What do you think?
Rate this book
Maggie Hope #6
The Queen's Accomplice
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Mystery & Thriller (2016)England, 1942. The Nazis relentless Blitz may have paused, but London s nightly blackouts continue. Now, under the cover of darkness, a madman is brutally killing and mutilating young women in eerie and exact re-creations of Jack the Ripper s crimes. What s more, he s targeting women who are reporting for duty to be Winston Churchill s spies and saboteurs abroad. The officers at MI-5 quickly realize they need the help of special agent Maggie Hope to find the killer dubbed the Blackout Beast. A trap is set. But once the murderer has his sights on Maggie, not even Buckingham Palace can protect the resourceful spy from her fate.
368 pages, Paperback
First published October 4, 2016
1512 people are currently reading
10880 people want to read
About the author
Susan Elia MacNeal
19 books3,363 followersSusan Elia MacNeal is the author of The New York Times, Washington Post, Publishers Weekly and USA Today-bestselling Maggie Hope mystery series, starting with the Edgar Award-nominated and Barry Award-winning MR. CHURCHILL'S SECRETARY, which is now in its 23nd printing. MOTHER DAUGHTER TRAITOR SPY, her first stand-alone novel, comes out September 20, 2022.
Her books have been nominated for the Edgar, the Macavity, the ITW Thriller, the Barry, the Dilys, the Sue Federer Historical Fiction, and the Bruce Alexander Historical Fiction awards. The Maggie Hope series is sold world-wide in English, and has also been translated into Czech, Japanese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Turkish, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, and Bulgarian.. Warner Bros. has the TV rights.
Susan graduated from Nardin Academy in Buffalo New York, and also cum laude and with honors in English from Wellesley College. She cross-registered for courses at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and attended the Radcliffe Publishing Course at Harvard University.
Her first job was as the assistant to novelist John Irving in Vermont. She then worked as an editorial assistant at Random House, assistant editor at Viking Penguin, and associate editor and staff writer at Dance Magazine in New York City. As a freelance writer, she wrote two non-fiction books and for the publications of New York City Ballet.
Susan is married and lives with her husband, Noel MacNeal, a television performer, writer and director, and their son in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Her books have been nominated for the Edgar, the Macavity, the ITW Thriller, the Barry, the Dilys, the Sue Federer Historical Fiction, and the Bruce Alexander Historical Fiction awards. The Maggie Hope series is sold world-wide in English, and has also been translated into Czech, Japanese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Turkish, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, and Bulgarian.. Warner Bros. has the TV rights.
Susan graduated from Nardin Academy in Buffalo New York, and also cum laude and with honors in English from Wellesley College. She cross-registered for courses at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and attended the Radcliffe Publishing Course at Harvard University.
Her first job was as the assistant to novelist John Irving in Vermont. She then worked as an editorial assistant at Random House, assistant editor at Viking Penguin, and associate editor and staff writer at Dance Magazine in New York City. As a freelance writer, she wrote two non-fiction books and for the publications of New York City Ballet.
Susan is married and lives with her husband, Noel MacNeal, a television performer, writer and director, and their son in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 842 reviews
September 2, 2017
The Queen’s Accomplice by Susan Elia MacNeal is a 2016 Bantam Dell publication.
I’m nearly caught up with this series so I’ve been trying to space them out a little, but I just couldn’t wait.
This sixth installment in the Maggie Hope series, takes an even darker tone as a serial killer using Jack the Ripper’s MO, and calling himself ‘The Blackout Killer’, is targeting women in SOE, which is why Maggie is asked to help with the investigation.
Meanwhile, Sarah and Hugh are recruited to work together undercover and are headed to France and we finally get a clearer picture of what is happening with Maggie’s half -sister, Elise.
I thought this book took on a darker tone, with a gruesome set of murders to solve, making the atmosphere a bit edgy. This one reads more like a traditional crime novel in some ways, but there is still plenty of intrigue, especially where Maggie’s extended family is concerned. There were a few jaw-dropping developments along the way that literally made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.
My only complaint is that the plotting wasn’t as tight as usual, and apparently some threads will carry over into the next book, which is kind of different.
I did enjoy the introduction of Inspector Durgin and hope to see him in future episodes. I thought he and Maggie worked well together and I picked up on a little chemistry between them.
Overall, this is another solid addition to the series, a little creepier than usual, and as always there is a lot going on, with plenty to mull over and chew on before I start the most recent release-
The Paris Spy. I can’t wait to read it!!
4 stars
I’m nearly caught up with this series so I’ve been trying to space them out a little, but I just couldn’t wait.
This sixth installment in the Maggie Hope series, takes an even darker tone as a serial killer using Jack the Ripper’s MO, and calling himself ‘The Blackout Killer’, is targeting women in SOE, which is why Maggie is asked to help with the investigation.
Meanwhile, Sarah and Hugh are recruited to work together undercover and are headed to France and we finally get a clearer picture of what is happening with Maggie’s half -sister, Elise.
I thought this book took on a darker tone, with a gruesome set of murders to solve, making the atmosphere a bit edgy. This one reads more like a traditional crime novel in some ways, but there is still plenty of intrigue, especially where Maggie’s extended family is concerned. There were a few jaw-dropping developments along the way that literally made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.
My only complaint is that the plotting wasn’t as tight as usual, and apparently some threads will carry over into the next book, which is kind of different.
I did enjoy the introduction of Inspector Durgin and hope to see him in future episodes. I thought he and Maggie worked well together and I picked up on a little chemistry between them.
Overall, this is another solid addition to the series, a little creepier than usual, and as always there is a lot going on, with plenty to mull over and chew on before I start the most recent release-
The Paris Spy. I can’t wait to read it!!
4 stars
October 19, 2016
I’ve been a fan of Maggie Hope for quite some time now. I read the first book when it came out and fell in love with that sassy red head.
Over the years, Maggie’s adventures have been one part spy and one part detective/mystery series. Maggie has also evolved immensely as a character which if both exciting and at times a little sad when you look back on how much she has changed over the course of the books.
I really enjoyed this installment, for one it’s set back in England and two, I love seeing Maggie get back to her ‘roots’ so to speak. She is using math again and relying other logic to solve a complicated murder rather than spying on the Nazis. I love seeing her logic at work and in this book I was treated to a lot of ‘sleuthing’ and Maggie’s own brand of crime solving.
I don’t know that I loved the premise for the murders as it kind of seemed like a ‘been there done that’ plot but for the most part I think it worked ok and I liked the different twists and ultimately the ending was a surprise…..though I wish some things had been cleared up a little more but it worked.
One thing that I always find myself hoping for is a ‘happily ever after’ for Maggie. Though she’s more of a ‘career girl’ in the books, she’s had a number of different love interests throughout the series and I always keep hoping that she will find someone and fall madly in love. In this book there is a hint of a love interest developing for Maggie but I was sad that it seems to be tabled for the time being.
I wanted more romantic tension and possible more time for the relationship to evolve for Maggie and her love interest…..wether it’s in this book or future books. It just seemed like when this book ended that Maggie and her love interest were going to part ways but it was implied that they would be meeting again in future books…..however I wanted something a little more concrete.
While I was left wanting more romance at the end of this book, I was excited to see that Maggie’s adventures might take her back to the ‘spy’ role and that sounds intriguing! I can’t decide which role I like Maggie in more….a detective solving crimes or an undercover agent spying on the Nazis! She’s so good at both! I can’t wait to see where her adventures take her next.
I also liked that some new plot lines were introduced in this book. It looks like there are potentially interesting plots developing for Elise, Sarah, and Hugh. I am especially interested in what’s going to happen to Elise. Originally I wasn’t that into that storyline in previous books but now I am intrigued so I am looking forward to future books to see what happens to her.
If you haven’t read the Maggie Hops books yet, you should really consider them! They are great reads and fans of the Masie Dobbs books will love this sassy red head!
See my full review here
Over the years, Maggie’s adventures have been one part spy and one part detective/mystery series. Maggie has also evolved immensely as a character which if both exciting and at times a little sad when you look back on how much she has changed over the course of the books.
I really enjoyed this installment, for one it’s set back in England and two, I love seeing Maggie get back to her ‘roots’ so to speak. She is using math again and relying other logic to solve a complicated murder rather than spying on the Nazis. I love seeing her logic at work and in this book I was treated to a lot of ‘sleuthing’ and Maggie’s own brand of crime solving.
I don’t know that I loved the premise for the murders as it kind of seemed like a ‘been there done that’ plot but for the most part I think it worked ok and I liked the different twists and ultimately the ending was a surprise…..though I wish some things had been cleared up a little more but it worked.
One thing that I always find myself hoping for is a ‘happily ever after’ for Maggie. Though she’s more of a ‘career girl’ in the books, she’s had a number of different love interests throughout the series and I always keep hoping that she will find someone and fall madly in love. In this book there is a hint of a love interest developing for Maggie but I was sad that it seems to be tabled for the time being.
I wanted more romantic tension and possible more time for the relationship to evolve for Maggie and her love interest…..wether it’s in this book or future books. It just seemed like when this book ended that Maggie and her love interest were going to part ways but it was implied that they would be meeting again in future books…..however I wanted something a little more concrete.
While I was left wanting more romance at the end of this book, I was excited to see that Maggie’s adventures might take her back to the ‘spy’ role and that sounds intriguing! I can’t decide which role I like Maggie in more….a detective solving crimes or an undercover agent spying on the Nazis! She’s so good at both! I can’t wait to see where her adventures take her next.
I also liked that some new plot lines were introduced in this book. It looks like there are potentially interesting plots developing for Elise, Sarah, and Hugh. I am especially interested in what’s going to happen to Elise. Originally I wasn’t that into that storyline in previous books but now I am intrigued so I am looking forward to future books to see what happens to her.
If you haven’t read the Maggie Hops books yet, you should really consider them! They are great reads and fans of the Masie Dobbs books will love this sassy red head!
See my full review here
October 7, 2016
There is much to admire in this book, not the least the parallels between 1942 and today when it comes to attitudes toward women, but two things really bothered me. One, the title is misleading. Although the queen does play a crucial role at the end of the book, Maggie is in no way her accomplice. This may, of course, be the publisher's decision, not the author's. The second problem, though, could have been resolved. There are no fewer than four subplots left hanging until the next book in the series. Granted, they are loosely connected, but I found it exceedingly annoying to reach the end of this book and realize I was being asked to wait an entire year for Maggie to be told about her father, for the issue of Maggie's sister to be resolved, for the problem of a missing spy in France to be resolved, and to find out if a team being sent in as spies would survive.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2016
Where better for World War II spy Maggie Hope to be hanging out, solving her latest crime, than Baker Street? MI5 has called on her services to help them figure out just who is killing the young women of London during nightly blackouts. The killer, dubbed the Blackout Beast, is copying the exact details of Jack the Ripper in mutilating and displaying his murder victims.
These young women are especially vulnerable because most are newly arrived in London. They are also particularly important to Maggie because these women were recruited to work in the office of the SOE, the very situation in which Maggie herself works, designated for intelligence work overseas.
While most readers are likely to suss out who the Blackout Beast is early on, the real enjoyment of this book comes in the atmospheric milieu in which the mystery is set, particularly the challenges that women facing trying to bridge the old and new worlds. While women are needed to help the war effort, that hasn't put many of the chauvanistic impulses of government officials to rest.
For those who haven't followed the Maggie Hope series from the beginning (this is the sixth book in the series), there are some confusing references in this book. There are also plot elements that connect to earlier books without really resolving themselves in this one, thus setting readers up for the next part of the story.
While many may expect this, for readers not willing to make a long-term commitment to the character, this book is likely to be unsatisfying in this regard. Many of the characters make fleeting entrances and exits, many story lines are left unfinished. That said, for those Maggie Hope diehards, this latest in the series is sure to satisfy.
This review first appeared on ReviewingtheEvidence.com.
These young women are especially vulnerable because most are newly arrived in London. They are also particularly important to Maggie because these women were recruited to work in the office of the SOE, the very situation in which Maggie herself works, designated for intelligence work overseas.
While most readers are likely to suss out who the Blackout Beast is early on, the real enjoyment of this book comes in the atmospheric milieu in which the mystery is set, particularly the challenges that women facing trying to bridge the old and new worlds. While women are needed to help the war effort, that hasn't put many of the chauvanistic impulses of government officials to rest.
For those who haven't followed the Maggie Hope series from the beginning (this is the sixth book in the series), there are some confusing references in this book. There are also plot elements that connect to earlier books without really resolving themselves in this one, thus setting readers up for the next part of the story.
While many may expect this, for readers not willing to make a long-term commitment to the character, this book is likely to be unsatisfying in this regard. Many of the characters make fleeting entrances and exits, many story lines are left unfinished. That said, for those Maggie Hope diehards, this latest in the series is sure to satisfy.
This review first appeared on ReviewingtheEvidence.com.
October 29, 2016
I really must go back and read the first few books in this series.
In this installment, Maggie works with MI-5 to investigate a Jack the Ripper copycat murderer - the Blackout Beast.
The author's depiction of WWII England felt authentic, especially the way women in the workforce were treated.
Full review to come...
In this installment, Maggie works with MI-5 to investigate a Jack the Ripper copycat murderer - the Blackout Beast.
The author's depiction of WWII England felt authentic, especially the way women in the workforce were treated.
Full review to come...
June 24, 2017
Oh, Maggie Hope: why do I keep going back to you? I guess there are enough compelling features of this series to keep me hanging on, but this addition to the series had more bad than good.
First: the over-the-top misogyny. Granted, there has always been a "women can do anything that men can do" theme running through these books, but never in the space of one book has Maggie experienced so much outright hostility (which seems convenient, since she is all of the sudden chasing a serial killer who hates women). She's encountered condescension and doubt before, but not this level of hostility -- and seemingly from all directions. She gets sexually harassed while swimming, and also nearly gets raped. And some of it is just cringe-worthy. For example, her cookie-cutter character of a boss at SOE. It was like the author wrote him to deliberately make people cringe in a pandering attempt at getting people to sympathize with what Maggie has to endure -- except it fails because it is unrealistic. I don't seriously think that anyone who had risen to any kind of position of authority in Special Operations would have such an unprofessional response to a request from MI-5 to borrow an employee as "But who will make our tea?!" Also, the hyperbolic women-hating haranguing of the villain at the climax of the story was a little much.
Second: Maggie's feminist theorizing, while accurate, seems anachronistic.
Third: as I mentioned above, some of the characters are not well-developed at all. Granted, some are very well-developed, but there are some that are flat -- and they stick out in an annoying manner.
Fourth, there is a little too much "C.S.I." about the way the investigation proceeds.
Finally, it is a little irksome the way that the story ends in such a cliffhanger. It almost feels like this book was written just as a space-holder between the fifth and seventh books. It is as if the author needed to advance the story-line regarding Maggie's family, and she had to fill it in with this murder mystery for Maggie to investigate.
I will probably read the next book in the series to find out what happens regarding the cliff-hanger, but I hope things improve.
First: the over-the-top misogyny. Granted, there has always been a "women can do anything that men can do" theme running through these books, but never in the space of one book has Maggie experienced so much outright hostility (which seems convenient, since she is all of the sudden chasing a serial killer who hates women). She's encountered condescension and doubt before, but not this level of hostility -- and seemingly from all directions. She gets sexually harassed while swimming, and also nearly gets raped. And some of it is just cringe-worthy. For example, her cookie-cutter character of a boss at SOE. It was like the author wrote him to deliberately make people cringe in a pandering attempt at getting people to sympathize with what Maggie has to endure -- except it fails because it is unrealistic. I don't seriously think that anyone who had risen to any kind of position of authority in Special Operations would have such an unprofessional response to a request from MI-5 to borrow an employee as "But who will make our tea?!" Also, the hyperbolic women-hating haranguing of the villain at the climax of the story was a little much.
Second: Maggie's feminist theorizing, while accurate, seems anachronistic.
Third: as I mentioned above, some of the characters are not well-developed at all. Granted, some are very well-developed, but there are some that are flat -- and they stick out in an annoying manner.
Fourth, there is a little too much "C.S.I." about the way the investigation proceeds.
Finally, it is a little irksome the way that the story ends in such a cliffhanger. It almost feels like this book was written just as a space-holder between the fifth and seventh books. It is as if the author needed to advance the story-line regarding Maggie's family, and she had to fill it in with this murder mystery for Maggie to investigate.
I will probably read the next book in the series to find out what happens regarding the cliff-hanger, but I hope things improve.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2016
I really wish the focus of this series would shift to Elise. And only Elise.
Maggie has gotten tiring, as have all of those flat characters who surrounded her. Why is Clara Hess still running around London? Why must there be a love interest every book? Why is Sarah so immature? What is the title, when the Queen is only an accomplice in the final chapter? I understand the commentary the author was doing on the misogyny towards woman at the time, but did it have to be so on the nose?
These books never have the flow I wish they'd have. Rather than be cohesive they feel fractured. The best parts were those about Elise, while she is in a concentration camp and her choices after. If stories in the series focused on her there could be much more tension, and an emotional involvement in the war effort. Murders by a Jack the Ripper copycat and mathematics vs gut debates used to solve the murders just do not achieve the emotional resonance I'd get if I followed Elise's journey.
Maggie has gotten tiring, as have all of those flat characters who surrounded her. Why is Clara Hess still running around London? Why must there be a love interest every book? Why is Sarah so immature? What is the title, when the Queen is only an accomplice in the final chapter? I understand the commentary the author was doing on the misogyny towards woman at the time, but did it have to be so on the nose?
These books never have the flow I wish they'd have. Rather than be cohesive they feel fractured. The best parts were those about Elise, while she is in a concentration camp and her choices after. If stories in the series focused on her there could be much more tension, and an emotional involvement in the war effort. Murders by a Jack the Ripper copycat and mathematics vs gut debates used to solve the murders just do not achieve the emotional resonance I'd get if I followed Elise's journey.
October 21, 2016
Loved the first 5 Maggie Hope mysteries in this series. Happy to snap up #6 in October 2016. The author has announced she will be writing 7, 8 and 9 in the series as well. Oh, joy!
October 7, 2016
World War II. London. Blitz. Murder. Jack the Ripper. Sounds like a great novel to spend a couple of hours with. I really enjoy all of these separate categories, and when an author puts them together, magic happens. I really enjoy historical mysteries, but with Susan Elia MacNeal's newest book in her widely popular Maggie Hope mystery series, The Queen's Accomplice, I didn't really like it.
First, the writing was strong and concise. There was no point of view shifts. Since the story is told from four different point of views, I really had no problem following who was the character speaking at the moment. I had no problem imagining the scenes before me and enjoying becoming Maggie for a short period of time.
Since I have only read one of MacNeal's other books, I really didn't have a lot to compare the story to, but it wasn't one of my favorite historical writers. While the story did elude to a number of historical elements like the Blitz and a concentration camp, I felt like this story could have happened yesterday. With the technology that Maggie was using, it read like a CSI episode. While the bibliography at the end of the story was pretty extensive, I wished the story would have felt more historical in nature.
Maggie, as the heroine, was a strong woman character, but she had flaws. For instance, she appeared to not like men at all. Every man she met, she criticized and had them say hateful things about women at every turn. I know the murderer didn't like women, but MacNeal made every single male egotistic and annoying. I wish there would have been more moments with the serial killer's perspective; it would have captured my attention.
As for the mystery, like I mentioned earlier, it felt like a modern day mystery. There really wasn't a
lot of looking for clues. Maggie would hunt for clues on the dead body when a new body was discovered, but she really didn't seem to care when the bodies weren't in front of her. She didn't really interview a lot of people or do any research. The story dragged, and after a while, I skipped through the pages. Plus, I figured out who the bad guy was pretty early on.
Not the historical or mystery novel I am used, Susan Elia MacNeal's The Queen's Accomplice really didn't grab my attention. If you are a fan of serial killers' novels, I recommend trying Steven James' Patrick Bower series. If World War II fiction is your choice, I recommend Sarah Sundin; she really brings the 1940's to life.
I received a complimentary copy of The Queen's Accomplice, and the opinions stated are all my own.
First, the writing was strong and concise. There was no point of view shifts. Since the story is told from four different point of views, I really had no problem following who was the character speaking at the moment. I had no problem imagining the scenes before me and enjoying becoming Maggie for a short period of time.
Since I have only read one of MacNeal's other books, I really didn't have a lot to compare the story to, but it wasn't one of my favorite historical writers. While the story did elude to a number of historical elements like the Blitz and a concentration camp, I felt like this story could have happened yesterday. With the technology that Maggie was using, it read like a CSI episode. While the bibliography at the end of the story was pretty extensive, I wished the story would have felt more historical in nature.
Maggie, as the heroine, was a strong woman character, but she had flaws. For instance, she appeared to not like men at all. Every man she met, she criticized and had them say hateful things about women at every turn. I know the murderer didn't like women, but MacNeal made every single male egotistic and annoying. I wish there would have been more moments with the serial killer's perspective; it would have captured my attention.
As for the mystery, like I mentioned earlier, it felt like a modern day mystery. There really wasn't a
lot of looking for clues. Maggie would hunt for clues on the dead body when a new body was discovered, but she really didn't seem to care when the bodies weren't in front of her. She didn't really interview a lot of people or do any research. The story dragged, and after a while, I skipped through the pages. Plus, I figured out who the bad guy was pretty early on.
Not the historical or mystery novel I am used, Susan Elia MacNeal's The Queen's Accomplice really didn't grab my attention. If you are a fan of serial killers' novels, I recommend trying Steven James' Patrick Bower series. If World War II fiction is your choice, I recommend Sarah Sundin; she really brings the 1940's to life.
I received a complimentary copy of The Queen's Accomplice, and the opinions stated are all my own.
April 4, 2017
During the time that Hitler was attempting to takeover Germany, the British realize that using women as spies or agents would help them in the battle. However, everyone doesn't feel that way. A killer has come to the surface and he's killing women that work for the government. He's killing them in a way that replicates Jack the Ripper.
Maggie Hope, a MI operative, has been assigned to work with Scotland Yard to catch the killer. Not only does she have to prove that she's capable of handling death scenes but needs to prove that she can do the job as well as any man can.
Jack the Ripper imitator will do all he can to send women a serious message, "Stay home and be housewives; Don't try to take the place of a man.)
Entertaining, showing the suffrage done during Hitler's reign.
Maggie Hope, a MI operative, has been assigned to work with Scotland Yard to catch the killer. Not only does she have to prove that she's capable of handling death scenes but needs to prove that she can do the job as well as any man can.
Jack the Ripper imitator will do all he can to send women a serious message, "Stay home and be housewives; Don't try to take the place of a man.)
Entertaining, showing the suffrage done during Hitler's reign.
May 12, 2024
2nd Read
I felt like I was missing a few important points from the first read, and I was. I love this series, and I don't want to miss a beat.
I'm so glad I went back for a second read. Now my mind is clear, and I am ready for the next read!!
‐‐-----
Book #6
Maggie Hope is one of my favorite characters.
I fell in love with this thriller and suspense series from book one, and five books later, it is still my jam.
There is so much historical fiction, never a dull moment, twist and turns with her mother, father, sister, boyfriend, ex-boyfriends, girlfriends, Churchill, Roosevelt, and let's not forget the Queen.
The Greatness just keeps giving, and I am here for it!!
I felt like I was missing a few important points from the first read, and I was. I love this series, and I don't want to miss a beat.
I'm so glad I went back for a second read. Now my mind is clear, and I am ready for the next read!!
‐‐-----
Book #6
Maggie Hope is one of my favorite characters.
I fell in love with this thriller and suspense series from book one, and five books later, it is still my jam.
There is so much historical fiction, never a dull moment, twist and turns with her mother, father, sister, boyfriend, ex-boyfriends, girlfriends, Churchill, Roosevelt, and let's not forget the Queen.
The Greatness just keeps giving, and I am here for it!!
December 24, 2016
Maggie Hope becomes embroiled in a murder investigation of a serial killer mirroring Jack the Ripper. Best yet in this series.
October 25, 2016
Susan Elia MacNeal just keeps getting better and better at telling her adventures of Maggie Hope. The Library Journal states: ''With a smart, code-breaking mathematician heroine, abundant World War II spy intrigue, and a whiff of romance, this series has real luster.''And, as usual, leaves a hint about the next in series. MacNeal dedicates the book to the memory of Violette Szabo who was posthumously awarded the George Cross and the Croix de Gerre for SOE agents who did not survive their missions. Maggie has returned from Washington, D. C. to find herself decoding messages again in London. he Blitz has stopped, but not the blackouts, which allow the killer known as the ''Blackout Beast'' to strike fear in the hearts of of Londoners. Hitler has turned his fury away from England toward Russia. Factories, docks, and railways are still burning when Vera Baines, an ARP warden, is walking her beat in Regent's Park in March, 1942, when she stumbles on a dead body of a young woman who has been slashed in a copycat rendering of Jack the Ripper with the words, Jack is back'' scrawled on a brick wall. When the second and third body surface, the police and MI-5 realize they have a highly trained killer on their hands. In addition, young women had been disappearing after spending the night at a house for women named The Castle Hotel For Women who didn't have a place to stay.
Maggie is in charge of women operatives who had been sent to Berlin to spy and she receives an odd message from Erica Calvert that doesn't contain her usual sign off. She takes her suspicion to Colonel Gaskell and he shrugs off the suggestion that something is wrong by declaring, ''Fiddlesticks, Meggie! Er Maggie. When you hear hooves, think horses, not unicorns!'' Brady, second in command, lends more credence to her concerns when he tells her that there had been the murder of another young lady last night. The killer is targeting women who are reporting for duty to be Winston Churchill's spies and saboteurs abroad. Maggie is the one chosen to set a trap to catch the killer.
Friends from Maggie's past show up to share a the house she inherited from her grandmother and bring a more lighthearted cast to the darkness. Maggie had worked for the Queen on another occasion and is invited to Buckingham Palace for dinner, but the Queen is obeying the rations rule and serves beets, liver pate, and other disgusting food. his is not a book where great food abounds. But, it is a marvelous spy novel and the best of this series.
Maggie is in charge of women operatives who had been sent to Berlin to spy and she receives an odd message from Erica Calvert that doesn't contain her usual sign off. She takes her suspicion to Colonel Gaskell and he shrugs off the suggestion that something is wrong by declaring, ''Fiddlesticks, Meggie! Er Maggie. When you hear hooves, think horses, not unicorns!'' Brady, second in command, lends more credence to her concerns when he tells her that there had been the murder of another young lady last night. The killer is targeting women who are reporting for duty to be Winston Churchill's spies and saboteurs abroad. Maggie is the one chosen to set a trap to catch the killer.
Friends from Maggie's past show up to share a the house she inherited from her grandmother and bring a more lighthearted cast to the darkness. Maggie had worked for the Queen on another occasion and is invited to Buckingham Palace for dinner, but the Queen is obeying the rations rule and serves beets, liver pate, and other disgusting food. his is not a book where great food abounds. But, it is a marvelous spy novel and the best of this series.
August 18, 2016
The Queen's Accomplice is no light historical mystery that is easily read and forgotten. It is a chilling thriller that is pertinent today, despite being set during WWII. We would like to think we live in a more enlightened age, but the reality is that violence against women is all too prevalent. Sadly the speeches of certain politicians railing against women read much like the excerpt from Mein Kampf placed at the beginning of the novel.
During WWII, women had to take the jobs left empty by men fighting in the armed forces. Their work was essential, but that doesn't mean it was always appreciated. Susan MacNeal has done extensive research, and it shows clearly in her writing. Maggie Hope, though working for the SOE is seconded by MI-5 to assist in the search for a serial killer targeting professional women working for the SOE. The killer emulates Jack the Ripper, mirroring his brutal techniques.
The Queen's Accomplice draws many issues into the open that are as important today as they were at the time. Through challenging the Nazi vilification of the Jews, she challenges current vilification of various religious and ethnic groups. She challenges readers to question themselves - Would you sacrifice ideals, accept and even perform heinous acts if it meant comfort and survival for you, for your family? Would you do the "right" thing, even if it meant your suffering and death?
The Queen's Accomplice is as engrossing as it is troubling. It is a stark reminder of the problems facing women today as opposed to an opportunity for escapism. The Queen's Accomplice is not a cozy. What it is, however, is an amazing novel vividly depicting the experiences of women during WWII. Realism permeates throughout, making Maggie Hope and the other characters live and breathe. It is easy to forget that The Queen's Accomplice is fiction - a worthy accomplishment for any author.
5/5
I received a copy of The Queen's Accomplice from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
Visit Muttcafe.com for more reviews
During WWII, women had to take the jobs left empty by men fighting in the armed forces. Their work was essential, but that doesn't mean it was always appreciated. Susan MacNeal has done extensive research, and it shows clearly in her writing. Maggie Hope, though working for the SOE is seconded by MI-5 to assist in the search for a serial killer targeting professional women working for the SOE. The killer emulates Jack the Ripper, mirroring his brutal techniques.
The Queen's Accomplice draws many issues into the open that are as important today as they were at the time. Through challenging the Nazi vilification of the Jews, she challenges current vilification of various religious and ethnic groups. She challenges readers to question themselves - Would you sacrifice ideals, accept and even perform heinous acts if it meant comfort and survival for you, for your family? Would you do the "right" thing, even if it meant your suffering and death?
The Queen's Accomplice is as engrossing as it is troubling. It is a stark reminder of the problems facing women today as opposed to an opportunity for escapism. The Queen's Accomplice is not a cozy. What it is, however, is an amazing novel vividly depicting the experiences of women during WWII. Realism permeates throughout, making Maggie Hope and the other characters live and breathe. It is easy to forget that The Queen's Accomplice is fiction - a worthy accomplishment for any author.
5/5
I received a copy of The Queen's Accomplice from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
Visit Muttcafe.com for more reviews
February 6, 2022
THE QUEEN'S ACCOMPLICE
MAGGIE HOPE MYSTERY #6
Susan Elia MacNeal
Maggie Hope is at it again, not only fighting the Nazis but dealing with the Misogynist attitudes of her supervisor in SOE who is unconcerned that a female agent is not adhering to protocol about radio communication. Maggie believes that the agent is intentionally leaving off her security
identifiers so that SOE will send help, but is shot down repeatedly with disrespectful comments to boot. More pressing are the deaths of young female recruits to SOE as they are butchered much like the victims of Jack the Ripper. MI5 requests her help and SOE lets her go making her promise to bring buns when she returns.
Working with DCI Durgin, I am sure there was some tension there that seemed promising. But she sure got the attention of the killer who comes after her. There were several plot lines going on in this book, not just for Maggie but Sarah and Hugh who were preparing for a mission in Paris. As usual, MacNeal's writing was vivid and held back little.
I enjoyed the book but thought it might have had just a bit too much going on. This one was a bit more difficult to read than the others because of it.
3.3 stars
Happy Reading!
MAGGIE HOPE MYSTERY #6
Susan Elia MacNeal
Maggie Hope is at it again, not only fighting the Nazis but dealing with the Misogynist attitudes of her supervisor in SOE who is unconcerned that a female agent is not adhering to protocol about radio communication. Maggie believes that the agent is intentionally leaving off her security
identifiers so that SOE will send help, but is shot down repeatedly with disrespectful comments to boot. More pressing are the deaths of young female recruits to SOE as they are butchered much like the victims of Jack the Ripper. MI5 requests her help and SOE lets her go making her promise to bring buns when she returns.
Working with DCI Durgin, I am sure there was some tension there that seemed promising. But she sure got the attention of the killer who comes after her. There were several plot lines going on in this book, not just for Maggie but Sarah and Hugh who were preparing for a mission in Paris. As usual, MacNeal's writing was vivid and held back little.
I enjoyed the book but thought it might have had just a bit too much going on. This one was a bit more difficult to read than the others because of it.
3.3 stars
Happy Reading!
October 25, 2016
A 3.5 rating. I bumped it up to 4 stars since I really enjoyed this new addition to the Maggie Hope series set in England during WWII. This one was more about a serial killer on the loose then about espionage and the ending left me looking forward to the next one in the series. No spoilers but there is a new secondary character that I became very fond of. This isn't great literature but I'm hooked on Maggie Hope and her adventures.
February 7, 2017
Another riveting book in a series set during World War II. This book was just as readable as the last five, and I will eagerly await the next one! One star was deducted because I don't care for the transformation of one character (I don't want to say what it is, because it'll spoil a part of the book!). Overall a wonderful book with above-average writing and excellent characters.
October 6, 2016
I love Maggie Hope! Every book in this wonderful series is well worth reading. And re-reading.
January 29, 2023
This read does have an extraordinary amount of male chauvinistic and derogatory comments which is a bit off-putting and for which I found hard to believe really occurred to the extent portrayed, although…."Would you be mother, my dear".....a saying rarely used today for "the little woman" to pour tea or serve etc this is stated to Maggie to do just that during a meeting discussing the use of women in the field as guerrillas and the men in the meeting aghast that the Germans might find out, how strange, at war with Germany? However, the real problem for Maggie is that female SOE operatives without official recognition were in a more dangerous predicament if caught than the men, not able to be recognised as prisoners of war, rather as illegal resistance fighters they could experience much worse repercussions. They did not receive a pension and other benefits like the men.
The read early on has Charlotte (Chuck), a friend of Maggie’s in a terrible state. Chuck is married, her husband is away fighting and her and their small baby Griffin, on returning from a walk, discover that their home has been destroyed by faulty or interfered with gas pipes. The real reason for gas being diverted or stolen isn't linked until later in the book revealing the deadly consequences.
Maggie Hope is an experienced operative and in her new position she is to assist with the new SOE trainees and the department responsible for getting them behind enemy lines. However, for all her past skills Maggie, in a male dominated section isn’t given much credit for her experience. It's a quandary for the section men as it has been proven that women are much better at infiltrating behind enemy lines than men. However, as did happen many men including the head of Maggie's section Colonel Gaskell did not approve of women taking over any male work let alone spy work but there really was no choice, men away fighting left a huge void.
Also early in the book the Ravensbrück Concentration camp is in focus with Elise Hess a religious political resistance fighter on a cross, a mock crucifixion of Jesus but her crown is not of thorns but of barbed wire that with her shaved head bites without mercy into her skull. Her father of some repute along with Maggie, her half sister have put into place efforts to have her rescued and sent to England. However, this is not Elise’s wish and she absconds after she has recovered from her emaciated condition. This is such a secondary element to the book and is a distraction from the main plot.
What is happening in London, is that there is a madman on the loose, highly organised and is in many a case a rather inept girl has attached herself to this maniac who, as the book reveals is assisting with the plan, that is to be rid of women who dare to move beyond the kitchen. SOE trainees, many from the country and in need of short term accommodation fall victim to this plot, the cheap accommodation offered allows the madman under the cover of darkness to drug and brutally murder the young women, copy cat of Jack the Ripper. MI5 seek the assistance of Maggie that ultimately puts her into extreme danger.
The read early on has Charlotte (Chuck), a friend of Maggie’s in a terrible state. Chuck is married, her husband is away fighting and her and their small baby Griffin, on returning from a walk, discover that their home has been destroyed by faulty or interfered with gas pipes. The real reason for gas being diverted or stolen isn't linked until later in the book revealing the deadly consequences.
Maggie Hope is an experienced operative and in her new position she is to assist with the new SOE trainees and the department responsible for getting them behind enemy lines. However, for all her past skills Maggie, in a male dominated section isn’t given much credit for her experience. It's a quandary for the section men as it has been proven that women are much better at infiltrating behind enemy lines than men. However, as did happen many men including the head of Maggie's section Colonel Gaskell did not approve of women taking over any male work let alone spy work but there really was no choice, men away fighting left a huge void.
Also early in the book the Ravensbrück Concentration camp is in focus with Elise Hess a religious political resistance fighter on a cross, a mock crucifixion of Jesus but her crown is not of thorns but of barbed wire that with her shaved head bites without mercy into her skull. Her father of some repute along with Maggie, her half sister have put into place efforts to have her rescued and sent to England. However, this is not Elise’s wish and she absconds after she has recovered from her emaciated condition. This is such a secondary element to the book and is a distraction from the main plot.
What is happening in London, is that there is a madman on the loose, highly organised and is in many a case a rather inept girl has attached herself to this maniac who, as the book reveals is assisting with the plan, that is to be rid of women who dare to move beyond the kitchen. SOE trainees, many from the country and in need of short term accommodation fall victim to this plot, the cheap accommodation offered allows the madman under the cover of darkness to drug and brutally murder the young women, copy cat of Jack the Ripper. MI5 seek the assistance of Maggie that ultimately puts her into extreme danger.
December 15, 2016
Excellent addition to the Maggie Hope series. Very suspenseful and gripping. I also liked the new character addition of the DCI and some good storyline set ups for the next book.
April 23, 2017
Very enjoyable - would have been even more so, if I'd had the next installment ready to start right away (which I was certain I did, but it's not to be found). A very nice blend of intrigue, scary bits, history, and even a bit of romance. I was near-ish to the end and debating: "Get up and get busy or stay here and keep reading" ... so I stayed and I wasn't disappointed. Can't wait to read the next one!
August 28, 2018
Enjoyed this book in the Maggie Hope series. Lots going on, but well written. I had read the previous books in the series, but its been awhile and I think this could be a stand alone. Looking forward to the next in the series.
August 4, 2020
Even though I adore pretty much every book in the Maggie Hope series, this book was pretty predictable. One of the hallmarks of the series is the numerous twists and turns before getting to the conclusion.
Maggie is tasked with finding her friend who has disappeared and she fears the young woman may be one of a reprised Jack the Ripper's victims. Of course Maggie is targeted as the last victim. I found it really difficult, even with an explanation, to believe that the killer's girlfriend was helping him.
Maggie is also waiting for her half-sister Elise to be brought to England from Germany but not much really happens on that story line.
Overall, not up to the intriguing stories I've come to expect with each new Maggie Hope book.
Maggie is tasked with finding her friend who has disappeared and she fears the young woman may be one of a reprised Jack the Ripper's victims. Of course Maggie is targeted as the last victim. I found it really difficult, even with an explanation, to believe that the killer's girlfriend was helping him.
Maggie is also waiting for her half-sister Elise to be brought to England from Germany but not much really happens on that story line.
Overall, not up to the intriguing stories I've come to expect with each new Maggie Hope book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2017
Steeped in suspense and danger, this hunt for a serial killer in wartime London leaves the reader breathless. Susan Elia MacNeal is a master storyteller. "The Queen's Accomplice" is a wonderful addition to her Maggie Hope spy/mystery series.
January 13, 2018
I like that each of her books is different - new mysteries, new settings and new characters. The was an enjoyable and quick read.
October 4, 2016
Another rousing Maggie Hope thriller!
With 1942 London during World War II as the backdrop another gruelling, exciting chapter in Maggie Hope's life emerges. Young women, SOE agents are disappearing and turning up as murder victims. Maggie Hope takes a particular interest in these missing women. Murdered in particulate gruesome fashion by someone labelled the 'Blackout Beast.' The murders seem to be building along a Jack the Ripper copycat trajectory. The problem is that it takes time for people to even realize these young women are missing. As is explained, with so many missing during the bombings, keeping track of people is not easy. Maggie needs to bring all her considerable spy craft and mathematical skills into play to track down this monster--if she can!
At the same time Maggie's half sister Elise Hess has been temporarily released from Ravensbruck Concentration Camp. Maggie is endeavouring to have her brought to England but Elise has very good reasons to resist.
Coincidentally Maggie feels that an agent in France has been compromised but no-one is willing to believe her, even when she points out the irregularities. And now two new agents are about to be dropped into France. Maggie fears for their safety.
So between all this happenings, we have one ripper of a yarn.
The entrance of Detective Chief Inspector James Durgin of Scotland Yard as a connection investigating the murders is very interesting--as is he. The reminders of early forensics are fascinating. The absence of computers to search fingerprints highlights for us in 2016 just how far this science has come and how the digital age has revolutionized this area in particular.
As one facet of Maggie's investigations is closed we are left with others hanging.
By the way Maggie has friends in very high places adding a certain piquancy to the mix.
This certainly kept me engaged!
A NetGalley ARC
With 1942 London during World War II as the backdrop another gruelling, exciting chapter in Maggie Hope's life emerges. Young women, SOE agents are disappearing and turning up as murder victims. Maggie Hope takes a particular interest in these missing women. Murdered in particulate gruesome fashion by someone labelled the 'Blackout Beast.' The murders seem to be building along a Jack the Ripper copycat trajectory. The problem is that it takes time for people to even realize these young women are missing. As is explained, with so many missing during the bombings, keeping track of people is not easy. Maggie needs to bring all her considerable spy craft and mathematical skills into play to track down this monster--if she can!
At the same time Maggie's half sister Elise Hess has been temporarily released from Ravensbruck Concentration Camp. Maggie is endeavouring to have her brought to England but Elise has very good reasons to resist.
Coincidentally Maggie feels that an agent in France has been compromised but no-one is willing to believe her, even when she points out the irregularities. And now two new agents are about to be dropped into France. Maggie fears for their safety.
So between all this happenings, we have one ripper of a yarn.
The entrance of Detective Chief Inspector James Durgin of Scotland Yard as a connection investigating the murders is very interesting--as is he. The reminders of early forensics are fascinating. The absence of computers to search fingerprints highlights for us in 2016 just how far this science has come and how the digital age has revolutionized this area in particular.
As one facet of Maggie's investigations is closed we are left with others hanging.
By the way Maggie has friends in very high places adding a certain piquancy to the mix.
This certainly kept me engaged!
A NetGalley ARC
October 1, 2016
This was my second Maggie Hope book and I thoroughly enjoyed it! This one had the war in the background and mostly concentrated on London after the blitz. The SOE was still gearing up to send spies into France and Maggie's stepsister was still trying to get out of a concentration camp.
However most of the action took place in London where there was a copy cat Jack the Ripper who was taking out newbie SOE wanna be agents who were in town for interviews. Yes,he gets caught and he is a little shrimp of a man who is mad because women are taking men's jobs. LOSER!!
There is a lot of action, a lot of sexism (men thinking they are far superior than women) and one arse who is getting information from Maggie Hope who could save several SOE agents and he decides not to listen to her and tells her to "get him some tea". I mean any monkey could hear her information and realize they have an agent in trouble. The story ends with Maggie on her way to try and save this agent in France (backed by the Queen - she even helps drive her there herself), so I am definitely anxious to find out how that goes.
Anyways, I really, really like this series and will definitely be reading anymore of these books that come out in the future. One of the review I read says that there will be a 7, 8 and 9. I'm ready for them, bring them on!
Huge thanks to Random House and to Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review. An awesome series that any spy fan or WWII fan would love!
However most of the action took place in London where there was a copy cat Jack the Ripper who was taking out newbie SOE wanna be agents who were in town for interviews. Yes,he gets caught and he is a little shrimp of a man who is mad because women are taking men's jobs. LOSER!!
There is a lot of action, a lot of sexism (men thinking they are far superior than women) and one arse who is getting information from Maggie Hope who could save several SOE agents and he decides not to listen to her and tells her to "get him some tea". I mean any monkey could hear her information and realize they have an agent in trouble. The story ends with Maggie on her way to try and save this agent in France (backed by the Queen - she even helps drive her there herself), so I am definitely anxious to find out how that goes.
Anyways, I really, really like this series and will definitely be reading anymore of these books that come out in the future. One of the review I read says that there will be a 7, 8 and 9. I'm ready for them, bring them on!
Huge thanks to Random House and to Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review. An awesome series that any spy fan or WWII fan would love!
July 9, 2017
I have read previous books in this 'Maggie Hope' series with varying enjoyment- a few of the recent novels were poorly written but I decided to give this one a read. The quality of Macneal's writing has devolved into a heavy-handed workman-like style. There are points she wants to get across but the delivery is what one might find in a YA novel. She introduces events that would seem to be major themes only to abandon them as the narrative continues. The contrivances she uses to move the plot are sloppy and facile; in one scene the bad guy ties Maggie's wrists using twine that has magically appeared in a bedroom then a few sentences later after Maggie has disabled her opponent with a well-placed head butt she 'shakes the twine from her wrists' and runs; a sentence or two later she is holding a gun she has conjured up with no mention of it anywhere in the prior scene. MacNeil introduces personality and behavior conflicts between characters that clearly have potential implications to the plot but without any follow-up. These loose ends and several plot lines woven into the narrative that are left hanging have turned this novel into even more of a serialized adventure. I will give the remainder of the series a rest.
September 12, 2016
We are back with our Maggie Hope, and in war torn London, and a modern day Jack the Ripper is imitating the original Jack’s crimes, only this time he is focusing in on women who work at the SOE, and making it personal for Maggie. Worse she knows some of these woman, and goes to work helping Scotland Yard, and trying to bring the man dubbed the “Blackout Beast” to justice, will she survive.
Maggie is reunited with the princesses and has tea and dinner with the Queen at Buckingham Palace, and we wish we were there to dine. The Queen is still in Maggie’s debt and gives her a card to be able to get to her immediately if need be.
We are also with Maggie’s half sister Elise Hess who is being held as a prisoner in Ravensbruck Concentration Camp, and we wonder if she will survive such horrible happens, and will she and Maggie ever have their reunion.
Once the first page was turned I was hooked again and back in Maggie’s world, don’t miss this next addition in this series, you won’t be disappointed.
I received this book through Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, and was not required to give a positive review.
Maggie is reunited with the princesses and has tea and dinner with the Queen at Buckingham Palace, and we wish we were there to dine. The Queen is still in Maggie’s debt and gives her a card to be able to get to her immediately if need be.
We are also with Maggie’s half sister Elise Hess who is being held as a prisoner in Ravensbruck Concentration Camp, and we wonder if she will survive such horrible happens, and will she and Maggie ever have their reunion.
Once the first page was turned I was hooked again and back in Maggie’s world, don’t miss this next addition in this series, you won’t be disappointed.
I received this book through Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, and was not required to give a positive review.
May 20, 2021
I appreciate receiving a free copy of "The Queen's Accomplice" a Maggie Hope Mystery #6.I hadn't read any of the others in this series,so didn't know how or why Maggie's half sister,was imprisoned as a political prisoner in Ravensbruck,and tortured.Maggie is investigating "The Blackout Beast" a murderer who is copycatting Jack the Ripper's horrors,only on women taking up the slack ,on the home front, and as spies ,aiding the French Resistance,which the "Beast " can't stand women doing men's work & is trying to terrorize them into staying at home,even tho all able-bodied men are off fighting the war. Maggie has been training young women to send coded messages back from overseas & knows something is very wrong ,when one message has a hidden signal,saying,"Help me"Is there a mole & have they been betrayed?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 842 reviews