#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A young woman is caught up in a dangerous double life on behalf of her country during World War II in Danielle Steel’s thrilling new novel. At eighteen, Alexandra Wickham is presented to King George V and Queen Mary in an exquisite white lace and satin dress her mother has ordered from Paris. With her delicate blond looks, she is a stunning beauty who seems … stunning beauty who seems destined for a privileged life. But fate, a world war, and her own quietly rebellious personality lead her down a different path.
By 1939, Europe is on fire and England is at war. From her home in idyllic Hampshire, Alex makes her way to London as a volunteer in the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry. But she has skills that draw the attention of another branch of the service. Fluent in French and German, she would make the perfect secret agent.
Within a year, Alex is shocking her family in trousers and bright red lipstick. They must never know about the work she does—no one can know, not even the pilot she falls in love with. While her country and those dearest to her pay the terrible price of war, Alex learns the art of espionage, leading to life-and-death missions behind enemy lines and a long career as a spy in exotic places and historic times.
Spy follows Alex’s extraordinary adventures in World War II and afterward in India, Pakistan, Morocco, Hong Kong, Moscow, and Washington, D.C., when her husband, Richard, enters the foreign service and both become witnesses to a rapidly changing world from post-war to Cold War. She lives life on the edge, with a secret she must always keep hidden.
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War, Intrigue, Love, and Loss Across a Lifetime
This is a wonderful tale that I had trouble putting down. It begins just prior to WWII and follows a young woman’s lifetime. There are love and loss, war and intrigue and a lifetime as a spy. This would make a seriously good movie! This is a clean story with only implied sex and no graphic violence or gore. I can’t believe that I have not read any of this famous author’s other books. That changes today! I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.
An enlightening look into the life of a spy! With Danielle Steel’s latest release SPY, she delves into the life of a family in late 1930’s Hampshire as World War II is raging and their loved ones are getting into the midst of it all.
Finding herself at odds with what life is expecting of her and where it’s leading her, Alexandra sets out to volunteer during the war at the First Aid Nursing center, but her fluent language skills quickly gain the attention of intelligence that tempts her into spying on the enemy. During this time she meets and falls in love with a pilot, but she must keep her secret assignments to herself.
We continue to follow her life and assignments as the war ends and she marries her pilot and goes on to raise a family as she continues to compile secrets she can share with no one.
I highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a historical romance intermixed with turmoil, secrets and intrigue. Alexandra was easy to become enchanted with, and following her through all of her exploits was quite riveting.
I have read just about every single Danielle Steel book ever written and this is by far one of her best. From the first page, you are sucked into the world of the characters and continue to follow them, their families and their story throughout the book. It is very obvious the extensive amount of research that went into this book as the details were on point. If you like historical fiction, romance or World War 2, I highly recommend this book.
Spy is set during WWII and is about Alex’s journey through life from a debutant to a spy. Along the way Alex goes through quite a bit and grows into a strong, independent woman leading a double life. This is a captivating story that takes the reader on a historical ride filled with tragedy, war, life after war, marriage, motherhood and so much more. Great writing, believable characters and an intriguing journey make this a must read.
Spy by Danielle Steel takes readers through the life of Alex Wickham. When England entered the war, Alex joined the First Aid Nursing Yeomancy in London where she drove lorries. Alex knew French and German fluently which is how she captured the eye of the newly organized Special Operations Executive (SOE). Alex becomes a secret agent who goes on dozens of missions to aid England during the war. When the war ends, Alex finds a new way to serve her country. We follow Alex from London to India, Moscow, Morocco, Pakistan, Hong Kong and Washington D.C. I find Spy to be a captivating story that is rich in historical detail from World War II to India gaining its independence from the United Kingdom to the cold war in Moscow. Danielle Steel did a superb job on the research for this book. The historical details enrich the Spy and really bring it to life. I felt like I was there with Alex. Alex Wickham was a developed character who was intelligent, strong and lovely. I became engrossed in Spy which moved along at a fast pace. It is a realistic and emotional story. There are life’s normal high and low’s as well as the travesties that come from war. I like Danielle Steel’s writing style which makes a story engaging and easy to read. Spy has family, friendship, love, grief, adventure and secrets. I like where the author took the story plus the charming ending. Spy is fascinating tale with secret agents, exploding bombs, undercover missions, political uprisings, and surprising secrets.
Spy by Danielle Steel is such a well written, detailed, and page-turner novel. The book is filled with action-pack adventure, humor, romance, and is especially a super tearjerker. Get ready for one heck of a read and have tissues at the side. Danielle portrays Alexandra as a well-rounded character, she shows no fear when taking up new challenges and yet she’s such a sweetheart with her loved ones.
For an extended review please visit https://www.upcomingbookreviews.com/2019/09/the-spy-novel-that-made-me-cried.html
Spy by Danielle Steel is an excellent historical fiction novel that introduces us to the intriguing character of Alexandra (Alex) Wickham. It almost reads as a biography of sorts and begins when Alex is a teen growing up with her parents and brothers in Hampshire, England beginning around 1939.
The book proceeds to give us an unraveling of a fascinating life that unfolds for Alex through the years of WWII and her eventual involvement with SOE, her missions and day to day life during that time, as well as the tragedies that take place as well. It also covers her sweet romance and beginnings with RAF squadron leader, Richard, and what would end up being their 54 year marriage.
The “second” part of the book (in my mind) is post-war and the travels, triumphs, and tragedies that Alex experiences while traveling to: India, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Soviet Union, and Washington DC as Richard is part of the foreign ambassador office and Alex is part of MI6.
I loved reading about her relationship, her family, and her granddaughters afterwards as well.
I enjoyed Alex, Richard, and her family. It was interesting to have a peak inside what life was like during those volatile years of WWII and post-war/Cold War, and some of the clandestine and “organized” British military endeavors that occurred. I feel as if Alex was an honest, honorable, likable, and truly genuine character, that to me, seemed very real thanks to the imagery that was given by Ms. Steel. Remarkable.
I truly enjoyed the ending and feel as if it came full circle and left the reader with the knowledge that Alex has many more adventures and chapters to write in her life story.
This is a great novel that I did not want to end.
5/5 stars
Stayed up late reading this book.
Great book
Typical D.S. book. Very little dialogue, gentle scenery, and very predictable.
I loved the plot!
I wanted to like this book a lot. Really I did. And it easily started off that way. Very intriguing – WWII espionage and undercover work – and kept my interest. Then when the war is over, she becomes this selfish person who thinks nothing of family and legacy and responsibilities and goes off to foreign countries and stays a so-called spy for MI6. It became a much harder to believe tale and I found it very hard to even like my main character anymore. I was more interested in Richard as a person than the main heroine. Sad – Danielle Steele is capable of a better storyline.
I bought this book. I was liking it. I got to page 72 and……that was it. It would not let me turn a page and finish the book. I literally bought the book, the whole book, and was only able to access 20%. Don’t buy this! You will be as disappointed as I am.
This book has held my attention. I want to know what will happen to the heroine.
I really enjoyed this book! It was very easy to read and the pages practically turned them selves. I would highly recommend this book to others.
Forgotten how much I used to enjoy Danielle Steel….it has been decades since I last read her. Full of emotional highs and lows. Great read.
As a former diplomat child, I can attest the book is very realistic. Danielle Steele does it again. Thoroughly entertaining and engaging!
I loved this book, cover to cover
HAVEN’T FINISHED BUT A PAGE TURNER
Well worth the read. I had not read anything by this author in awhile. Reminded me how great she is. Very detailed.