Although the times changed so radically, particularly in the world of intelligence, I am always happy to come back to stories inspired by the Cold War. As in the case of many other spy narratives, be it modern or contemporary, what is really missing is the presence of women. Women as spies, not as honey traps.
Inspired by the story of her own mother who worked as operative for the British intelligence, as shared by her diaries, novelist Deborah Lawrenson created in The Secretary the portrait of a smart, risk taking MI6 employee, trying to catch a traitor. The timeline is at the end of the 1950s, the height of the Cold War, and Lois Vale is in Moscow. Soon she will fall for a German journalist, himself involved with the MI6.
The love story and the spy story are intertwined allowing the main character to express her voice and tell her story. The adventure and dangers create the perfect backdrop for developing both the story and the characters. The facts and the voices of the characters resonate with the historical ambiance and the timeline. The ambiance is timely defined as well, with relatable historical and mentality references.
I enjoyed reading this book and being part of the ambiance and the story of the characters. As an avid reader of spy novels, I can only hope that more and more stories do focus on women stories and their equal part in the global intelligence narrative.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own
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