The Prime Minister's Secret Agent: A Maggie Hope Mystery
Back from a deadly undercover mission in Berlin in 1941 (His Majesty’s Hope, 2013), agent Maggie Hope feels dead inside. Working as an instructor at the Scottish black-ops base where she herself was trained, Maggie is plagued with what Churchill calls the “black dog” of depression. But when she takes time off to see a friend’s ballet performance in Edinburgh and becomes involved in a murder investigation, her senses are reawakened. At the same time, the U.S. and Japan are involved in a futile diplomatic dance, with Churchill desperately wanting further American participation in the war effort and December 7 fast approaching. Even with the outcome known, MacNeal builds up pre–Pearl Harbor suspense, as coded messages fly back and forth, sometimes being delayed or dismissed because of their messengers. In her fourth solidly researched Maggie Hope mystery, MacNeal details small slips that lead to great tragedies as she lays the groundwork for a post-Pearl mission for Maggie. A treat for WWII buffs and mystery lovers alike. --Michele Leber