A Beautiful Spy ~ A Review

Overview

A Beautiful Spy

Minnie Gray is an ordinary young woman. She is also a spy for the British government.

It all began in the summer of 1928…

Minnie is supposed to find a nice man, get married and have children. The problem is it doesn’t appeal to her at all. She is working as a secretary, but longs to make a difference.

Then, one day, she gets her chance. She is recruited by the British government as a spy. Under strict instructions not to tell anyone, not even her family, she moves to London and begins her mission – to infiltrate the Communist movement.

Available to buy here: Amazon (UK) – Amazon (US)

Review

A gripping read. I was torn between a need to reach the conclusion, and not wanting the story to end.

Caught in a world where the patriarchy rules, and women are expected to marry and look after the family, Minnie is an outsider. Although she would like the happiness she observes others experience through their relationships, she also craves something more. Something which will bring her fulfilment, and stretch her abilities.

Minnie, and the supporting cast of characters, are brought to life through Rachel Hore’s carefully crafted narrative. The work Minnie is recruited for sounds exciting, but proves to be more stressful than she anticipates. It creates distance between family and friends, stretching relationships in the process. Not sure who is using her and for what purpose, Minnie struggles to know who to trust. Her conflicting loyalties and the manipulation of her emotions by those who she reports to are described extremely well. I felt real empathy with the young woman who is doing her best in a lonely, male dominated, and dangerous world.

A thoroughly enjoyable novel, and a very likeable lead character. Sadly, many of the challenges which Minnie faces as a woman continue to be replicated in today’s society, adding a sobering note to the narrative.

About The Author

Rachel Hore worked in London publishing for many years before moving with her family to Norwich, where she taught publishing and creative writing at the University of East Anglia until deciding to become a full-time writer.

She is the Sunday Times (London) bestselling author of ten novels, including The Love Child. She is married to the writer D.J. Taylor and they have three sons. Visit Rachel’s website at RachelHore.co.uk and connect with her on Twitter @RachelHore.

 

Many thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for offering me the chance to review A Beautiful Spy as part of her book tour. Thank you to Rachel Hore for gifting me a copy of the book, in return for an honest review. All views expressed are my own.