The Handler

by Monica McGurk

From domestic duplicity to diplomatic double-crosses, the nanny spies of Norwood have their hands full

In this thrilling and twisty follow-up to author Monica McGurk’s critically acclaimed The Agency, protagonist Bree and her fellow nanny spies from the Norwood Agency --an independent global spy ring fronting as a British college for aspiring nannies to the elite -- race against the clock to locate the children kidnapped under her watch during their first inauspicious mission in Turkey. Distrusting each other and facing betrayal at every turn, the trio‘s search leads them to the shocking truth about orphaned Bree’s dead parents and the mission that got them killed when she was still a baby.

Taut and thrilling, The Handler shows what happens when the young women of Norwood Agency exploit stereotypes and weaponize domesticity to influence international events. In doing so, it plumbs motherhood, intergenerational family drama, and the difficult choices facing modern women against a backdrop of some of the greatest diplomatic events of recent history. A portrait of loss and regret wrapped up as a feminist twist on the spy genre, The Handler will leave readers asking themselves, like just what are they prepared to do in the pursuit of truth?

Genres: Fiction

343 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 19, 2024

About the author

Award-winning author Monica McGurk likes nothing better than weaving complex, multilayered stories that bring contemporary issues and strong female characters to life through different genres of popular fiction. Her previous work includes three volumes of paranormal YA romance—The Archangel Prophecies: Dark Hope, Dark Rising, and Dark Before Dawn— along with numerous works of fan fiction under the name Consultant by Day. The Handler is the follow-up to her critically acclaimed The Agency, the first novel in The Norwood Nanny Chronicles.

A corporate executive, she now lives in Chicagoland with her husband, Tom, their youngest son, and their dog, Ellie. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads, and LinkedIn, or on her website: monicamcgurk.com.

Reviews

[BookishDramas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for this ARC and this review is based on my reading of this book.

This is a 3.5 star book for me.

I have read the first book in the series before coming to this one and although reading the earlier is not a perquisite to this book but it made my enjoying this book a lot easier.

This is the second book in the Norwood Nanny Chronicles series. The premise is good and there are elements that are interesting with nannies being taught to be spies. There have been the share of nannies as spies in movies and this story is also enjoyable.
There is good camaraderie between the main characters and Bree as the protagonist is dependable as is her chemistry with Dash. As the first american student in a nanny academy that operates a nanny secret services the story oscillates between the current and Bree's past which features her parents.
The story is packed with a lot of details and is a fun ride. There is a lot of blunt violence in the story which is a par for the course considering the book is about spies.
Enjoyable reading.

[LP · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and River Grove Books. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

This is the second book in a series; I had not read The Agency, and didn't feel lost while reading The Handler. I also don't feel compelled to go back and read the first, and probably won't continue with the next. I loved the "school for spies" idea and thought it would have been more action packed. Instead, more than half the story was about Bree's parents and how Bree ended up at the school. I actually liked the chapters pertaining to her parents more than I did the students'. I'm ambivalent about Bree's character - I neither liked nor disliked her. If there was supposed to be a romantic angle between her and Dash, that didn't come across. I think there was too much going on for one book. The premise of book two seems to be finding the children who were kidnapped in book one, but that wasn't the focus for a lot of the story, and that part of it was a little too quickly & easily tied up at the very end. The China plot line confused me and took me right out of the story. Well written, too much going on, a little too long.

[Hallie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and River Grove Books for giving me the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A combination of the plot being not for me and the writing containing one of my biggest writing pet peeves made this a DNF at 11%. It wasn't all bad, and in fact to most people it might not be bad at all, but the beginning irritated me enough that I couldn't manage to get past it.

The actually-pretty-good:
- The author knows how a sentence works! I don't mean this facetiously or or damning with faint praise, the flow and vividness of word choice were great. The author knows how to get in touch with all the reader's senses, which makes for very strong imagery and a very immersive experience.
- The dynamic between Bree and Dash was fantastic. Very shippable, especially for anyone whole likes friends to lovers in fiction where the main characters are traumabonded and tightly enmeshed, and where the guy falls first and harder. (Disclaimer: I haven't finished this book and don't know if that changes halfway through or anything.)
- The concept is so fun! Superspy nannies at a unyieldingly Machiavellian school, an orphan desperate to find her mother, British nobility bff... a recipe for some prime James Bond/Maximum Ride shenaniganry.

The if-you-like-it-you'll-like-this:
- It's campy—as you could probably guess from the book description. It kind of goes halfway on the camp, though, so if you're "go hard or go home" about camp, this one probably isn't for you.
- Dual developing storylines. One storyline follows Bree and Dash, and the other follows the people they are presumably looking for, except 20(ish?) years in the past. I can't say how well they were executed, as I didn't particularly like following either storyline, but this is a trope many people enjoy.
- Politics, recent historical politics especially. I can't speak for how much of it is accurate, given that I personally have 0 interest in politics, but the author loved their politics and it shone through.

The reasons I dropped it:
- Too much showing, not enough telling. A problem that is somewhat rarer than its inverse, but a problem nonetheless. For as vivid as the characters' experiences and world itself was, there was very little telling us why we should care. Bree was tied up and left in a barn—and? She and Dash have been chipped by the school—so what? Bree is invested in finding her mother—why? I can come up with reasons why they might matter, but none of them were given to me by the narrative, which is a flaw in campy action-adventure YA, even if it isn't in, say, adult litfic.
- We get very little of Bree's inner life. Tying into the first bulletpoint, we don't really see Bree's opinions on... anything. We see outward indication of what she thinks about things, but very little reasoning or emotion backs any of it, and what little emotion there is seems to leave no mark on her. She simply wasn't there enough. It seemed like it was written for a TV audience, where all we see are the actor's outward expression, and none of the character's inner experience.
- No emotional blending or follow through. She has PTSD trauma over being tied up and left in a barn, but this doesn't result in anything but her trying, weakly, to get her father figure/the owner to tear it down—no emotional hangover, no real upset, no strange air, she just keeps going. She has a rather charged, electric moment with Dash when they dance at a concert, which is interrupted, and then she and Dash are mildly awkward around each other, and... that's it. No complicated feelings, no yearning (or even wanting), no lingering tingles. Things that should have left a mark simply dissipated into nothing without a whisper.
- The lack of emotion and opinions was directly at odds with the lovely texture of the prose and made the whole experience empty; missing the emotional component kept the prose from being as richly immersive as it should have been, and the immersiveness of the prose made the lack of narrator opinions and emotional follow through much more jarring than it would have been if the writing was stripped down and purely practical.

I would recommend this one to anyone who's interested in the politics and adventure and doesn't mind if the finer points of characterization are missing.

[J Kromrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

In the world of espionage thrillers, Monica McGurk’s “The Handler” stands out with its unique blend of domestic drama and high-stakes international intrigue. As the second installment in The Norwood Nanny Chronicles, this novel takes readers on a whirlwind journey through the eyes of protagonist Bree and her fellow nanny spies.

The narrative picks up with the Norwood Agency’s nannies, who double as spies, racing against time to locate children kidnapped under their watch. The plot thickens with layers of distrust and betrayal, leading to a revelation about Bree’s deceased parents and the mission that led to their demise. McGurk’s storytelling prowess shines as she weaves a tale that is as much about espionage as it is about the exploration of motherhood, family ties, and the sacrifices women make.

The book’s strength lies in its ability to subvert expectations. The nannies of Norwood Agency are not just caregivers but formidable spies who use societal stereotypes to their advantage, turning domesticity into a weapon. This feminist twist on the spy genre is refreshing and thought-provoking, challenging readers to consider the roles and perceptions of women in society.

McGurk’s writing is taut and thrilling, with a pace that keeps the pages turning. The backdrop of significant diplomatic events adds a layer of authenticity and urgency to the story, making it resonate with contemporary issues. The Handler is a portrait of loss and regret, but also a celebration of resilience and the pursuit of truth.

As a sequel, it stands on its own, delivering a satisfying continuation of the story that began with “The Agency”. Newcomers to the series will find themselves drawn into the world of Norwood without feeling lost, while returning readers will appreciate the deeper dive into the characters they’ve come to know.

“The Handler” is a compelling read that offers a fresh perspective on the spy thriller genre. Monica McGurk has crafted a story that is not only entertaining but also a poignant commentary on the complexities of modern womanhood.

[Blue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fronting them is a term used for gangster activities or terrorist groups. In "The Handler," by Monica McGurk an orphanage is hiding more information than it is giving.Shockingly, there are spies working in and around the area. Their job is serious. At the beginning blood is spilled. Maybe you should gather in all of your courage before reading this part. The book is very good. The story seems very real. There are guns hidden in the back of pants. In this place, women are not falling apart. Their goal is clear. Along the way we learn there is a mystery about Bree's mother's death.Her name is very pretty. Mary Margaret Kelly. Really, Bree does not know anything about the woman. I am sure before this book finishes we will know the bio of this woman. Already, I have learned something about Professional gangsters. They use silencers and they do not have any ID on their bodies. This first murder scene is really gruesome. I did not expect it. I am still alive. So it did not kill me. Why did I read this book?I definitely do not want to join a circle of spies. I just like reading about courageous people who work undercover. I think of them like soldiers. They are working to keep our country safe. They are willing to sacrifice their lives.

[Shannon O'Flynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book is the second book in the Norwood Nannies Chronicles, I found this book easy to understand, despite not having read the first book. The book does a good job of informing the reader of what's going on even if you haven't read the first book. Reading the first book may give you a bit more knowledge around past events that are talked about, however.

I enjoyed reading this book. I thought the chemistry between Dash and Bree was great. I also liked the idea of spies being nannies. I never thought of that, but I suppose it could be a possibility. I liked how the reveal of Bree's past was revealed slowly and it kept you guessing. While I did assume some people that were in on the ordeal, I wasn't able to guess all the people involved.

One thing I wasn't the biggest fan of was the chapter lengths. This is probably just a "me" thing, but I prefer the chapters to be shorter. I use the chapters as possible stopping spots and when they are 40 pages apart I sometimes struggle or lose interest. I will say though, that the chapters were jam-packed with important information and they were pretty interesting!

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mystery, spy, or historical fiction books.

[Shilo Goodson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't read the first book, and while I was able to figure out mostly what was going on, I do feel like this is the sort of book where it makes a lot more sense if you've read the previous book.

Overall, I found this book very confusing at times. While some of that I think was intentional, at other times I was very confused. I felt like people got very emotional or were hurt over the smallest things. Plus, I was confused about how readily people accepted the explanation about the nannies really being spies.

For most of this book, you're unsure who Bree should trust or if she should trust anyone. I'm still not sure. There was at least one character that she decided she was not going to trust, but I'm not even fully sure why she doesn't trust this person.

There is some swearing in this book. I'd say it's probably about three to maybe five times, so definitely not prevalent. There's no sexual content. The violence is mild for a spy novel.

Because I never fully got into this novel, I likely won't read the first one or get the other books in the series when the come out.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Handler is the second book in The Norwood Nanny Chronicles, and I while it's not essential to have read the first book in the series, I think I would have enjoyed this one more if I had a better understanding of the backstory. Bree grew up in an orphanage in America after the untimely deaths of her parents. When we meet her, she's a student at a school for nannies that is a front for a secret spy ring. The story goes back and forth between the present day and Bree's efforts to rescue her kidnapped charges, and the past story of Bree's parents.

There was a lot going on in this book! While I'm generally a fan of the popular device of telling alternating stories in different time periods, I don't think either story was fully developed. I found it difficult to keep track of everything and wanted to learn more about the characters and their backstories.

Overall an enjoyable read, though, and I plan to go back and read the first book to find out more about these characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Handler” is an exciting espionage novel with a cast of complex characters who face increasingly dangerous and morally ambiguous situations. Thanks to her avid research and clear prose, McGurk transports us from Alabama to Northern Ireland to England, each location vividly realized. I was immediately drawn to Bree, whose loyalty to her found family and desire to understand her past make for a compelling coming-of-age story. While the central conflict has global implications, the book remains emotionally grounded due to what is at stake personally for Bree. Readers will be intrigued by the geopolitical consequences and the tension between family and friends as it reaches a boiling point. If you’re looking for a thrilling spy novel with characters you can root for and a touch of dark academia, “The Handler” could be your next great read.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Greenleaf Book Group for the copy of The Handler by Monica McGurk. Don’t be put off by the YA label, it didn’t have a teen MC or deal with YA issues. I didn’t like the different timelines and I was lost about how everyone fit in, but it finally made sense and the timelines started to make sense. There were times I wasn’t sure what was going on, so I think it might be better to have read the first book in the series. This was an intricately plotted read with a lot of surprises, and it got better the more I read. If you love spy thrillers, don’t miss this series! 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

[Susanne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, River Grove Books and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book in the "Norwood Nanny Chronicles" series - I read the first and was underwhelmed, but hoped that the second would improve on the first. Unfortunately, that was not the case. I found it even more chock-ful of fantastical and unhinged plot points, most stretching my credulity well beyond its limits. There were too many references back to the first book to make this an easy stand-alone read, but again too many gaping plot holes and unnecessary build-up without resolution. I will not be going for the third book in the series, should there be one.

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodreads giveaway winner / free book review:

Great young adult book. I haven't read the first but I may go read it when I want something lighter. Easy read, good story.

Kindle e-book on IOS.

Used Spoken content accessibility tool with English Australian female voice Matilda Premium to listen to this book.

[Cynthia Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise on this book was interesting. The spy agency as a nanny group. At times I found it a bit hard to follow with some of the characters and things they did. It might have been good to read the first one.

[Joni · Rating 5 out of 5]

great sequel

Loved the continuation of this story. The twist and turns of finding out about Bree’s past was well done. The historical facts were a great setting for this novel.

[Brooke Harrington · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting plot with nannies being spies but not enough character development. Second book in a series but can be read alone.

[Jennifer Iversen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started this book not realizing it was second in the series so I had some catch up work to do. I enjoys h history and politics! Interesting story!

[Meghan Buchman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting. Enjoyed learning the main characters background in depth. A few twists and surprises. If you've read the first one, then read this one. Come to find out, there is a third one coming.

[Lindsay Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and gripping

A great choice for tweens and teens, the story is thrilling and suspenseful. I enjoyed the characters and was surprised with the twists and turns.