The Double Life of Eve Sinclair

by C.C. Humphreys

The Alice Network meets The Nightingale in this romantic and suspenseful novel about a female spy who must push herself to her very limits to save herself and everything she holds dear—from nationally bestselling author and master of historical fiction C.C. Humphreys.

It’s 1939, and Stockholm is a sea of spies. Yet Eve Sinclair couldn’t care less. Nineteen years old, beautiful, born in Montreal into privilege and educated to do little more than make a good marriage, she appears to have succeeded when she weds handsome diplomat Richard Spence and follows him to Stockholm. But, like so much in this city, Eve will discover that her marriage is not what it seems. Raised to expect only one life, she soon finds herself thrust into another one entirely—dark, corrupt and very, very dangerous.

If Eve is going to survive her newly perilous life in a world at war, she must learn certain skills—and swiftly. Discovering a core of steel buried deep within her, she will forge that steel into a career . . . as a spy. Her talents, and her need to fight evil, will take her from luxurious Sweden to the foulest tenements of Lisbon, onto the highlands of Scotland and finally to a bridge in Norway, a detonator and an inconceivable choice.

The Double Life of Eve Sinclair is much more than a war story; it’s a tale of love, passion, grit and the resilience of the human spirit. And it’s the story of one woman who discovers she has more strength than she ever could have imagined.

Genres: Historical Fiction, World War II, Historical, Audiobook, Canada, Fiction, Romance

400 pages, Paperback

Published June 2, 2026

About the author

aka Chris Humphreys

Chris (C.C.) Humphreys was born in Toronto, lived till he was seven in Los Angeles, then grew up in the UK. All four grandparents were actors, and since his father was an actor as well, it was inevitable he would follow the bloodline.

Chris (C.C.) Humphreys has played Hamlet in Calgary, a gladiator in Tunisia, waltzed in London’s West End, conned the landlord of the Rovers Return in Coronation Street, commanded a starfleet in Andromeda, voiced Salem the cat in the original Sabrina, and is a dead immortal in Highlander. He has written eleven adult novels including The French Executioner, runner-up for the CWA Steel Dagger for Thrillers; Chasing the Wind; The Jack Absolute Trilogy; Vlad – The Last Confession; A Place Called Armageddon and Shakespeare’s Rebel – which he adapted into a play and which premiered at Bard on the Beach, Vancouver, in 2015. Plague won the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Crime Novel in Canada in 2015. He has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia. His epic fantasy series the Immortals’ Blood Trilogy, beginning with Smoke in the Glass' has just been published by Gollancz. He also published his other fantasy series, The Tapestry Trilogy, beginning in August 2020 with ‘The Hunt of the Unicorn’. His foray into modern crime, 'One London Day' was published in 2021. Hie new novel, the World War Two epic romance, 'Someday I'll Find You' is published by Doubleday in Canada on June 6, 2023.

Several of his novels are available as Audiobooks - read by himself! Find him here:
https://www.authorchrishumphreys.com/...

He is translated into thirteen languages. In 2015 he earned his Masters in Fine Arts (Creative Writing) from the University of British Columbia.

Check out his website: http://authorchrishumphreys.com

Reviews

[Tina]

3.5 ⭐️
I really enjoy WW II historical fiction stories. I appreciate that this one had a different angle to the ever popular genre. It was refreshing and I liked it!

A young Eve Sinclair is the daughter of a well-to-do Mining Executive in Montreal, Canada. She is set to marry someone who her parents deem is appropriate. Eve dreams of a loving marriage. The story begins in 1939 when she weds and leaves for Europe with her new husband. We will continue to follow Eve's life all throughout the war years and when she eventually finds herself involved with the SOE (Special Operations Executive.) I loved all the various different settings.

This one started off excellent and there were a few surprising twists that I did not see coming at all and I wanted to keep reading. The problem for me was mid-way through the book I felt it got a little jumbled and I lost track of some things. The jumping timelines (one in particular of three years) did not help. I enjoyed the character's growth and strength but some of it happened off the pages. Her time with the SOE was exciting and it made me intrigued to look up some things about the real organization and all it stood for in World War II. I'm glad I read this and I plan on reading this author's first book as I did enjoy his writing style.

This was a buddy read with a Bookstagram friend.

*🇨🇦 Author
*🇨🇦 Setting- Montreal, Canada and various European countries; Sweden, Portugal, Finland, England, and Scotland.

Published June 2, 2026

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the Advance Reader's Copy.

[Abby]

I’d give this one a solid 4 stars. The middle of the book really shines, it’s where the story finds its stride and pulls you in. The characters felt engaging and well-developed, and I found myself genuinely invested in their lives and choices. The storyline was intriguing and kept me turning the pages, especially once things started to unfold. Overall, a compelling read with a strong core that made it well worth the time.

[Charlie]

Story line was different than others I’d read on WWII. I’m not 100% sure but I don’t think camera equipment in 1939 was as sophisticated as the story implied. Young girl marries a man she barely knows, believable. Man is casual about an open marriage…in 1939? Less believable. Tragic turn of events, young girl becomes a spy. Clearly the story kept me committed to the end.

[Madeleine Tyber]

Not bad! The plot jumped around a ton. I enjoyed the twists early on, found it a little scattered throughout. I don’t really understand how or why the author chose to skip through time so much. Ending was pretty anticlimactic, maybe even a little boring.

[Kim Jones]

The Double Life of Eve Sinclair
By: C.C. Humphreys 🇨🇦
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
This book follows Eve from Montreal to Sweden and then across Europe during World War II. Arriving in Stockholm as a diplomats wife, Eve doesn’t know much about politics. That changes quickly with the war. Living in a neutral country filled with spies, events transpire that politicize Eve and inspire her to join the fight against the Nazis. That fight takes her all over Europe on missions and in training.

[Cleo Howe]

I gave this book 5 stars because the story is unexpected and had some great twists. It also had excellent history and is very well written by a Canadian writer. Although somewhat far fetched as the two main characters survive the war, the spy accout is very believable. Loved this book.

[Leslie Burnett]

It was great. So well written. The characters were all
So believable. And the plot went along very quickly. I loved this book.

[Natasha Beaupré]

i wish I would have a 1/4 du courage de Eve Sinclair ❤️!

[Shawn Bird]

Another delightful romp through history with CC Humphreys.

Amusing to meet some familiar faces along the way, like Billy Coke and Ian Fleming!

[Emelie Hoyer]

Entertaining enough but I think I’ve read too many stories of female spies in WW 2. I did enjoy the Canadian references.

[Courtni Moorman]

Lots of action and surprises! Interesting setting for WWII historical fiction - I did not know anything about the Scandinavian countries during this time period.

[Megan]

I enjoyed this. Just when I think I’m tired of books set during WWII, an author comes up with something different. The majority of this book was set either in neutral Sweden or occupied Norway. I knew little about the experience of these places during the war so I found it very interesting, especially when exploring what it meant to be ‘neutral’. I also liked the Canadian maid character.

[Catherine Beck]

I love a good historical fiction but this was more of a love story, and I’m not into those. So for me it was just ok. The beginning had promise and was very good but then it got a little bogged down and slow. And then the big time jump towards the end was weird and the ending was a bit predictable.

[Liz Mannegren]

I really enjoyed this latest historical novel from C.C. Humphreys. The story follows Eve Sinclair, a privileged Canadian woman who does what is expected: find a handsome, ambitious husband and marry young. But after moving to Sweden at the start of WWII, her life takes a turn that is anything but expected.

I love Canadian settings, and this Montreal-at-the-start-of-WWII was a great opener. We cover a lot of ground in this novel (Canada, Sweden, Norway, Portugal, the UK, and France), but there's also a strong emphasis on the Scandinavian element of the war, and I appreciated this less commonly explored bit of history.

The story is told from two different perspectives: Eve and Henrik, and I was absolutely invested in Eve from the start. Eve's character experiences tremendous growth throughout the story, and I couldn't count the number of twists and turns her life takes. While some of it stretched belief a tad, I was entirely along for the ride and loved that I never knew where this book was taking us next.

Henrik's viewpoint, however, took me a little longer to get into. (A contributing factor to that was that two of our important characters were named Henrik and Erik, and I was constantly confusing who was who.) Still, by the end, he won me over.

I also love when authors interconnect their stories, and this book gives us a cameo appearance of a character from Humphrey's previous book, Someday I'll Find You. These Easter Eggs are always fun to find! (And speaking of cameos, hello there, Ian Fleming!)

WWII fiction, romance, and a lot of adventure, this was a strong story with interesting historical tidbits. While there were some interesting choices in terms of timeline jumps, I found this fast-paced story intriguing from start to finish. A thoroughly enjoyable read! Thanks to the publisher for my gifted copy.

[Jo ◇ Ldybookdragon]

This book was such a fresh perspective of WWII for me. I've read MANY historical fiction novels set throughout Europe, Russia, and Asia, but not in Scandinavia. As a side note, I have Finnish heritage, but I realized in reading this book how little I know about Nordic and Scandinavia's WWII history. So, down that rabbit hole, I shall go! ✨️

Now, back to the Double Life of Eve Sinclair!

This book took so many twists and turns that I did not expect! It explores the sting of betrayal, the harsh personal realities of wartime, the sheer bravery, and insane determination of those who fought for our freedom and our future.

It also beautifully demonstrates that love is truly the only force that holds us together and keeps us human despite distances of war. When Eve and Erik meet unexpectedly in a tragic and desperate moment in their lives, they have one goal - to fight back. To avenge their dead, to help take Hitler and the Nazis down. They don't expect to fall in love in the process. Set in Scandinavia and Europe, this story is gripping and suspenseful. The characters feel real, and you find yourself silently wishing you could know them as real people. I love the writing. Humphreys is a masterful storyteller, and it is as though you're caught up in a fairytale - I think this would probably be a great audiobook!

Thank you so much to @penguinrandomca @doubledayca @humphreys_cc @netgalley for the ARC of this book. I tore through it, and I think many others will, too! The Double Life of Eve Sinclair by CC Humphreys is out June 2, 2026!

[Brenda Rollins]

“The Double Life of Eve Sinclair” is an an enthralling historical fictional novel that follows a Montreal debutante who transformation from a sheltered diplomat's wife into a fierce World War II spy. I love books with strong female protagonists. Eve Sinclair navigates espionage, danger, and impossible choices across Stockholm, Lisbon, Scotland, and Norway. It’s a thrill of a read to see Eve in action, she ultimately discovers she has more strength than she ever could have imagined. She will be tested beyond her ability, thrusted into dark and dangerous circumstances that are beyond measure. Eve is a force to be reckoned with, she is courageous, a far cry from the socialite from Montreal.

Eve has a rude awakening to the harsh realities of war, an encounter with a Norwegian soldier Erik Strom is educational, but after she meets him, she can no longer turn a blind eye to the atrocities of war. They become a formidable pair. Her eyes are wide open to the horror of war, and she is bound and determined to do her part using her beauty and wit to forge a new career as an operative.

It blends historical events, suspenseful elements and romance into a fantastic storyline that is action packed. It has an engaging narrative style, strong character development with gripping fiction. This novel was inspired by the heroic exploits of courageous Scandinavian resistance operatives and how they helped the Allies win World War II. Eve did her part to help fight evil. An enthralling story.

[Margaret]

I had the privilege of attending an author talk when this book was released, C.C. Humphreys spoke about his own personal connection to this story. His father was from England and his mother was a spy during the war. Knowing that going in made reading this all the more interesting, there is something different about experiencing a book when you know it is rooted in the author's own family history.
Set in 1939, the story follows Eve Sinclair, a young Montreal socialite who marries a handsome diplomat and moves to Stockholm, only to discover her marriage is not what it appears to be. Raised to expect one kind of life, she is thrust into another entirely, one that pulls her into the dangerous world of espionage during the Second World War. Watching her transformation and all the obstacles she endured gave rise to how much strength she didn't realize she had.

World War II fiction set in Stockholm is well off the beaten path, and it was refreshing to get a view of the war from that side of things. So much WWII historical fiction covers familiar ground, France, Britain, Germany, so setting the story in neutral Sweden gave a different perspective on how the war touched even those countries trying to stay out of it.

This book was part of my 2026 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge #28

[Kendalljoy]

(ARC review) The double life of Eve Sinclair is a captivating story of the love, loss, sacrifice, hope, and disappointment of war. Following the female protagonist on her journey from uninvolved and ignorant noble to a spy looking to foil Nazi plans, Eve learns just what it takes to be “on the right side of history.”

Many WWII historical Fiction novels follow the men’s story and portray women as the home makers awaiting their husband’s return. This was a refreshing story of bravery shown by women and their desire to get involved. Eve is cunning, witty, and bold. She thrives on being underestimated, I loved her character development as she grew into who she was meant to be.

Each relationship shaped her and she made sure to use any and all information to her advantage. Her parents, Richard, Henrik, and Erik all played a vital role.

I was hooked from page one to the very end. Every time I thought I knew what was happening or going to happen, everything flipped around.

[Arc by Bethy]

First book I've read from this author and I'm going to be keeping this author on my radar! I devoured this book in one sitting! I was drawn in from the very beginning! I love historical fiction and especially anything about WW2 and this one was amazing! There are so many unexpected twists that I was engaged and kept turning the pages for more. I have not read about Sweden during the war before, so I was captivated during the book so read about their involvement. I absolutely loved it from beginning to end! The pacing was perfect and I would definitely read more books from this author! Highly recommend this to anyone, thank you to NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Fergie]

** 4 1/2 - 5 stars **

My favorite genre of fiction is historical, set during WWII to be exact. This book could also be classified as a thriller. It certainly had me hooked. Once I started it, I had a very difficult time putting it down.

The story C.C. Humphreys crafted was gripping. Eve Sinclair is the protagonist, a well-to-do Candanian whose life is affected by abundant twists and turns, leading her to a life of espionage more thrilling than anything she would have experienced if Hitler had not taken on the free world.

C.C. Humphreys is a gifted writer, one who understands the seduction of the page-turner. It's a must-read for any historical fiction, thrill-seeking reader. One of the best novels I've read in awhile.

[Janet]

3.5
I have been a fan of C.C. Humphreys since reading his 2001 "The French Executioner", which was superb. I enjoyed this one, although other authors have done this topic (women resistance fighters) more believably.

I found that events moved awfully quickly...there was only passing mention of her training, and the war was almost over by the time the main character took part in a major operation! I also found the motivations for some of the events/behaviours rather weak. Prior to setting out on assignment, Eve asks Erik if he thinks that they are ready to kill to achieve their goals...when they had, much earlier in the story, tried to kill the former lover who had betrayed her.

The story was entertaining and recommended for fans of historical fiction.

[Kristine Walker]

We meet Eve during wartime working for the Allies as she sets out to blow up a train with ball bearings headed for Germany near the end of the war. The rest of the novel takes place in the past where we meet Eve again in Montreal, daughter of a president of a lucrative mining company and part of the Montrel elite. She marries Richard, a charming diplomat who is sent to Stockholm. From there, the novel's storyline follows Eve's journey back to Sweden after tragic events lead her into hiding and to various locations including Lisbon (where we briefly meet Ian Fleming a la James Bond fame) and the UK. This is a page-turner and we become engrossed in Eve's courageous adventures. Cynics will argue that some of the events are far-fetched, but this reader was all in.

[Jane]

The Double Life of Eva Sinclair by C. C. Humphries is an unforgettable WWII spy thriller. There are so many unexpected surprises to keep the reader engaged. This is a story about a newly married nineteen years old Canadian born woman who becomes a skilled resistance fighter for the Allies. This reader was happy to read about anti-Nazi efforts by groups other than those in a France. Eva’s journey first takes her to Sweden as her husband is in the diplomatic corps. Sweden declared neutrality during WWII, but was it really? Be sure to read the author’s after notes. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

[Kathleen Freeman]

Wow what to say about this book, set during WWII our FMC Eve Sinclair is newly married when she finds herself in Europe at the start of WWII and she knows she must fight to bring down the Nazi’s. Travelling from Canada to Sweden, Portugal, Finland, England, Scotland and back to Sweden this book will take you on a journey of how one woman must put her faith in herself and figure out who to trust. This is action and drama and your interest will be captured by this story. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend this book even if you are a little burnt out by WWII stories, this is worth reading.

[Stacey]

It took a while to get used to how this book was written, jumps in time, skipping over some logistical messy bits. I found the beginning a little slow but at the same time would have liked a bit more character development of Eve and even Richard.
The middle I started to dive in and want to spend more and more time reading right to the end.
It is an easier WWII tool book. It focuses on areas I didn’t know much about like countries with neutrality and how that affected the war and the people trying to move through it.
I think the author did a great job with what they were trying to deliver. WWII setting, spies, romance and Canadian content.
S

[Deborah]

The Double Life of Eve Sinclair was a truly captivating audiobook, especially with the story told through two different POVs.
The book started off incredibly strong. The writing was beautifully vivid, and C.C. Humphreys truly made me feel like I was right there alongside the characters. However, the pacing faltered in the middle, and the story slowed down significantly. The ending was just okay; it felt like it just finished without much impact.
That being said, the author's notes at the end were absolutely wonderful! I loved hearing how he began writing this book and learning a bit more about him.

[Lizanne Johnson]

If you like reading WWII historical fiction in locales other than France and England, pick up The Double Life of Eve Sinclair. Canadian born Eve marries diplomat Richard Spence who is assigned to neutral Sweden. Married life is not what she expects. Neutral Sweden is not what she expects. With dangerous twists and turns, Eve’s life is turning out to be not at all what she expects. Eve rises to the challenges.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Maia Caron]

I was lucky to receive an advance reading copy of this historical novel and loved every word.

Both sweeping and intimate, The Double Life of Eve Sinclair, weaves a love story for the ages and an addictively propulsive tale of espionage that will keep you guessing until the final page, inspired by the heroic exploits of courageous Scandinavian resistance operatives and how they helped the Allies win World War II.

Highly recommend!

[Ann]

This is one Canadian girl who makes it her mission to fight evil during World War II. I would say that she has more than a double life, an ever-evolving one that ultimately lets her rely on her own strength.

From a fairy tale wedding to a diplomat, to a frightful honeymoon, to an unexpected romance, Eve Sinclair weathers all that life throws at her and then vows to triumph on the side of good.

Tension builds nicely to her final harrowing mission and its satisfying conclusion.

[Cindy Su]

I usually try to avoid stories about World War II, or any war really. They are just too atrocious!

This is a compelling story about a dark time in history. While it does depict some of the appalling acts that were carried out, it is also a touching story about love and commitment. It is a story of how two people fought against the monsters of World War II. And of how they maintained their humanity even in the midst of the inhumanity of the war.