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A Beautiful Spy

por Rachel Hore

MembrosCríticasPopularidadeAvaliação médiaMenções
323746,038 (3.31)7
From the million-copy Sunday Times bestseller comes a thrilling novel about a woman with an extraordinary life, based on a true story.   'Fantastic... Exciting, impeccably researched and full of powerful period atmosphere' Daily Mail Minnie Gray is an ordinary young woman. She is also a spy for the British government.   It all began in the summer of 1928...   Minnie is supposed to find a nice man, get married and have children. The problem is it doesn't appeal to her at all. She is working as a secretary, but longs to make a difference.   Then, one day, she gets her chance. She is recruited by the British government as a spy. Under strict instructions not to tell anyone, not even her family, she moves to London and begins her mission - to infiltrate the Communist movement.   She soon gains the trust of important leaders. But as she grows more and more entangled in the workings of the movement, her job becomes increasingly dangerous. Leading a double life is starting to take its toll on her relationships and, feeling more isolated than ever, she starts to wonder how this is all going to end. The Russians are notorious for ruthlessly disposing of people given the slightest suspicion.   What if they find out?   Full of suspense, courage and love, A Beautiful Spy is a stunningly written story about resisting the norm and following your dreams, even if they come with sacrifices. 'Rachel Hore has written a masterful novel, rich in period detail, and her heroine is an unforgettable character - an ordinary young woman who achieves extraordinary things for her country' Sunday Express   'As far as her friends and family think, Minnie is an ordinary girl but she is a government spy - recruited to infiltrate the communist government. But how long can anyone lead a double life? Based on a true story' Best    'Stunning. A masterclass in storytelling. Flawless writing and a great plot that builds suspense... This is one of those unforgettable books whose characters stay with you and whom you miss when they're gone... I loved every moment' Dinah Jefferies, author of The Tuscan Contessa 'A superb novel. I absolutely loved it. Rachel Hore brilliantly contrasts the thrilling world of high-stakes politics with the inner life of a passionate woman leading a dangerous double existence' Wendy Holden, author of The Governess 'Phenomenal! Absolutely loved it. I was rooting for Minnie from page one right to the very end... What a treat of a read' Tracy Rees, author of The House at Silvermoor 'A compulsive and enjoyable read' Historical Novel Society 'Based on the life of Olga Gray, this atmospheric thriller is a delight to read' Sun 'Historical suspense... Minnie Gray - on the outside an ordinary woman, inside a spy for the British Government who is asked to infiltrate the Russians. Inspired by the real-life story of secretary Olga Gray' My Weekly… (mais)
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I am currently watching Ridley Road on PBS and I keep flashing back to this book which sort of deals with the same subject matter. The one big difference is the time period. This book is set during the 1930s whereas Ridley Road takes place during the Swinging 60s. Despite that 30 year time difference it seems the British government's concern about fringe political movements warrants sending in untrained people to infiltrate them.

Minnie Gray was brought up by her widowed mother in a middle-class town in rural England. She worked as a secretary and, for a while, dated a nice young man but she aspired to more. When a woman she knew intimated that she might work for the secret service if she moved to London, Minnie was intrigued by the possibility. After some time she was contacted by a government official who asked her to infiltrate the Communist Party. Bit by bit Minnie was able to do so but the deeper she got into the Party the more nervous she became. She even had to take a trip to India to hand over money to the Communists there. When she was asked by one of the members of the Party to set up a safe house she was very reluctant to do so but her handler was able to persuade her. The house was used to photograph documents which Minnie was able to determine were plans for a naval vessel. Surely this evidence would be enough to ensure arrests and convictions? Minnie finally was released from her undercover activities but it almost sent her into a complete breakdown.

This novel is based upon the life of a real woman, Olga Gray, who did spy on the Communist Party in the 1930s. During World War II she met a Canadian airman and married him. They moved to Canada after the war and she was quite happy to get away from Britain. ( )
  gypsysmom | May 8, 2022 |
In the late 1920s, a secretary is recruited to put her skills to good use helping to find out what some Communist Party activists are up to.. Her new role will dominate her life for years to come. My political views are very different from those of Minnie Grey, the novel's heroine, but I enjoy stories about secretaries who are a bit more than they seem, and this was quite an entertaining read. I was also interested by the author's exploration of how lonely the life of a single female spy in her era must have been, and the mundane and even rather dull side of such espionage is also portrayed. ( )
  elkiedee | Sep 5, 2021 |
I received an advanced copy of this book in kindle format from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I love Rachel Hore, so you can imagine my delight when I received this, and I had high expectations. A Beautiful Spy fits easily into historical romance and tells of the life of a female spy in the between-wars era in the United Kingdom. Once again Rachel writes with great pace and gentle suspense, giving enough detail to set the scene, but without lingering on unnecessary details; she is quite a master at striking this difficult balance. She deals eloquently with the intricacies of the complex relationships that were so vital to the success of these missionary’s, and with the terrible mental toll all parties are vulnerable to. There are also some vivid accounts of journeys to foreign parts and of the past times of people living in this era.

I found it a real page turner but without being too much of an emotional rollercoaster. There was a hint of romance and a heap of interpersonal relationships that filled my head with intrigue and expectation. I rate it four stars as I did very much feel that I was the audience watching the tale unfold... I didn’t feel especially attached to any character and found it easy to distance myself from their lives. It therefore didn’t quite have the emotional pull that some of Rachel’s works have had on me, but as I’ve already alluded to, I think if it had, i would have been on tender hooks for too long for my nerves to cope! Additionally it did feel a bit grey... I was quite happy to turn the last page and escape back to the safety of my current life, but then again that is a skilled thing to achieve. I think I’m in need of something glittery now to warm my reading bones.

All in all an insightful historical romance that deals sensitively with a less popular era in British History. I would absolutely recommend it and encourage you to read. Even if it falls slightly short of the ‘wow’ factor, it’s thoroughly enjoyable and very easy to read. Highly recommended. ( )
  jemima1983 | Jan 23, 2021 |
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From the million-copy Sunday Times bestseller comes a thrilling novel about a woman with an extraordinary life, based on a true story.   'Fantastic... Exciting, impeccably researched and full of powerful period atmosphere' Daily Mail Minnie Gray is an ordinary young woman. She is also a spy for the British government.   It all began in the summer of 1928...   Minnie is supposed to find a nice man, get married and have children. The problem is it doesn't appeal to her at all. She is working as a secretary, but longs to make a difference.   Then, one day, she gets her chance. She is recruited by the British government as a spy. Under strict instructions not to tell anyone, not even her family, she moves to London and begins her mission - to infiltrate the Communist movement.   She soon gains the trust of important leaders. But as she grows more and more entangled in the workings of the movement, her job becomes increasingly dangerous. Leading a double life is starting to take its toll on her relationships and, feeling more isolated than ever, she starts to wonder how this is all going to end. The Russians are notorious for ruthlessly disposing of people given the slightest suspicion.   What if they find out?   Full of suspense, courage and love, A Beautiful Spy is a stunningly written story about resisting the norm and following your dreams, even if they come with sacrifices. 'Rachel Hore has written a masterful novel, rich in period detail, and her heroine is an unforgettable character - an ordinary young woman who achieves extraordinary things for her country' Sunday Express   'As far as her friends and family think, Minnie is an ordinary girl but she is a government spy - recruited to infiltrate the communist government. But how long can anyone lead a double life? Based on a true story' Best    'Stunning. A masterclass in storytelling. Flawless writing and a great plot that builds suspense... This is one of those unforgettable books whose characters stay with you and whom you miss when they're gone... I loved every moment' Dinah Jefferies, author of The Tuscan Contessa 'A superb novel. I absolutely loved it. Rachel Hore brilliantly contrasts the thrilling world of high-stakes politics with the inner life of a passionate woman leading a dangerous double existence' Wendy Holden, author of The Governess 'Phenomenal! Absolutely loved it. I was rooting for Minnie from page one right to the very end... What a treat of a read' Tracy Rees, author of The House at Silvermoor 'A compulsive and enjoyable read' Historical Novel Society 'Based on the life of Olga Gray, this atmospheric thriller is a delight to read' Sun 'Historical suspense... Minnie Gray - on the outside an ordinary woman, inside a spy for the British Government who is asked to infiltrate the Russians. Inspired by the real-life story of secretary Olga Gray' My Weekly

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