One woman's war : a novel of the real Miss Moneypenny / Christine Wells.
Record details
- ISBN: 0063111802
- ISBN: 9780063111806
- Physical Description: 354, 20 pages ; 21 cm.
- Edition: First edition.
- Publisher: New York, NY : William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, [2022].
- Copyright: ©2022.
Content descriptions
General Note: | "P.S. insights, interviews & more..."--Page 4 of cover. |
Summary, etc.: | "World War II London: When Victoire "Paddy" Bennett first walks into the Admiralty's Room 39, home to the Intelligence Division, all the bright and lively young woman expects is a secretarial position to the charismatic Commander Ian Fleming. But soon her job is so much more, and when Fleming proposes a daring plot to deceive the Germans about Allied invasion plans he requests the newlywed Paddy's help. She jumps at the chance to work as an agent in the field, even after the operation begins to affect her marriage. But could doing her duty for King and country come at too great a cost? Socialite Friedl Stöttinger is a beautiful Austrian double agent determined to survive in wartime England, which means working for MI-5, investigating fifth column activity among the British elite at parties and nightclubs. But Friedl has a secret--some years before, she agreed to work for German Intelligence and spy on the British. When her handler at MI-5 proposes that she work with Serbian agent, Dusko Popov, Friedl falls hopelessly in love with the dashing spy. And when her intelligence work becomes fraught with danger, she must choose whether to remain loyal to the British and risk torture and execution by the Nazis, or betray thousands of men to their deaths. Soon, the lives of these two extraordinarily brave women will collide, as each travels down a road of deception and danger leading to one of the greatest battles of World War II. |
Search for related items by subject
Genre: | Spy fiction. Historical fiction. Thrillers (Fiction) |
Available copies
- 10 of 10 copies available at Bibliomation. (Show)
- 1 of 1 copy available at Ridgefield Library.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 10 total copies.
Other Formats and Editions
Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ridgefield Library | F WELLS (Text) | 34010154191315 | Adult Fiction | Available | - |
BookList Review
One Woman's War : A Novel of the Real Miss Moneypenny
Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Serious James Bond fans know that Miss Moneypenny, M's private secretary, was inspired by a real person. Among the several candidates for the "real" Moneypenny is WWII intelligence operative Victoire Bennett, who worked with Bond creator (and Naval Intelligence operative) Ian Fleming and who was instrumental in the planning and execution of Operation Mincemeat, an elaborate misdirection effort designed to mislead the Germans about the Allied invasion of Italy. In her new novel, Wells tells the fact-based but fictionalized story of Operation Mincemeat, Bennett, and her relationship with Fleming. Bennett comes across as a smart, brooks-no-nonsense woman who could well have served as an inspiration for Moneypenny. Whether the Fleming in the book is the "real" Ian Fleming is up for debate--various Fleming biographies paint different pictures of the man--but one thing's for sure: he feels just right: a dash of Bond's panache, a touch of arrogance, a self-congratulatory approach to his own successes, and a fondness for the opposite sex, the kind of fellow who would later invent one of popular fiction's most enduring characters. An exciting story, well told.
Library Journal Review
One Woman's War : A Novel of the Real Miss Moneypenny
Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Wells's (Sisters of the Resistance) taut novel of World War II historical fiction features Victoire "Paddy" Bennett, the real inspiration for the fictional Miss Moneypenny in the James Bond movies, and Friedl Stottinger, an Austrian double agent. Wells develops the backstories and complex personalities of these women, setting them against the backdrop of war-torn Europe on the verge of D-Day. Bennett, who worked with Bond creator Ian Fleming, works her way up the ranks, eventually ending up as an agent in the field, while Stottinger does whatever she can to survive. Amid the excitement of Operation Mincemeat, a dashing Serbian spy, glamorous parties, divided loyalties, love, romances, famous poets, betrayals, and espionage, the women's paths cross repeatedly until the exciting conclusion. Saskia Maarleveld's narration, particularly her work with accents, is fantastic. Maarleveld brings a thriller-like energy to her telling of this larger-than-life tale, capturing the headiness of the times. VERDICT Wells's well-written and enthusiastically narrated novel is a winner. Share with fans of Jennifer Chiaverini and Beatriz Williams.--Scott DiMarco