2012 with contributions by Susan Elia MacNeal.
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In the beginning, Maggie is in London after completing her PhD in mathematics in America but can't find a suitable job coz all of them are for Oxbridge educated upper class men. When she gets offered job as Churchill's secretary, she accepts it albeit a little reluctantly, because she wants to be a part of the war effort. At the same time, she is also trying to find the details about their parents' death. She is surrounded by great friends, who all band together when the air raids begin. There is also espionage, surveillance and code breaking here.
I loved Maggie's character. She is educated, brilliant, confident, brave and a great friend. I loved her friends, especially David who is so loyal and supportive. The mystery here is quite thin, I could guess the assassin about halfway through the book and all conflicts get resolved within a couple of pages. But this book is still fun to read. It is fast paced, has some witty dialogue and on the whole, is quite entertaining. I am going to continue with the series to read more of Maggie's adventures.