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Mr. Churchill's Secretary (Maggie Hope Mystery #1)

by Susan Elia MacNeal (Goodreads Author)

3.62 of 5 stars 3.62 · rating details · 2,312 ratings · 604 reviews

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 a...more

Paperback, 354 pages

Published April 3rd 2012 by Bantam

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Feb 14, 2013 Miki rated it 1 of 5 stars

This book started out with a bang, and I thought "Wow! I am going to like this!". I was hoping for something along the lines of Jacqueline Winspeare's Maisie Dobbs series. Didn't happen.

The writer apparently believes that in order to write a period book, the characters must constantly refer to the events, locations, and objects of the times, much in the manner of a guidebook. Most of this doesn't advance the plot at all, it just sort of weighs it down.

On the other hand, anachromisms abound. Mag...more This book started out with a bang, and I thought "Wow! I am going to like this!". I was hoping for something along the lines of Jacqueline Winspeare's Maisie Dobbs series. Didn't happen.

The writer apparently believes that in order to write a period book, the characters must constantly refer to the events, locations, and objects of the times, much in the manner of a guidebook. Most of this doesn't advance the plot at all, it just sort of weighs it down.

On the other hand, anachromisms abound. Maggie is an outspoken feminist who often - REALLY often - rails about the fact she is not considered able to do any job as well as a man. She breaks into pompous speeches on sexual equality, patriotism and the war at every opportunity. She cannot seem to decide if she is an American or Bristish and will argue either way. She also constantly thinks and talks back to others in her head, in italics, which is both distracting and annoying.

Maggie's best male friend is gay, as is the aunt who raised her, a situation which she accepts matter of factly. She even asks her friend about how he "got that way". I doubt if that was so easily accepted during that time, as homosexuality was a crime punishable by a prison sentence. This friend also calls people by nicknames such as "Magster" and "Tinster".

Anyway, there was a lot of talk, and not much action - more and more characters were introduced, so that it got difficult to remember who was who, and finally, even after the climax, the book just just kept going on and on. I kept waiting for the end, but it never seemed to get there. After a while I just quit and skipped to the last page.

Oh, and before I forget, Maggie and her friend decide to take a trip to Bletchley, just to look around for clues. Since Bletchley was the hub for British Intelligence during the war, I sort of doubt they would have been allowed to just walk in on their own and have free run of the place.

All in all a big disappointment from what I think could have been a really good series.(less)

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Feb 14, 2012 Denise rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

Shelves: read-in-2012, historical-fiction, world-war-ii

I am a big fan of WWII historical fiction so this novel was definitely right up my alley. This novel takes place in England right after England first declares war. This novel follows Maggie Hope, a secretary for Prime Minister Churchill. I found Maggie to be an energetic, interesting character and I was rooting for her throughout the novel. My second favorite character was definitely John.

I found myself falling in love with the characters in the beginning and as the novel progressed I was kept o...more

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Apr 18, 2013 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

I love this book! Susan Elia MacNeal has crafted a smart, fun and inquisitive character in Maggie Hope. Maggie's an American student, on her way to study at MIT. Maggie's been raised by an aunt after the deaths of her parents in a car accident in London. When a grandmother she's never known dies, she inherits her grandmother's London home. So off Maggie goes, at the beginning days of WWII, to see about selling the home. Because of the war's onset, Maggie is trapped in London. She's unable to sel...more I love this book! Susan Elia MacNeal has crafted a smart, fun and inquisitive character in Maggie Hope. Maggie's an American student, on her way to study at MIT. Maggie's been raised by an aunt after the deaths of her parents in a car accident in London. When a grandmother she's never known dies, she inherits her grandmother's London home. So off Maggie goes, at the beginning days of WWII, to see about selling the home. Because of the war's onset, Maggie is trapped in London. She's unable to sell the home and quickly goes about renting out its rooms to a quirky and interesting group of supporting players. Susan Elia MacNeal opens the book with the death of a young woman. I love it when the action starts before you turn too many pages.

Make no mistake, this isn't a fluffy piece of historical fiction, or maybe more precisely, a fictional historical mystery. Trust no one you meet in Mr. Churchill's Secretary, as not all are whom they seem to be and Maggie comes to realize that her world and the people in it, aren't always who and what she thought they were.

Susan's character Maggie, reminds be just a teeny bit of the "Maisey Dobbs" character, in that they are both incredibly smart, young and are a bit miffed that because they are "female" they are limited in what the world around them allows them to do. Maggie Hope is her own modern woman and she fights to claim her own place in the world, even if it's not quite the way she expected it to be.

Susan Elia MacNeal's research is incredibly detailed and accurate as needed historically. The story unwinds at a good pace and that makes it a very easy and enjoyable read. For me, the book moved quickly and smoothly and the characters and settings were perfect for me to suspend my disbelief.

I'm excited to learn that there will be four more Maggie Hope books for us to enjoy, the next two will be, in order, Princess Elizabeth's Spy out this fall and then Hitler's Nightgale and a fourth that's still unnamed.

I give Mr. Churchill's Secretary 4 out of 5 stars! It's great, just read it!

**I received this book through a GOODREADS early reader giveaway from the publisher, and this is my honest review of the book.(less)

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Jan 22, 2012 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, arc, historical-fiction, owned

I won this book as a prt of the GoodReads First Reads Program

I truly enjoyed this book and was looking forward to reading it. One of the biggest problems with being a history major and loving historical fiction is that you get caught up on whats right and whats wrong about the era. Thankfully there wasn't much wrong for me to get caught up on. The amount of research that was devoted to the writing of this book was amazing, and I commend MacNeal on her efforts. Following the conclusion of the boo...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Kristin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Full disclosure: I was pre-disposed to like this book as it was written by a sister Wellesley alum and the heroine is a Wellesley alum.

I'm not a big reader of historical fiction but I very much enjoyed this one written about war-time London. There were many twists and turns in the story and I got so crazy about it that I read the whole book in about 24 hours. Now, that part is fabulous--not since the Harry Potter books have I been so crazy to finish a book.

On the (very tiny) downside, there we...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Rob rated it 4 of 5 stars

Maggie Hope is the heroine of what promises to be an interesting series by Susan Elia Macneal. Born in England and raised in the US, Maggie returns to London on the eve of WW2. Highly educated, resourceful and with an interesting personal history, Maggie epitomises the ideal literary female protagonist.
This is a great and easy to read first novel introducing Maggie. It involves the IRA, Nazi sympathisers and MI5 with plenty of deceit and shenanigans to keep the reader interested.
Macneal has ob...more

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May 15, 2012 The Lit Bitch rated it 4 of 5 stars

Maggie brings Hope to a new and thrilling series!

Maggie is a spunky, refreshing heroine–a mixture of Mary Russell and Maisie Dobbs! I thought she was very real and genuine. Maggie marches to the beat of her own drum and isn’t afraid to stand up for herself but not in an obnoxious, rude way which I loved. Maggie makes me want to don red lipstick and dye my hair flaming red to match…too bad I can barely balance my checkbook otherwise I would be a dead ringer for Maggie Hope! See my full review her ...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Maggie Boyd rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013

London, 1940: England is on the brink of war and Maggie Hope is ready for the fight. Born in England, raised in America she had only come to the British Isles to sell her Grandmother's home. Seeing the battle coming she is determined that she will be there for the war. Friends Paige and Chuck share her house and help make England home. When she gets the chance to be a secretary in the PM's office she is at first reluctant. She is a mathematician by training and feels being part of the typing poo...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Kim Fay rated it 5 of 5 stars

I remember when I was a kid and I'd get a new Nancy Drew book for my birthday or I'd come home from the library, my arms piled high with books by Betty Cavanna and Phyllis A. Whitney. My parents knew that as soon as I hit the first page, I wasn't coming up for air until I reached "the end." I had that same experience with Mr. Churchill's Secretary. Although this novel is definitely for adults, it made me nostalgic for the books I adored when I was young. Perhaps it's the time and place: WWII Eng...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Becky Haase rated it 5 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this historical fiction thriller/romance/mystery. The main character, Maggie Hope, an English girl raised in America by a maiden aunt, becomes Winston Churchill’s typist after a murder. Although a mathematical genius, she is relegated to typing when she applies for a job as a cryptologist for the government at the beginning of the Battle of Britain. After setting up the situation, the plot moves along quickly and is engaging. This is obviously the introduction for a series of war time...more

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Jan 13, 2013 Carolyn Hill rated it 3 of 5 stars

An entertaining story, I suppose, but it didn't live up to the hype. For some reason, despite the author's obvious attempts to display her research, it didn't seem real to me. The characters, the circumstances, the situations all just seemed unbelievable. Furthermore, I never felt great sympathy for the main character. Perhaps it was her tendency to go off on a very modern sounding rant totally out of place for the setting and the times. Or maybe it was because I was continually jarred into the...more

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Dec 28, 2012 Rosemary rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was torn between a 3 star and a 4 star for this book. When it was good, it was delightful. It got much of the incoming "tide of war" feel beautifully. The sense of living on the edge of a cliff, and then falling over as the first wave of the Blitz happens. The changes in aspiration that the war brought to both men and women, in terms of work, romance, promise. So much was beautifully done.

And the mystery itself was interesting, especially in how it took up a thread of intrigue that wasn't the...more

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Nov 12, 2012 Tina rated it 4 of 5 stars

This new series is set firmly in World War II London with a smart, sassy, gutsy protagonist Maggie Hope. Although she was raised in America, she is British by birth and so is eligible to serve England during the war in a very sensitive and secret undertaking. A graduate of Wellesley, with a degree in advanced mathematics, she abandons her chance to get a Ph.D. in math at MIT in favor of working for the Brits. She presumes her consummate math and code breaking skills will land her a job in that d...more

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Nov 11, 2012 Helen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: wwi, suspense

Keep plodding on.- Winston Churchill

"Maggie had originally come to London to sell her late grandmother's house. Yes, at first she'd felt angry because she had to give up a doctoral program in mathematics at M.I.T. To do so-no small achievement for a woman, even a Wellesley woman.
When she had first come to England , she'd been full of resentment-of the narrow-minded people , of bad food and weak coffee, of the dilapidated houses and antiquated plumbing. But when the house didn't sell Maggie was f...more

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Oct 25, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: england, wwii, mysteries

Maggie Hope is an English girl who was orphaned at a young age. She was sent to an aunt in New England and was raised there. Maggie is an intrepid young woman who is a math whiz and is taking a relatively unprecedented step in going for her doctorate in mathematics at a prestigious university. When she is bequeathed her grandmothers house in London she planned on making a quick trip across the pond to sell it and get back to her life. The house proves hard to sell and Maggie keeps it open by ren...more

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Sep 17, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a delightful light read with a bit of mystery to it to keep you intrigued--and I was! I'm already smitten with historical fiction, so this was an easy pick for me. As with many historical fiction novels, some of the subtle details like language rang false. It is fairly obvious that this was not written by a British person, and that little fact, which played out in syntax and word choice, bugged me throughout the book. That said, I enjoyed all of the characters, though a few less would h...more

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Sep 02, 2012 A. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Maggie Hope somewhat reluctantly takes the job of new Prime Minister Winston Churchill's secretary. The last secretary was was murdered and it seems that Maggie is being watched in her new job as well. England itself is facing Hitler preparing to pummel England with bomber planes as households build bomb shelters. Additionally, the IRA is bombing sites in London and could be Nazi sympathizers, joining against England - the common enemy.

Maggie's British parents were killed when she was still an...more Maggie Hope somewhat reluctantly takes the job of new Prime Minister Winston Churchill's secretary. The last secretary was was murdered and it seems that Maggie is being watched in her new job as well. England itself is facing Hitler preparing to pummel England with bomber planes as households build bomb shelters. Additionally, the IRA is bombing sites in London and could be Nazi sympathizers, joining against England - the common enemy.

Maggie's British parents were killed when she was still an infant and she was raised by an aunt in America. Her aunt raised her in the academic world of colleges where she works. Maggie is forced to suspend her graduate studies in mathematics at MIT to travel to London and sell her inheritance from a grandmother she never knew she had. Thus, Maggie is incredibly overqualified for the job of secretary with her Mathematics skills, plus she is fluent in a few languages. All of which means she is smart and some secrets she will figure out, placing her in more danger. Secrets - such as why her father isn't buried with her mother?

Maggie Hope is a good main character, smart, loyal and caring. She has several friends that are living in the inherited house, all helping each other through the challenging times. There are so many characters who populate the story that a character guide up front would have been helpful. Maggie's housemates are interesting and varied. I didn't particularly care for the ditzy twins, but otherwise they were all engaging. There is even the hint of a romantic interest with an acquaintance who also works for Churchill. Churchill himself is very well portrayed.

Historical books, when done correctly really, bring the time period alive. I was skeptical to read this book because of a review I read somewhere that said there were historical errors. After reading the book I was surprised, because I didn't find anything of particular note. I went back and found the criticism had to do with the color of Women's Naval Service uniforms and such details. Unless you are familiar with such WWII details, I doubt you will notice the errors either. I can say that a few times there was a term or phrase that was more modern that struck me. But again, not so much that it detracted from the story for me. Rather, the terror of a sudden air raid siren and the scramble to get into a bomb shelter and the tense listening to explosions while waiting for the all-clear siren were all brought vividly to life.

The plot of IRA forces combining with Nazis to infiltrate Churchill's inner circle was well done and quite believable. The circumstances around Maggie's father (not to give away too much here) are a tad of a stretch. The pacing kept the tension and story going solidly for me throughout. This was one of those books when you think you just made it through the climax and can resume breathing, only to find there is more and your blood continues racing. Well done climax and solid wrap-up that sets up further adventures for Maggie.

This is a solid debut entry in the historical intrigue or historical amateur sleuth genre.

Rating: Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list.

Series: 1st in Maggie Hope Adventures

Main Characters: Maggie Hope, American in London

Setting: 1940, London England

Obtained Through: LibraryThing

Mysteries and My Musings Blog: http://www.mysterysuspence.blogspot.com (less)

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Aug 19, 2012 Dalton Burke rated it 5 of 5 stars

Margret Hope (Maggie), Is an American that moved to Great Britain to sell her late grandmother. But once she is there, she finds herself unable to leave. Her good friend David acquires her a job working for Mr. Winston Churchill. She starts off with this small job and she proves herself to be to smart for this job. She helps decode Morse code messages, helps stop Nazi terrorist attempts, and still manages to have a social life.
The culture is different from American culture because everyone is...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Rachel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Reviewed for www.compassbookratings.com

Mr. Churchill's Secretary is fantastic mixture of fact and fiction, set in London during World War II. The story begins rather slowly, with lots of political dialogue. Readers shouldn't dismay; once these discussions are over, the plot takes off at lightening speed and never breaks in action. First-time author MacNeal crafts an intense story complete with top-secret codes, sleeper agents and bombs set to go off at any second. With a whole menagerie of inter...more Reviewed for www.compassbookratings.com

Mr. Churchill's Secretary is fantastic mixture of fact and fiction, set in London during World War II. The story begins rather slowly, with lots of political dialogue. Readers shouldn't dismay; once these discussions are over, the plot takes off at lightening speed and never breaks in action. First-time author MacNeal crafts an intense story complete with top-secret codes, sleeper agents and bombs set to go off at any second. With a whole menagerie of interesting characters, plus a never-ending amount of twists and turns, this book is a hit. Mr. Churchill's Secretary is one entertaining piece of historical fiction!

Content Analysis:
Profanity/Language: 24 religious exclamations, 36 mild obscenities, 12 religious profanities, 18 derogatory names, 4 scatological words, 7 anatomical terms, 5 F-word derivatives

Violence/Gore: Characters are threatened at gunpoint and with torture; second-hand reports of violence include IRA executions, Nazis bombings on London, and a character recalling when her father was shot and her mother was raped; a character is hit in the head with a frying pan; a character is slapped; a character is hit in the head with a lamp; a character is punched; a character is kicked in the groin; a character is burned on the arm by a hot poker iron; characters survive bombings; a character's chair is purposely kicked out from under her and she strikes her head; continual bombings cause destruction of property; in non-detailed scenes of violent death, a man is beaten, a woman is burned, a woman is stabbed and bodies are seen being pulled from the rubble. Three characters are shot with blood and gore details.

Sex/Nudity: Kissing occurs several times; an account of Holocaust victims mentions nudity; sexual references include concubines, homosexual relationships, "lying in bed together", and a woman suggestively undoing a man's belt. Implied sexual activity includes a charater mentioning rape, sleeping with men and hearing sexual activity through thin walls.

Mature Subject Matter:
War, murder, death, espionage, homosexual relations, abortion, rape, religious conflict

Alcohol / Drug Use:
Characters smoke and drink; frequently they attend bars and dinner clubs.
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Jul 27, 2012 Judith Starkston rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-mystery, mystery, strong-women

I picked up Mr. Churchill’s Secretary and could not put it down—there went all my other responsibilities in life, neglected. MacNeal writes clever, enticing mysteries set in London during World War II with an inventive mathematician named Maggie Hope as her sleuth.

Mr. Churchill’s Secretary grabs you with superbly detailed historical setting and excellent character development. The book places you into the middle of London under the Blitz; bombs fall, sirens wail, and Maggie Hope ends up, by see...more I picked up Mr. Churchill’s Secretary and could not put it down—there went all my other responsibilities in life, neglected. MacNeal writes clever, enticing mysteries set in London during World War II with an inventive mathematician named Maggie Hope as her sleuth.

Mr. Churchill’s Secretary grabs you with superbly detailed historical setting and excellent character development. The book places you into the middle of London under the Blitz; bombs fall, sirens wail, and Maggie Hope ends up, by seeming chance—caution, reader—as Churchill’s secretary. That Maggie has a mind for ciphers, codes, and mathematical theories might turn out to be more useful than her dictation and typing skills. MacNeal’s “historical notes” tell about her inspiration for Maggie and her fictional exploits in the real life Churchill secretaries, Marian Holmes and Elizabeth Layton Nel. MacNeal portrays Maggie’s lively roommates and the staff surrounding Churchill with precision and depth. Gradually we realize that these intriguing personalities have secrets, and some of them may be deadly for the entire English nation. MacNeal keeps you guessing. As if Hitler weren’t foe enough, This complex plots reminds us that the IRA also plotted England’s downfall during this period.

One setting done especially well is the stifling, tense world of the War Rooms, the underground “lair” used by Churchill’s staff. It’s the opening setting of the book, but we return to it regularly, the fulcrum of the action in many ways. The air is supplied by a “special ventilation system” tinged with “odors of floor wax, chemical toilets, and cigarette smoke.” With no natural light, the rooms are lit only by “green-glass pendant lamps,” next to which hang gas masks. The dull yellow walls, once white, and the worn brown linoleum floors seem to reflect the situation of a country under siege. But when Churchill enters, “the office crackled with electricity and there was a sense of urgency in the air,” even while his Romeo y Julieta cigars leave a “pungent trail of smoke behind him.” MacNeal paints the larger-than-life Churchill in all his charismatic, bullying, brilliant dimensions. You’ll feel like you have been pulled back in time to a country that faces imminent destruction unless everyone acts with great courage for God and Country.

As I finished the book and looked back, there were some strands of the plot and characters’ choices that occasionally strained believability. However, it’s a measure of MacNeal’s ability to pull you along with speed and clarity that in the midst of reading I did not feel unduly jarred by any of them.

If you love to get lost in a nail-biting, well-told historical spy story with a touch of romance— If you enjoy bright young women facing the world of men’s prejudices and surmounting them— If WWII intrigues you as a setting for a thriller— If you’re a fan of Jacqueline Winspear, Elizabeth Speller, Rhys Bowen, and others of their skillful ilk— then read Mr. Churchill’s Secretary. A second book in the series, Princess Elizabeth’s Spy will be out in October of this year. I’ve read a review copy and it’s just as page-turning as Mr. Churchill’s Secretary.

Have fun!
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Jul 17, 2012 Hallie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Susan Elia MacNeal's historical "Mr. Churchill's Secretary" is set in 1940. England is on the brink of war, besieged by the Luftwaffe from without and the IRA from within. The novel opens with a typist for the newly anointed Prime Minister gratefully accepting a lift home from a young, smartly dressed young woman. On her own doorstep, she is stabbed by the woman's masked accomplice.

A replacement typist is apparently so hard to find and so urgently needed that one of Churchill's private secretar...more

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Jul 16, 2012 Alex Baugh rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: world-war-2

Mr. Churchill's Secretary is a debut novel and the first in a series centering on Maggie Hope, the American raised daughter of British parents, a Wellesley grad who went to London in 1939 to sell the house she inherited from a grandmother she never knew. Then war was declared and Maggie stayed on to do her bit for the war effort.

Unable to sell the house, Maggie now shares it with a few other young women - Paige Kelly, an old college friend, Charlotte McCaffrey A/K/A Chuck, and twins Annabelle a...more

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Jun 17, 2012 Judy Alter rated it 5 of 5 stars

I wasn't quite born when WWII started in Europe, and I find now that what I learned in school was that it really began with Pearl Harbor. This absorbing book taught me a lot about British history in 1939--the anticipation and fear that pervaded England as Hitler marched across Europe, the plots, bombings and assassination plots of the IRA as it attempted to bring down England at its most vulnerable time, the English resentment that the United States had not taken sides. We see little of Mr. Chur...more I wasn't quite born when WWII started in Europe, and I find now that what I learned in school was that it really began with Pearl Harbor. This absorbing book taught me a lot about British history in 1939--the anticipation and fear that pervaded England as Hitler marched across Europe, the plots, bombings and assassination plots of the IRA as it attempted to bring down England at its most vulnerable time, the English resentment that the United States had not taken sides. We see little of Mr. Churchill, but when we do he comes across as eccentric, determined, stubborn--and brave. He tolerates no talk of compromise, because he knows if Hitler takes over Britain it will be the end of civilization as they know it. Londoners, in the midst of this uncertainty and the expectation of the dreaded Luftwaffe bombings, partied as if there were no tomorrow--and Maggie Hope was one of them. A trained mathematician, she goes to work as a typist for Churchill, because women were not given higher positions. And it's that position, and the secrets she is privy to, that gets her in to trouble--plus her own talent at deciphering code.
Make no mistake, in spite of historical background, this is a mystery, full of intrigue, subterfuge, double betrayals. People turn out not to be who you thought they were, and some--particularly the IRA members--will go to any length, including killing friends, for their cause, such is their blind devotion. Maggie finds her life in danger, in fact darn close to being snuffed out, several times. The book will keep you on the edge of your seat.
There's an added mystery about Maggie's personal background that she is determined to unravel in the midst of the chaos. Although raised in America, she was born in England and she needs to find out the truth about her parents, killed in an automobile accident when she was but an infant.
One more thing: most of us have never and will never, thank God, live through bombings, but there are enough of them in our world today to give pause for thought. In this book, you live through the nightly bombings of London; you see and hear and smell the destruction--and the loss of life. It's horrifying--but MacNeal does such a good job that instead of closing the book in disgust, you are drawn to turn the page.
To my mind, this terrific novel, which kept me reading when I should have been doing othe things, has lessons for us today--lessons on the importance of charting our country's future, the danger of unsuspected terrorists in our midst, the importance of patriotism.(less)

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Jun 14, 2012 PCPL Staff Picks REFDESK added it

Once I started Mr. Churchill's Secretary, I could not put the book down. MacNeal created a wonderful cast of characters inhabiting Maggie's house and place of employment, and since there are people wanting to use her for their own ends, there's the added spice of reading and trying to identify the spies, wherever they may be.

Churchill plays a very small role in the book, and-- as is appropriate for someone with his talent and wit-- he provides one of the best lines in the book when meeting Marga...more

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May 26, 2012 Connie rated it 5 of 5 stars

This story takes place during WW II in England. Maggie Hope is the main character. I really enjoyed this especially because it was fascinating to learn more about politics and espionage in WW II England. However, I was dismayed to learn that Joseph P. Kennedy, who was the US Ambassador to England at this time (and the father of John F. Kennedy, the future President of the US), was Pro-Nazi in this book. I intend to research this fact, but I suspect that it was true. Disgusting!!

This is the first...more

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May 26, 2012 Tony rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-crime-detection

MR. CHURCHILL’S SECRETARY. (2012). Susan Elia Macneal. (***1/2).
This is an impressive first novel from this author. It borders on the line between a mystery and an espionage thriller. Set during the early days of the Second World War, we meet out heroine, Maggie Hope. Maggie is a young woman from Boston who has gone to England to sell her grandmother’s house after her death. She didn’t know much about her grandmother, nor much about her family in general. She was told that her parents were both...more MR. CHURCHILL’S SECRETARY. (2012). Susan Elia Macneal. (***1/2).
This is an impressive first novel from this author. It borders on the line between a mystery and an espionage thriller. Set during the early days of the Second World War, we meet out heroine, Maggie Hope. Maggie is a young woman from Boston who has gone to England to sell her grandmother’s house after her death. She didn’t know much about her grandmother, nor much about her family in general. She was told that her parents were both killed in an auto accident while she was still a toddler, and, in the meantime had been raised by her aunt. Maggie was a bright girl; she was just about to enter MIT to work on her PhD in mathematics. After a promise to delay – but accept – her enrollment for one year, she was able to take her trip to England to sell off her inheritance. When she gets there, she finds that the old house is old and in need of a lot of major repairs. It doesn’t sell. She is forced to move into it to save money, and begins to take in room mates. Through one of her roommates, she lands a job as a secretary in the War Office at No. 10 Downing Street. Slowly, her skills are discovered and she ultimately becomes a private secretary to Mr. Churchill. She is slowly sucked into a variety of plots by people whom she knows that are all intended to subvert England’s ability to wage war. There is a lot of spy-counter-spy action that sees Miss Maggie get deeper and deeper into the coils of a group of espionage agents working for the Nazis. In addition, she discovers that her father – presumed dead – is now working for the cryptography unit under closely controlled conditions. In all, for a young naive woman, she manages to get her finger into most of the pies that were in circulation in the early days of the war. A lot of the situations stretch the imagination, but, hey, it’s a first novel. Ms. Macneal is currently at work on her second novel, with a sneak preview appended to this one. It should be much shorter, since I think she used up most of the adjectives in the English language in this novel. This is a writer worth keeping an eye on.
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May 19, 2012 Gayle rated it 2 of 5 stars

I was given this book by the Goodreads first look program, but life events have slowed my reading and review.

When Maggie Hope takes the position of typist in 10 Downing Street, she finds herself taking dictation for the prime minister himself: Winston Churchill. In May 1940, this means having an inside perspective on British government in World War II. But Maggie has problems as well. How will she and her roommates protect themselves from the bombings? Why was her predecessor murdered? And how w...more I was given this book by the Goodreads first look program, but life events have slowed my reading and review.

When Maggie Hope takes the position of typist in 10 Downing Street, she finds herself taking dictation for the prime minister himself: Winston Churchill. In May 1940, this means having an inside perspective on British government in World War II. But Maggie has problems as well. How will she and her roommates protect themselves from the bombings? Why was her predecessor murdered? And how will she deal with the chain of events that follow her enquiries into her dead father's mysterious past?

I wanted very much to like this first effort by Susan Elia MacNeal. And there are elements to like. Maggie and her roommates are easily distinguished--no small feat amongst a largish group--as are the young men who squire them around town. The storyline has intertwining threads that tie up nicely in the end. Churchill is more of a cameo than a character; although he has his moments of engaging in the plot, there is little to develop his personality or his relationship with Maggie, which may or may not be a good thing, depending on what you are hoping for.

But there is much to indicate that this is a first novel. The plot takes a chapter or two to take off, and the love interest occurs in such fits and starts that it is nearly startling when it turns up. The pacing is uneven. An old joke misses the point when the punch line is omitted--I hope that error exists only in the review copy. But Mr. Churchill's Secretary loses a star over one more weakness.

It strains the believability of a historical novel when 21st-century ethics wreathe historic characters, imbuing them with anachronistic attitudes by which the characters (a) judge their contemporaries, and (b) blatantly reflect on societal trends that are current decades or centuries later. Many of the characters seemed more 2012 than 1940. On the one hand, 1940 is close enough to 2012 that Maggie's frustration with the patronizing attitude of the men with whom she works is acceptable. After all, she is a brilliant mathematician, with the academic credentials to prove it, and women were stepping up to fill many formerly masculine roles while the men fought on the front. On the other hand, a homily on gay rights stepped over the line into fantasyland. Ms. MacNeal paved her way well--Maggie's aunt/guardian is a lesbian professor at Wellesley, and one of her closest friends is gay. But brilliant Maggie cannot be unaware of societal norms in the 1940s, and homosexuality would have been condemned as a perversion in all but the most radically liberal fringes of society, especially in 1940s Britain, when a war-office staffer would have been carefully vetted for any behavior that would make him open to blackmail. I cannot imagine that their little social circle could have accepted him as anything other than "a confirmed bachelor" and "a perfect gentleman" in that historic milieu, with any suspicions otherwise remaining unspoken, or that David would have been so openly interested in men.

Given this, if you think you will like it, you probably will. (less)

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May 08, 2012 Annalynn rated it 5 of 5 stars

I can't recommend this book enough - it was 100 kinds of fabulousness, all bundled together to create the perfect read for me. It had everything I love. British setting? Check. World War II? Check. Spies and intrigue? Check. Smart, brilliant feminist for a heroine? Check. Historically accurate? Check. A handsome, brilliant, understanding romantic male lead? Check.

I couldn't put it down - the descriptions of the cars, the dresses, the stockings, the air raids, the music in the clubs, the Cabinet...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Jennifer Mccann rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love historical fiction, so this is right up my alley! When it comes to historical fiction I am somewhat demanding. I want it to be accurate. I want it to be authentic. I hate anachronisms! I love the way historical fiction blends fact and fiction, being simultaneously educational and entertaining.

Here it is evident that the author spent much time and effort making sure her setting was authentic. The background tapestry is richly woven without overtaking the main characters or plot. This is a...more I love historical fiction, so this is right up my alley! When it comes to historical fiction I am somewhat demanding. I want it to be accurate. I want it to be authentic. I hate anachronisms! I love the way historical fiction blends fact and fiction, being simultaneously educational and entertaining.

Here it is evident that the author spent much time and effort making sure her setting was authentic. The background tapestry is richly woven without overtaking the main characters or plot. This is a beautiful balance. As such, I would get lost and forget myself in the book. I almost never had that jarring moment when the text brought me out of the story and back to present day. If I did, it was because the sentence sounded like the tone of a friend of mine.

As far as heroines go, I love Maggie. Maybe because I want to be Maggie. Strong, smart, decisive, confident. These are things I think we all want to be. I want her moxie! Maggie is a Brit by birth, raised by her aunt in the US after a family tragedy kills both her parents. About to embark upon her graduate studies in Math, Maggie instead finds herself in London in May 1940 to claim her inheritance from her grandmother's estate. While there she begins to make peace with her tragic family past only to discover everything she was led to believe isn't quite what really was!

While her character is living and exploring life in London, she becomes vastly underemployed, due to the sexism of the time, as a typist for Winston Churchill. Using her innate math skills, she discovers and becomes embroiled in a terrorist's plot in Britain.

This book is much too cerebral for a traditional whodunit! It is so much better. This book isn't just about whodunit, but rather about Maggie, an endearing and confident young woman. There is are friendships solidified and others gone awry. There is a touch of romance, both subtle and clumsy, like a real life romance where the characters are tentative and unsure. There is action. There is history.

Basically, it is just a really damn good book! Enjoy!

Mr. Churchill's Secretary: A Novel (less)

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Feb 26, 2012 Rosemarie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Maggie Hope, born in Britain but raised in the US by an aunt after the death of her parents, is astonished to learn that she is the heir of a grandmother she never knew. According to the terms of the will, she is required to go to Britain and settle the modest estate personally. So in the summer of 1939 she puts her plans for graduate school on hold and travels to London to sell her grandmother's house, despite her aunt's misgivings.

The rackety old Victorian proves difficult to sell and expensiv...more

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About Susan Elia MacNeal

Edgar, Dilys, and Barry Award-nominated Susan Elia MacNeal is the author of the Maggie Hope Mystery series from Bantam/Random House. The first is Mr. Churchill's Secretary, nominated for the Mystery Writers of America's 2013 Edgar Award for Best First Novel, and also the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association's 2013 Dilys Award for "the mystery title of the year that booksellers have most enj...more

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Mr. Churchill's Secretary (Maggie Hope Mystery #1)

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