The Hollywood Spy

Maggie Hope #10

by Susan Elia MacNeal

Los Angeles, 1943. As the Allies beat back the Nazis in the Mediterranean and the United States military slowly closes in on Tokyo, Walt Disney cranks out wartime propaganda and the Cocoanut Grove is alive with jazz and swing each night. But behind this sunny façade lies a darker reality. Somewhere in the lush foothills of Hollywood, a woman floats, lifeless, in the pool of one of California’s trendiest hotels. When American-born secret agent and British spy Maggie Hope learns that this woman was engaged to her old flame, John Sterling, and that he suspects her death was no accident, intuition tells her he’s right. Leaving London under siege—not to mention flying thousands of miles—is a lot to ask. But John was once the love of Maggie’s life . . . and she won’t say no.

Maggie is shocked to find Los Angeles as divided as Europe itself—the Zoot Suit Riots loom large and the Ku Klux Klan casts a long shadow. As she marvels at the hatred in her home country, she can’t help but wonder what it will be like to see her lost love once again. But there is little time to dwell on memories once she starts digging into the case. As she traces a web of deception from the infamous Garden of Allah to the iconic Carthay Theater, she discovers things aren’t always the way things appear in the movies—and the political situation in America is more complicated, and dangerous, than the newsreels would have them all believe.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical, World War II, Audiobook

368 pages, Hardcover

First published July 6, 2021

About the author

Susan 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.

Reviews

[Simone James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is the gold standard for historical mystery, and this book is no exception. The trip to Old Hollywood is both fun and scathing at the same time, and Maggie Hope as always is amazing. Treat yourself to this whole series.

[TXGAL1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATED: 3.5🌟

Number 10 in the Maggie Hope Mystery series by Susan Elia MacNeal.

Maggie finds herself in Los Angeles, at the request of an old friend, to look into the death of his fiancé. John is unsettled by the death and flies Maggie in from Britain.

The world is in the midst of 1943 and World War II. The reader is introduced to the Los Angeles of this period through the wide-eyed innocence of Maggie Hope as she tries to navigate the dead girl’s friends and the police department. The beautiful city and its surroundings are juxtaposed against the dark underbelly of life that many citizens and visitors are exposed to. Racists, fascists, and Nazis are working overtime to spread their vile messages. Maggie must be careful as she navigates her investigation through all the “landmines”.

I always enjoy the offerings from Ms MacNeal and this series, but i was not able to comfortably settle into the mystery while dealing with all of the injustice. Perhaps this was the author’s intention by making the reader aware of the past of this particular city.

[Lynn Horton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am so tired of being lectured by authors. I’ve enjoyed the Maggie Hope series, but this book, and the previous one (where Maggie goes entirely off the rails in a way that’s totally out of character for her character) have made me give up the series. Information dumping (to prove that the author did her research) that does nothing to move the story along, shallow characterizations, and droning, repetitive moralizing create quite a slog. I kept reading, hoping that the story would pick up and engage me, but it never did.

Lord, spare me preachy authors!

DNF at 45%.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

FAV MAGGIE YET ‼️

When I grow up, I want to be Maggie Hope, former American spy for the Brits. Brilliant, brave, beautiful, red-haired (!), and fearless. I love this series, and the latest is my fav book so far.

After previous adventures that left her with PTSD, Maggie is invited to L.A. by a former beau, who wants help with an investigation. She is rejuvenated by the warmth of California and frequent sightings of film stars, and we get to experience 1943’s Hollywood, especially as it supports the war effort.

Underneath the sunny exterior, however, lies a dark world. Maggie uncovers Nazis, police and KKK members who join forces with American First groups, spewing hatred and violence against blacks, Jews, Mexicans, and Asians. The author’s meticulous research reveals America’s ugly underbelly that has an all-too contemporary ring to it. I felt sick reading about this still-present cancer in our country.

Yet I devoured THE HOLLYWOOD SPY, so addicted was I to the twisty narrative and deft character development (Maggie really grows in this one). Perfect for hist-fic fans and mystery lovers who adore smart feisty female heroes.

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 06 Jul 2021
#TheHollywoodSpy #NetGalley

Thanks to Susan Elia MacNeal, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and NetGalley for the review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This eARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In this latest installment of the Maggie Hope series, Maggie travels to California to solve her next mystery. When John Sterling’s new fiancé dies under questionable circumstances, he asks Maggie to investigate it. While the Allies are winning victories across the sea, the battle at home is just starting. Zoot Suit Riots and racist acts fueled by the Ku Klux Klan are just some of the problems plaguing Hollywood and as the heat rises in LA, so does the tension.

I have read all the Maggie Hope books and have loved all of them except for this one. There were so many issues that bothered me starting with how little the book focuses on Maggie Hope. While I do think it’s important to give us some backstory on the villain in a book, the members of the KKK seem to take over this book with their day to day lives. I don’t want to read about these awful people and their terrible ideals. For example, I would have rather read more about Sarah and Henri’s budding relationship instead of a doomed relationship between the boy in the KKK and the good Catholic girl but they are given about the same about time in the book.

When the book isn’t focused on the KKK and their lives, it takes a different turn and focuses on racism in America. Every single way all the minorities are discriminated against during this time is described in this book to the point it starts to feel like a lecture that is listing facts. It would have been better to focus on particular instances of racism to make it more powerful. Emphasizing the discriminatory actions and brutality of the police force towards minorities back then to show how little has changed in the criminal justice system? Brilliant. Powerful. Relevant to what America is facing today. And then those moments are hidden when every page has a new description of prejudice and hatred toward a different minority group. In this instance I believe too much of a good thing is a bad thing and the message loses its power.

While this book clearly covers some serious topics, Maggie Hope is both physically and mentally in La La Land. She has been through so much throughout the series but in this book, it was as if all that character growth was forgotten. She is more focused on the beautiful weather and the scenery than the issues brewing around her. Whenever she encounters instances of racism that seem to pop her perfect LA bubble, she is dumbfounded by how Americans are acting. And yet, when she was in DC two years prior, she saw how corrupt and racist America and the criminal justice system could be to minorities when an African American man was sentenced to die for a crime that was clearly self-defense and she even helped Roosevelt to fight for justice. You cannot tell me that the same women that stood up to Nazis, sexist men, serial killers, etc. now averts her eyes in shame whenever she sees racism occur, such as segregation. This is not the heroine I have read about nor the role model we need right now- she should have done more in this book instead of just standing by in shame for how her country acts.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coming from an educator’s background, I can say, with some assurance, that students learn a great deal from reading fiction. And, if I could implement one tool for learning and retaining history, it would be reading more historical fiction in a school’s curriculum. Stories are how the cultural histories and ancient histories have come to us. They are a proven means to bringing history alive and making it relevant. For so many, including me, historical fiction opens a whole new layer of knowledge about historical events or periods that weren’t in the history textbooks I studied in school. I think readers are beginning to realize more and more that our history textbooks barely scratched or scratch the surface of the whole picture. Even the history that I did learn from schools is enriched tenfold with the back-stories of the people and events told in well-researched fiction. When an historical fiction book comes along that makes you realize that you have been looking at a part of history wearing rose-colored glasses, it shakes you, and it encourages you to continue to learn more.

Susan Elia MacNeal’s The Hollywood Spy was an eye-opener for me about our country during WWII, especially in the warm, sunny place of dreams, Hollywood, California. I knew that California was where the Japanese Americans were hit so hard, with their property being seized and their persons being sent to internment camps (prisons), but I thought that there was a more cohesive, on the same page togetherness of the American people as a whole. That Nazi and pro-Hitler ideology was embraced and acted upon by American citizens in our country during WWII was an unfamiliar fact to me before reading The Hollywood Spy. Maggie Hope becomes cognizant of an America that she is unaware of, too, as she travels from London to Hollywood on a mission of uncovering a murder.

Maggie arrives in Hollywood in July 1943 from war-torn, dreary London with high expectations of a brighter place, and on the surface, it is truly a world of wonder and magic. It’s just been a few months since readers last saw Maggie as she was struggling with major blows from her experiences as an SOE agent. After her self-destructive choice of a bomb diffusing job and risky behavior on her motorcycle, Maggie is ready to embrace a more carefree atmosphere in the golden rays of Hollywood. Of course, with America being full force in the fighting of WWII at this point, there are obvious signs of soldiers shipping out and war preparation, and Maggie has come to this place where the sun graces each day at the request of her former finance, Englishman John Sterling on a serious matter. John has suffered the loss of his current fiancée Gloria Hutton, who was found dead in the swimming pool of the hotel where she resided. John has his suspicions that it wasn’t an accidental drowning but something much more sinister, and he knows that Maggie is the perfect person to discover the truth. But, there are darker elements involved in Gloria’s death than Maggie and John can at first imagine, and Maggie is not so far from her spy days as she thinks.

Maggie quickly learns that the people in the country where she grew up are not a united people like she thought, like the newsreels show. America’s involvement in the fighting of WWII after the Pearl Harbor attack has certainly had the effect of coming together to win the war, but the divisions between races and religions and politics seem to have widened. In the Los Angeles metropolitan area, hate groups have converged into a common cause under the Ku Klux Klan to deny black citizens, including soldiers, and Jewish citizens the rights that white citizens have so long had exclusive hold on. And being 1943, America has the unyielding laws against same sex relationships, as does Britain, another kind of disenfranchisement going on that connects to the murder Maggie is trying to solve. Maggie is dismayed that segregation is a steadfast practice in this creative culture. The restaurants and clubs are divided among lines of color and sexuality, with only the “white” establishments brooking no flexibility.

While Susan Elia MacNeal presents the dark side to 1943 Los Angeles, she also includes its vibrancy of Hollywood, what makes it a gathering spot for the creative. Maggie is able to relax some and enjoy staying with her friend Sarah Sanderson, who is in Hollywood for a movie part, and even enjoy being with John again. With John working for Walt Disney on propaganda films to keep up morale and teaching flying at Howard Hughes’ airport, and with Sarah dancing for George Balanchine for a movie and getting to know some great musicians, Maggie gets to meet some of the top names in entertainment. It’s a treat for readers, too, to read about these entertainers in a setting in which they actually lived and worked. Susan Elia MacNeal always does impeccable research, so the portrayal of such notables as Walt Disney, Cab Calloway, and lesser-known Madame Alla Nazimova are soundly authentic. The Hollywood landmarks, such as the Chateau Marmont Hotel on Sunset Boulevard, the Carthay Circle Theater, Schwab’s Pharmacy, Cocoanut Grove, the Dunbar Hotel, and Club Alabam are thrilling parts of the 40s Hollywood scene and image. MacNeal makes it easy to imagine being in the Chateau Marmont looking out your hotel window, as Maggie did, onto Sunset Boulevard, or listening to Cab Calloway singing “Minnie the Moocher” as the jazz-loving crowd joins in at Club Alabam.

Susan Elia MacNeal is sure to win awards with The Hollywood Spy, the tenth book in the Maggie Hope series. The novel may be the best in this series, although I’ve loved every one of the previous nine books. I see no problem reading it as a stand-alone, too. It’s such a powerful book that you might not want to wait to read it if you’re still catching up in the series. Of course, I highly recommend readers do read the entire series. MacNeal has an uncanny ability to bring characters and setting to the feeling of personal experience for the reader. The very first book in the series, Mr. Churchill’s Secretary, gave me a feeling of wartime London for the individual in a sensory connection I had never felt before.

There is so much packed into this one book, both historically and character-wise for Maggie. It’s a brilliant author who can combine a complicated and unsavory history of WWII Hollywood with the amazing talent in the entertainment industry with the landmark physical quirks of LA/Hollywood and tie it all to a murder mystery that encompasses the danger of a clandestine enemy. There is an understanding of herself that Maggie comes to, of her place and her value that is a wonderful development to see, and a new confidence she gains. At 332 pages, The Hollywood Spy is just the right length, avoiding superfluous description but giving the reader all he/she/they deserve. I am usually a slow reader, but I flew through this book, as it flowed so perfectly from scene to scene that I found I had to keep going. The Hollywood Spy is a book that I am excited to recommend and promote.

For this review to be a complete one, I have to mention the material contained within the covers of this book other than the story, before the story and after. The resource section at the back of the book is incredible. It not only shows the lengths to which MacNeal went to do research for this story, but it also provides readers with sources to continue their reading, something I especially want to do after reading this book. Then, there are the two quotes before the story begins, one by Hitler and one by Albert Camus. The one by Hitler talks about undermining the morale of the American people, and the one by Camus tells us that the plague lies dormant but will rise again. The application to our current crisis of hate having become bold again is an easy one to make and a disheartening reality. If history were taught with a whole-picture view, maybe we would not have to keep relearning lessons and keep fighting the same battles.

[Daniel Shindler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enthusiastically followed Susan Elia Macneal’s Maggie Hope series since its inception.Over the course of the first nine books, the author has realistically described Britain’s struggles during World War 2. The protagonist,Maggie Hope, is a British citizen who grew up in America. She returned to England in 1940 to settle her deceased grandmother’s estate and remained in the country. Highly trained in mathematics and logical deduction,she started working at Bletchley Park. Her codebreaking skills have been valued in the war effort.Over the course of the series, Maggie has become involved with spy rings, clandestine missions for MI5, and a host of encounters with historical figures, creating a vivid portrayal of wartime England laced with mystery and suspense.

In this tenth book, Maggie travels to America in June, 1943 at the behest of her former fiancée, John Sterling.John is working in Hollywood, assisting Walt Disney in making propaganda films that bolster morale and create an uplifting vision for the American public.John’s current fiancée, Gloria Hutton,has been found dead in her hotel’s swimming pool. Her death has been deemed an accident after an evening of revelry. John demurs from this conclusion and beseeches Maggie to take a much needed break from her war duties to combine a quick vacation with a bit of sleuthing.

This familiar plot device propels the reader into an enlightening view of wartime America that is not often depicted.Historically, 1943 was a year that was marked by extreme racial violence and xenophobia.Many know of the incarceration of Japanese Americans in detention camps during the war. Not as well known are the race riots that took place in New York, Detroit, Texas, Georgia and Los Angeles during that summer.Black Americans had supported the war hopefully, adopting a slogan of Double V, representing victory against fascism abroad and racism at home.Nevertheless, the armed forces and its Red Cross blood supplies were still segregated, many states were still legally segregated and social barriers were still enforced throughout the nation. The Ku Klux Klan and pro Nazi groups were gaining adherents.In Los Angeles, the infamous Zoot Suit riots occurred when white naval personnel attacked minority Los Angelinos.Maggie’s investigation in Hollywood, the city that creates dreams, brings her into contact with an array of historical and fictional characters that represent the diversity in America. She moves among the rich and entitled in Hollywood as well as the marginalized yet vibrant populating the Watts musical scene as she observes the fissures in American society while ferreting out the mystery of Gloria’s death.

Ms Macneal has remarked that this book is “ a respectful valentine “ to America’s past.She skillfully imparts the energy and optimism pulsating through America during the war while reminding us not to ignore the troubling undercurrents that still echo today. At the front of the book, the author includes a quote from Albert Camus’ “ The Plague.” He observes that “the plague…never dies or disappears for good….it can lie dormant for years…the day would come when, for the bane and the enlightening of men, it would rouse up its rats again.”

“ The Hollywood Spy” is a well conceived work that entertains, informs, and reminds us that we can be optimistic but must guard against repeating past missteps.4.5 stars.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Los Angeles in 1943 was on the surface a place where the sun always shined, movies were made and magic happened. Full of glitz and glamor on the surface but underneath all that glamour were Nazi sympathizers, the KKK, bigotry, anti-semitism, police corruption, racism and murder.
American-born Maggie Hope who is a spy for the British is asked by her friend and former fiancé, John Sterling, to help investigate the suspicious drowning of John’s current fiancée.
John’s gut tells him that it wasn’t an accident and knows that Maggie Hope is his only hope to get to the truth.
Maggie and John leave the sunny surface of Los Angeles for the dark underworld where Maggie uncovers American First groups spewing hatred for “non-white” people, police officers with KKK ties and the racism shown to people like Lena Horne and other black entertainers.
Author Susan Elia MacNeal’s attention to detail is what makes this series so special. Red-headed Maggie Hope is a female protagonist that is strong, feisty, determined, brave and fearless.
The Hollywood Spy is also an all too real look at the state of racism and intolerance that we still face today.
If you haven’t read any previous Maggie Hope books, don’t despair, this is a great stand alone book but definitely more enjoyable as the next in the series.
Looking forward to the next Maggie Hope adventure.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. #NetGalley #TheHollywoodSpy

[Seileen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to abandon this book. I have loved every Maggie Hope in the series. If I had to read one more worshipful Hollywood historical fact (Maggie appears to meets EVERYONE that is alive and famous in Hollywood in a mere few days) or architectural fact to prove the author did her research, I was going to scream. Toss in the complete and utter one dimensional characterization of the evil doers and I put down my Kindle. I love Maggie amd the core characters but they are LOST in the minutia and trivia that Ms. Macneal insists on writing page after page. I’m hoping #11 will restore my faith.

[Rachel McMillan]

from my endorsement:


Maggie Hope's newest adventure punches through the page with a sense of immediacy as MacNeal explores the furthest reaches of Hitler's tyrannical influence far from Blitzed London to the world of boulevards and film lots where racism and hatred boil just beneath the celluloid.


The perfect trip-on-the-page, Los Angeles is painted with vibrant colour as whip-smart Maggie's murder investigation offers a mirror to timeless questions of right and wrong even as personal revelations and a re-introduction to her own country rift with prejudice and betrayal hit close to home and heart. Brilliantly paced yet never once sacrificing the opportunity for dimensional supporting characters, The Hollywood Spy sparks with tensions that presciently anticipate current events. Destined to appeal to long-time fans and lure new readers the same, I cannot wait to see where Maggie escorts her readers next. A wholly unique and refreshing offering in a sea of WWII historical fiction.


not from my endorsement:

ackkkk john!! but i miss james! but... gah!!! !

[Ali Bunke · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘The Hollywood Spy’ by Susan Elia MacNeal I’d the 10th book in the Maggie Hope Mystery series. A sign of a good series is a new to the series reader can enjoy the story and plot without being lost. I have never read a Maggie Hope Mystery and found I was able to thoroughly enjoy this book. In fact, I would like to read the previous books as well as the hinted at next book in the series.

Set during the Second World War, Maggie is asked by former boyfriend, John Sterling, to travel to California to solve the suspected murder of his fiancé. All is not as it seems when Maggie arrives. I was impressed by how Maggie kept her composure under pressure and made smart choices in perusing the case. She is a strong female lead character which I found very appealing and I am glad I have been introduced to this series.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

[Joan Happel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This latest installment in the Maggie Hope series does not disappoint. This time around Maggie is in Hollywood investigating the death of a young women at the infamous Garden of Allah. While the war rages in Europe and the Pacific, Maggie finds that the United States is not "united" in its pursuit of war. In Hollywood, racism is still alive, although it has moved underground. Following leads, Maggie is drawn into the world of the KKK and a race to stop a plan that will result in the deaths of many innocent people.

Fans of this series will enjoy The Hollywood Spy, as well as fans of WWII fiction and golden-age Hollywood stories.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the e-ARC.

[eyes.2c · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pre World War II—Politics and murder in LA !

Maggie Hope in 1943 Los Angeles up to her neck in plots involving the far right. Nazis, Ku Klux Klan, police adherents, and others. What seemed like the sad, accidental death of a young woman, Gloria Hutton, Maggie’s more-than-friend, Flight Commander John Sterling’s fiancé, turns into something else.
MacNeal has unveiled the racism and bigotry seeded in the nation. What I find shocking is it seems history is doomed to repeat itself. That’s the part that left me inwardly wincing and horrified.
There are depths overlaying John’s call-to-arms to Maggie. As Maggie uncovers the circumstances surrounding Gloria’s death, even more secrets are exposed.
A powerful addition to the Maggie Hope story.

A Random House - Ballantine ARC via NetGalley

[Cathy Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maggie Hope had a lot to deal with in the previous book in this series, The King's Justice, and this trip to Los Angeles is just what she needed. Los Angeles. Hollywood. Sunshine. Beaches. Palm trees. Walt Disney. Movie stars. It's almost idyllic... until Maggie begins investigating the death of John Sterling's fiancée.

The Hollywood Spy is a book in which the mystery is intriguing, but it's not the star of the show. The star is actually the dark underbelly of the city of Los Angeles. As I read this, I was chilled by the parallels between Los Angeles in 1943 and our country in the last few years. Segregation on steroids. Race riots. The Ku Klux Klan with its filthy fingers into so many political pies. Enlisted men being given baseball bats and told to bust up as many non-white heads as they could. The police looking the other way. Reading "the cops and the Klan go hand in hand" made my blood run cold, and I can only imagine how MacNeal felt as she was writing the book. There are scenes in The Hollywood Spy in which I felt as though I'd fallen down the rabbit hole to hell.

Maggie is her usual strong self, and I was cheering her on at the end of the book as she laid down the law to some officious jerk, but in many ways, I think the mystery in The Hollywood Spy was weakened by its setting. There was a real feeling of menace as Maggie was followed around the streets of Los Angeles, and I liked her shock at being back in a segregated country, but... there just happened to be a chance for Maggie to show off her codebreaking skills. There was more than one minor character who was obviously going to play a pivotal role in the action, almost as though they had neon signs over their heads...

Now, it sounds as though I spent my time reading and nitpicking, but I didn't. My mind would make note of these things, but my mind was also enjoying the fast-paced story a great deal. Maggie Hope is one of those characters who I'd follow anywhere. Her intelligence and bravery make each book in this series shine, and The Hollywood Spy is no exception. Susan Elia MacNeal has crafted a book that will have readers not only enjoying the characters, the mystery, and the danger, but also learning a lot about Los Angeles in the 1940s. (And those Author's Notes at the end are a must for her research and a suggested reading list.)

Will Maggie be staying in Los Angeles? No. She's got another interesting assignment waiting for her. And now here it comes again: the long wait until I meet her again.

(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)

[Kate Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 / 5.0 Stars

Readers of the Maggie Hope Mystery series by Susan Elia MacNeil, are in for a real treat. Maggie's loyal followers have been through the emotional ringer with Maggie as she's gone from clever math whiz and code breaker, through aide to Churchill, high-end nanny, secret agent, security liability to bomb defuser. She's been shot at, maimed and somehow she always comes back for more.

In this installment, it's the summer of 1943 and former RAF pilot (and Maggie's former paramour), John Sterling, reaches out to Maggie, asking her to leave London and come to Los Angeles to investigate the death of his fiancé. Even though authorities have called it an "accident", John is suspicious of their conclusion and asks Maggie to lead an independent investigation. Maggie gets right down to business and finds one lead after another.

The writing is spectacular, the attention to the historic record - spot on and the setting, highly atmospheric. The glamour and behind the scenes seediness are explored as well as the societal upheaval of that summer. Segregation is rampant at the same time in which Armericans are called to unify against the axis powers. The race riots are happening all over the country. American Naziism has gone underground and was consorting to upset the tentative peace in the valley. There's also a lot of name dropping as famous folks make their cameo appearances throughout the story.

Again, we readers are on an emotional rollercoaster ride with Maggie. The gears of her mind are cranking away a mile a minute as she tears through the streets of Los Angeles. We are white-knuckling it right beside her for the entire ride. It's not long before it's fairly obvious who's been killing off folks. But in spite of the early reveal, the writing is too good to gloss over and I devoured the the story right through to the end. It was a satisfying conclusion to yet another wonderful adventure with Ms. Hope.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maggie Hope travels to Old Hollywood to help her friend solve a murder. Along the way, we meet all her friends and while it was interesting, it was hard to get into the book and the characters. This may be because everyone's connections and backstories are built earlier in the series, and we only got the cliff notes version in this book.

[Nicole Thompson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I keep asking myself why I continue with this series. I just get aggravated by how cartoonish and clownish it all is. These aren't characters; they are charicatures. I am willing to suspend a certain amount of disbelief for the sake of it being fiction (secretary to SOE to MI-5 superwoman always saves the day), but the writing is just so bad that it just grates. Granted, there are some historically accurate things in the story (racism, facism in the U.S., homosexuality being illegal, etc.), the villians are just so over the top and poorly written that it makes it seem unreal. Also, Maggie and her friends are far too "woke" for the time. It's an anachronism.

In other hands, this would not be an issue (see the Maisie Dobbs series, e.g.), but this author cannot carry it. I think I am officially done with this series.

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Carmen Denton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Since the first Maggie Hope book, I have had Susan Elia McNeal on my preorder list. I was excited to get her new installment, but for me, this one fell flat. It reads more like a sociopolitical statement than a mystery novel. Had she discussed racism, American fascism, etc in the context of the story I would have been okay with that, but I felt she pounded on the reader until the story took a back seat to the political rant. I read about half the book, but didn't finish it. I read fiction to be entertained, not to feel depressed when I'm done.

[Gretchen · Rating 3 out of 5]

So many name drops. So many information drops. So much being preached at. This series is quickly starting to lose some of it's initial appeal. Sad. I'm such a sucker for a bold redhead.

[Janet Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like a 6 Hour Political Infomercial
I read 2/3 of this book and decided to quit. Perhaps it gets better in the last hundred pages, but I could no longer stand it. It was very heavy on the political soapbox; exposing racism and American Nazis and KKK activities in Los Angeles. She makes it sound like all of the USA was filled with bigots and Nazis. She brings out the anti-war sentiment of the era that is not commonly spoken about and puts it all in the pro-Nazi camp, which it was not. On the other hand, the author lets you experience how it was before rampant growth. She draws the reader into the long-gone glamour of places like the Ambassador on Wilshire and the Cocoanut Grove. There is a very slow buildup in the espionage or spy aspects of the story. I was hoping for more spy and perhaps romance and less politics, bigotry, racism, antisemitism, violence, and subversion. Perhaps it is just a sore spot, but it did seem like I was watching a 6-hour political infomercial and I chose to say,' enough already!' I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

[Michelle "Champ" · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice visit with an old friend, Maggie Hope. I liked that this time her setting was different, but that didn't take away the danger. In this book you will get just what you expect, a crime has been committed and our favorite spy will be involved in the solving of the crime. Someone called this series a cozy series, I don't quite feel that word does this series justice. The series is part thriller, part mystery, part intrigue, and part on the edge of your seat enjoyment. If you have not yet read any of the Maggie Hope series, do yourself a favor right now and get started. If you are ready for this one, go ahead and order it now, you won't be disappointed.


Thanks to Netgalley for an Advanced Reader's Copy of this great book.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

When American-born British spy Maggie Hope trades bomb-ravaged London and Nazi-occupied Europe for sun-drenched Los Angeles, she finds that the war’s long reach is inescapable. Searching for the murderer of a friend, she must navigate the underside of LA, from corrupt cops to home-grown American fascists. This is another terrific mystery from Susan Elia MacNeal, and her historical notes and bibliography at the end would put some non-fiction writers to shame. You might want to read more about the Silver Shirts and other pro-Nazis extremists when you’re done; I did.

[Gracee febus · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read half of this book and quit. While I agree certain things in this time of history were terrible like racism & anti Semitism, I got tried of the writer pushing her agendas. She focused mostly on these issues and I was confused as to where the main plot disappeared to. It would have been fine if she touched on these issues but it became the main focus and it honestly is just a terribly written book.I wish I hadn’t read half way, because what a waste of time but, I was hoping it would get better.

[Sahitya · Rating 4 out of 5]

CW: one of the POV is a KKK member, so expect lots of racism, antisemitism, usage of slurs etc.

Probably more of a 3.5 but I’m rounding up.

I actually started reading this a while ago but abandoned it after a few pages coz I wasn’t in the mood. But it’s also one of the few longest series I have been following for a while, so I didn’t wanna totally give up and decided to read it for the readathon in August.

This was not an easy book to read, not because of the writing at all, but because of the time period it is set in. 1940s America, and specifically Los Angeles maybe outwardly glamorous because of Hollywood, but the other side of it is full of Nazis and fascists and racists fighting for their so called white America. So, the author uses some of the events that took place during those trying times to create an engaging murder mystery with large scale implications. I was actually surprised to know how many of the little subplots or people involved in the book were inspired by reality. While the book itself was fast paced and very interesting to read, I can’t say I liked reading the POV of a Klan member. But the author does manage to cover up the distaste we might feel at that POV by peppering the book with a lot of popular names of the times - Hollywood superstars and directors, musicians, singers, ballet artists, authors and playwrights - if you know your American movie/artistic history, I think you’ll find all of the references very enjoyable but unfortunately I’m a noob when it comes to this area, and I skipped the names coz they didn’t mean anything to me.

Maggie remains one of the bravest historical women I’ve read in the past few years and it’s always nice to return to read about her new adventure. I liked that we get to see more sides of her this time - the born American whose relationship with her birth country is troubled because she can’t reconcile the glamour and patriotism with the racism; the woman unsure about meeting the most love of her life; and the British service member who needs to make choices about her future while contemplating the various betrayals by her own superiors.

However, I’m not sure what I feel about John yet. He seems like a nice guy and does like her a lot, but I can’t make up my mind if he is good enough for Maggie. Sarah as always was a bright spot and I loved her friendship with Henri. The less I talk about the other POVs, the better. I definitely did miss David and the rest of the London gang.

To conclude, it was nice to be back among familiar characters. The murder mystery itself was pretty interesting but straightforward, and I thought the strength of the book was the vivid setting the author was able to create. The books ends on quite a surprising note and it looks like the proceedings will again move more into the Nazi territory, so I’m quite looking forward to that.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a stellar addition to the series!

I always enjoy the mysteries in these books. And, watching Maggie Hope's growth and maturity as a character throughout all the books is so great to observe. But, what hooks me every time is the backdrop of accurate historical facts that the author brilliantly and seamlessly weaves into each story. I always learn something new which causes me to "read more about it." Fascinating facts. In this instance, I had no idea nor ever heard about the Nazi and fascist groups which were active in the Southern California and the United States in the 30's and 40's. I'm not going to tip off what steps others took to infiltrate such heinous organizations and uncovered unspeakable plots. You need to read the book. I certainly never knew anything the various plots during this particular part of our country's history. The Zoot Suit riots, racism, lack of LGBTQ rights with threats of imprisonment or worse, and much more. As a matter of fact, Los Angeles was a hub of white supremacy during those years. (I lived in L.A. for the majority of my life and there wasn't anyone I knew who wasn't painfully aware that the KKK was HUGE in Orange County - where Disneyland is. A sad statement to the parallel of hate and times today.) Another lovely tantalizing bit of history was the "Hollywood of the 40's" aspect. With famous places such as the Chateau Marmont, the bohemian Garden of Allah Hotel, The Coconut Grove, Ciro's and others, along with famous, well known Jazz stars, movie stars and prominent individuals in the industry of that time. And do read the information provided at the end of the story which highlights the "truths" of the times used in the author's research for this book, provided even more enlightening reading.

There were so many fascinating facts that were brought into the mystery that they are too numerous to list. But, do yourself a favor and read it. Read the whole series! It is outstanding. Not only will you enjoy the mysteries, meet our stalwart, complex, courageous, stubborn and dedicated Maggie Hope, but you will learn more about the times. Maggie Hope is a great representation of the unsung heroes of the times.

[Lynda Loigman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic addition to the Maggie Hope series! So much fascinating historical content about LA and the US during WWII - our notion of unity is not as accurate as we think. I loved seeing Maggie back in the States, and I so appreciate the meticulous research that went into this beautifully written story.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was unlike any of the previous Maggie Hope books not just because it’s the first one set in the US but also because it delves deeply into one of the worst times in American history, shining a light on racism and anti-semitism during the second world war. MacNeal does something very important here which is to expose the darker aspects of our history and culture, things that many don’t learn about in school: the internment of Japanese, German, and Italian-Americans, the activities of the KKK, and the actions of Nazi sympathizers. She also covers segregation, which seems like a no-brainer given that this takes place prior to the Civil Rights movement, but this is the first time I’ve ever read about segregation in a WWII novel which is both surprising and troubling to me given how much historical fiction I read.

The series has taken a decidedly darker turn since it first started, and I think that makes sense given Maggie’s own struggles with betrayal and PTSD from the war. This book felt raw and honest while also presenting some twists and turns I didn’t expect. I would have liked to see a little more development of the nefarious characters and their broader motivations (I think Buddy gets there and seems like he’s going to be more trouble later on).

I hope that Maggie gets a shot at happiness in the next installment as she’s been through quite a lot. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy.

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[Tabitha Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the 10th installment of the Maggie Hope mystery series, we find Maggie in 1940’s Hollywood, California, to help her friend John Sterling and investigate the case of his dead Fiancé. While digging deeper, she ends up finding more gruesome deaths, all touching upon the Nazi Party, the KKK, all fueling the prominent and violent racism spread across the city. Maggie’s investigation leads her further and further, supported by a wide range of characters to help aid in the storytelling.

The author, Susan Elisa Macneal touches upon these dark topics very well, and helps reflect on just how relevant these racial tensions are from 1940’s and before, and are still ongoing today. She weaves these issues quite well within the mystery of the story in my opinion.

One thing that stood out to me in this novel was Maggie’s character development over the course of the story. Still affected by the previous adventures of hers, and although that energy that she had in her previous stories seems lost, it comes back when she needs it most near the ending, and I loved seeing how her strength and wit come back! Overall, a great mystery that mystery lovers and people interested in historical fiction will enjoy.

Thank you so much for NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

At this point, I feel like Maggie is an old friend of mine! You know that question of what literary character you would most like to have dinner with? I think Maggie would be an amazing choice! She's smart, she's led an adventurous life, she's imperfect and complicated. It would be an interesting dinner for sure! This time around, Maggie is back in California meeting up with an old flame. It's awkward, what with her investigating the murder of the old flame's fiancée, but things are never as they seem in a Maggie Hope mystery.

The plot revolves around a difficult subject. Racism was rampant during that time, adding in the stresses of war and politics. The more things change, the more they stay the same. I thought the subject was handled well, it wasn't gratuitous and helped to move the plot. This series continues to be one of my favorites, I don't get bored and it certainly isn't repetitive! Another home run!

[The Lit Bitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I fell in love with Maggie Hope long ago and watching her journey through these last 10 books has been so fun as a reader. We have seen her go from nervous secretary, to spy, through PTSD, and heartache. As we enter the 10th book in the series ,she is in many ways unrecognizable from the first book.

As a reader you really get a sense of how the war changed her character and I think that’s what really makes this series shine. I haven’t always loved the direction that Maggie’s character has taken or choices that she has made but for me that’s what makes her so real and relatable. You don’t have to love her choices or agree with them but you learn to live with them in the same way that her character must.

I was a little nervous going into this book though because we see the reappearance of one time beau, John Sterling. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. In the previous books I felt like John was charming and wonderful—-up until he wasn’t. Then I was like ‘Maggie girl kick his ass to the curb!’ and now suddenly he’s making a reappearance in her life and I hoped that he had undergone some changes between the books.

To be honest, I had forgotten that Maggie is actually an American! She has been in England so long that I have long since thought of her as a Brit and in this book we see her return to America to help her one time beau John Sterling solve a murder. It was interesting to see how as an American she was so out of touch with some of the things happening in America like racial tensions and domestic terrorism. I actually thought the author did a great job reminding readers that while WWII was raging in England and Europe, it was also changing and impacting America. I really liked the domestic terrorism part of this book too—more than I was anticipating. MacNeal added a lot of history on the city of Los Angeles and Hollywood during this particular time in history that I knew nothing about and found equal parts shocking and interesting. This book left me wanting to know more about Los Angeles during this time.

The only thing I felt that was a little distracting for me as a reader was the song titles and some of the little details that I think were meant to add authenticity but for me slowed things down. There would be lines like ‘_________ song was playing on the radio’ or ‘The sound track from Oklahoma filled the car’ and I would have no knowledge of who or what those songs were and then I would be down a rabbit hole about WWII music. I understand that it was meant to set a mood or tone in a scene but for me it just felt a little distracting and unnecessary. But that is a personal preference. I personally feel that there are other ways to set the tone of a scene than music but again that’s just personal preference and in the grand scheme of things wasn’t a huge deal.

Now for the big question, how did I feel about Maggie and John’s reconnection. I don’t want to put any spoilers out there so obviously you will need to read and judge for yourself. For me I felt ok with the direction that their characters were going. I think enough time has passed between books that I think readers will feel open to John making a reappearance in Maggie’s life. Readers will see change and evolution between them both which I think also translates into their greater relationship. If you haven’t read the earlier Maggie books, I think you will still feel connected and invested in this aspect of the story. Clearly they have a history but the focus is on the ‘now’ versus the past so I think new readers will be able to read and enjoy this book even 10 books in.

Bottom line—I adore Maggie. This was a great read and I loved the history and setting of this book. It was a nice change from war torn Europe and I am eager to see how things progress in future books. If you love historical mysteries this is another excellent series that is always a top recommendation from me to historical mystery fans!