Ace, Marvel, Spy

by Jenni L. Walsh

Based on the life of a very real, very incredible American icon.
Alice Marble strives to have it all.

Alice tirelessly works her way up to be a #1 tennis champion, all while maintaining a growing career trajectory editing the Wonder Women comic. She enjoys her hard-earned success with her loving husband, her steadfast coach, and her dear friends—many of whom are famous and well-connected.

But then her world falls apart.

Alice's life begins to unravel when she receives a telegram informing her that her husband has been killed in action in the war in Germany. Heartbroken, she feels like she can only watch as the war wreaks havoc in every area of her life.

Until an unexpected invitation arrives.

Alice is prompted to action when the US Army sends her a request: Under the guise of playing in tennis exhibition games in Switzerland, she would be a spy for them. And Alice aches for nothing more than to avenge her husband's death. What awaits her might be her greatest challenge yet.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Sports, World War II, Audiobook, Espionage

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 14, 2025

About the author

Jenni L. Walsh is the USA Today bestselling author of over a dozen books for adults and children, spending her days knee deep in words in Philadelphia’s suburbia. Beyond words, Jenni is a mama (of a soulful eleven-year-old, a soccer-loving nine-year-old, and six needy furbabies), a wife, a Philly and 'Nova sports fan.

But where did it all begin? Jenni spent her early years dabbling in various forms of writing and with her nose in a book. Her writing chops first began to develop through one-page stories. Never fail, the storyline followed the same progression: girl meets boy, girl marries boy, girl and boy have baby. That's it.

Now Jenni has moved on to stories with a bit more depth and, for the mamas, Side by Side is a historical women's fiction story of America’s most infamous crime spree of Bonnie and Clyde told in the raw and honest voice of the woman who lived it, Bonnie Parker. In Becoming Bonnie, a prequel set in the Roaring Twenties, a picture of Bonnie's earlier life, before and while she meets Clyde, is brought to life. Jenni's third historical women's fiction book A Betting Woman takes us to the California gold rush, featuring a little known woman from history, Eleanor Dumont, but who is largely remembered by the moniker Madame Moustache. In The Call of the Wrens, Jenni introduces readers to the Women's Royal Naval Service (the Wrens), who carried wartime secrets on their shoulders as motorcycle dispatch riders during both world wars. Unsinkable ​is Jenni's first bestselling novel, hitting the USA Today bestsellers list, and is about two resilient women, one of which is the real-life Violet Jessop who survived the Titanic and two additional maritime disasters. Jenni's next historical novel Ace, Marvel, Spy features Alice Marble, who was the world's number one women's tennis player, an editor for the Wonder Woman comics, and a spy during the Second World War. Up next from Jenni, in October 2025, is Sonora, a historical novel about performer Sonora Carver, one of the first women to dive from a forty-five foot tower on the back of a horse and who inspired the film Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken.

For the kiddos, Jenni's debut middle grade books, She Dared, features true stories from women who, at a young age, accomplished daring feats of perseverance and bravery. She is also the author of I Am Defiance, inspired by a real-life resistance group, known as the White Rose. Jenni has contributed Hettie and the London Blitz: A World War II Survival Story to the Girl's Survive series. Revolutionary War hero Sybil Ludington, who is often known as the "female Paul Revere," is brought to life in By the Light of Fireflies, Jenni's first historical novel with a touch of magical realism. Over and Out is a thrilling and fast-paced espionage and escape story that is inspired by real stories of life in East Berlin during the Cold War. Operation: Happy, set during the attack on Pearl Harbor, tells the story of a real-life survivor and includes the POV of her dog, Happy, to soften the events of one of America's most notable moments in history. In May 2025, Jenni is excited to be releasing her first contemporary novel, a mystery/adventure story called The Bug Bandits, which is inspired by a real heist and the shenanigans of Home Alone.

Reviews

[Christy fictional_traits · Rating 4 out of 5]

'It's funny, in tennis, love means nothing. But in life, love is everything. And Alice has loved fiercely - people, moments and a game'.

Alice Marbel, picked up a tennis racket at the age of 15 - after her brother advised her it was more ladylike than baseball. Soon, thacking that tennis racket as powerfully as her old bat started her journey toward becoming the world's number one in 1939 - with 18 grand slams under her belt. Only the outbreak of WW2 stopped her playing - not having been diagnosed with tuberculosis or involved in a number of serious car accidents, nor losing loved ones along the way. Driven by sheer gumption, focus, and a singular love of the game, Alice Marbel became a tennis marvel. However, with the war stopped all tennis play around the world, Alice had a chance to put her talents and self-belief to help win a different game.

Inspired by Alice Marvel's memoir, and told in alternating timeframes, 'Ace, Marvel, Spy' gives both an account of Alice's rise to tennis stardom as well as focussing on her cross-road when she's forced to stop playing competitively with the onset of the war. I really enjoyed learning about just how this woman, from a family with no means, picked up a racket at 15 within 10 years had utterly conquered the tennis world, despite having no real luck and plenty of setbacks along the way. Any historical fiction lover - especially those who love tennis - will enjoy learning about yet another amazing woman in history.

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alice Marble lives in San Francisco, California, she’s a tomboy and likes sports and her brother Dan suggests she plays tennis instead of baseball. At fifteen Alice enters her first tournament and against girls whose families have money and no poor like hers.

Alice is determined to succeed, one day Eleanor Tennant or “Teach” visits her home, she offers to coach Alice, find her a job and she lives with Teach and her sister. Alice trains hard and works on all aspects of her game, from 1936 to 1940 she wins eighteen Grand Slams and in 1939 she's the world number one women's tennis player. Alice also wrote Wonder Women comics about inspirational ladies, she battles a serious illness and injuries, and marries the love of her life and her world is shattered when she finds out her husband was killed in action in Germany.

Alice is heartbroken and the life she had planned for after tennis and at the end of the war has be snatched away in an instant and then she gets a phone call. The US army want her to play exhibition games in Switzerland, where they suspect a banker is hiding gold for the Third Reich, expensive paintings and jewellery and stolen from Jewish people, and Alice is up for a challenge and wants to end the war and trains to be a spy.

I received a copy of Ace, Marvel, Spy: A Novel of Alice Marble from Edelweiss Plus and HarperCollins Focus in exchange for an honest review. Jenni L. Walsh likes to shine the light on and write stories about fascinating historical women figures and Alice Marble certainly was one. A young girl who felt like she wasn’t good enough and who had to prove she was not only to her doubters in the US but the whole world.

Alice Marble was a trail blazer, she changed women’s tennis, introduced the “smash” and a compelling and entertaining read about Alice and her coach Teach, both were formidable ladies and five stars from me. I highly recommend Ace, Marvel, Spy and Ms Walsh's previous book The Call of The Wrens.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alice Marble was an incredible woman. A remarkable tennis player in the 1930’s and 40’s that I had never heard of. She blitzed her opponents on court with her determination to win and proved herself to the world. When the war comes and all professional tennis is halted she wants to help in anyway she can. Her photographic memory makes her the perfect candidate to be a spy.

Based on her memoir, this was entertaining, emotional and inspiring. The narrator was fantastic I don’t think you need to be a big tennis fan to enjoy this book, but for me I loved all the tennis stories and rivalries. This is my second historical fiction book for 2025 my second winner.

Thanks to Libro.fm for my advanced listening copy. Out now.

[Caitlin Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Until reading this book, I'd never heard of Alice Marble or any of her story. I loved how the author took this real-life account of Alice Marble and turned it into fiction, which made the character more personable and her story all the more riveting experiencing each scene through the characer's perspective and getting a glimpse into her thoughts.

One drawback for me, personally, was that I expected Alice's role as a spy to play a more relevant and dominant role in the story; however, it wasn't really part of the plot until 3/4 of the way through the book, and the rest of the book focused on Alice's career as a tennis player. Don't get me wrong, her story was really interesting, but the blurb had me thinking her role as a spy would be more prevelant in the story, so it caught me a bit off guard when it wasn't.

I'm not a tennis person, but I found it really interesting learning more about what women's roles in sports looked like back in the 20th century, and what personal sacrifices it requires to rise to fame.

***

Content warnings: a few minor curse words; fade-to-black romance scenes (though they were a tad too descriptive for me personally).

[Jenni Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A note from the author:

A fun element in Ace, Marvel, Spy is the inclusion of letters, notes, telegrams, and newspaper articles to make the story super dynamic. They were a blast to write and add so much to Alice's story.

But . . . the formatting of these cool elements are currently a bit wonky in both the digital and print galleys. I wish this wasn't the case because I know it can affect the reading experience for early readers. So please bear with me. And also know that the final version that hits shelves on January 14th is going to be amazing. As we speak, I'm working on pass pages (the book in PDF form before it goes to print) to make sure everything is absolutely perfect <3

I love this book so much and I can't wait for everyone to see the finished version, which is available for preorder now (and that comes with some fun extras if you check out jennilwalsh.com/preorder)

A big thank you for all the early support on this book. The early reviews are already making my day (and thanks for looking beyond the wonkiness 🥰)

[Kenzie | kenzienoelle.reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars. I love a HF about a real woman in history. I really enjoyed hearing about Alice Marble but I do think the title and overall sell of the book led me a little bit astray. I was expecting a majority of the story to be about her life as a spy and none of that even happened till around the 75% mark.

There is nothing I hated about this book. It just wasn’t the most captivating or intriguing. But as I mentioned before, I am glad to know have heard about and learned about Alice Marble.

[Susan Z (webreakforbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ace, Marvel, Spy took my breath away. It is absolutely magnificent.

The story follows tennis legend Alice Marble (who I've never heard of) from the early 1930s to the 1940s when she sett he world on fire as a tennis star.

I absolutely loved the relationship between Alice and her coach, aka Teach. Teach was so inspiring and empowering yet protecting. She was fierce. Their relationship and fun banter reminded me of Miriam and her agent Susie in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

[PlotTrysts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love tennis! I love spies! Did I know that Billie Jean King's coach was both a tennis star and a spy? Not until I listened to this book!

The author is clear that Ace, Marvel, Spy is historical fiction based on one primary source: Alice Marble's own memoir. (Walsh is also clear that the memoir itself is probably not 100% factual.) That said, it was full of real tennis history and tons of fun. I spent a great 8 hours listening and learning about a real life interwar tennis star.

The book has dual timelines, one in present tense set during WWII, and one in past tense that describes Alice's rise to tennis stardom. While I am on the record as being very skeptical about the dual timeline narrative technique, it worked really well here.

If you like historical fiction, WWII narratives, sports history, or are at all interested in tennis, I definitely recommend this book.

The narration was really fun, especially as voice actor Gail Shalan uses a "golden age of Hollywood" midatlantic accent to bring the story to life.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the audiobook.

[Brittany Shields · Rating 4 out of 5]

[3.5 rounded up]

“If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat these two imposters just the same”

“When we’re forty, love, we’ll look back and realize we have everything we’ve ever wanted.”

“It’s funny, in tennis, love means nothing. But in life, love is everything.”



You’re telling me there was a tennis champion who ALSO wrote comics for Marvel who ALSO was an international spy during WWII?! How did I not know about Alice Marble?!

Of course I want to get this story.

But before we carry on, I need to point out my mistake: the title of this book is a smidge misleading. Alice Marble did indeed write/edit comics, but she did not do it for Marvel. It was of the Wonder Woman family— DC Comics. The ‘marvel’ in the title, I believe, is due to the definition of marvel being ‘something that causes wonder or astonishment; prodigy’ and probably partly because it sounds like Marble.

Still cool, but not the title I would have expected. Oh well, pickers and choosers and stuff.


So yes, the premise of this book is awesome. However, the execution of it was a little lacking. Especially in the first half of the book.

It’s hard to really nail down why, but the writing style and piecing together of the story just seemed off and not compelling.


Walsh says in her author’s note that she primarily used Alice Marble’s memoir to write this book and didn’t really use any other biographies of Marble in her research. It seems like she wanted to basically write a book based on the memoir. However, I think if she had fictionalized it a little bit more, left out certain parts, etc, it would have flowed better and felt like a solid novel with the conflicts and progression more in order.

Plus, it sounds like parts of Marble’s memoir haven’t been able to be corroborated by other historians or had some errors in it (even though she claimed to have a photographic memory). If we’re not sure what exactly is true anyway, might as well embellish it a little to tie in more pieces or add more tension and suspense. It’s not a biography so I think readers kind of expect that when we read historical fiction.

For example, the comic writing really doesn’t do much for the story the way that it’s put in there. Alice ends up writing a comic column inspired by Wonder Woman by telling the real stories of courageous or intelligent women in history and their achievements but in comic form (including women like Florence Nightingale, Clara Barton, Helen Keller, and Sojourner Truth).

I think the tie-in is that Alice Marble could have been a wonder woman of history with her tennis accomplishments, aid in the war (if it’s true), and her push for equality in tennis (as she helped support Althea who became the first African American to win a Grand Slam). Marble also coached Billie Jean King.

However, in Ace, Marvel, Spy, there’s really only a few pages dedicated to that aspect of her life and they don’t really tie in to any part of the plot except that she needed a job. I wish Walsh had gotten a little more creative in connecting it into the espionage area of Marble’s life.



The story is broken into two timelines: the ‘Then’ which follows Marble’s tennis career from nothing to #1, and the ‘Now’ which follows Marble’s post-tennis life including her marriage and her spy mission in Switzerland. This format did take away some of the tension because the ‘Now’ parts often created spoilers in the ‘Then’ sections— we already know how this turns out.

Some of it also got a little confusing because I would forget which of her injuries happened in which timeline.

Dual timelines are pretty standard for historical fiction so I don’t know if I would say scrap it altogether, but something was missing from the composition of these two timelines to make it flow and jive better.



What I Didn’t Like

I know it’s tricky to write about the tennis games because you can’t write every shot and there are a lot of games in a match, but some of the writing around that felt abrupt. False build-ups and what not.

Another reviewer commented about the random facts that seemed to be shoved into the writing that may not have added much and I did notice that too. If it was meant to be a character trait of Alice like her photographic memory made her constantly bring up facts she had memorized, then there probably should have been more of them. If it wasn’t supposed to be a character trait then there were too many of them.

For the most part I think Walsh did a pretty good job of capturing the vernacular and slang of the time period and place but there were certain phrases or words that felt out of place. Like when she said of her relationship that it was “rainbows and unicorns”— that seems like something that was popularized long after WWII.

Near the beginning of the book Alice gets a call from President Roosevelt to do some spy stuff but it takes up like a page or two and then it’s over. I was worried that was going to be the extent of her spying. Thankfully, there was more, but to have that little snippet like that without knowing where we’re going felt weird. I think it would have been better to somehow combine the two or something.

Marble gets her spy mission at about 50% of the way through the book and that’s when it started to pick up. I enjoyed the second half of the book better than the first and thought the writing was a little better.



What I Liked

Chapter 20 was probably the most engaging chapter for me because her life gets real. And real hard. And that’s probably the main place where I felt attached to Alice’s character. The connection of this hardship to what’s written above the gate at Wimbledon was a really good thing incorporate; I’m glad Walsh did that.

I also liked the emphasis Walsh made for Alice on the 40-Love score: how it’s a pivotal moment in the game. Then, identifying moments throughout that were ‘40-Love moments’— what she does then could easily determine the rest of the ‘game’— was another good tennis connection.



Recommendation

All in all, I think some adjustments and different editing and progressions would have made this book that much better and cohesive. Jenni Walsh found a great new aspect of WWII and person to highlight that most people don’t know about, but I just wish the book would have come together a little differently.

While I can’t claim this one to be a ‘must read’, if you typically enjoy historical fiction or novels with new aspects of WWII, I would think this one would be an enjoyable book for you.

I also think if you enjoy tennis, it would be a fun book for you aw well. There aren’t a ton of tennis books out there, but if you do enjoy them, I could also recommend to you Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Reid Jenkins.

If you don’t read much historical fiction and you’re only going to read a couple this year, I can’t guarantee you’re going to like this one or should make this one of your books. There are some better options to fill the few slots of your reading plan.

Last thought— someone should spend more time on figuring out what the real deal is with Alice Marble’s spying because more people should probably know about her and all her exploits.


[Content Advisory: no swearing; a couple closed-door bedroom scenes]


**Received an ARC via Wunderkind PR**

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[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

A spectacular novel about real-life legend Alice Marble, #1 in the world in tennis in 1939, spy for the Allies during WWII, and later, an editor of the Wonder Woman comics. Incredibly written and so compelling that I felt I was on the tennis courts with her during her heyday, and in Europe spying during the terrifying war years. A remarkable woman, beautifully captured by author Jenni L. Walsh, whose books I adore. Highly recommended!

[Grandma Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew nothing about Alice Marble. So thankful Ms. Walsh wrote this book. Alice Marble is the story of a courageous woman. She had many trials, but bore them like a Champ. The other characters were interesting as well. Her sojourn as a spy was fascinating. Highly recommend.

[Katie B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical fiction is a neat genre because the author can tap into their creative side while giving the reader info about a person, event, etc.. ACE, MARVEL, SPY features Alice Marble, a champion tennis player who later was a US spy during WW2. A trailblazer in many respects whether it was her clothing attire on the court or her fight for equal pay, she paved the way for women. Full of highs and lows, Alice had an interesting life which made for a good read.

With the book covering so much of Alice’s life, I hesitate to classify it as strictly WW2 historical fiction. Her time as a spy is just part of her overall story. Alice being a strong and fascinating woman is reason enough for me to recommend this book.

Thank you to Wunderkind PR for sending me a free advance copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.

[Marisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first heard about Alice Marble- I was intrigued. A woman who was a tennis champion, an editor, and a spy. She sound formidable and like someone I wanted to know. Thanks to Jenni L Walsh I feel like I do know her. Alice, “Allie” was a force to be reckoned with. She didn’t back down due to injuries, self doubt or others trying to derail her. She is someone that we can all admire and I think if the Wonder Woman column was written now she would be front and center.


I really enjoyed this novel because it completely transported me. I could feel the heat from the tennis court, hear the “whacking” of the racket. I felt like I was there watching Alice achieve her dreams.

I loved the relationship between Alice and her brother and Alice and Teach. I felt like these relationships drove Alice to her greatness.

Finally I always read the authors note and found some things that surprised me in Jenni’s. It is like an added portion of the story and I like being in the authors head for while.


This book is wonderfully written it does everything a historical fiction book should do- transport you back in time, teach you something , and show you how these wonders lived. Through all her novels Jenni has introduced us to real life women in history - some that were known (Bonnie) but their backstories were not, others that just needed to have their stories told through characters that came from the authors mind. I believe that Alice would be proud to have her story told from Jenni’s perspective.

In a word this book was MARVEL-ous

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite Jenni Walsh novel! I didn’t want to put it down. Full review to come soon

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank You NetGalley and Harper Collins Focus for a complimentary copy of this novel! Opinions expressed are my own. This novel is based off the real life of a lesser-known tennis champion from the 1930’s – 1940’s, Alice Marble.
I love how Jenni L. Walsh bases her books on real life people that are not as well known. I loved reading this novel and being introduced to an amazing and courageous woman, Alice Marble! She overcame much in her life, including sickness and personal sacrifices to get to where she did as a tennis champion in 1939. During WW2, she served as a spy for the Allies. Alice Marble was a very accomplished woman, including editing the Wonder Woman comics!
Jenni L. Walsh brought Alice Marble to life in this novel! I enjoyed learning about her life, what she endured, what she sacrificed and what she accomplished!
AVAILABLE January 14, 2025

[Linda Galella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy for review purposes. All opinions are honest and mine alone.


ACE, MARVEL, SPY is a BioFictional novel about tennis star, Alice Marble and her coach, Teach Tennant. According to author, Jenni L. Walsh, most of her supporting documentation comes from Alice’s memoir, in her own words and the author’s imagination to fill in the blanks.

The story is incredible as Alice comes from a family that’s not traditionally tennis savvy, (low socioeconomic status). Her family makes great sacrifices for her to succeed. Alice is plagued by physical problems but blessed with God given talent. She catches the attention of an important coach and a lifelong relationship is born.

Walsh breaks the story between past and present timelines that roll forward as the story progresses. I found many of the changes to be jarring and was looking for information that never came in either timeline. The plot is very action oriented, with a fast pace. You won’t be bored altho’ I was stunned by how many times Alice had to battle back from a serious injury or illness.

One of the more interesting storylines is about Alice’s infatuation with Hollywood actors, especially Carole Lombard. Alice and Carole have a special relationship that spans a few years and revolves around a shared experience. Alice and Teach spend time at the Hearst Castle on a few occasions. It makes great reading.

If you’re expecting a spy novel, this book is only about 20% focused on that area. Tennis enthusiasts will be much happier. Walsh brings in lots of interesting historical figures and facts about players, locations, clothing, gear, rankings, travel, etc. Impact from WW2 and changes towards women in sports are handled well throughout the book.

Aside from a few soft expletives, the book is clean with romantic scenes being off screen mostly and violence being without description. I’d rate the book PG and safe for mature 12-14 year olds📚

Read and Reviewed from a NetGalley eARC, with thanks

[ReadThisAndSteep · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a fan of Walsh's books! She writes compelling historical fiction about incredible women whose stories deserve more attention. I was captivated by Alice Marble's story. She was so accomplished, strong, and brave.

I rooted hard for Alice, and the historical information about women's tennis is fascinating. She became a tennis champion without any of the advantages of her opponents and eventually faced injury and illness. When she finally meets a coach, "Teach" is very demanding, but Alice puts in the work, and their relationship is a driving force.

I was a huge Wonder Woman fan as a kid, so I loved learning about Alice's contributions to those comics. Alice eventually turns her talents and high profile to help the war effort as a spy and avenge her husband's death, one of my favorite parts of the book.

Every change of setting was vividly depicted, and the emotions were palpable as they ran the gamut from incredible highs to devastating personal losses. As I read, I kept thinking that Alice was the very definition of "perseverance."
Highly recommended!

Thank you to the author, and Harper Muse for the gifted review copy!

[Jessi - TheRoughCutEdge · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
“𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗻𝘆, 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘀, 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲, 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿��𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴.”

This was such an interesting story based on the real life of a woman I knew nothing about. I am elated to finally be familiar with who this incredible woman, Alice Marble, was. Her entire life was remarkable. The perseverance and dedication she showed for tennis was admirable, as was every other impressive facet of her journey through life. This was a phenomenal historical fiction and one I highly recommend!

“ʙᴜᴛ ɪ’ᴍ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ ᴄʜᴇꜱꜱ, ɴᴏᴛ ᴄʜᴇᴄᴋᴇʀꜱ. ɪɴ ᴏᴜʀ ᴄᴀꜱᴇ, ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ᴡʜᴏ’ꜱ ᴜᴘ. ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ʙᴏʟᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇꜱ. ʙᴜᴛ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟᴏꜱᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ, ʏᴏᴜ ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴀ ꜰᴏᴏᴛ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴏᴏʀ. ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀʏ ʙᴇ ᴀʟʟ ɪ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴋɪᴄᴋ ɪᴛ ᴅᴏᴡɴ. ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜᴇᴀᴅ. ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴛᴀʏ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ. ʀɪᴅᴇꜱ ᴛᴜʀɴ ꜰᴀꜱᴛ ɪɴ ᴛᴇɴɴɪꜱ.”

*Fun fact I learned from the book. Putting a cabbage leaf under your hat when out in very hot weather will keep you cool!

[Jessica Strawser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marbel's true story is so extraordinary, it falls under the "truth is stranger than fiction" category -- but in Jenni L. Walsh's expert hands, it's the best of both. ACE, MARVEL, SPY introduces contemporary readers to an extraordinary woman who overcame nearly insurmountable odds to find pioneering success not only in the tennis record books, but in America's role in WWII history. I'm dismayed that history could have ever forgotten the likes of Alice Marbel, and deeply grateful to Walsh for bringing her back to life in triumphant full color. Walsh was already an auto-buy author for me, but her latest is an unforgettable page-turner: my favorite kind of empowering historical read.

[Bant · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good book. It is well-written, enthralling ... I kept wanting to know what would happen next in Alice's life. And I thought, I sure would love this more if it was a biography. Oh, turns out it is biographical fiction. This is just a wild ride of a page turner that I have some issues with, but I had a lot of fun and that's all that really matters.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing how this woman Alice Marvel coached Billy Jean King and we/I don't know of her. Just another example of an author taking the time to bring forward a powerful female historical figure that we should have known about. Thank you Jenni and thank you for coming to Sharon Virts' Bookclub to speak with us about your wonderful story.

I might be in the minority, enjoying the tennis story more than the spy story. I very much did enjoy the romance aspect of the spy story with Hans!!

[Jelke Lenaerts · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a galley of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book has content warnings for sexism, grief, miscarriage, cancer, and a suicide attempt.

Reviewing this book is a bit difficult because I have a hard time seperating the actual book from just how fucking awesome of a person Alice Marble is. I had never heard about her before this book, and of course my knowledge on her now is just what was presented in this book, but I truly think she is such a badass. This woman went through so much shit in her life, and she just kept getting up and kicking ass while doing it as well. Consistantly exceeding expectations like it is absolutely nothing, and that's just within her tennis career. On top of that she also just was a great advocate for equality within the sport, wrote a comic series highlighting different badass women in history, and was a fucking spy during WWII. Truly, how is this woman's exsistance just not common knowledge? Am I just stupid that I didn't know? Am I the only one? I guess this book was the most succesful in making me want to research everything there is to know about Alice Marble.
However, for the rest I just don't think the writing fully worked for me. I feel like at times it could feel a bit juvenile, and overall didn't really match the tone of the book in moments. At times it also just felt like the author learned a cool fact in her research and just HAD to include it even if it didn't really flow to well with the rest of the story. The dialogue could also just feel a bit stiff at times, and some of the messaging could feel a bit preachy. I also personally didn't really like the dual timeline way of telling the story. I feel like this would have been better if it was just told in chronological order. I just feel like the way it was done we kept refferincing things in the "now" storyline that were important to Alice's personal developement but it would take forever for that to happen in the "then" storyline, which also made it that some of the stakes in the "then" storyline were undercut because we basically already got the consequences of it. I don't know.
Despite all of those issues though I did still have a good time reading this book. I thought it was incredibly interesting (although I don't know how much of that was just Alice's life), and it does make me want to do my own research on this person I have never even heard of before. I also thought it was a pretty compelling read, and it did not lose my attention anywhere. However, I just personally had several issues with the writing of this one, I guess.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This historical novel is about a real life historical figure I knew nothing about, tennis player Alice Marble. It’s told in two alternating timelines - one, in the 1930s, as Alice journeys to become a women’s tennis champion; the other during WWII when official tennis competitions are on hold and Alice does promotional work including for the government, culminating in a bit of spy work.

I’m a huge tennis fan, yet I was not familiar with Alice, so I loved learning about her very interesting and colorful life. This book also avoided a problem some historical fiction about real people has where the person remains sort of remote - instead, I felt like Alice and her inner thoughts really came to life.

Thanks to Netgalley and the published for the e-ARC and a physical copy (out now); all opinions are my own.

[Sharon the Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Just… wow. Impressive, is all I can say. The woman, the writing, and the story.

Alice Marble grew up without all of the advantages in life. She found a strength in playing tennis and worked hard and against many obstacles to become one of the best.

"Feeling inferior was an emotion all too real to Alice of the court. But put her on a court... now, that was the great equalizer."

When she went to tournaments she didn't have a coach, fancy equipment, a sponsor, or a club- while her opponents lived in ritzy boarding schools for tennis prodigy's. Along comes a coach willing to help her, and it changed her life. Teach, as she was known, was strict, expected hard work, and Alice was all in. They had great success until war changed the world, and her tennis world.

"It's funny, in tennis, love means nothing. But in life, love is everything. And Alice has loved fiercely - people, moments and a game."

She wanted to do more to help in the war effort but was rejected many times. She does find ways to be involved eventually, and even falls in love. Not only that, but she gets a job editing and writing the Wonder Woman comics, which she based on real life heroes. She also gets a chance to play tennis overseas during a tenuous time world wide, and is asked to spy on a former lover who may be involved in Germans war effort while there.

"War is something Alice can not understand. In tennis, there is a winner and a loser, but it's all in good fun."

Alice had a photographic memory, was an artist, designed some of her own clothing and some for companys, contracted tuberculosis, was in several car crashes, rubed shoulders with the rich and famous of Hollywood, lost both parents, a husband and a baby, yet still fought with everything she had. The story is inspiring, heart-breaking, and truly unbeleivable. I couldn't get enough of it.

I’m very thankful for the author notes at the end to clarify the truth/fictional aspects of the story. The amount of research and reading had to be daunting to pull together the facts and present them in a way that was enjoyable and represents Alice so well. Jenni Walsh is a master storyteller. A must read.

"My novel is just that: a novel, though all the moments and experiences I've included in my fictional account- some of it admittedly incredible- have been directly inspired by Alice's memoir.

[Samantha El Koundi · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title of this book makes you think that there will be a lot of spy action, but it's really only the last 15 pages. There is so much jumping around in the timeline and repeating parts of the story because of her "great memory," that it makes it confusing if your bookmark got moved and you already read that part. It's got a lot of great tennis and historical information, but the spy part falls flat.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 3.5 rounded down. Though I loved knowing about Alice Marbel and loved all the tennis, which is my passion, I did not like the way the story was told - like a book of fiction with dialogue. Plus at the epilogue the author notes Alice’s memoirs were the main source for the book and casts doubt on the validity and trustworthiness of that memoir. So I guess it all really could be fiction except the historical facts that exist. Disappointing.

[Jeni | StoryTimeReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hold my tennis racket—are you telling me Alice Marble was:
🎾 The world’s #1 tennis player?
🎾 A real-life Wonder Woman comic editor?
🎾 And a SPY for the U.S. government during WWII?

Excuse me while I pick my jaw up off Centre Court.

In 𝘼𝙘𝙚, 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙡, 𝙎𝙥𝙮, Jenni L. Walsh serves up a novel based on the jaw-dropping life of Alice Marble—a woman who basically said, “Why not all the plot twists?”—Tennis prodigy. War widow. DC Comic books writer. Gold-smuggling spy. If this were fiction, we’d be like, “Okay, simmer down.”

But no—this was her real life. And wow, does Walsh bring it to life in a way that makes you want to fist-pump, sob into your towel, and maybe start practicing your backhand in the driveway.

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗗
• 🎾 The Grit: Alice didn’t have a coach, fancy equipment, or even much money—but she had guts, game, and a mean swing.
• ❤️ The Romance: There’s a love story that’ll punch you right in the feels, and then—then—there’s a devastating twist that changes everything.
• 🕵️‍♀️ The Spy Mission: When the tennis balls stop flying, the secrets start. Spy missions + stolen Nazi gold = STAKES.
• 💪 The Girl Power: Alice wrote Wonder Woman comics based on actual courageous women—while being one herself. Meta much?
• 🎭 The Dual Timelines: From the highs of Wimbledon to the shadowy world of espionage, the structure builds a full portrait of a woman who never stopped fighting.

𝗧𝗢𝗣 𝗠𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛 𝗙𝗢𝗥
🌳That heart-wrenching Forest Lawn scene. (You’ll know. Just have tissues.)
👩🏼‍🏫 Her first meeting with “Teach”—her powerhouse coach and tough-love mentor.
🎾 The 40-Love tennis metaphor that will sneak up and wreck you emotionally.
🇨🇭Her mission in Switzerland (cue: breath-holding suspense and some international sass).
🐣A blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo from Unsinkable’s Violet Jessop for the Easter egg hunters!

💬 This book had me doing literary jumping jacks. Was the pacing a tad uneven? Sure. Did I wish the spy stuff came in sooner? Maybe. But did Alice’s story move me to tears and make me want to go rewrite my resume to include “tennis champion-slash-undercover agent”? Absolutely.

💬 Jenni L. Walsh masterfully resurrects a woman history nearly forgotten and reminds us that perseverance, passion, and powdered chalk lines can change the world. If you love stories about bold women who didn’t wait for permission to make history, this is your next read.

𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦
𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲: A few mild swear words.
𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: Some fade-to-black romance that flirts with descriptive but remains closed-door.
𝗩𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Depictions of violence, including gun violence, war-related scenes, and injury details (not overly graphic).
𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀: Death of loved ones, war trauma, illness, and emotional heartbreak.

⭐️ 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦
📖 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝟰/𝟱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀. A compelling mix of sports triumph, wartime intrigue, and emotional grit, Ace, Marvel, Spy shines a light on a fierce woman history nearly forgot. From tennis courts to covert missions, Alice Marble’s story is inspiring and unforgettable. Jenni L. Walsh weaves perseverance, patriotism, and pain into a powerful narrative. While the tennis arc is engaging, the spy plot arrives late and lacks the same depth, causing the pacing to feel uneven at times.

🎧 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝟱/𝟱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀. Gail Shalan delivers a gold medal performance, capturing Alice’s grit and heart with pitch-perfect emotion. Clear, engaging, and perfectly paced—an audiobook win.

[Annie J (The History Solarium Book Club) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historical Fiction Fans: How Does Walsh’s Serve Land?

I’ll start by saying that there are two types of historical fiction, one of which I profoundly prefer. The first, uses the history as the inspiration for their fiction. The second uses fiction as a way to bring more engagement into the history. The first emphasizes the fiction, the second, the history. The latter is much more enjoyable to me as I don’t have to spend my time debating the historical accuracy. I think Walsh’s Ace, Marvel, Spy will do really well and there is a strong audience for this book! However, in her author’s note, she explained that she based the book almost solely on Alice Marble’s own memoir. While I understand the decision, I much appreciate a more thoroughly sourced novel. There were some out of the time period language that was used, some of the plot seemed too far-fetched (specifically regarding her love interests), and the dialogue was simplistic at times. With those criticisms out of the way, I love the story of Alice Marble. Her future connection as a coach and inspiration to Billie Jean King is a fun tidbit of knowledge. And, I am very happy that Walsh has brought her story to life to a broader audience. As I said, I think it will be very enjoyable for many who love historical fiction.


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I am grateful to NetGalley and Harper Muse for providing me with an advanced reader copy of Jenni L. Walsh’s Ace, Marvel, Spy.

[Shannon (The Book Club Mom) · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s nothing I love more than a historical fiction novel based on the real life of an important female icon in our history. ACE, MARVEL, SPY by Jenni L. Walsh was my first introduction to Alice Marble, tennis champion and spy, and what a fascinating intro it was. This novel most certainly took me by surprise as it mixes tennis with war. Definitely not a combo I was expecting, but my gosh, did the author ever make it work! If historical fiction sometimes feels too heavy or gloomy for you, be sure to give this novel a try. Marble’s tennis career is the primary focus, so the overall vibe didn’t feel so dismal when the war was discussed. This novel took me on an emotional roller coaster. I felt pride and excitement for Alice as she excelled in her tennis career, and carved a path for women playing the sport. I felt much sadness over the tragedies and losses she experienced. I was flooded with frustration over the numerous obstacles that stood in her way. The conclusion was both stressful and exciting as she put her espionage talents to use—I was on the edge of my seat! Overall, I thought that Walsh did a phenomenal job of telling Alice Marble’s exciting story. You can tell that she most definitely did her research. Don’t miss the author’s note at the end as it provides much insight on her writing process. I’ll definitely be checking out her backlist! 4/5 stars for ACE, MARVEL, SPY! It’s out now!

[Debra Slonek · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an example of historical fiction at its best! I learned many new things, felt all the feels, and thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I learned about the world of professional tennis and about the role of espionage during WW2. I felt a wide range of emotions as Alice experienced the highs and lows of her amazing life

Alice started off with some raw talents that were practiced and developed into perfection. Many opportunities came her way. Some seemed to arrive courtesy of fate, while others popped up after a certain coach had worked her magic. Alice learned that she had more than one purpose in her life. Some were seasonal, others lifelong. Alice became a person of influence and I loved how she used her influence for the greater good.

Sometimes when you have a meteoric rise to fame and success, as you return to earth, it can feel like a crash landing. But, when you seemingly crash and burn, you may get the chance to see beauty arise from the ashes.

As Alice experienced personal growth, her opportunities increased and her world expanded in amazing ways. Pick up a copy of this book and enjoy learning about her life. I’m so glad that I did!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harper Muse. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.