Wednesday, August 20, 2014

His Majesty's Hope - Susan Elia MacNeal

Title: His Majesty's Hope (Maggie Hope Mystery #3)
Author: Susan Elia MacNeal
Pages: 334
Published: 2013
Challenges: Blogger Summer Reading, Historical Fiction, I Love Libraries, War Through the Generations
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Edition: Paperback
Source: Library

Description: World War II has finally come home to Britain, but it takes more than nightly air raids to rattle intrepid spy and expert code breaker Maggie Hope. After serving as a secret agent to protect Princess Elizabeth at Windsor Castle, Maggie is now an elite member of the Special Operations Executive—a black ops organization designed to aid the British effort abroad—and her first assignment sends her straight into Nazi-controlled Berlin, the very heart of the German war machine. Relying on her quick wit and keen instincts, Maggie infiltrates the highest level of Berlin society, gathering information to pass on to London headquarters. But the secrets she unveils will expose a darker, more dangerous side of the war—and of her own past. (from Goodreads)

Thoughts: I really enjoyed this read, as it was a nice break from the heavier-themed fiction that I had previously completed.  While I had previously enjoyed the first two books in the series, this book was much more enjoyable to read.  Maybe it was that the primary story took place in a different location than war-time London or maybe it was that I had recently finished the second book in the series, I think it was because the themes dealt in the book went below the surface and dealt with more personal issues with Maggie and also was more darker and sinister than what was dealt with in the first two books in the series.

I also liked how the plot moved smoothly between London and Berlin and the other minor characters in the series, particularly David's story.   I also liked that while the main story of the book was basically resolved, with the minor storylines in the book were left unfinished just enough to keep a fan of the series coming back and wanting more.

Bottom line: If you have read the first two books in the series, you will enjoy this one as well.   If you are new to the series, I would recommend reading the first two books, as they provide the back story to this book.  Highly recommended to fans of the series.

Rating: 4.5/5

Pages for 2014: 13,395

If you have read the book, what did you think of it?

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What Strange Paradise - Omar El Akkad

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