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Spies

Dragonfly

February 18, 2022 by Carla Leave a Comment

Title: Dragonfly by Leila Meacham
Format: Book, Book on CD, Large Print
Who’s It For: Adults

During the Nazi occupation of Paris, five Americans went undercover to ferret out German top secrets. In short, they were spies. Samuel Barton was a civil engineer who would gather intel on German blueprints. Christoph Brandt was a track-and-field coach.  He would teach sports in a private school to children of top German officials.  Brad Hudson would use his fly-fishing skills to befriend Nazis. Victoria Grayson’s fencing skills would open avenues with German elite.  And Bridgette Loring, fashion designer, would secrete knowledge through fashionable wives and girlfriends.  

Together, their team was known as “Dragonfly.”  Although they were all trained stateside by the Office of Secret Services, their true identities were  concealed from each other.  They each had a code name and an assumed name while in France: Samuel/Lodestar/Stephane, Christoph/Lapwing/Claus, Brad/Limpet/Barnard, Victoria/Limpet/Veronique, and Bridgette/Labrador/Bernadette.  Bridgette resided at a convent.  On the wall of the convent, she painted a mural through which she could relay secret messages to the others through changes to the art.  And team members weekly submitted intel to Bridgette through a mail drop.  Bridgette in turn transmitted messages back to their OSS case officer, Alistair Renault, via a hidden radio at the convent.

What could go wrong?  What could happen if team members bumped into each other in their assumed life?  If an American turned Nazi ran into his best friend in Paris, would he turn in his countryman?  What if a Nazi fell in love with one of the women?  Would any of the five survive this dangerous mission?

My son first read this story and recommended it to me.  And I loved it!  The narration switches from one team member to another and then to Alistair, their case officer, who is very concerned for these young people.  The timeline alternates from the past to 20 years later.  All of these elements contribute to the tension and drama of the story.  It was a page-turner!

If you enjoy being immersed in another place and time in history, I recommend this book to you.

Find Dragonfly in the catalog.

Filed Under: Recommended for Adults Tagged With: French Resistance, Historical Fiction, Spies, World War II

Mr. Churchill’s Secretary

May 13, 2020 by Carla Leave a Comment

Mr. Churchill’s Secretary by Susan Elia MacNeal
Format: eBook, digital audiobook
Who it’s for: Adults

Maggie was looking forward to graduate studies in math at MIT.  When her grandmother passed, Maggie had to return to the land of her birth: England.  She planned to sell her inheritance: a big old Victorian house. Yet, with the war underway, it was no time to sell. Instead, Maggie welcomed boarders and friends: Irish Chuck (Charlotte), ballerina Sarah, stylish Paige, and the “Ding-bell” twins, Annabelle and Clarabelle.  Slowly, Maggie would fix-up the aged house.

One night, a young woman missed her bus and so walked home. On the way, she was murdered. David, a personal secretary to Churchill, urged his friend Maggie to apply for the dead woman’s job. So, Maggie joined the typing pool in the Prime Minister’s office. She longed for a more mathematical challenge. Yet, soon she had her hands full. Someone set off a bomb in a nearby train station. Was it the IRA? Also, when Maggie found some dots and dashes in the newspaper, she suspected that she had stumbled on more than an ad. Could Maggie break the code? With terrorists and spies underfoot, could Maggie help her friends and homeland before it was too late?

For all who love historical stories of suspense, this is the ticket.  And it’s the first book in a series!

Find it on OverDrive/Libby!

Filed Under: Recommended for Adults Tagged With: Churchill, England, Spies, World War II

The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

September 10, 2018 by Gregory Escobar Leave a Comment

Title: The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Format: DVD
Who it’s for: Adults

This movie has it all. It is part spy movie, part buddy film and yes, even a romantic comedy, so it is easy for any movie goer to enjoy. This movie stars Henry Cavill as a CIA agent and Armie Hammer as a KGB agent both trying to retrieve a nuclear bomb. The buddy cop portion of this movie was done quite well, both agents have different ways of getting the job done and are continually butting heads.

This movie is a great watch for just about anyone so get some popcorn and enjoy the show!

Find it in the catalog.

Filed Under: Recommended for Adults Tagged With: Movie, Spies, Suspense

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