One Woman's War

One Woman's War

Christine Wells

Publication date: October 4, 2022 by William Morrow & Company

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: 4 👢👢👢👢

Summary: From the author of Sisters of the Resistance comes the story of WWII British Naval Intelligence officer Victoire Bennett, the real-life inspiration for the James Bond character Miss Moneypenny, whose international covert operation is put in jeopardy when a volatile socialite and Austrian double agent threatens to expose the mission to German High Command.

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. 

My thoughts: I've never watched a James Bond film or read any of Ian Fleming's books in the series. I was however delighted to see that one of his characters had been inspired by a real woman. Wells draws upon  Fleming's work during WWII and his coworkers during that time to provide another element to the Bond story. This book gives voice to the less glamourous but no less dangerous role that women played in intelligence operations. Ms. Bennett worked side by side with Fleming and conversed with him on some of his more wilder notions of espionage. Ms. Stottinger was playing a game of survival, which may or may not have included being a double agent. Each woman played the game for different reasons but each exhibited dedication and courage. 

This wasn't the page turner I expected. I also can't say that I particularly connected to either main character. I did enjoy reading the evolution of each covert mission and the intricacies involved. 

I received a copy of this title via NetGalley.