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The Last Secret Agent: My Life as a Spy Behind Nazi Lines
After decades of silence, the last surviving World War II British spy reveals the real, untold story of her time as a secret agent in the deadly world of Nazi France.
From a unique and singular voice comes the incredible true story of the last surviving undercover British female operative in WW2. Pippa Latour parachuted into occupied France in 1944 to conduct sabotage and subversion behind enemy lines. Selling soap to German soldiers and hiding codes on a piece of ribbon, she sent back crucial information about troop positions in the lead up to D-Day, and continued her work until Paris was liberated. From her childhood as an orphan in South Africa to her years as an undercover agent, Pippa's story is that of a woman determined to honor her principles and risk her life to fight against the greatest evil of the 20th century.
The Last Secret Agent is a posthumously published memoir, co-written with journalist Jude Dobson. Pippa was decorated highly for her actions, including being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire and receiving the Légion d’Honneur in France. For years, Pippa kept her involvement in the war effort secret from everyone, including her family, but for the first time, her story can now be told in full.
From a unique and singular voice comes the incredible true story of the last surviving undercover British female operative in WW2. Pippa Latour parachuted into occupied France in 1944 to conduct sabotage and subversion behind enemy lines. Selling soap to German soldiers and hiding codes on a piece of ribbon, she sent back crucial information about troop positions in the lead up to D-Day, and continued her work until Paris was liberated. From her childhood as an orphan in South Africa to her years as an undercover agent, Pippa's story is that of a woman determined to honor her principles and risk her life to fight against the greatest evil of the 20th century.
The Last Secret Agent is a posthumously published memoir, co-written with journalist Jude Dobson. Pippa was decorated highly for her actions, including being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire and receiving the Légion d’Honneur in France. For years, Pippa kept her involvement in the war effort secret from everyone, including her family, but for the first time, her story can now be told in full.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published November 21, 2024
313 people are currently reading
10459 people want to read
About the author
Pippa Latour
1 book40 followersPIPPA LATOUR was the last surviving SEO agent, serving in France until its liberation. For seventy years, Pippa's contributions to the war effort were largely unheralded, but she was finally given her due in 2014 when she was awarded France's highest military decoration, the Chevalier de l'Ordre National de la Légion d'Honneur (Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour). She died in 2023 at age 102.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 336 reviews
November 22, 2024
In June 1940, a covert new force - the Special Operations Executive (SOE) - was set up to wage a secret war. Its agents were tasked with sabotage and subversion behind enemy lines, and over the course of the next five years, 470 special agents would be sent into France. Only 26 female SOE agents would return.
None before have told their story in their own words. Pippa Latour was the last surviving SOE to have seen action behind enemy lines in France, and this is her story.
Pippa had a very unusual upbringing, she was born in South Africa, and had a British mother. During her childhood in the Belgian Congo her family moved frequently. "She picked up languages like a sponge ... she learned to shoot a gun at 7, excelled at morse code, maths, algebra", some of which placed her in very good stead for what was to come.
At the age of 23 Pippa was flown into one of the most dangerous parts of France where the anticipated life span of someone like her was between 2-6 weeks. Some of her work will have you holding your breath. Many of her fellow operators were caught, tortured and executed.
For decades after the war, Pippa told no one, not even her family of her incredible feats. But here is the story of a truly remarkable woman - a woman with immense courage, honesty and determination.
Pippa passed away in October 2023 at the grand old age of 102, and never got to see this book in print (exactly as she wished).
*My thanks to Netgalley and Octopus Publishing for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
None before have told their story in their own words. Pippa Latour was the last surviving SOE to have seen action behind enemy lines in France, and this is her story.
Pippa had a very unusual upbringing, she was born in South Africa, and had a British mother. During her childhood in the Belgian Congo her family moved frequently. "She picked up languages like a sponge ... she learned to shoot a gun at 7, excelled at morse code, maths, algebra", some of which placed her in very good stead for what was to come.
At the age of 23 Pippa was flown into one of the most dangerous parts of France where the anticipated life span of someone like her was between 2-6 weeks. Some of her work will have you holding your breath. Many of her fellow operators were caught, tortured and executed.
For decades after the war, Pippa told no one, not even her family of her incredible feats. But here is the story of a truly remarkable woman - a woman with immense courage, honesty and determination.
Pippa passed away in October 2023 at the grand old age of 102, and never got to see this book in print (exactly as she wished).
*My thanks to Netgalley and Octopus Publishing for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
April 11, 2025
What a life! What a mission! What a woman! Can you even imagine, the bravery, the cunning, the determination, and the grit that it took to parachute and work behind enemy lines, to send back codes, and to risk your life for the greater good? Born and raised in South Africa, Pippa Latour, learned to be brave in the face of danger. She learned to be tough as she experienced loss, grief, and upheaval in various living situations. She was strong, brave, resilient, and intelligent. This served her well when she joined the Special Operations Executive (SOE), where he parachuted into occupied France, sending back codes, and using her quick wits and thinking to avoid many close calls and to evade trouble.
She lived quite the life, and I was blown away at the beginning of the book where it is mentioned the no one in her family knew of her brave deeds or involvement with the SOE. It was only after her children questioned her about what they learned about her on the internet in 2000, that she decided to tell her story - her way. It was her story after all and if it was going to be told, she was going to be the one to do it! I so admired her for not needing or wanting public praise and kept her heroic deeds to herself. I also loved that she decided to tell her story on her own terms once her involvement with the SOE became known. This memoir was published after her death and was co-written with journalist Jude Dobson.
It is no wonder that Pippa was the last surviving member of the undercover British female operative in WW2. From her childhood she was strong, brave, and able to adapt to new situations. I love reading books based on real people and events. I also love reading books that teach me new things, evoke emotion, and are thought provoking. This book did all of those and then some. While reading I couldn't help but wonder if I could have been as brave as Pippa and the other women who parachuted into Nazi France during the war. You never know what you have inside of you until you are put to the test. To be a person in extraordinary situations. This is another example of how brave women throughout time have stepped up and answered the call for service displaying great bravery, skill, confidence, and intelligence.
Gripping, informative, and evoking emotion.
I had the pleasure of having both a physical copy of the book and the audiobook version. The narrator of the audiobook did a tremendous job of bringing this book to life.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
She lived quite the life, and I was blown away at the beginning of the book where it is mentioned the no one in her family knew of her brave deeds or involvement with the SOE. It was only after her children questioned her about what they learned about her on the internet in 2000, that she decided to tell her story - her way. It was her story after all and if it was going to be told, she was going to be the one to do it! I so admired her for not needing or wanting public praise and kept her heroic deeds to herself. I also loved that she decided to tell her story on her own terms once her involvement with the SOE became known. This memoir was published after her death and was co-written with journalist Jude Dobson.
It is no wonder that Pippa was the last surviving member of the undercover British female operative in WW2. From her childhood she was strong, brave, and able to adapt to new situations. I love reading books based on real people and events. I also love reading books that teach me new things, evoke emotion, and are thought provoking. This book did all of those and then some. While reading I couldn't help but wonder if I could have been as brave as Pippa and the other women who parachuted into Nazi France during the war. You never know what you have inside of you until you are put to the test. To be a person in extraordinary situations. This is another example of how brave women throughout time have stepped up and answered the call for service displaying great bravery, skill, confidence, and intelligence.
Gripping, informative, and evoking emotion.
I had the pleasure of having both a physical copy of the book and the audiobook version. The narrator of the audiobook did a tremendous job of bringing this book to life.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
June 13, 2025
What an amazing and inspiring story. Thank you Marilyn for the recommendation.
I absolutely LOVED listening to the audio. It reminded me of times sitting with my grandparents hearing stories of their youth. And that is what makes this one so special and stand out. Not only is it Pippa's first hand account of her life as a spy, it recounts her childhood as well. I loved learning about her life in Africa and seeing how her experiences gave her the skillset that would serve her well in the war-her "education" in shooting, Morse, and maths. I was amazed at how many languages she could speak! I loved her connection to her found family and community.
The world is and always has been a dangerous place for women. I was shocked that the Geneva Convention only protected men. If women were captured it did not apply to them. This did not stop them. Women not only had the will and determination to be spies, they had the skillset. The women came from a variety of backgrounds with a talent for multiple languages. It was a harrowing task they were asked to accomplish. Living in constant fear and having to compartmentalize while having to transmit Morse messages quickly as to not be detected and detained.
The French Resistance was very brave and impressive. The Germans were ruthless and punished civilians in retaliation for any resistance activity. Pippa had a perfect cover. There were few people she could trust, but those she could would die for her. One lesson she learned was that she could trust the animals, not the humans. He relationship with Katia was strong and powerful. What the women of the war endured and how they met their end left a lasting mark on me as a reader.
The afterward adds even more to this detailed first hand account. The Last Secret Agent is an amazing and compelling read. It is well-worth the listening experience.
I absolutely LOVED listening to the audio. It reminded me of times sitting with my grandparents hearing stories of their youth. And that is what makes this one so special and stand out. Not only is it Pippa's first hand account of her life as a spy, it recounts her childhood as well. I loved learning about her life in Africa and seeing how her experiences gave her the skillset that would serve her well in the war-her "education" in shooting, Morse, and maths. I was amazed at how many languages she could speak! I loved her connection to her found family and community.
The world is and always has been a dangerous place for women. I was shocked that the Geneva Convention only protected men. If women were captured it did not apply to them. This did not stop them. Women not only had the will and determination to be spies, they had the skillset. The women came from a variety of backgrounds with a talent for multiple languages. It was a harrowing task they were asked to accomplish. Living in constant fear and having to compartmentalize while having to transmit Morse messages quickly as to not be detected and detained.
The French Resistance was very brave and impressive. The Germans were ruthless and punished civilians in retaliation for any resistance activity. Pippa had a perfect cover. There were few people she could trust, but those she could would die for her. One lesson she learned was that she could trust the animals, not the humans. He relationship with Katia was strong and powerful. What the women of the war endured and how they met their end left a lasting mark on me as a reader.
The afterward adds even more to this detailed first hand account. The Last Secret Agent is an amazing and compelling read. It is well-worth the listening experience.
May 19, 2025
I'm always drawn to World War II stories, and being able to read this memoir of a true secret agent was quite an experience.
Pippa Latour’s life was unlike most. Raised in South Africa, France, and England, she endured multiple losses as a child and teenager. She became an English spy in France, working against the Nazi regime.
Parachuting into occupied France in 1944 as a Special Operations Executive (SOE) agent, her mission was to sow chaos for the Nazis. She sent intelligence to England, traveling from town to town disguised as a 14-year-old girl selling soaps for her “grandparents” while gathering critical intel and transmitting it back using hidden wireless radios.
What she witnessed and experienced was a living nightmare, with death all around her. She narrowly escaped capture multiple times and was deeply affected by the horrors she saw, yet she stayed focused on her mission and succeeded.
What a brave and incredible woman Pippa was! She kept her role as an SOE agent secret from everyone until her children discovered an article about her online. Only then did she share her story, which she so richly deserved to tell.
Jude Dobson, the narrator of this Memoir, captures Pippa's voice, transporting us to the past she endured.
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Macmillan Audio via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Pippa Latour’s life was unlike most. Raised in South Africa, France, and England, she endured multiple losses as a child and teenager. She became an English spy in France, working against the Nazi regime.
Parachuting into occupied France in 1944 as a Special Operations Executive (SOE) agent, her mission was to sow chaos for the Nazis. She sent intelligence to England, traveling from town to town disguised as a 14-year-old girl selling soaps for her “grandparents” while gathering critical intel and transmitting it back using hidden wireless radios.
What she witnessed and experienced was a living nightmare, with death all around her. She narrowly escaped capture multiple times and was deeply affected by the horrors she saw, yet she stayed focused on her mission and succeeded.
What a brave and incredible woman Pippa was! She kept her role as an SOE agent secret from everyone until her children discovered an article about her online. Only then did she share her story, which she so richly deserved to tell.
Jude Dobson, the narrator of this Memoir, captures Pippa's voice, transporting us to the past she endured.
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Macmillan Audio via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
April 1, 2024
I had the great honour of meeting Pippa through my grandfather Ian. What an incredible story and one of the most inspirational women to walk this planet.
May 28, 2025
This is a well-written, entertaining, informative memoir. It compellingly portrays the life of the last surviving female WWII SOE agent, from her unusual and unique childhood, through the losses which she suffered, and culminates in the bravery of her service during the war. Her intelligence, strength, resilience, and courage are commendable. The forward, preface, and epilogue are enlightening and insightful, and are truly appreciated. I listened to the audio book, and the narrator, Ms. Jilly Bond, does an outstanding job bringing Ms. Latour's fascinating and inspiring story to life.
May 5, 2025
Oh my goodness, this young woman was beyond courageous!
Born in South Africa, Pippa Latour was to go on in her life to become an agent of the Special Operations Executive organization in England at the tender age of twenty three. This young woman and others were parachuted behind enemy lines in France to be a radio operator to spy on and report Nazi activity in and around Normandy. One can truly know the dangers of torture and death should be be found out, but Pippa seemed t possess a wonderful sense of the perils of her task as well as a photographic memory.
Pippa became part of the "Scientists" operation, with the code name, Genevieve, and because of her small stature was able to pass as a fourteen year old, selling soap from her bicycle, traveling the countryside and amassing information from the Nazi soldiers. Hidden in a hair tie shoelace, Pippa concealed the codes that were needed to operate the various radio transmitters, never knowing if people were friend or collaborators. She was stopped many times bu the Nazis and searched thoroughly but her cool nature and ability to speak French managed to allow her to escape their clutches although there was one close call.
Pippa received many awards and accolades for her heroic work but after the war she vowed never to return to France eventually moving to New Zealand. Pippa also refused to speak of her heroics and no one knew, even her four children, about what she had done during the war.
What an amazing story told to Jude Dobson when Pippa was in her late nineties! She passed away at age one hundred two, being the last (of thirty-nine) female agents in the SOE.
"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find how far one can go" (T.S. Eliot)
Born in South Africa, Pippa Latour was to go on in her life to become an agent of the Special Operations Executive organization in England at the tender age of twenty three. This young woman and others were parachuted behind enemy lines in France to be a radio operator to spy on and report Nazi activity in and around Normandy. One can truly know the dangers of torture and death should be be found out, but Pippa seemed t possess a wonderful sense of the perils of her task as well as a photographic memory.
Pippa became part of the "Scientists" operation, with the code name, Genevieve, and because of her small stature was able to pass as a fourteen year old, selling soap from her bicycle, traveling the countryside and amassing information from the Nazi soldiers. Hidden in a hair tie shoelace, Pippa concealed the codes that were needed to operate the various radio transmitters, never knowing if people were friend or collaborators. She was stopped many times bu the Nazis and searched thoroughly but her cool nature and ability to speak French managed to allow her to escape their clutches although there was one close call.
Pippa received many awards and accolades for her heroic work but after the war she vowed never to return to France eventually moving to New Zealand. Pippa also refused to speak of her heroics and no one knew, even her four children, about what she had done during the war.
What an amazing story told to Jude Dobson when Pippa was in her late nineties! She passed away at age one hundred two, being the last (of thirty-nine) female agents in the SOE.
"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find how far one can go" (T.S. Eliot)
November 29, 2024
The word ‘Icon’ is thrown around now without much thought or justification……however after reading this book Pippa Latour deserves that title
From her beginnings ( and they are fascinating enough ) in Africa then onto Europe we learn how this unassuming lady,who knew she was destined to do something specia, became a secret agent for the UK working against The Gestapo in France,literally from the minute she was parachuted in she risked life amd limb to help ( understatement ) the war effort
Brave doesn’t cover it,nor does focused,resiliant,diligent or selfless as she cycled around her area of France spying and sending info back to the UK Govt
Several times she was almost caught ( and worse,much worse ) and only her acting skills and determination saved her
I was in awe reading this book,you can’t believe someone was prepared to give so much for so little although of course the big reward was more than worth it
Pippa saw many things,from little acts of kindness to disturbing acts of inhumanity and the book charts them all
It is interesting to note she never told her family or friends about this life and she only had to tell all as one of her children saw an article about her on the internet,she then decided she needed to tell her story herself and at the age of 101 she did
A truly wonderful courageous woman and a read that cant not affect you
From her beginnings ( and they are fascinating enough ) in Africa then onto Europe we learn how this unassuming lady,who knew she was destined to do something specia, became a secret agent for the UK working against The Gestapo in France,literally from the minute she was parachuted in she risked life amd limb to help ( understatement ) the war effort
Brave doesn’t cover it,nor does focused,resiliant,diligent or selfless as she cycled around her area of France spying and sending info back to the UK Govt
Several times she was almost caught ( and worse,much worse ) and only her acting skills and determination saved her
I was in awe reading this book,you can’t believe someone was prepared to give so much for so little although of course the big reward was more than worth it
Pippa saw many things,from little acts of kindness to disturbing acts of inhumanity and the book charts them all
It is interesting to note she never told her family or friends about this life and she only had to tell all as one of her children saw an article about her on the internet,she then decided she needed to tell her story herself and at the age of 101 she did
A truly wonderful courageous woman and a read that cant not affect you
Read
April 29, 2025Pippa Latour lived to a ripe old age, dying while this book was in the publishing pipeline. She had kept silent for well over half a century, stating that she'd signed a NDA, but also I suspect from the lingering effects of the PTSD she suffered after the fact.
It wasn't until she saw some incorrect facts float about that prompted her to come forward; she hadn't even told her kids about her experiences.
The writing was clear and brought out her voice with vividness and clarity, glimmering now and then with wry humor. But that didn't mask the grimness of her experiences. Those were rough, and the fallout was rough--the cruelty to the helpless, such as animals, perpetrated by the oppressed as well as the oppressors, and the sometimes revolting extremes people went to to get food, never enough.
Her early years were so amazing that I was enthralled far before the war happened. The story illustrates with frank clarity the courage it took for this woman (and the women she knew, most of whom didn't make it out) to live covertly, sending messages while continuously hunted by the Gestapo.
It wasn't until she saw some incorrect facts float about that prompted her to come forward; she hadn't even told her kids about her experiences.
The writing was clear and brought out her voice with vividness and clarity, glimmering now and then with wry humor. But that didn't mask the grimness of her experiences. Those were rough, and the fallout was rough--the cruelty to the helpless, such as animals, perpetrated by the oppressed as well as the oppressors, and the sometimes revolting extremes people went to to get food, never enough.
Her early years were so amazing that I was enthralled far before the war happened. The story illustrates with frank clarity the courage it took for this woman (and the women she knew, most of whom didn't make it out) to live covertly, sending messages while continuously hunted by the Gestapo.
May 28, 2025
For the first time ever, read the true story of Pippa Latour--the last surviving WWII spy operating in the deadly world of Nazi France.
As a daring agent of the Special Operations Executive (SOE), she risked everything—her freedom, her identity, her life—to transmit vital secrets to the Allies from deep behind enemy lines. The book captures the intensity of her covert missions, the ever-present threat of betrayal or capture, and the heavy emotional burden of living a life in shadows. It’s a powerful, dramatic portrait of unsung wartime heroism that unfolds in the hidden corners of history.
A gripping read from beginning to end!
🎧Jilly Bond delivered a masterful performance, capturing the intensity and suspense of Latour’s perilous missions behind enemy lines. Her narration was vivid and immersive, powerfully conveying the courage and resilience of one of World War II’s unsung heroines.
As a daring agent of the Special Operations Executive (SOE), she risked everything—her freedom, her identity, her life—to transmit vital secrets to the Allies from deep behind enemy lines. The book captures the intensity of her covert missions, the ever-present threat of betrayal or capture, and the heavy emotional burden of living a life in shadows. It’s a powerful, dramatic portrait of unsung wartime heroism that unfolds in the hidden corners of history.
A gripping read from beginning to end!
🎧Jilly Bond delivered a masterful performance, capturing the intensity and suspense of Latour’s perilous missions behind enemy lines. Her narration was vivid and immersive, powerfully conveying the courage and resilience of one of World War II’s unsung heroines.
April 17, 2025
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: May 13, 2025
“The Last Secret Agent: My Life as a Spy Behind Nazi Lines” is a work of non-fiction by former SEO agent Pippa Latour and biographer Jude Dobson.
Pippa Latour was the last remaining British female operative in WW2. Until her death a few years ago, Pippa had told no one of her past in the war, not even her own children. In 1944, she parachuted into occupied France, posing as a schoolgirl selling handmade soaps, in order to collect and communicate information on the German forces. She was barely an adult herself, surrounded daily by death and gruesome injuries, risking her very life for the war effort. Pippa co-wrote this novel, with the help of Dobson, when she was 101 and, when she died in 2023, she was the last remaining female operative, which, Dobson hints, is likely the reason she was able to tell her story so openly.
Pippa’s life reads better than a work of fiction, even before she joined the service. Right from birth, she had an exciting story to tell, from her arrival on the deck of a ship, to her young life living in Africa with a cheetah for a pet, to being a barely legal adult in a foreign country. Everything about Pippa is admirable and extraordinary and if anyone is a real-life war hero, it is Ms. Latour.
Considering her age, and the clandestine military work she performed, Pippa’s memory of events is impressive and, where there are gaps, Dobson fills them with thorough research. Both women pay respectful tribute to the fallen and the wounded who played such an important role in shaping the future of, not just Britain, but all of its allies.
“Secret Agent” is a very personal story, and it reads like Pippa is speaking right to me, which helped connect me to this brave and resolute woman. It is unfourtunate that the majority of our veterans, domestic and ally, are no longer around to tell their remarkable stories of a time that we can only imagine. “Agent” is a non-fiction story, which is incredible in itself, but it also provides an in-depth look of World War 2 France, and all of the dramatic and terrifying events that took place there(and throughout the world, of course).
Much respect to Ms. Latour for bringing this story to the world at a relevant and pertinent time. “Secret Agent” should be read by anyone who wants to be inspired, has an interest in World War 2, and believes that female voices should be heard.
Expected publication date: May 13, 2025
“The Last Secret Agent: My Life as a Spy Behind Nazi Lines” is a work of non-fiction by former SEO agent Pippa Latour and biographer Jude Dobson.
Pippa Latour was the last remaining British female operative in WW2. Until her death a few years ago, Pippa had told no one of her past in the war, not even her own children. In 1944, she parachuted into occupied France, posing as a schoolgirl selling handmade soaps, in order to collect and communicate information on the German forces. She was barely an adult herself, surrounded daily by death and gruesome injuries, risking her very life for the war effort. Pippa co-wrote this novel, with the help of Dobson, when she was 101 and, when she died in 2023, she was the last remaining female operative, which, Dobson hints, is likely the reason she was able to tell her story so openly.
Pippa’s life reads better than a work of fiction, even before she joined the service. Right from birth, she had an exciting story to tell, from her arrival on the deck of a ship, to her young life living in Africa with a cheetah for a pet, to being a barely legal adult in a foreign country. Everything about Pippa is admirable and extraordinary and if anyone is a real-life war hero, it is Ms. Latour.
Considering her age, and the clandestine military work she performed, Pippa’s memory of events is impressive and, where there are gaps, Dobson fills them with thorough research. Both women pay respectful tribute to the fallen and the wounded who played such an important role in shaping the future of, not just Britain, but all of its allies.
“Secret Agent” is a very personal story, and it reads like Pippa is speaking right to me, which helped connect me to this brave and resolute woman. It is unfourtunate that the majority of our veterans, domestic and ally, are no longer around to tell their remarkable stories of a time that we can only imagine. “Agent” is a non-fiction story, which is incredible in itself, but it also provides an in-depth look of World War 2 France, and all of the dramatic and terrifying events that took place there(and throughout the world, of course).
Much respect to Ms. Latour for bringing this story to the world at a relevant and pertinent time. “Secret Agent” should be read by anyone who wants to be inspired, has an interest in World War 2, and believes that female voices should be heard.
November 5, 2024
A word not used by me very often but an awesome memoir from the last surviving member of the French section of SOE during WWII. Using her own memories and words and wonderfully researched and written this is the most extraordinary story of Phyllis ‘Pippa’ Latour and her work as a wireless operator in Northern France in the period leading up to the D Day Landings and beyond.
Briefly, at the astonishing age of 23 she agreed to be flown into one of the deadliest parts of France where the anticipated life span of someone like her was between 2-6 weeks. This is not fiction but a very brave woman sharing the brutal reality of war particularly amongst the civilians. How she escapes arrest and carries out her work alongside her couriers and friends will make your hair stand on end.
An amazing story and the fact that her family knew nothing until she was late in life speaks volumes for the lady. It’s critical that she decided to share her story before she died, having believed that it was still covered by the official secrets act. The book is also a touching tribute to her fellow operators who were caught, tortured and executed. This is an important story, very emotional, and one we should never forget.
Briefly, at the astonishing age of 23 she agreed to be flown into one of the deadliest parts of France where the anticipated life span of someone like her was between 2-6 weeks. This is not fiction but a very brave woman sharing the brutal reality of war particularly amongst the civilians. How she escapes arrest and carries out her work alongside her couriers and friends will make your hair stand on end.
An amazing story and the fact that her family knew nothing until she was late in life speaks volumes for the lady. It’s critical that she decided to share her story before she died, having believed that it was still covered by the official secrets act. The book is also a touching tribute to her fellow operators who were caught, tortured and executed. This is an important story, very emotional, and one we should never forget.
October 25, 2024
This is really good!! Nicely written, I had the feeling I could hear Pippa tell her life. She becomes a real person straight away, and then a friend because of the honesty in her telling the story of her life. Pippa was an interesting personality with a fascinating background which might explain her courage and her conscience. Very pleasant to read! Highly recommended.
I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.
I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.
May 21, 2024
Enlightening and sobering story
When a news item on TVNZ One news appeared a few weeks ago, it caught my attention. Within hours I had purchased the book and I'm delighted I did so. Sobering stories are frequent in the book, but it allows the reader to truly understand what life was like for Pippa and many other SOE agents during World War Two. I highly recommend this book. Thanks Jude, your diligence to tell Pippa's story is exemplary.
When a news item on TVNZ One news appeared a few weeks ago, it caught my attention. Within hours I had purchased the book and I'm delighted I did so. Sobering stories are frequent in the book, but it allows the reader to truly understand what life was like for Pippa and many other SOE agents during World War Two. I highly recommend this book. Thanks Jude, your diligence to tell Pippa's story is exemplary.
November 20, 2024
I still think about this book, months after reading it.
December 11, 2024
A great story poorly written
April 27, 2025
This is quite an amazing tale about an amazing woman. The bravery of people, especially women, in WWII is just staggering and this is quite the tale. From an unconventional upbringing in Africa to worn torn France, Pippa leads an astounding life. Written as a memoir she was the last of the SOE women operating in France leading up to D Day, as covert wireless operators. Just in her 20s she stands out early in her training for her quick learning and cool head. This really is an amazing tale.
Thanks to Netgalley for this edition in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
Thanks to Netgalley for this edition in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
May 9, 2025
4.5 / 5.0 Stars
Pippa LaTour was an exceptional, bright, clever, resourceful, and incredibly brave woman. By the age of twenty, she had already experienced more of life than most do in a lifetime. In 1944, at the age of twenty-three, she was dropped into northern France behind enemy lines. She was working as an SOE operative serving the British forces. The work was dangerous and exhausting, yet tremendously vital. After decades of silence, Pippa sets the record straight and tells her amazing story with all its derring-do and close calls.
With assistance from television producer Jude Dobson, Pippa LaTour shares her incredible, informative, and exhilarating story of her World War II service, all of which was done while thwarting enemy efforts in northern France. The writing is solid, insightful, and astonishing as it illuminates her bravery, endurance, and extraordinary drive. The mise en scène was equally extraordinary as Pippa recalled her details as though they happened yesterday. This is a captivating story which you just won't want to put down.
I am grateful to publisher St. Martin's Press for having provided an uncorrected digital galley of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: May 13, 2025
Number of Pages: 304
ISBN: 978-1250384348
Pippa LaTour was an exceptional, bright, clever, resourceful, and incredibly brave woman. By the age of twenty, she had already experienced more of life than most do in a lifetime. In 1944, at the age of twenty-three, she was dropped into northern France behind enemy lines. She was working as an SOE operative serving the British forces. The work was dangerous and exhausting, yet tremendously vital. After decades of silence, Pippa sets the record straight and tells her amazing story with all its derring-do and close calls.
With assistance from television producer Jude Dobson, Pippa LaTour shares her incredible, informative, and exhilarating story of her World War II service, all of which was done while thwarting enemy efforts in northern France. The writing is solid, insightful, and astonishing as it illuminates her bravery, endurance, and extraordinary drive. The mise en scène was equally extraordinary as Pippa recalled her details as though they happened yesterday. This is a captivating story which you just won't want to put down.
I am grateful to publisher St. Martin's Press for having provided an uncorrected digital galley of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: May 13, 2025
Number of Pages: 304
ISBN: 978-1250384348
July 24, 2024
A very interesting story about the life of Pippa Latour who worked as a secret agent in Nazi-Occupied France during WWII. Pippa’s made such a courageous contribution to the allied war effort and her stories are told in a really engaging personal voice. For anyone interested in this part of History, this will be a compelling read. Very accessible.
February 15, 2025
I wanted to like this more than I actually did …. Just felt it was a very comprehensive story that did not go into enough detail. Found myself wondering what she was actually finding out and radioing home other than German whereabouts. Just felt like it glossed over things and it didn’t really captivate me. Not taking away from the fact that she was obviously a remarkably brave woman.
May 9, 2025
The Last Secret Agent was published posthumously, which is probably as Pippa Latour would have wanted. At the age of 102, this is her memoir of her time as a special operations radio operator, where she spied for the British COE during WW2.
Orphaned at an early age, Pippa moved through different countries in Africa after being born in South Africa, including Kenya, the Serengeti, the Congo. She spoke Flemish, Dutch, French, English, Swahili, and more.
After parachuting into Normandy, France in the dead of night, she operated from behind enemy lines, without acknowledgment. She was on the coast of Normandy, pretending to be a soap seller… Meanwhile she was actually reporting on German troop locations, movements, logistics — all things that enabled D-Day. She also saw some trauma as well.
What I really appreciated about this one: I've gotten pretty burnt out on World War II fiction. This one hit harder because it’s real. A true story of a hero for the ages. Godspeed Pippa Latour.
Orphaned at an early age, Pippa moved through different countries in Africa after being born in South Africa, including Kenya, the Serengeti, the Congo. She spoke Flemish, Dutch, French, English, Swahili, and more.
After parachuting into Normandy, France in the dead of night, she operated from behind enemy lines, without acknowledgment. She was on the coast of Normandy, pretending to be a soap seller… Meanwhile she was actually reporting on German troop locations, movements, logistics — all things that enabled D-Day. She also saw some trauma as well.
What I really appreciated about this one: I've gotten pretty burnt out on World War II fiction. This one hit harder because it’s real. A true story of a hero for the ages. Godspeed Pippa Latour.
May 13, 2025
This was a fascinating true story about a female secret spy operating against the German Nazis. I was in awe of this hero who risked her life to fight the good fight of WWII. I applaud the family of Pippa who worked tirelessly to see that her story is finally shared with the world!
I paired the ebook with the audiobook which was a nice addition.
I received an advanced electronic copy from publisher St. Martins Press books and Netgalley. Also thank you to Macmillan audio for the gifted audiobook. Thank you for the opportunity to preview this book. All opinions are my own.
I paired the ebook with the audiobook which was a nice addition.
I received an advanced electronic copy from publisher St. Martins Press books and Netgalley. Also thank you to Macmillan audio for the gifted audiobook. Thank you for the opportunity to preview this book. All opinions are my own.
December 24, 2024
I’m not sure we will ever be able to fully comprehend the immense bravery and strength of these women. Proud, as always, to have such incredible women to aspire to.
February 18, 2025
The life and times of a phenomenal war hero serving in the Special Operations Executive for Britain in WWII. The book is written from Pippa's memories nearly 70 years after the fact. She lived and breathed the atrocities committed by Hitler's Nazi Germany in occupied France, and her retelling of her experiences is sobering and awe-inspiring. A real testament to the tenacity of the human (especially female) spirit in some of humanity's darkest days.
January 18, 2025
A very interesting read but it isn't particularly well written. It is a memoir from a very old lady but it gives an almost emotionless account. However, considering what she witnessed, maybe it was the way she was able to cope.
March 11, 2025
I received this book as part of a Goodreads Giveaway.
Edit: I'm confused. My copy, on the spine, says it will be for sale as of May 2025, but Goodreads has this published in 2024, and people have claimed they have already purchased it...?
I must believe that many of these ratings are more likely due to the sacrifices and heroic work that Pippa accomplished.
(Also, for a book that won't be released until May, how does it have so many reviews??)
However, this book needs much more editing and almost reads as if there has been slim to none. I even wrote many notes in the spaces about things that were confusing and should have been rewritten (mostly in the first two chapters). I understand the "co-author" is not a historian, as mentioned a few times, and it is clear from the epilogue and such that she put quite a bit of effort into putting this book together, but if she didn't look the information up, her editor certainly should have. If Pippa made inaccurate statements, it could have been noted in a footer of the page that what she said was incorrect but acknowledged in the story itself that it is simply her recollection. Personally, I feel like just correcting it in line would have been fine.
I just cannot stand misinformation for the life of me.
Some errors, I believe, are likely formatting issues (unnecessary dashes due to it being justified, but likely something was added or deleted, so the word got moved, but the dash remained).
I'm also not sure why American spelling is used when Pippa is anything but American.
I've included these inaccuracies in the final section of my review.
Her life prior to the war is much more detailed and takes up a good chunk of the book. Many details don't seem to be relevant and come off a bit like an elderly lady's ramblings. There is also incorrect information that could have easily been cross-referenced if given the time. (Also written in the last section of this review.)
A MAJOR issue I found near the beginning is her mention of being nicknamed a "Bush Baby" and would swing vine to vine with monkeys. Referring to a white child in Africa as a "bush baby" is extremely problematic/racist, and I could very well be ignorant of the ability for a human or child to swing vine to vine in the pursuit of monkeys, this part seems like a false memory. Regardless, this should not have made it into the book, and I am surprised it hadn't been removed.
I'm also curious as to how she is able to procure some of these memories of when she was like an infant. But anyway.
I have a lot of cue cards with errors written on them. I hadn't meant to get so invested, I had just started it thinking there would only be a couple in total. There was a time in which I just stopped because there were so many grammatical errors that writing them down was/is pointless and time-consuming.
The book picks up about halfway through when she talks of the war, and there are fewer mistakes. A lot seems sort of glossed over, which is understandable considering how traumatic it must have been. Her continued insistence that this is something private to her made it almost feel intrusive, like I was reading a diary.
This is just a personal pet peeve, but the book itself is so physically large and awkward to hold. There's so much blank space around the perimeter of the pages, I feel like the proportions could be slimmer. It could have also been single spaced instead of double, but again, personal preference.
[Spoilers past here]
I loved reading about her line of work and found it so interesting how she ended up in such a prestigious position without even being actively aware that she was being recruited. Her ongoing feud with Claude is hilarious, and I can just imagine such an old lady still brewing on it. I wonder how many times she must have added Claude into any work stories about where she had pretended to work for long after she left. I doubt she could keep that grudge in for so long.
Her crying about the horses and dead animals instead of the mutilated and dead humans was so real. I think many might read this and wonder what the hell is wrong with her, but I think it was just her shock and trauma catching up to her.
The way she compartmentalized her experience, such as thinking to herself, "At least it's them, not me," was a very real admission and I commend her for including parts such as that and didn't skip over the way she was able to get through it.
Past this is are just notes I have about inaccuracies and mistakes, etc, so if you're not interested, that's fine. It's a bit of a list. (I am typing on my phone, so please forgive ME for making errors while correcting errors. LOL)
[Inaccuracies/Mistakes Past Here]
When dashes are used incorrectly (likely from formatting errors)
Page 104 - "threaten-ing"
Page 232 -"para-chute"
I think there were more, but I spent the entire day reading the majority of this book and writing this review LOL
PREFACE
Page xix- There is a claim that the Geneva Convention did not apply to women. However, the Geneva Convention did not apply to ANY spy, whether male or female.
CHAPTER ONE
Page 4 - I couldn't find any supporting evidence that adoption didn't become a legal entity in Soufh Africa until 1926. The date I found was 1917.
Page 11 - Her inability to remember Nyama's full name. If she couldn't remember it, she shouldn't have included it. Her sentence of "I have never been any good at spelling...etc" sounds like an aside that doesn't need to be there. This, along with the translation (with the aforementioned "bush baby" issue), all kind of goes into racist territory. This happened so long ago that I don't think she has malicious intentions in the way that she remembers it or how she experienced many of these things in childhood, but it doesn't mean it wasn't as problematic as it was or how it is read now.
She writes that "not all traditional healers were bad," which also implies "most of them were."
She also later writes how Nyama didn't partake in medicinal things but preferred his "black magic." Hmm...
Page 15 - I have lots of notes written here with regards to the very awkward wording. There is a lot that could have been re-written to flow a lot better.
Page 16 - I have much of this page crossed out and re-worded. I sympathize with her circumstances, but this sounds like it was transcribed word for word.
CHAPTER TWO
Page 17 - Inconsistencies with numbers - all the ages should either be written out in full or numerically. We have two written out and one written numerically.
There are numerous redundancies.
GP shouldn't be abbreviated without being written out first. It's a commonly known abbreviation, but shouldn't be assumed. Abbreviations always need to be defined, and then the abbreviation in brackets, and thereafter, it's fine to use.
The paragraphs with the brothers' professions should be a new paragraph.
The next couple of pages are littered with grammatical errors and redunancies that I'm not going to go through individually.
The word "sometimes" is used too often, could be switched out for "occasionally," etc.
Page 19 - Another questionable phrasing. She writes that "Sometimes I would eat with the kids in the villages we stopped in fingers and all [...]"
The whole sentence could have been rewritten or moved around. Something about "fingers and all" seems, again, a little... off.
CHAPTER THREE
Pages 33, 35, spelling errors. This could be a phrase used elsewhere, I suppose, but wouldn't "arty" be "artsy"?
Page 35 - She writes about not remembering Ivan's last name. Okay? Does it matter? Again, comes off as rambling and it's irrelevant.
There's lack of capitalization for political titles.
CHAPTER FOUR
I noticed before as well, but "Senior" isn't capitalized for some reason when referring to names.
At this point, the phrase "Another chapter of my life" has become repetitive.
Page 54 - Last paragraph - confusing time jumps from past to future to past again, with no other obvious purpose but to name drop.
CHAPTER SIX
Page 86 - Awkward sentence. "You will know if you look it up." It reads like an email from your grandmother who is sending weird conspiracy theories. That's not what she's doing, but it's too verbatim. It easily could have been cut, especially since it's redundant as she then explains it anyway.
Page 88 - Not sure what's going on in the third paragraph beginning in "They knew that the end of the road [...] but that was all." Very awkward with questionable grammar.
Page 90 - "- they often went in groups[...]" redundant.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Page 105 - Paragraph break midway through sentence "As I pulled the knife[...]" then breaks to "I had tucked[...]"
Usually, authors put dialogue/phrases languages other than the one in which the book is written in italics, and full sentences aren't needed once we are aware that they're speaking French.
I wish it had been reiterated who Claude was at this point.
Page 110 - Another paragraph break halfway through a sentence. It's the one beginning with "The light had shown a woman holding a baby..."
CHAPTER EIGHT
It is already mentioned a lot that her codes were on a piece of silk. It's become too repetitive/redundant.
"Photographic" memories are not real. Eidetic memories are, but they only last for seconds or minutes, so it's not what she's describing. She simply had a very good memory.
Her memory is mentioned a few more times within the next couple of chapters. We get it. It has become redundant to keep repeating.
CHAPTER TWELVE
She has mentioned that the job is dangerous many times, and more so around this part. It's happened like three times almost back to back.
The number of casualties is inaccurate. It's written that 73,000 Allied soldiers were killed in the Battle of Normandy. It's closer to 37,000 - 40,000.
It is written that 22,000 German soldiers are buried around Normandy - that number is closer to 77,000.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
She wrote that Mickey was a "womanizer," and he took away a woman who was "plainly not amenable." A womanizer isn't a rapist, and the wording sounds like he's a rapist.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Although Caen was technically liberated by the British, the Canadians also played an extremely crucial role in this, so it feels like the Canadians just skipped over a bit here. But I'm Canadian, so I'm biased.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Page 232 - Wrong tense. It's written, "Hitler commit suicide." Should be "committed."
To end on a good note:
"Tears for courage are never wasted."
Anyway. Good book, good content, needed heavier editing and fact checking. I doubt I caught it all. Feels like I read it as an editor and not just a reader. This does not feel ready to be published in May. It needs work.
Edit: I'm confused. My copy, on the spine, says it will be for sale as of May 2025, but Goodreads has this published in 2024, and people have claimed they have already purchased it...?
I must believe that many of these ratings are more likely due to the sacrifices and heroic work that Pippa accomplished.
(Also, for a book that won't be released until May, how does it have so many reviews??)
However, this book needs much more editing and almost reads as if there has been slim to none. I even wrote many notes in the spaces about things that were confusing and should have been rewritten (mostly in the first two chapters). I understand the "co-author" is not a historian, as mentioned a few times, and it is clear from the epilogue and such that she put quite a bit of effort into putting this book together, but if she didn't look the information up, her editor certainly should have. If Pippa made inaccurate statements, it could have been noted in a footer of the page that what she said was incorrect but acknowledged in the story itself that it is simply her recollection. Personally, I feel like just correcting it in line would have been fine.
I just cannot stand misinformation for the life of me.
Some errors, I believe, are likely formatting issues (unnecessary dashes due to it being justified, but likely something was added or deleted, so the word got moved, but the dash remained).
I'm also not sure why American spelling is used when Pippa is anything but American.
I've included these inaccuracies in the final section of my review.
Her life prior to the war is much more detailed and takes up a good chunk of the book. Many details don't seem to be relevant and come off a bit like an elderly lady's ramblings. There is also incorrect information that could have easily been cross-referenced if given the time. (Also written in the last section of this review.)
A MAJOR issue I found near the beginning is her mention of being nicknamed a "Bush Baby" and would swing vine to vine with monkeys. Referring to a white child in Africa as a "bush baby" is extremely problematic/racist, and I could very well be ignorant of the ability for a human or child to swing vine to vine in the pursuit of monkeys, this part seems like a false memory. Regardless, this should not have made it into the book, and I am surprised it hadn't been removed.
I'm also curious as to how she is able to procure some of these memories of when she was like an infant. But anyway.
I have a lot of cue cards with errors written on them. I hadn't meant to get so invested, I had just started it thinking there would only be a couple in total. There was a time in which I just stopped because there were so many grammatical errors that writing them down was/is pointless and time-consuming.
The book picks up about halfway through when she talks of the war, and there are fewer mistakes. A lot seems sort of glossed over, which is understandable considering how traumatic it must have been. Her continued insistence that this is something private to her made it almost feel intrusive, like I was reading a diary.
This is just a personal pet peeve, but the book itself is so physically large and awkward to hold. There's so much blank space around the perimeter of the pages, I feel like the proportions could be slimmer. It could have also been single spaced instead of double, but again, personal preference.
[Spoilers past here]
I loved reading about her line of work and found it so interesting how she ended up in such a prestigious position without even being actively aware that she was being recruited. Her ongoing feud with Claude is hilarious, and I can just imagine such an old lady still brewing on it. I wonder how many times she must have added Claude into any work stories about where she had pretended to work for long after she left. I doubt she could keep that grudge in for so long.
Her crying about the horses and dead animals instead of the mutilated and dead humans was so real. I think many might read this and wonder what the hell is wrong with her, but I think it was just her shock and trauma catching up to her.
The way she compartmentalized her experience, such as thinking to herself, "At least it's them, not me," was a very real admission and I commend her for including parts such as that and didn't skip over the way she was able to get through it.
Past this is are just notes I have about inaccuracies and mistakes, etc, so if you're not interested, that's fine. It's a bit of a list. (I am typing on my phone, so please forgive ME for making errors while correcting errors. LOL)
[Inaccuracies/Mistakes Past Here]
When dashes are used incorrectly (likely from formatting errors)
Page 104 - "threaten-ing"
Page 232 -"para-chute"
I think there were more, but I spent the entire day reading the majority of this book and writing this review LOL
PREFACE
Page xix- There is a claim that the Geneva Convention did not apply to women. However, the Geneva Convention did not apply to ANY spy, whether male or female.
CHAPTER ONE
Page 4 - I couldn't find any supporting evidence that adoption didn't become a legal entity in Soufh Africa until 1926. The date I found was 1917.
Page 11 - Her inability to remember Nyama's full name. If she couldn't remember it, she shouldn't have included it. Her sentence of "I have never been any good at spelling...etc" sounds like an aside that doesn't need to be there. This, along with the translation (with the aforementioned "bush baby" issue), all kind of goes into racist territory. This happened so long ago that I don't think she has malicious intentions in the way that she remembers it or how she experienced many of these things in childhood, but it doesn't mean it wasn't as problematic as it was or how it is read now.
She writes that "not all traditional healers were bad," which also implies "most of them were."
She also later writes how Nyama didn't partake in medicinal things but preferred his "black magic." Hmm...
Page 15 - I have lots of notes written here with regards to the very awkward wording. There is a lot that could have been re-written to flow a lot better.
Page 16 - I have much of this page crossed out and re-worded. I sympathize with her circumstances, but this sounds like it was transcribed word for word.
CHAPTER TWO
Page 17 - Inconsistencies with numbers - all the ages should either be written out in full or numerically. We have two written out and one written numerically.
There are numerous redundancies.
GP shouldn't be abbreviated without being written out first. It's a commonly known abbreviation, but shouldn't be assumed. Abbreviations always need to be defined, and then the abbreviation in brackets, and thereafter, it's fine to use.
The paragraphs with the brothers' professions should be a new paragraph.
The next couple of pages are littered with grammatical errors and redunancies that I'm not going to go through individually.
The word "sometimes" is used too often, could be switched out for "occasionally," etc.
Page 19 - Another questionable phrasing. She writes that "Sometimes I would eat with the kids in the villages we stopped in fingers and all [...]"
The whole sentence could have been rewritten or moved around. Something about "fingers and all" seems, again, a little... off.
CHAPTER THREE
Pages 33, 35, spelling errors. This could be a phrase used elsewhere, I suppose, but wouldn't "arty" be "artsy"?
Page 35 - She writes about not remembering Ivan's last name. Okay? Does it matter? Again, comes off as rambling and it's irrelevant.
There's lack of capitalization for political titles.
CHAPTER FOUR
I noticed before as well, but "Senior" isn't capitalized for some reason when referring to names.
At this point, the phrase "Another chapter of my life" has become repetitive.
Page 54 - Last paragraph - confusing time jumps from past to future to past again, with no other obvious purpose but to name drop.
CHAPTER SIX
Page 86 - Awkward sentence. "You will know if you look it up." It reads like an email from your grandmother who is sending weird conspiracy theories. That's not what she's doing, but it's too verbatim. It easily could have been cut, especially since it's redundant as she then explains it anyway.
Page 88 - Not sure what's going on in the third paragraph beginning in "They knew that the end of the road [...] but that was all." Very awkward with questionable grammar.
Page 90 - "- they often went in groups[...]" redundant.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Page 105 - Paragraph break midway through sentence "As I pulled the knife[...]" then breaks to "I had tucked[...]"
Usually, authors put dialogue/phrases languages other than the one in which the book is written in italics, and full sentences aren't needed once we are aware that they're speaking French.
I wish it had been reiterated who Claude was at this point.
Page 110 - Another paragraph break halfway through a sentence. It's the one beginning with "The light had shown a woman holding a baby..."
CHAPTER EIGHT
It is already mentioned a lot that her codes were on a piece of silk. It's become too repetitive/redundant.
"Photographic" memories are not real. Eidetic memories are, but they only last for seconds or minutes, so it's not what she's describing. She simply had a very good memory.
Her memory is mentioned a few more times within the next couple of chapters. We get it. It has become redundant to keep repeating.
CHAPTER TWELVE
She has mentioned that the job is dangerous many times, and more so around this part. It's happened like three times almost back to back.
The number of casualties is inaccurate. It's written that 73,000 Allied soldiers were killed in the Battle of Normandy. It's closer to 37,000 - 40,000.
It is written that 22,000 German soldiers are buried around Normandy - that number is closer to 77,000.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
She wrote that Mickey was a "womanizer," and he took away a woman who was "plainly not amenable." A womanizer isn't a rapist, and the wording sounds like he's a rapist.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Although Caen was technically liberated by the British, the Canadians also played an extremely crucial role in this, so it feels like the Canadians just skipped over a bit here. But I'm Canadian, so I'm biased.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Page 232 - Wrong tense. It's written, "Hitler commit suicide." Should be "committed."
To end on a good note:
"Tears for courage are never wasted."
Anyway. Good book, good content, needed heavier editing and fact checking. I doubt I caught it all. Feels like I read it as an editor and not just a reader. This does not feel ready to be published in May. It needs work.
May 24, 2025
The Last Secret Agent by Pippa Latour is a powerful, deeply moving account of one woman’s incredible contributions to the Allied war effort. She tells her story with humility, clarity, and an eye for the emotional and historical weight. This book is not just a memoir; it’s a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, especially when the stakes are nothing less than freedom itself.
What struck me most was how much of her work, and the work of so many women like her, was done in the shadows. There’s a whole history of women’s contributions to WWII that we rarely hear about, especially in espionage. Latour’s story is a reminder that the war wasn’t just won on the front lines. It was also fought in whispers, coded messages, train compartments, and village safehouses—often by women who had to blend in, endure, and persist without recognition or support.
What sets this book apart from other wartime memoirs is Latour’s voice: intelligent, composed, and refreshingly understated. She does not sensationalize her experiences, though she certainly could. Instead, she invites readers into the quiet, often invisible world of espionage—where courage is measured not by dramatic gestures, but by the willingness to risk everything for the greater good, day after day, in absolute secrecy.
The book offers an intimate window into the workings of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and the dangerous operations carried out by agents behind enemy lines. Latour’s training, deployment, and covert activities in Nazi-occupied France are described with precision and grace, revealing the incredible challenges faced by women in espionage—both logistical and emotional. Her reflections on fear, loyalty, and isolation are profound and deeply humanizing.
Perhaps most moving is the way Latour highlights the collaborative nature of resistance. This is not just her story, it is also a tribute to the countless individuals, named and unnamed, who aided her mission and paid dearly for their bravery. There’s a reverent, almost sacred quality to the way she recounts the fates of her fellow agents and the civilians who risked their lives to help. And she never forgets to honor those around her, civilians, resistance fighters, and fellow agents, many of whom never made it home.
This is a must-read not only for history enthusiasts, but for anyone interested in the nuanced realities of wartime heroism. It challenges the traditional narratives of war by centering a woman whose intelligence, adaptability, and moral conviction made her an unsung hero of the Allied victory.
This is more than a war story, it’s a deeply personal reminder of how many courageous women helped shape history, even if history didn’t bother to remember them. Latour’s memoir is a long-overdue tribute to that forgotten courage.
Thank you Net Galley for the ARC!
What struck me most was how much of her work, and the work of so many women like her, was done in the shadows. There’s a whole history of women’s contributions to WWII that we rarely hear about, especially in espionage. Latour’s story is a reminder that the war wasn’t just won on the front lines. It was also fought in whispers, coded messages, train compartments, and village safehouses—often by women who had to blend in, endure, and persist without recognition or support.
What sets this book apart from other wartime memoirs is Latour’s voice: intelligent, composed, and refreshingly understated. She does not sensationalize her experiences, though she certainly could. Instead, she invites readers into the quiet, often invisible world of espionage—where courage is measured not by dramatic gestures, but by the willingness to risk everything for the greater good, day after day, in absolute secrecy.
The book offers an intimate window into the workings of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and the dangerous operations carried out by agents behind enemy lines. Latour’s training, deployment, and covert activities in Nazi-occupied France are described with precision and grace, revealing the incredible challenges faced by women in espionage—both logistical and emotional. Her reflections on fear, loyalty, and isolation are profound and deeply humanizing.
Perhaps most moving is the way Latour highlights the collaborative nature of resistance. This is not just her story, it is also a tribute to the countless individuals, named and unnamed, who aided her mission and paid dearly for their bravery. There’s a reverent, almost sacred quality to the way she recounts the fates of her fellow agents and the civilians who risked their lives to help. And she never forgets to honor those around her, civilians, resistance fighters, and fellow agents, many of whom never made it home.
This is a must-read not only for history enthusiasts, but for anyone interested in the nuanced realities of wartime heroism. It challenges the traditional narratives of war by centering a woman whose intelligence, adaptability, and moral conviction made her an unsung hero of the Allied victory.
This is more than a war story, it’s a deeply personal reminder of how many courageous women helped shape history, even if history didn’t bother to remember them. Latour’s memoir is a long-overdue tribute to that forgotten courage.
Thank you Net Galley for the ARC!
May 3, 2025
From 1941 to 1944, four hundred and seventy SOE agents were sent to France to participate in clandestine work such as sabotage, espionage, and reconnaissance. Approximately forty of those agents were female, one of whom was Pippa Latour. Having kept her WWII work a secret for decades, this memoir explores the untold story of Pippa's time as an undercover agent.
The Last Secret Agent explores Pippa's life from birth through to the end of the Second World War, and what a life she led!. Pippa had quite a unique upbringing, and her early years were full of change and loss. However, many of the skills she learned prepared her for what was to come later. While I was expecting a war memoir, I found myself thoroughly captivated by the entirety of Pippa's unusual but fascinating life.
This book was co-written by journalist Jude Dobson, and I really appreciated the writing style. The book felt well-researched without losing Pippa's voice and the memories that she had of specific events. I loved that she wasn't afraid to tell her version of events, correcting facts or information that she'd read online or in other agents' accounts. While it's clear that there were some lapses in her memory (she hadn't spoken of these events for decades), she freely admits those, and any gaps were expertly filled in with research by Dobson.
I love memoirs, particularly of women breaking boundaries and living ordinary lives in extraordinary ways, and Pippa is a great example of an inspirational woman who stepped up and did what needed to be done. Her account is one of courage and honesty, highlighting the work she accomplished while honouring her fellow female SOE agents who didn't make it home.
If you enjoy memoirs about incredible lives lived, this is definitely one to add to your shelf. Thanks to the publisher for my gifted, advance copy!
The Last Secret Agent explores Pippa's life from birth through to the end of the Second World War, and what a life she led!. Pippa had quite a unique upbringing, and her early years were full of change and loss. However, many of the skills she learned prepared her for what was to come later. While I was expecting a war memoir, I found myself thoroughly captivated by the entirety of Pippa's unusual but fascinating life.
This book was co-written by journalist Jude Dobson, and I really appreciated the writing style. The book felt well-researched without losing Pippa's voice and the memories that she had of specific events. I loved that she wasn't afraid to tell her version of events, correcting facts or information that she'd read online or in other agents' accounts. While it's clear that there were some lapses in her memory (she hadn't spoken of these events for decades), she freely admits those, and any gaps were expertly filled in with research by Dobson.
I love memoirs, particularly of women breaking boundaries and living ordinary lives in extraordinary ways, and Pippa is a great example of an inspirational woman who stepped up and did what needed to be done. Her account is one of courage and honesty, highlighting the work she accomplished while honouring her fellow female SOE agents who didn't make it home.
If you enjoy memoirs about incredible lives lived, this is definitely one to add to your shelf. Thanks to the publisher for my gifted, advance copy!
April 30, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Pippa Latour's personal history as a SOE agent. I LOVE getting to learn more about field operatives during WWII--especially women! The admiration I have for all the women I read memoirs from who held these roles are truly awe-inspiring.
Pippa Latour spent her early years in the Belgian Congo, where she rapidly picked up several languages, learned how to shoot a gun, and took classes to learn morse. All of this really set her up well for where she'd find herself in her early 20s--a British spy working in Nazi France, operating a Type 3 Mk. II or Mk XV (I presume). As she enters her role in 1944, Pippa is in her early 20s. However, she's to go undercover as a 14-year old school girl living with her grandparents and selling soaps. She has some ingenious ideas in the field--from where she stores her codes in a shoelace to where she hides the crystal for her machine--I was wholly impressed.
She was one of very few to make it back home after the war's conclusion and signed a NDA. She never spoke of her experiences after the war, until now. Her children eventually asked her in the early 2000s about her experiences after reading about her somewhere else. They had no idea! When she decided to share her story, she wanted it done her way. This memoir was written entirely by Pippa (with some assistance from journalist Jude Dobson) and published posthumously.
Highly recommend to all my friends and followers!! This is one you surely won't regret. Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillian audio for the ARC of this book!
Pippa Latour spent her early years in the Belgian Congo, where she rapidly picked up several languages, learned how to shoot a gun, and took classes to learn morse. All of this really set her up well for where she'd find herself in her early 20s--a British spy working in Nazi France, operating a Type 3 Mk. II or Mk XV (I presume). As she enters her role in 1944, Pippa is in her early 20s. However, she's to go undercover as a 14-year old school girl living with her grandparents and selling soaps. She has some ingenious ideas in the field--from where she stores her codes in a shoelace to where she hides the crystal for her machine--I was wholly impressed.
She was one of very few to make it back home after the war's conclusion and signed a NDA. She never spoke of her experiences after the war, until now. Her children eventually asked her in the early 2000s about her experiences after reading about her somewhere else. They had no idea! When she decided to share her story, she wanted it done her way. This memoir was written entirely by Pippa (with some assistance from journalist Jude Dobson) and published posthumously.
Highly recommend to all my friends and followers!! This is one you surely won't regret. Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillian audio for the ARC of this book!
July 10, 2025
Pippa's entire childhood and adolescence was peripatetic and she did it as an orphan from the age of four. Kudos to her for being so resilient and steady, and accepting that life could be what she made of it.
Born on a Durban dock, Pippa's parents then took her to the Belgian Congo. After becoming an orphan, Pippa's godparents and aunts shared the task of loving her and raising her all around Africa and also France. Fortuitously, she learnt and became proficient in Morse Code while very young and also could wield a gun with great accuracy. Not skills that a girl at a Parisienne finishing school might boast of, but very handy for a spy.
After having learned English and having joined the WAAF, she transferred to S O E in 1943 to become a secret agent. She adopted the cover of a 15 yr old cycling around Normandy to sell home made soap so that she could observe Troop movements and report it to assist D Day plans. She shares her experiences, warts and all, and pays tribute to the bravery of many other compatriots.
Jude Dobson is excellent as a writer. Her own voice never intrudes, she just facilitates Pippa's story being told.
Born on a Durban dock, Pippa's parents then took her to the Belgian Congo. After becoming an orphan, Pippa's godparents and aunts shared the task of loving her and raising her all around Africa and also France. Fortuitously, she learnt and became proficient in Morse Code while very young and also could wield a gun with great accuracy. Not skills that a girl at a Parisienne finishing school might boast of, but very handy for a spy.
After having learned English and having joined the WAAF, she transferred to S O E in 1943 to become a secret agent. She adopted the cover of a 15 yr old cycling around Normandy to sell home made soap so that she could observe Troop movements and report it to assist D Day plans. She shares her experiences, warts and all, and pays tribute to the bravery of many other compatriots.
Jude Dobson is excellent as a writer. Her own voice never intrudes, she just facilitates Pippa's story being told.
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