His Majesty's Hope: A Maggie Hope Mystery

I bought this book right away, because I had enjoyed her two previous stories of Maggie Hope. Some might say that Maggie's story becomes more farfetched as she is dropped behind enemy lines into Nazi Germany as a spy. However, these were extraordinary times and ordinary people did extraordinary things. Maggie is from an unusual background with her father as a code-breaker and her mother as a spy. There are some convergences of coincidence that you know are coming and they are a bit hard to swallow, but I chose to just move on down the road and let it go. I know London and Bletchley Park and had recently been there which made the story enjoyable; however, I do not know the parts of Germany where much of the action was set. I assume that Ms. Macneal is accurate in her settings there as well. Although it is a period piece it does deal with some contemporary themes. I did not find that jarring. I do think that her subplot dealing with a same sex relationship does not give the reader a full sense of the danger to the men. Allan Turing went from war hero to criminal in a very short time after the war because of his sexuality. We readers see more of the parents struggling with the issue but perhaps not enough of the very real risk of criminal prosecution. Ms.Macneal certainly does include mention of the risk, but our modern eyes and brains may need to be hit over the head a bit to truly comprehend the magnitude of the risk. This book is a quick read, but it is darker than the earlier two installments. There are Nazi's doing unthinkable things and wartime taking its toll on good people. Perhaps it is a bit ironic that this is the first book that is subtitled as a Maggie Hope Mystery. Most of us read them as such, but some reviewers of the earlier books seemed to be looking for something else. Perhaps the subtitle will help. My book group has been meeting for almost 25 years. This book would not be the kind of book that could be a book group selection for us although there is more to talk about in this book. This book was worth the purchase price and reading time. When I finished, I am again looking forward to the next installment about Maggie Hope.

I enjoy this series but there definitely are some problems. There is one big coincidence in who Maggie encountered in Germany. Some of the encounters were known in advance by her handlers to be probable, but one cerertainly wasn't and would have had probably a one in a million probability.And there's a reference to DNA, a term that was unknown at the time. I think some of the medical references were ahead of their time as well.However the reminder of what happened in areas controlled by the Nazis was worth reading for its sickening nature. And it was good to see how many fought against it in various ways.PS -- I decided to skip the next book in the series, The Prime Minister's Secret Agent, based on its subject matter and reviews. Having now read the next book, Mrs Roosevelt's Confidant, I can report that, though obviously I missed some events, nothing was unclear on the latter book because of it.

At night, when I was about to go to bed. Because I would have nightmares. We Baby Boomers have grown up on stories about World War 2. I don't think any Westerners can deny that they know what happened in Nazi Germany although some Westerners deny the extent of the genocide. It doesn't make it any easier to read afresh of that time however. In fact, as I grow older, and see modern horrors continue, I think it becomes more difficult for me. Have we learned any lessons?Nevertheless, I like this series, the Maggie Hope mysteries. Maggie is an endearing character, braver than I think I ever would have been. The other books have been set on English soil and weren't as gritty. So in some ways I live vicariously--though it is not a life I would want to have lived--through her, as I once did through Nancy Drew. These are no Nancy Drew mysteries though. And there is no mystery as to who the villains, some of whom recur through the series, are.The series will appeal to those who are interested in modern historical fiction, who wonder how women decided to become spies and contributed to the war effort during World War 2. And how those who survived may have felt. As the author herself says, it is a work of fiction but I was amazed at the amount of research she did for the book as detailed in her Afterword.

Very absorbing read. I've read a lot about WWII, both fiction and nonfiction- starting with the "Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" in 6th grade. Maggie Hope is very real to the time. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things in an extraordinary time. However, what I found most disturbing is how it parallels our time - 2021. We too have "lives that are not worth living" in the unborn that we discard with as little thought as the Nazis. We are also led by "criminals and fools" that have swept us away by a propaganda of fear (Covid) that demands control and makes us suspicious and hateful to our neighbors. I pray we learn from books like this and turn around before we are destroyed.

Or, rather, she attempts to meet the requirements to graduate, but she cannot pass the physical tests so she is sent back to 10 Downing Street--where, she fears, she will be limited to typing once again. But then Churchill approaches her with a special request: to sneak into Berlin in order to bug the office of a high Nazi official. After returning to Scotland to learn how to parachute safely, she is sent off on a small plane from which she jumps into Germany. From this point on, the novel is a tense, exciting bit of espionage, including (although not in this order) attending a party with high ranking Nazi officials, discovering a former lover, and meeting previously unknown relatives. In addition to this fine plot, the book also does a powerful job of painting the settings in Scotland, London, and Berlin. And a historical sense of what it was like to live in London and in Berlin during these challenging times is frightening to experience. This is a wonderful book, but I strongly recommend reading the previous books in this series in order. It could stand on its own, but is richer with the connections from the earlier books.

I liked the book, although I found it a bit naive and not as interesting as her other two Maggie Hope novels.However, McNeal researches her topics well and is definitely a force to be counted on in the future.

Susan Elia MacNeal's book "His Majesty's Hope" is one of a 10-book series, which I just finished devouring! They're clearly fiction, but in addition to MacNeal's development of compelling spy and mystery thriller plots, the historical research is impeccable, and I LOVE the geographical, cultural, aeronautical, war technological, cryptological, architectural, decor descriptions, literary, poetic, artistic, balletic, couture/haute couture, musical, and linguistic references she has woven in . . . ALL of which are things which interest me! Her inclusion of famous personalities as background characters is entertaining, as well.

It it fine for a quick read.

I love all this lady's books

Great read, great series, interesting and unique backgrounds......