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Maggie Hope #3
His Majesty's Hope: A Maggie Hope Mystery
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • For fans of Jacqueline Winspear, Laurie R. King, and Anne Perry, whip-smart heroine Maggie Hope returns to embark on a clandestine mission behind enemy lines where no one can be trusted, and even the smallest indiscretion can be deadly.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.“You’ll be [Maggie Hope’s] loyal subject, ready to follow her wherever she goes.”— The Oprah Magazine
11 pages, Audio
First published May 14, 2013
1235 people are currently reading
6879 people want to read
About the author
Susan Elia MacNeal
20 books3,371 followersSusan Elia MacNeal is the author of The New York Times, Washington Post, Publishers Weekly and USA Today-bestselling Maggie Hope mystery series, starting with the Edgar Award-nominated and Barry Award-winning MR. CHURCHILL'S SECRETARY, which is now in its 23nd printing. MOTHER DAUGHTER TRAITOR SPY, her first stand-alone novel, comes out September 20, 2022.
Her books have been nominated for the Edgar, the Macavity, the ITW Thriller, the Barry, the Dilys, the Sue Federer Historical Fiction, and the Bruce Alexander Historical Fiction awards. The Maggie Hope series is sold world-wide in English, and has also been translated into Czech, Japanese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Turkish, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, and Bulgarian.. Warner Bros. has the TV rights.
Susan graduated from Nardin Academy in Buffalo New York, and also cum laude and with honors in English from Wellesley College. She cross-registered for courses at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and attended the Radcliffe Publishing Course at Harvard University.
Her first job was as the assistant to novelist John Irving in Vermont. She then worked as an editorial assistant at Random House, assistant editor at Viking Penguin, and associate editor and staff writer at Dance Magazine in New York City. As a freelance writer, she wrote two non-fiction books and for the publications of New York City Ballet.
Susan is married and lives with her husband, Noel MacNeal, a television performer, writer and director, and their son in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Her books have been nominated for the Edgar, the Macavity, the ITW Thriller, the Barry, the Dilys, the Sue Federer Historical Fiction, and the Bruce Alexander Historical Fiction awards. The Maggie Hope series is sold world-wide in English, and has also been translated into Czech, Japanese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Turkish, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, and Bulgarian.. Warner Bros. has the TV rights.
Susan graduated from Nardin Academy in Buffalo New York, and also cum laude and with honors in English from Wellesley College. She cross-registered for courses at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and attended the Radcliffe Publishing Course at Harvard University.
Her first job was as the assistant to novelist John Irving in Vermont. She then worked as an editorial assistant at Random House, assistant editor at Viking Penguin, and associate editor and staff writer at Dance Magazine in New York City. As a freelance writer, she wrote two non-fiction books and for the publications of New York City Ballet.
Susan is married and lives with her husband, Noel MacNeal, a television performer, writer and director, and their son in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,117 reviews
September 16, 2025
On British spy Maggie Hope’s first foreign assignment into the belly of the beast, Nazi Germany, she finds herself confronting not only the Nazi party’s upper echelon but her past as well.
With help from an unexpected source, Maggie completes her objectives and receives shocking surprises along the way.
Although I’m aware of the egregious policies carried out by Hitler’s regime, this book left me sad and rattled.
Warning: inhumane behavior
With help from an unexpected source, Maggie completes her objectives and receives shocking surprises along the way.
Although I’m aware of the egregious policies carried out by Hitler’s regime, this book left me sad and rattled.
Warning: inhumane behavior
July 17, 2017
His Majesty’s Hope by Susan Elia MacNeal is a 2013 Bantam publication.
This third installment in the Maggie Hope mysteries, finds Maggie more deeply involved with Hugh, but also being commissioned to aid the British affairs abroad, which has her jumping out of airplanes and takes her all the way to Berlin, where she makes several horrifying discoveries, and becomes better acquainted with her mother’s side of the family.
!!!
She has her hands full, and the suspense at times, is quite unbearable. However, for me, this one didn’t have the same atmosphere as the previous installments did, but then again, I think maybe the author may have intended to show the toll the war has taken on Maggie, which requires the reader to adjust to the horrors of war along with her.
Maybe she is right about having seen and done too much for her to go back to being that same delightful, and spirited girl we've come to love.
All the same, despite the sickening subject matter associated with this war, which was handled with care, by the way, I found myself struggling to stay focused and engaged. The mystery isn’t really all that much of a mystery, but, as I said before, the suspense was nerve racking a time or two as Maggie found herself in some very serious situations, in danger of having her cover blown.
Every series seems to have a book that sags just a little, so hopefully the next book will be back on the right track and return to the quick, smart, and snappy dialogue and intrigue that makes this series so special.
3 stars
This third installment in the Maggie Hope mysteries, finds Maggie more deeply involved with Hugh, but also being commissioned to aid the British affairs abroad, which has her jumping out of airplanes and takes her all the way to Berlin, where she makes several horrifying discoveries, and becomes better acquainted with her mother’s side of the family.
!!!
She has her hands full, and the suspense at times, is quite unbearable. However, for me, this one didn’t have the same atmosphere as the previous installments did, but then again, I think maybe the author may have intended to show the toll the war has taken on Maggie, which requires the reader to adjust to the horrors of war along with her.
Maybe she is right about having seen and done too much for her to go back to being that same delightful, and spirited girl we've come to love.
All the same, despite the sickening subject matter associated with this war, which was handled with care, by the way, I found myself struggling to stay focused and engaged. The mystery isn’t really all that much of a mystery, but, as I said before, the suspense was nerve racking a time or two as Maggie found herself in some very serious situations, in danger of having her cover blown.
Every series seems to have a book that sags just a little, so hopefully the next book will be back on the right track and return to the quick, smart, and snappy dialogue and intrigue that makes this series so special.
3 stars
September 30, 2022
I loved this book! I mean what's not to like? Don't get me started.
As has been pointed out elsewhere by Marci, there are subplots that should have been linked to the overall progression of the story. For example, David and his lover. Also we should have been reminded that in book one John could be a bit of a jerk at times. In this book John is a total Saint until he suddenly turns into a royal A-hole. Also it was rather preposterous to suggest that the German public would have turned against Hitler if only a bunch of priests had pointed out that he killed some handicapped children.
This book cruised right along like a classic VW Bug until the bitter end when I was startled by the bumps in the road and drove into an embankment.
As has been pointed out elsewhere by Marci, there are subplots that should have been linked to the overall progression of the story. For example, David and his lover. Also we should have been reminded that in book one John could be a bit of a jerk at times. In this book John is a total Saint until he suddenly turns into a royal A-hole. Also it was rather preposterous to suggest that the German public would have turned against Hitler if only a bunch of priests had pointed out that he killed some handicapped children.
This book cruised right along like a classic VW Bug until the bitter end when I was startled by the bumps in the road and drove into an embankment.
February 10, 2022
This book #3 in the series was uninteresting and just plain boring.
April 23, 2014
Maggie Hope's third spy novel adventure is a thrilling ride, tightly plotted with good historical research and better handling of the issues I did not like in the first two installments of the series.
But again I did not like the gay subplot--though this time it is handled much better in its historical context (my complaint last book was that I refuse to believe Princess Elizabeth, as sheltered as she was, knew homosexuality even existed when she was 14, let alone that she thought it was okay). I don't have anything against using it as a subplot except that it ought to function as an integral part, either coming into conjunction with the main plot at the end, or revealing something very important about the main character, and it does not do either. We already know that Maggie is okay with homosexuality; she grew up with it. That's fine.
It's very sad that David gets attacked and gravely injured because of it; that's very true to the times. But including that subplot would have worked if putting David out of commission had imperiled Maggie in some way. Then it would have been necessary to the book and would have tied in very well indeed.
David's being gay and Maggie's relationship with him includes one more niggling anachronism--would a single woman and a single man be able to share a flat in London in 1940 and be employees very high up in government and not be subjected to scrutiny? I think not. I also think the landlady would have simply booted them out, under the assumption that she needed to maintain her reputation for running a decent house. I mean, of course sexual activity of all types was nothing unusual in the 1940s, but the public face was waaaay different from today. Most people would have assumed Maggie and David were sharing a sexual relationship, and that would have been a big problem for them, bigger if inquiries into that assumption led to David's life being exposed. I had thought Maggie was staying with David on a very temporary basis after leaving her house. This semi-permanent thing is a problem, given the setting.
I had thought that the coincidences of Maggie's parents' spy roles would prove too much, but the author worked them in extremely well. Not so with the half-sister. That was not handled nearly as well, nor the convenience of locating the resistance cell in Berlin, nor the convenience of Maggie landing employment with the exact person she needed to spy on, let alone the lost boyfriend being found hidden in the attic of the half-sister. And then came the pregnant teenager with the "baby bump." I hate that term anyway, and to find it here, applied to a cardboard brainwashed Nazi girl, was just too much.
I've enjoyed part of the journey with Maggie thus far and wish her well, but I'm not interested in continuing to read these novels. There are simply too many more books out there.
But again I did not like the gay subplot--though this time it is handled much better in its historical context (my complaint last book was that I refuse to believe Princess Elizabeth, as sheltered as she was, knew homosexuality even existed when she was 14, let alone that she thought it was okay). I don't have anything against using it as a subplot except that it ought to function as an integral part, either coming into conjunction with the main plot at the end, or revealing something very important about the main character, and it does not do either. We already know that Maggie is okay with homosexuality; she grew up with it. That's fine.
It's very sad that David gets attacked and gravely injured because of it; that's very true to the times. But including that subplot would have worked if putting David out of commission had imperiled Maggie in some way. Then it would have been necessary to the book and would have tied in very well indeed.
David's being gay and Maggie's relationship with him includes one more niggling anachronism--would a single woman and a single man be able to share a flat in London in 1940 and be employees very high up in government and not be subjected to scrutiny? I think not. I also think the landlady would have simply booted them out, under the assumption that she needed to maintain her reputation for running a decent house. I mean, of course sexual activity of all types was nothing unusual in the 1940s, but the public face was waaaay different from today. Most people would have assumed Maggie and David were sharing a sexual relationship, and that would have been a big problem for them, bigger if inquiries into that assumption led to David's life being exposed. I had thought Maggie was staying with David on a very temporary basis after leaving her house. This semi-permanent thing is a problem, given the setting.
I had thought that the coincidences of Maggie's parents' spy roles would prove too much, but the author worked them in extremely well. Not so with the half-sister. That was not handled nearly as well, nor the convenience of locating the resistance cell in Berlin, nor the convenience of Maggie landing employment with the exact person she needed to spy on, let alone the lost boyfriend being found hidden in the attic of the half-sister. And then came the pregnant teenager with the "baby bump." I hate that term anyway, and to find it here, applied to a cardboard brainwashed Nazi girl, was just too much.
I've enjoyed part of the journey with Maggie thus far and wish her well, but I'm not interested in continuing to read these novels. There are simply too many more books out there.
July 19, 2022
“I choose to see the hand of God.”
“And I see science—rather than an invisible old man in the sky who seems overly concerned with my personal life. And sporting events, apparently.”
✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮
**spoilers if you haven’t read other books in series**
I absolutely love the Maggie Hope books, they have become a guilty pleasure. Historical Mysteries are my favourite! There was so much tension in this book. Susan ended the last book by letting us in on the fact John Sterling is still alive. Him and Maggie are in Berlin at the same time in this book, and you just know at some point they will see each other, and the build up to it was oh so suspenseful!
I inhaled this book, just like the last two! It’s one of those series that’s so full of drama and mystery that you just can’t believe what’s going on, so you get pulled straight into that literary quicksand! The plot and the setting of this book is a great match to the first two books and I love that it felt natural. While it’s fiction, the book is sent in Berlin in the Second World War, and Susan Elia MacNeal did it absolute justice! There’s some really rough material in this book, but it’s just a reminder that people went through bad things during the war. It definitely impacted me, and I will remember this series for a long, long time.
By the end, I felt so sorry for Maggie. I just hope it doesn’t stick with her too much in the next book, which I’m rushing to read right this second! Recommend for a good historical mystery!
“And I see science—rather than an invisible old man in the sky who seems overly concerned with my personal life. And sporting events, apparently.”
✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮
**spoilers if you haven’t read other books in series**
I absolutely love the Maggie Hope books, they have become a guilty pleasure. Historical Mysteries are my favourite! There was so much tension in this book. Susan ended the last book by letting us in on the fact John Sterling is still alive. Him and Maggie are in Berlin at the same time in this book, and you just know at some point they will see each other, and the build up to it was oh so suspenseful!
I inhaled this book, just like the last two! It’s one of those series that’s so full of drama and mystery that you just can’t believe what’s going on, so you get pulled straight into that literary quicksand! The plot and the setting of this book is a great match to the first two books and I love that it felt natural. While it’s fiction, the book is sent in Berlin in the Second World War, and Susan Elia MacNeal did it absolute justice! There’s some really rough material in this book, but it’s just a reminder that people went through bad things during the war. It definitely impacted me, and I will remember this series for a long, long time.
By the end, I felt so sorry for Maggie. I just hope it doesn’t stick with her too much in the next book, which I’m rushing to read right this second! Recommend for a good historical mystery!
Want to read
September 11, 2012Holy smokes another one?!?! Susan! Slow down! I still have to read #2!
May 8, 2013
If you’re hooked on Susan Elia MacNeal’s series with Maggie Hope, mathematician and British spy during WWII, you’ll be glad to hear that her latest, His Majesty’s Hope, is launching May 14th. Maggie’s deeper into danger than ever. This is a WWII thriller you won’t want to miss; exciting and, despite the subject matter, not overly grim or depressing. MacNeal keeps her sense of humor and fast-paced storytelling.
Maggie’s been trained as a spy and is about to be the first woman dropped behind enemy lines to bring radio parts to the opposition and assist with a mission. That’s lethal enough, but if you know Maggie’s family background from the previous books, you’ll know that’s only the beginning of the trouble she’ll find. MacNeal’s first two books in the series, Mr. Churchill’s Secretary and Princess Elizabeth’s Spy, stayed in England with a focus on the home front and English leadership. Now we’re in the maw of hell: Nazi euthanasia of “defective” people and the rounding up of Jews, to mention only two examples. MacNeal’s inventive plot—including at one point the most imaginative escape route I’ve ever heard of—combines characters both in Germany and England who face searing choices and often rise above the brutal times in which they live. Maggie’s romances grow more complicated and the emotional scars pile up. The nail-biting and page-turning don’t slow down for a minute.
Maggie’s been trained as a spy and is about to be the first woman dropped behind enemy lines to bring radio parts to the opposition and assist with a mission. That’s lethal enough, but if you know Maggie’s family background from the previous books, you’ll know that’s only the beginning of the trouble she’ll find. MacNeal’s first two books in the series, Mr. Churchill’s Secretary and Princess Elizabeth’s Spy, stayed in England with a focus on the home front and English leadership. Now we’re in the maw of hell: Nazi euthanasia of “defective” people and the rounding up of Jews, to mention only two examples. MacNeal’s inventive plot—including at one point the most imaginative escape route I’ve ever heard of—combines characters both in Germany and England who face searing choices and often rise above the brutal times in which they live. Maggie’s romances grow more complicated and the emotional scars pile up. The nail-biting and page-turning don’t slow down for a minute.
May 1, 2013
A magnificent addition to the Maggie Hope Mystery series! If you are not reading this series, you are missing something wonderful!
In Susan Elia MacNeal's latest, British spy Maggie Hope has been dropped into Nazi Germany with instructions to plant a microphone in the study of a Nazi official with whom she has a very personal connection. She dispatches that assignment quite easily, but rather than return to England, she takes on the serious risk of working for another high-ranking Nazi, hoping to uncover some usable information for the Allies. Instead she discovers some horrifying realities about the Nazis.
Intense, heart-breaking, and quite sobering, this book will get your pulse pounding!
This series would be a fantastic mini-series! If only Ms. MacNeal would write faster...
In Susan Elia MacNeal's latest, British spy Maggie Hope has been dropped into Nazi Germany with instructions to plant a microphone in the study of a Nazi official with whom she has a very personal connection. She dispatches that assignment quite easily, but rather than return to England, she takes on the serious risk of working for another high-ranking Nazi, hoping to uncover some usable information for the Allies. Instead she discovers some horrifying realities about the Nazis.
Intense, heart-breaking, and quite sobering, this book will get your pulse pounding!
This series would be a fantastic mini-series! If only Ms. MacNeal would write faster...
April 17, 2013
I won an ARC of this book via a FirstReads giveaway.
This is the third book in the "Maggie Hope Mystery" series. Although I have not read the previous two books, you can read this one out of turn. There are, of course, a few events from earlier books that are referenced, but nothing that you can't figure out.
Maggie Hope is Winston Churchill's former secretary-turned-spy who is sent on her first mission abroad to Germany. Her mission is to deliver radio crystals to a resistance group and to plant a listening device in the office of a high-ranking member of the Nazi party. Turns out that the office belongs to Clara Hess, who is Maggie's absentee mother. One of my favorite character's in the book was Elise Hess (Clara's daughter/Maggie's half-sister) who works as a nurse and refuses to conform to her mother's Nazi views. She becomes aware of a program that "euthanizes" children who are born with deformities or have chronic illnesses. It is her goal to bring this situation to light and, at the same time, to help save her best friend's husband who is a Jew scheduled for deportation to a work camp. There are smaller subplots regarding David (Maggie's flat-mate) and his love life, Hugh (Maggie's current love interest) who is pining for her, and the reappearance of John (Maggie's former fiancée).
Overall, it was an entertaining mystery and vaguely reminds me of "Her Royal Spyness Mysteries" by Rhys Bowen. My only "complaint" was the subject matter (mass killing of children). While this was based on historical fact, it was difficult to mesh that topic with some of the more light-hearted scenes. I would find myself feeling like the book was more of a cozy mystery because I was wrapped up in one of the subplots and then it would come back to euthanasia and would knock me off kilter. But again, an interesting book and one I would recommend to any historical mystery fans.
This is the third book in the "Maggie Hope Mystery" series. Although I have not read the previous two books, you can read this one out of turn. There are, of course, a few events from earlier books that are referenced, but nothing that you can't figure out.
Maggie Hope is Winston Churchill's former secretary-turned-spy who is sent on her first mission abroad to Germany. Her mission is to deliver radio crystals to a resistance group and to plant a listening device in the office of a high-ranking member of the Nazi party. Turns out that the office belongs to Clara Hess, who is Maggie's absentee mother. One of my favorite character's in the book was Elise Hess (Clara's daughter/Maggie's half-sister) who works as a nurse and refuses to conform to her mother's Nazi views. She becomes aware of a program that "euthanizes" children who are born with deformities or have chronic illnesses. It is her goal to bring this situation to light and, at the same time, to help save her best friend's husband who is a Jew scheduled for deportation to a work camp. There are smaller subplots regarding David (Maggie's flat-mate) and his love life, Hugh (Maggie's current love interest) who is pining for her, and the reappearance of John (Maggie's former fiancée).
Overall, it was an entertaining mystery and vaguely reminds me of "Her Royal Spyness Mysteries" by Rhys Bowen. My only "complaint" was the subject matter (mass killing of children). While this was based on historical fact, it was difficult to mesh that topic with some of the more light-hearted scenes. I would find myself feeling like the book was more of a cozy mystery because I was wrapped up in one of the subplots and then it would come back to euthanasia and would knock me off kilter. But again, an interesting book and one I would recommend to any historical mystery fans.
October 13, 2015
As you can see from my reviews of Winston Churchill's Secretary and Princess Elizabeth's Spy, I predicted that the second Maggie Hope mystery would be better than the first, and I was duly rewarded. I therefore had high hopes for this third installment, but unfortunately, Maggie's mission to Berlin didn't exactly live up to its promise.
Now with the elite Special Operations Executive, Maggie continues her somewhat maverick approach to acts of derring-do on behalf of His Majesty with a two-pronged mission in Berlin. Unfortunately, most of the people she encounters during her exploits there fail to come alive on the page. Add to that less-than-convincing mission details and some entirely-too-coincidental meet-ups, and this adventure just doesn't measure up. But MacNeal has already proven that she has what it takes in this genre, so I'll continue to hope for good things in future Maggie Hope adventures.
Two additional notes: First, this book shouldn't really be called a mystery, since there is no mystery to be solved. Second, MacNeal shouldn't feel the need to rip off scenes from tv shows, although I'm sure it was entirely an unconscious thing on her part. She chose one of my favorite scenes from an excellent show (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), but I was still very disappointed. Her writing is strong enough without resorting to copying, even from the greats.
Now with the elite Special Operations Executive, Maggie continues her somewhat maverick approach to acts of derring-do on behalf of His Majesty with a two-pronged mission in Berlin. Unfortunately, most of the people she encounters during her exploits there fail to come alive on the page. Add to that less-than-convincing mission details and some entirely-too-coincidental meet-ups, and this adventure just doesn't measure up. But MacNeal has already proven that she has what it takes in this genre, so I'll continue to hope for good things in future Maggie Hope adventures.
Two additional notes: First, this book shouldn't really be called a mystery, since there is no mystery to be solved. Second, MacNeal shouldn't feel the need to rip off scenes from tv shows, although I'm sure it was entirely an unconscious thing on her part. She chose one of my favorite scenes from an excellent show (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), but I was still very disappointed. Her writing is strong enough without resorting to copying, even from the greats.
December 27, 2025
Woohoo, I made it through this one without feeling super tense! 😂 I liberally peeked ahead so I could know what was coming. I haven’t read much about Germany before, during, or after WWII, so I found this fascinating. I didn’t expect to have Catholic characters. That was an unexpected delight! The plot is quite complex so I won’t give details but I found the Catholic characters to be the most compelling. I think in part this is because they have had to live in, adapt to, and learn how to be subversive in Nazi Germany. Maggie judges them for some of the decisions they make, but she comes to understand more the pressures they face. Elise Hess was my favorite character. I feel so-so about Maggie herself. She’s too rational and black/white (in some things) but I think this is going to be part of her character growth. I love how the author shows her shaken belief in rationality at the end. She loves math because you can get answers. But when she reads Yeats’ poem, she wonders if it’s actually the mystery of and the complexity of response to poetry that is more helpful in a fraught time. Very compelling. I’m definitely going to keep reading.
October 10, 2020
This is book 3 of the Maggie Hope series. Maggie gets sent undercover into Berlin! All kinds of excitement and close calls. I enjoyed the book, felt there was a little too much ridiculous drama at the end. But I can forgive it because in general I like the series and Ilike Maggie. Can't wait to see what's next!
July 17, 2017
This third book in the series was very different from the first two books. In this book, the author brings us face-to-face with the horrors of some of what occurred during the time period in Nazi Germany. There were parts that were, indeed, difficult to read. Our heroine, Maggie, once so idealistic and self-righteous, gets a big dose of reality in this book.
This book was even more intense and edge-of-your seat reading than the first two books (and they had me nervous). The author has, once again, done a tremendous amount of research about the time period and it shows. But, I have to say that I'm happy to finish this book and move onto the next book in this series.
This book was even more intense and edge-of-your seat reading than the first two books (and they had me nervous). The author has, once again, done a tremendous amount of research about the time period and it shows. But, I have to say that I'm happy to finish this book and move onto the next book in this series.
August 6, 2025
A fun sequel in the Maggie Hope spy series. Here, Maggie goes on a dangerous mission in the heart of Nazi Berlin where she encounters her mother, whom she believed to be dead, now a Nazi spy leader. MacNeal's writing is entertaining and her characters are all solid, even if the bad guys are a little shallow and quite pedantic. The biggest flaw is technology: MacNeal uses future inventions as plot points where is there is absolutely no need. Maggie's mission has two parts: deliver radio crystals to an underground group in Berlin (possible, dangerous, and realistic) and plant a button-sized microphone in the home office of Commandant Hess, a top Nazi intelligence officer. The concept of a tiny microphone broadcasting to a listener or recording device nearby doesn't exist until the 1960s; the concept of an independent bug not until the 1980s. Listening devices in 1941 were hard wired to the listeners in the next room. But MacNeal made this plot point necessary because she wanted Maggie to stay in Berlin after her mission, wanted Maggie to meet Hess and her daughter. Really? There was no other way Maggie could meet a woman her own age, also a member of the resistance? I had trouble suspending disbelieve over the personal aspects of the mission too: Maggie is to insinuate herself into Hess's household to plant the bug. She does this in fine style by attending a party at Hess's home. But Hess is Maggie's mother; Maggie knows this, Maggie's handlers know this. Does nobody consider Maggie's mother may recognize her daughter, even though Maggie was five when they last met? What if a friend or relative sent a picture? What if Maggie as an adult with bright red hair looks like Maggie as a child with bright red hair? It's a ridiculous risk to take, but of course things work out so we can have the next sequel.
March 23, 2018
Daunting, fearful but determined to complete the mission is Is. Maggie Hope. This mission's hits closer to home. She's up against the mother she's never known and suddenly finds out she has a half sister.
This story takes place during the regime of Adolf Hitler and Maggie Hope has gotten behind enemy lines and she's cutting it real close. Not only does she see her mom, she finds someone that means the world to her.
A good read.
This story takes place during the regime of Adolf Hitler and Maggie Hope has gotten behind enemy lines and she's cutting it real close. Not only does she see her mom, she finds someone that means the world to her.
A good read.
May 29, 2024
This series is probably pretty light as far as spy novels go but I enjoy it.
March 25, 2013
Why do we read historic fiction, especially from troubled eras? Why do we subject ourselves to a fragile examination of our darkest hours? I really think that reading novels, associating with characters and with their stories, builds empathy and understanding in ways that reading about death statistics or accounts of battles simply cannot. This is one reason why I love Susan Elia MacNeal’s His Majesty’s Hope – Book 3 in the Maggie Hope series. Ms. MacNeal drew me into the heads and hearts of her characters. I felt the panicky sweat trickling down my back as I adventured with Maggie into Nazi Germany. I shared the sickening in my stomach when a new character, Elise Hess – a German nurse – realized what was really happening to her young disabled patients when they were bused off for “special treatments.” I actually bit my fingernails when the enemy pilot and the displaced Jewish doctor were packed away into a high-ranking Nazi’s attic, to hide under the Germans’ own noses.
But in His Majesty’s Hope, MacNeal takes her readers a step past the obvious horrors of World War II. In addition to the horrific plight of the Jews, and Hitler’s cleansing of anyone he doesn’t deem hale and hearty and Aryan, we see that England and the US are far from guiltless in the geo-political machinations of this war.
MacNeal’s writing takes on the morés of that era as well as our own, especially in regards to the consideration and treatment of homosexuals. She doesn’t shy away from showing humanity at its most flawed. There is love and desperation all through this story, and I adored every moment of it, even as I sat on the edge of my seat, worried for the characters who had become real to me. I remain incredibly impressed at the level of scholarship that Ms. MacNeal puts into her work in writing her historical novels, and learned quite a few things in reading her notes and resources at the end.
I didn’t sleep well on the night after I finished His Majesty’s Hope. The things that this war does to the characters, on a psychological level, were sometimes painful to experience, even vicariously. This is what a good book does, though. It makes you think. It makes you feel. In the case of this historical novel, it brings home the kind of ill-will that can supplant the spirit when people have to do things they would never do were they not at war. It makes you realize that hatred and action against other people – regardless of which side you fall down on – takes away a measure of your own soul. Thank goodness for the witty banter, the way Ms. MacNeal immersed me into the music, dance and fashion of the era, and the dry wit and humor that I have come to love in Maggie and her cohort. Throughout the novel, there is always the quintessential element that redeems her characters and, by extension us – her readers: the element of hope.
Here's a link to my blog, where I review the novel and talk about other things literary, educational, etc. Thanks! http://rebeccaoftomorrow.wordpress.co...
But in His Majesty’s Hope, MacNeal takes her readers a step past the obvious horrors of World War II. In addition to the horrific plight of the Jews, and Hitler’s cleansing of anyone he doesn’t deem hale and hearty and Aryan, we see that England and the US are far from guiltless in the geo-political machinations of this war.
MacNeal’s writing takes on the morés of that era as well as our own, especially in regards to the consideration and treatment of homosexuals. She doesn’t shy away from showing humanity at its most flawed. There is love and desperation all through this story, and I adored every moment of it, even as I sat on the edge of my seat, worried for the characters who had become real to me. I remain incredibly impressed at the level of scholarship that Ms. MacNeal puts into her work in writing her historical novels, and learned quite a few things in reading her notes and resources at the end.
I didn’t sleep well on the night after I finished His Majesty’s Hope. The things that this war does to the characters, on a psychological level, were sometimes painful to experience, even vicariously. This is what a good book does, though. It makes you think. It makes you feel. In the case of this historical novel, it brings home the kind of ill-will that can supplant the spirit when people have to do things they would never do were they not at war. It makes you realize that hatred and action against other people – regardless of which side you fall down on – takes away a measure of your own soul. Thank goodness for the witty banter, the way Ms. MacNeal immersed me into the music, dance and fashion of the era, and the dry wit and humor that I have come to love in Maggie and her cohort. Throughout the novel, there is always the quintessential element that redeems her characters and, by extension us – her readers: the element of hope.
Here's a link to my blog, where I review the novel and talk about other things literary, educational, etc. Thanks! http://rebeccaoftomorrow.wordpress.co...
June 21, 2013
If you are looking for a great historical spy novel, look no further than Susan Elia MacNeal's Maggie Hope series. His Majesty's Hope is the third book in this series. These books can be read as stand alone novels, but there are some things that would be easier to understand if you've read the previous two books.
In this book, Maggie is being sent to Germany, to help bring down Clara Hess, who just happens to be her mother. There are a lot of twists and turns. She discovers family she didn't know she had and through the family Susan shows us a few things about Nazi Germany that will leave you very cold.
I think most people just remember the genocide of the Jewish people during these years. What isn't taught much in schools is Operation Compassionate Death, where anyone with a hereditary disease was rounded up and killed in order to preserve the race.
If that doesn't send a chill through you, I don't know what will, especially since a lot of the victims in this case were children.
So no, this isn't a book that can be called a cozy. The subject matter is too serious to be a cozy.
Fans of the Maggie Hope series know how much attention is paid to historical accuracy, and this book is no different. It is told from several points of view....Maggie.....Elsie....David and Hugh. Through their eyes you get a good idea of what Britain was like in 1941 as well as Germany.
I loved getting more of David's story now that he's found Freddie, his current partner. Most people think gay rights haven't come very far, but when you read this you'll know a lot of strides have been made in opening minds since the 40s.
Elsie's story involves the resistance in Germany. She's a nurse who starts questioning things when one of her patients ends up dead. I really loved her. She was strong and though she didn't agree with what was happening in Germany, she loved her country.
There's a lot going on in Maggie's love life too and a lot that needs to be resolved. Thankfully book 4 in this series is in the works.
In this book, Maggie is being sent to Germany, to help bring down Clara Hess, who just happens to be her mother. There are a lot of twists and turns. She discovers family she didn't know she had and through the family Susan shows us a few things about Nazi Germany that will leave you very cold.
I think most people just remember the genocide of the Jewish people during these years. What isn't taught much in schools is Operation Compassionate Death, where anyone with a hereditary disease was rounded up and killed in order to preserve the race.
If that doesn't send a chill through you, I don't know what will, especially since a lot of the victims in this case were children.
So no, this isn't a book that can be called a cozy. The subject matter is too serious to be a cozy.
Fans of the Maggie Hope series know how much attention is paid to historical accuracy, and this book is no different. It is told from several points of view....Maggie.....Elsie....David and Hugh. Through their eyes you get a good idea of what Britain was like in 1941 as well as Germany.
I loved getting more of David's story now that he's found Freddie, his current partner. Most people think gay rights haven't come very far, but when you read this you'll know a lot of strides have been made in opening minds since the 40s.
Elsie's story involves the resistance in Germany. She's a nurse who starts questioning things when one of her patients ends up dead. I really loved her. She was strong and though she didn't agree with what was happening in Germany, she loved her country.
There's a lot going on in Maggie's love life too and a lot that needs to be resolved. Thankfully book 4 in this series is in the works.
March 28, 2015
Writing is fine, if basic. Just not my cup of tea. The spy stuff was too Disney for my taste, but I appreciate MacNeal's dedication to researching the historical period. Overall, the story was flat and expected; I see no reason that this is labeled a "mystery" novel.
May 2, 2021
This is my favorite adventure with Maggie so far. The espionage and tracking Nazis was so engaging that I finished over half of the book today! If you haven’t read a Maggie Hope novel yet, do yourself a favor and grab a copy. They’re full of fully developed characters, extremely well-researched history, and a plot that will keep you wanting more.
May 15, 2014
I normally really enjoy World War II stories, but I had to force myself to keep reading on this one. Macneal obviously did research on ethnic cleansing and euthanasia in Hitler's Germany, and it's a fact that homosexuality was criminalized in England (and many other places) during that time as well. However, it seems that the main purpose of the book is to persuade us that the morals of today should have held sway in the 1940s. In a way, it's the opposite of Christian novel that exists to preach. For example, (minor spoiler alert) one of the main characters has a well-worn copy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's the Cost of Discipleship in her room, which strongly implies that she is a Christian. Later she demonstrates her high moral code by discussing the teachings of Christ, and even states that she wishes to become a nun. Yet, the same character has sex in an alley with her boyfriend. I'm sure it's possible a professed but insincere Christian would do that, but this character doesn't play out that way.
There were many other instances of inconsistencies in the behavior of characters, and a strange lack of emotion on the part of a character when she encounters someone from her past, and excessive emotion over an act she had to commit. I'm glad I didn't pay for this book and instead got it from the library.
There were many other instances of inconsistencies in the behavior of characters, and a strange lack of emotion on the part of a character when she encounters someone from her past, and excessive emotion over an act she had to commit. I'm glad I didn't pay for this book and instead got it from the library.
April 26, 2017
The best in the series so far as Maggie becomes a spy in Berlin during WWII.
There were a few things that Maggie did, and decisions made by the Government, that seemed a bit implausible and designed purely to push the story along, but I just let that wash over me and enjoy the story.
Not quite a cliffhanger ending, but certainly set up for a show down in book 4.
There were a few things that Maggie did, and decisions made by the Government, that seemed a bit implausible and designed purely to push the story along, but I just let that wash over me and enjoy the story.
Not quite a cliffhanger ending, but certainly set up for a show down in book 4.
September 26, 2019
Rating 3.5
Maggie gets sent out on her first assignment for the British Special Operations unit. She is to be parachuted into Berlin where she is to infiltrate the highest levels of Berlin society as the girlfriend of a German officer who is cooperating with the English. Relying on her quick wit and keen instincts, Maggie is sure she can pull this off. In and out in 4 days, just long enough to plant a radio transmitter in a high echelon officer's desk. But when she is offered a job as a companion to a high ranking Nazi's pregnant daughter, she jumps at the chance to gather more information. Little does Maggie know what can go wrong will go wrong.
This book definitely paints a realistic picture of the atrocities committed by the Nazis. When one of the characters discovers the children considered defective being shipped off and euthanized, it is absolutely heartbreaking. The extent of the genocide is beyond imagining. The author also depicts the agony that Maggie feels after having to take a life to protect others. PTSD although not labeled was just as evident then as it is today. McNeal's Afterword gives insight into the great amount of research done to make this book accurate and give insight into the role some British women played during World War 2.
Recommended for mature readers as there are some profanities, alcohol use, drunkenness, and intimate scenes.
Maggie gets sent out on her first assignment for the British Special Operations unit. She is to be parachuted into Berlin where she is to infiltrate the highest levels of Berlin society as the girlfriend of a German officer who is cooperating with the English. Relying on her quick wit and keen instincts, Maggie is sure she can pull this off. In and out in 4 days, just long enough to plant a radio transmitter in a high echelon officer's desk. But when she is offered a job as a companion to a high ranking Nazi's pregnant daughter, she jumps at the chance to gather more information. Little does Maggie know what can go wrong will go wrong.
This book definitely paints a realistic picture of the atrocities committed by the Nazis. When one of the characters discovers the children considered defective being shipped off and euthanized, it is absolutely heartbreaking. The extent of the genocide is beyond imagining. The author also depicts the agony that Maggie feels after having to take a life to protect others. PTSD although not labeled was just as evident then as it is today. McNeal's Afterword gives insight into the great amount of research done to make this book accurate and give insight into the role some British women played during World War 2.
Recommended for mature readers as there are some profanities, alcohol use, drunkenness, and intimate scenes.
January 31, 2025
So good! Lots of twists, turns and heartbreak. I could see some of it coming but a lot kept me on my toes. All the German in it was hard sometimes but I got most of it. Can’t wait to see what happens next.
September 7, 2018
The third novel in the Maggie Hope historical mystery series takes us down a darker path than the first two books. While the first two contained a lot of historical context, the plots seemed a bit contrived with fairly mild thriller/danger aspects. The romantic subplots were also key to the whole story.
But this third one finds our heroine in a much more serious situation. Following events from the last book, Maggie is now freshly graduated from several training camps and espionage schools and is ready for her first spy assignment as part of the Special Operations Executive. Her mission takes her into Nazi-controlled Berlin and her efforts ultimately lead her to her own mother, Clara Hess, who is a key figure in Nazi intelligence.
While Maggie is having her own dangerous adventures, her half-sister Elise, who works in a Berlin hospital, finds herself entangled in the infamous Operation Compassionate Death which was the children euthanasia program. As you can imagine, reading scenes leading up to the gassing of physically and mentally impaired children is not easy stuff but this author handles it very well. Maggie Hope, on the other hand, upon learning of all of this, does not handle it so well and when combined with several major traumas she experiences when trying to fulfill her mission…well, let’s just say that by the end of the novel, Maggie is a broken soul.
As I said earlier, this is a much darker novel than the first two books. Not everything works out so perfectly and conveniently. It is good to see this author’s growth as a writer, not just because of the plot in this one, but also in the sharper prose and much better pacing of this novel. I also liked that this book revealed that much of what seemed to have happened to Maggie by luck in the first two books, was actually not luck at all but rather a complex design by the spy agency in coordination with Churchill, due to Maggie being the daughter of Clara Hess. That makes me feel better about the first book in particular (Mr. Churchill's Secretary), which I had dinged for having a plot that was simply too contrived.
So a definite step up for this series. The next book will have a lot of work to do when handling the fallout from this one but I’m looking forward to it.
But this third one finds our heroine in a much more serious situation. Following events from the last book, Maggie is now freshly graduated from several training camps and espionage schools and is ready for her first spy assignment as part of the Special Operations Executive. Her mission takes her into Nazi-controlled Berlin and her efforts ultimately lead her to her own mother, Clara Hess, who is a key figure in Nazi intelligence.
While Maggie is having her own dangerous adventures, her half-sister Elise, who works in a Berlin hospital, finds herself entangled in the infamous Operation Compassionate Death which was the children euthanasia program. As you can imagine, reading scenes leading up to the gassing of physically and mentally impaired children is not easy stuff but this author handles it very well. Maggie Hope, on the other hand, upon learning of all of this, does not handle it so well and when combined with several major traumas she experiences when trying to fulfill her mission…well, let’s just say that by the end of the novel, Maggie is a broken soul.
As I said earlier, this is a much darker novel than the first two books. Not everything works out so perfectly and conveniently. It is good to see this author’s growth as a writer, not just because of the plot in this one, but also in the sharper prose and much better pacing of this novel. I also liked that this book revealed that much of what seemed to have happened to Maggie by luck in the first two books, was actually not luck at all but rather a complex design by the spy agency in coordination with Churchill, due to Maggie being the daughter of Clara Hess. That makes me feel better about the first book in particular (Mr. Churchill's Secretary), which I had dinged for having a plot that was simply too contrived.
So a definite step up for this series. The next book will have a lot of work to do when handling the fallout from this one but I’m looking forward to it.
August 26, 2015
Though not as good as the first two in the series, His Majesty's Hope was still a quick, well-written read that I enjoyed. Maggie is sent on a secret mission to Berlin, the heart of the enemy, to complete a mission, but when Maggie agrees to work for one of the leaders int he Nazi party she soon becomes involved in a spiral of events that keep getting riskier and riskier. Can she find her way out of the enemy's territory before the enemy finds her?
Maggie and David appear, of course, along with Frain and a few bit parts with Churchill, and they were all as ever wonderful characters, but this book also focuses on other characters, besides the obvious few. John reappears (!!!!!) and is given quite a big role in the book and I really like him, he's funny but yet realistic, this book reflects on a few areas where the war has changed him, and I love that. Hugh again appears, and I must say that he was extremely annoying and just plain irritating. I could absolutely not stand him; some moves he made were reckless and simply stupid, to be honest, I hope he doesn't reappear in the next book.
Two other new major characters appeared, Clara and Elsie, two Germans that are related but that are completely opposite. I must say, I know that you aren't supposed to like Clara, but I kind of felt sorry for her, the few hints the book gave us into her past were heartbreaking. Elsie was brave, intelligent, and kind, and I found myself looking forward to her parts in the book. I hope to see more of both in the next books.
Not really a murder mystery in this book, though there were some murders and a small mystery, but, for the most part, they stayed separate. The book mostly focused on Maggie's adventure in Berlin, and I really wasn't disappointed that there was no mystery. There was so many other things going on that you didn't really miss it.
Overall a very solid, well-plotted book that I enjoyed. With almost perfect characters, an action-packed plotline, yet some irritating characters that I could do without (Hugh), His Majesty's Hope gets 4/5 stars! I'll read the next one soon!
Maggie and David appear, of course, along with Frain and a few bit parts with Churchill, and they were all as ever wonderful characters, but this book also focuses on other characters, besides the obvious few. John reappears (!!!!!) and is given quite a big role in the book and I really like him, he's funny but yet realistic, this book reflects on a few areas where the war has changed him, and I love that. Hugh again appears, and I must say that he was extremely annoying and just plain irritating. I could absolutely not stand him; some moves he made were reckless and simply stupid, to be honest, I hope he doesn't reappear in the next book.
Two other new major characters appeared, Clara and Elsie, two Germans that are related but that are completely opposite. I must say, I know that you aren't supposed to like Clara, but I kind of felt sorry for her, the few hints the book gave us into her past were heartbreaking. Elsie was brave, intelligent, and kind, and I found myself looking forward to her parts in the book. I hope to see more of both in the next books.
Not really a murder mystery in this book, though there were some murders and a small mystery, but, for the most part, they stayed separate. The book mostly focused on Maggie's adventure in Berlin, and I really wasn't disappointed that there was no mystery. There was so many other things going on that you didn't really miss it.
Overall a very solid, well-plotted book that I enjoyed. With almost perfect characters, an action-packed plotline, yet some irritating characters that I could do without (Hugh), His Majesty's Hope gets 4/5 stars! I'll read the next one soon!
March 17, 2015
I loved the first book in this series, and enjoyed the second one a lot. This is the 3rd book in the Maggie Hope mysteries, about English spies in World War II. This was another fun book to read, but I can't help but be extremely bothered by the plot similarities to Susan Isaacs "Shining Through", and the movie titled the same starring Michael Douglas and Melanie Griffith. Both are old favorites of mine (since they feature women spies going underground in Nazi Germany) and I've read and seen the book/movie multiple times each. And there were way too many similarities to that plot line, it can't have been accidental - the inexperienced spy sent into Germany for a short mission, to plant a camera ... the unexpected offer from someone higher in Nazi ranks to care for his daughter(children), at a place outside of Berlin, where her helpers won't know where she has gone... and how her new employer offers her the job because it is so hard to find good help cleared by security these days... the secret plans she finds and photographs ... the young woman she befriends, whose mother is a famous opera singer and a favorite of the Furher... even wearing a white dress at the climatic escape scene and getting shot, and the red blood spreading on the white dress. It was just so disappointing, because the first book was so very, very good, and I know the author is capable of coming up with great stories on her own. I can't help but wonder if there was a deadline to make, and she thought no one would catch these similarities because, admittedly, the book/movie weren't exactly big hits in the late 80s/early 90s when they came out. SIGH. I'm still going to read the next book in the series, because I love the subject matter and historical period so very much, and hope that there is less borrowing from other works in that one.
April 9, 2013
I just got back from a vacation that was wonderful in almost all ways except that I knew an ARC of His Majesty’s Hope would be arriving in the mail at home and I’d have to wait a week to start reading. Set during WWII, this series features Maggie Hope who has gone from being one of Winston Churchill’s secretaries to being an undercover spy. With a determined personality and a knack for codes, languages, and mathematics Maggie has come a long way since the first book when she worked as one of Winston Churchill's secretaries. Now she will be parachuting into Germany to work as an undercover spy and encountering her mother, a well connected Nazi, who until recently Maggie thought was dead.
Her previous adventures and training have made Maggie hard, competent, and physically much stronger than she was, but she’ll need a lot of emotional strength to cope with new challenges and revelations. There is humor in this book but it’s not a light mystery. Among the darker realities Maggie discovers is that Hitler’s crew is covertly murdering children they deem genetically inferior, loved children with issues like epilepsy or Down’s syndrome. Maggie will also be dealing with love complicated by war, men who think women lack the necessary skills to be a spy, and the discovery that there is more to her family than she knew.
This fast paced, riveting story is told from multiple points of view but I had no trouble keeping track of what was going on. There are maybe a few too many coincidences in the plot, but the character development and storytelling are so good I didn’t care.
Her previous adventures and training have made Maggie hard, competent, and physically much stronger than she was, but she’ll need a lot of emotional strength to cope with new challenges and revelations. There is humor in this book but it’s not a light mystery. Among the darker realities Maggie discovers is that Hitler’s crew is covertly murdering children they deem genetically inferior, loved children with issues like epilepsy or Down’s syndrome. Maggie will also be dealing with love complicated by war, men who think women lack the necessary skills to be a spy, and the discovery that there is more to her family than she knew.
This fast paced, riveting story is told from multiple points of view but I had no trouble keeping track of what was going on. There are maybe a few too many coincidences in the plot, but the character development and storytelling are so good I didn’t care.
May 20, 2013
Maggie Hope sets off on another exciting adventure in this memorable and enjoyable novel by Susan Elia MacNeal. This time she is an S.O.E. operative dropped into the middle of Nazi Germany. Here, she discovers a deadly secret, and meets her half-sister, a Catholic nurse who is also fighting against the evils of the Nazi regime. Unfortunately, the pair have to combat their Nazi mother, a beautiful opera singer.
Much of His Majesty's Hope is based on research about the German resistance, and based on real people such as Wilhelm Canaris and the Catholic Bishop of Berlin, Bishop Preysing, who spoke out against Hitler's murders of innocent people. This makes the book more exciting and interesting than the last novel in the Maggie Hope series, although I enjoyed that novel immensely as well.
I also enjoyed the philosophical discussions in this book, and the history about Catholicism and the Nazis. Catholicism and German Catholics have received a beating about their role in Germany during the Second World War, so it was good to read a novel that will make people more aware of Catholic and Protestant heroes who did play their parts in the German resistance.
Much of His Majesty's Hope is based on research about the German resistance, and based on real people such as Wilhelm Canaris and the Catholic Bishop of Berlin, Bishop Preysing, who spoke out against Hitler's murders of innocent people. This makes the book more exciting and interesting than the last novel in the Maggie Hope series, although I enjoyed that novel immensely as well.
I also enjoyed the philosophical discussions in this book, and the history about Catholicism and the Nazis. Catholicism and German Catholics have received a beating about their role in Germany during the Second World War, so it was good to read a novel that will make people more aware of Catholic and Protestant heroes who did play their parts in the German resistance.
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