The Queen's Accomplice

August 8, 2016
Echoes of classic crime meet international espionage in MacNeal’s accomplished sixth WWII mystery (after 2015’s Mrs. Roosevelt’s Confidante). In bombed- and blacked-out 1942 London, a young woman’s horrifically butchered body is discovered in Regent’s Park near graffiti proclaiming that “Jack Is Back.” With the discovery of a second, similarly brutalized corpse, a pattern emerges: the murders explicitly mimic Jack the Ripper’s, and both women have been tapped for the Special Operations Executive, a top-secret unit that sends women spies behind enemy lines. American expat Maggie Hope, an experienced SOE operative, joins the investigation jointly conducted by Scotland Yard and MI5. The stakes rise when a young woman trained by Maggie disappears, possibly abducted by the killer that the press dubs the Blackout Beast. Though the titular queen—the current monarch’s mother—plays only a minor role, MacNeal’s engaging characters, vivid scene-setting, moments of romance, and rich historical detail offer plenty to enjoy. Agent: Victoria Skurnick, Levine Greenberg Literary.

An accomplished young woman fights hate and misogyny in World War II Britain.Maggie Hope was born in Britain but raised in America by her university professor aunt. Since her return to war-torn Britain, she's been a secretary to Winston Churchill, a spy, a decoder, a protector for the royal family, a thwarter of her Nazi-spy mother's plans, and a confidante to Eleanor Roosevelt. She's currently an assistant at one of the Special Operation's Executive offices, where her misogynist boss ignores her warnings about an agent Maggie knows has been compromised and refuses to seek better pay and pensions for the women risking their lives overseas. As Maggie awaits the arrival of her younger half sister, Elise Hess, rescued from her dangerous life in Germany, a modern-day Jack the Ripper is killing young women, at least some of whom are on their way to the SOE for interviews. Maggie's recently moved back to her house, which was damaged in a bombing raid, and is sharing with an old friend whose house was blown up. A former roommate, ballerina Sarah Sanderson, has almost completed her SOE training and plans to go to France with Maggie's former boyfriend Hugh Thompson, with whom she has fallen in love. Maggie, who also occasionally works for MI-5, is ordered to join forces with the police to catch the new Ripper because of the victims' connections with SOE. Though DCI James Durgin is none too pleased to work with MI-5, he quickly learns to appreciate Maggie's many skills and her willingness to risk her life in pursuit of the killer. Maggie (Mrs. Roosevelt's Confidante, 2015, etc.) is a thoughtful spy whose dangerous escapades never disappoint. COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2016
As if Germany weren't enough of a challenge to Londoners in 1942, a Jack the Ripper copycat is targeting young women involved in the war effort. American-bred agent Maggie Hope, 27, is chafing under the new leadership of the Special Operations Executive, a colonel who considers women best used to brew tea and is cavalier about a female agent's disquieting coded messages. Then Maggie is tapped to work with MI5 to find the Blackout Beast, who is killing women in the army and SOE in the same manner that the original Ripper killed prostitutes, seemingly because he resents their taking jobs that should belong to men. As she works with DCI James Durgin to track down the Beast, Maggie also uses her established connections with Queen Elizabeth to push for parity for women agents, who are paid less than men and are at greater risk because they aren't covered by the Geneva Convention. Although the ending seems rushed, with the indomitable Maggie serving as bait for the Beast and then taking off to pursue dangling story lines, this is a fine historical mystery given a feminist slant.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

May 1, 2016

In this latest in the New York Times best-selling mystery series, American-born code-breaker Maggie Hope continues her intelligence work in 1942 London, where she must track down a killer with a Jack the Ripper modus operandi. What's this got to do with the war effort? His victims are all female intelligence agents, like Maggie.

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2016

Returning to London from Washington, DC, Maggie Hope is working at Special Operations Division, 64 Baker Street. The Nazis have stopped their nightly bombing, but the city is still burning. When an elderly air raid warden stumbles over a mutilated body in Regent's Park, it marks the beginning of a terrible re-creation of Jack the Ripper's killing spree. This sixth entry in the World War II series follows Mrs. Roosevelt's Confidante.

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2016
An accomplished young woman fights hate and misogyny in World War II Britain.Maggie Hope was born in Britain but raised in America by her university professor aunt. Since her return to war-torn Britain, shes been a secretary to Winston Churchill, a spy, a decoder, a protector for the royal family, a thwarter of her Nazi-spy mothers plans, and a confidante to Eleanor Roosevelt. Shes currently an assistant at one of the Special Operations Executive offices, where her misogynist boss ignores her warnings about an agent Maggie knows has been compromised and refuses to seek better pay and pensions for the women risking their lives overseas. As Maggie awaits the arrival of her younger half sister, Elise Hess, rescued from her dangerous life in Germany, a modern-day Jack the Ripper is killing young women, at least some of whom are on their way to the SOE for interviews. Maggies recently moved back to her house, which was damaged in a bombing raid, and is sharing with an old friend whose house was blown up. A former roommate, ballerina Sarah Sanderson, has almost completed her SOE training and plans to go to France with Maggies former boyfriend Hugh Thompson, with whom she has fallen in love. Maggie, who also occasionally works for MI-5, is ordered to join forces with the police to catch the new Ripper because of the victims connections with SOE. Though DCI James Durgin is none too pleased to work with MI-5, he quickly learns to appreciate Maggies many skills and her willingness to risk her life in pursuit of the killer. Maggie (Mrs. Roosevelts Confidante, 2015, etc.) is a thoughtful spy whose dangerous escapades never disappoint.

COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.