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Maggie Hope #8
The Prisoner in the Castle
American-born spy and code-breaker extraordinaire Maggie Hope must solve a baffling series of murders among a group of captive agents on an isolated Scottish island as the acclaimed World War II mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Susan Elia MacNeal continues.
Maggie Hope is being held prisoner on a remote Scottish island with other SOE agents who know too much for the enemy's comfort. All the spies on the island are trained to kill--and when they start dropping off one-by-one, Maggie needs to find the murderer... before she becomes the next victim.
Maggie Hope is being held prisoner on a remote Scottish island with other SOE agents who know too much for the enemy's comfort. All the spies on the island are trained to kill--and when they start dropping off one-by-one, Maggie needs to find the murderer... before she becomes the next victim.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published August 7, 2018
1203 people are currently reading
9921 people want to read
About the author
Susan Elia MacNeal
20 books3,365 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 892 reviews
August 22, 2018
The Prisoner in the Castle by Susan Elia MacNeal is a 2018 Bantam publication.
A classic ‘locked room’ mystery in a house full of spies!!
I will confess this installment in the Maggie Hope series was not at all what I was expecting. However, I found it was a nice change of pace after enduring some gut-wrenching emotional punches in the last few chapters of the series.
If you like golden age or ‘locked room’ mysteries, Ala Agatha Christie’s ‘And Then There Were None’, you will love this one.
The story begins with Maggie being exiled to Scotland because SOE believes she is a liability, due to the bombshell military secrets she discovered. She is secluded away in an old Scottish castle along with other agents, who find themselves exiled as well, for various reasons. But, one by one, her fellow ‘guests’ are being murdered and Maggie is stumped, unsure who to trust, because, of course, they are all suspects.
The traumas and consequences of the war are not forgotten, but Maggie is not on an official assignment in this installment. But trouble followed her anyway. She's barely arrived when the first murder occurs. Meanwhile, Maggie’s friends and allies back home are beginning to suspect she may be in trouble. But, will they arrive in time and can they convince the SOE to release her?
Once it became clear that this book would be a bit of a departure from what I’ve come to expect, I was a little puzzled. I had expected some diabolical plot, but never imagined anything like this!!
But, it is hard not to be drawn in by the new spin on Christie’s classic. Before long, I caught myself playing along with the guessing game. Who would be the next victim? Who was the killer and what was the motive? A good old -fashioned mystery is always fun, but what about Maggie’s role as a spy? What does this story have to do with the war or Maggie’s mission? Well… let’s just say there is
A LOT going on at Scarra Isle.
MacNeal did a magnificent job of creating taut, edge of your seat suspense, starting with the location, and adding in a spectacular storm, and of course keeping the residents trapped, without any means of escape, with a deranged killer. Suspicion and paranoia reach the appropriate level of hysteria, building and building to the ultimate crescendo. This is not an exact copy of Christie’s novel, just to be clear. It has a fresh twist and is unique to this series, and not just some random intermission.
Yet, this installment is a bit unconventional, and unless you just want to enjoy a fresh twist on a classic golden age mystery, I wouldn’t recommend this one as a stand-alone. However, if you are a fan of this series, be ready to see Maggie’s detecting skills put the test in a way she never imaged.
Maggie will have more trials to face in the upcoming installment, if nothing else, but I think perhaps her dangerous knowledge that everyone thought would endanger war strategies, was blown out of proportion, and isn’t so dangerous anymore. A new assignment will most likely await her- and I’ll be there cheering her on!!
4 stars
A classic ‘locked room’ mystery in a house full of spies!!
I will confess this installment in the Maggie Hope series was not at all what I was expecting. However, I found it was a nice change of pace after enduring some gut-wrenching emotional punches in the last few chapters of the series.
If you like golden age or ‘locked room’ mysteries, Ala Agatha Christie’s ‘And Then There Were None’, you will love this one.
The story begins with Maggie being exiled to Scotland because SOE believes she is a liability, due to the bombshell military secrets she discovered. She is secluded away in an old Scottish castle along with other agents, who find themselves exiled as well, for various reasons. But, one by one, her fellow ‘guests’ are being murdered and Maggie is stumped, unsure who to trust, because, of course, they are all suspects.
The traumas and consequences of the war are not forgotten, but Maggie is not on an official assignment in this installment. But trouble followed her anyway. She's barely arrived when the first murder occurs. Meanwhile, Maggie’s friends and allies back home are beginning to suspect she may be in trouble. But, will they arrive in time and can they convince the SOE to release her?
Once it became clear that this book would be a bit of a departure from what I’ve come to expect, I was a little puzzled. I had expected some diabolical plot, but never imagined anything like this!!
But, it is hard not to be drawn in by the new spin on Christie’s classic. Before long, I caught myself playing along with the guessing game. Who would be the next victim? Who was the killer and what was the motive? A good old -fashioned mystery is always fun, but what about Maggie’s role as a spy? What does this story have to do with the war or Maggie’s mission? Well… let’s just say there is
A LOT going on at Scarra Isle.
MacNeal did a magnificent job of creating taut, edge of your seat suspense, starting with the location, and adding in a spectacular storm, and of course keeping the residents trapped, without any means of escape, with a deranged killer. Suspicion and paranoia reach the appropriate level of hysteria, building and building to the ultimate crescendo. This is not an exact copy of Christie’s novel, just to be clear. It has a fresh twist and is unique to this series, and not just some random intermission.
Yet, this installment is a bit unconventional, and unless you just want to enjoy a fresh twist on a classic golden age mystery, I wouldn’t recommend this one as a stand-alone. However, if you are a fan of this series, be ready to see Maggie’s detecting skills put the test in a way she never imaged.
Maggie will have more trials to face in the upcoming installment, if nothing else, but I think perhaps her dangerous knowledge that everyone thought would endanger war strategies, was blown out of proportion, and isn’t so dangerous anymore. A new assignment will most likely await her- and I’ll be there cheering her on!!
4 stars
October 11, 2022
Note: I received a free copy of this book. In exchange here is my honest review:
This gave me “clue” vibes… you know… it was the maid.. in the library… with the candlestick. 🥸 Honestly, this was an okay “who done it” story. I think I would have appreciated it more, had I read the previous books. So, I’d recommend starting this with book 1… not 8 😜
Thank you @goodreads @susanaliamacneal and @penguinrandomhouse #goodreadsgiveaway
This gave me “clue” vibes… you know… it was the maid.. in the library… with the candlestick. 🥸 Honestly, this was an okay “who done it” story. I think I would have appreciated it more, had I read the previous books. So, I’d recommend starting this with book 1… not 8 😜
Thank you @goodreads @susanaliamacneal and @penguinrandomhouse #goodreadsgiveaway
August 2, 2018
The Prisoner in the Castle is the eighth and latest installment in the Maggie Hope series and author Susan Elia MacNeal has given us a compelling, captivating and cerebral tale.
World War II British secret agent, Maggie Hope, finds herself banished to the remote Scottish island, Scarra, with other SOE agents. MacNeal’s attention to detail in her description of the remote island and the castle that Maggie and the others inhabit is superb and fascinating. She gives the reader a real feel of what each one of the spies is feeling on the island.
What sets this book apart from the previous books is MacNeals use of the plot from Agatha Christie’s classic novel, “And Then There Were None”, as a way of eliminating characters one by one.
Maggie finds herself in a race against time to save herself and others on the remote island from a murderer.
Maggie must use all the skills and tools in her arsenal to outsmart a treacherous individual out to due harm to others as well as potentially changing the course of the war.
While there are references to past stories and characters, Prisoner in the Castle, is enjoyable and certainly entertaining as a stand-alone book, though you may find yourself enticed to go back and read the previous books in the series.
The Prisoner in the Castle will leave you anxious for the next Maggie Hope adventure.
I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley. My review of the book is unbiased. #netgalley #theprisonerinthecastle
August 6, 2018
I wouldn’t normally jump into a series on book 8. But a friend of mine has enjoyed this series and I got a chance to review this book through netgalley, so jump I did.
I was expecting more of a spy novel, but this is really a cozy mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie. Maggie Hope is back from a spy mission and has been sent to a remote Scottish island, a sort of cooling off, almost prison type place for spies with issues. And then one, by one, the dead bodies start piling up. But despite how quickly the deaths kept coming, I didn’t feel any tension. This one just didn’t draw me in. And what happens tends to be predictable. Yes, there are a few twists I didn’t see coming. But nothing mind boggling. And I had correctly guessed who was picking everyone off, if not the reason.
A secondary storyline obviously dates back to the prior book. It adds some tension but i did feel at a bit of a loss not having the history. This is an ok book but I won’t be rushing to read the prior books.
My thanks to netgalley and Bantam for an advance copy of this book.
April 27, 2018
4.5 stars
The Prisoner in the Castle is the 8th Maggie Hope mystery and is an excellent addition to the series. In a departure from her earlier novels, MacNeal utilizes Agatha Christie’s classic And Then There Were None strategy of eliminating characters one by one while the remaining individuals race to determine who the murderer is. As the book opens, Maggie and various other SOE agents are being held prisoner on the Isle of Scarra off the coast of Scotland; each agent has some knowledge or issue that the SOE believes impacts that person’s ability to serve during the war so they are all sentenced to spend the rest of World War 2 on this remote island.
MacNeal provides fabulous detail regarding both the Scottish setting and the garish castle in which they are all trapped. The Scottish legends are fascinating and add depth and character to the tale. The use of Christie’s plot device was clever and effective for this tale. I was so curious to see who would die next which made reading the book a ton of fun. I always love Maggie Hope’s adventures, and The Prisoner in the Castle is a highly enjoyable read.
The Prisoner in the Castle is the 8th Maggie Hope mystery and is an excellent addition to the series. In a departure from her earlier novels, MacNeal utilizes Agatha Christie’s classic And Then There Were None strategy of eliminating characters one by one while the remaining individuals race to determine who the murderer is. As the book opens, Maggie and various other SOE agents are being held prisoner on the Isle of Scarra off the coast of Scotland; each agent has some knowledge or issue that the SOE believes impacts that person’s ability to serve during the war so they are all sentenced to spend the rest of World War 2 on this remote island.
MacNeal provides fabulous detail regarding both the Scottish setting and the garish castle in which they are all trapped. The Scottish legends are fascinating and add depth and character to the tale. The use of Christie’s plot device was clever and effective for this tale. I was so curious to see who would die next which made reading the book a ton of fun. I always love Maggie Hope’s adventures, and The Prisoner in the Castle is a highly enjoyable read.
June 8, 2018
Maggie is a brave, educated, strong young woman who I have come to love through the series. The ending of The Paris Spy was an unexpected cliffhanger and I was eagerly waiting for this installment, but unfortunately this was a disappointment.
Nothing really happens on the Island of Scarra where all these agents are isolated and imprisoned. They start getting killed off one by one but and I thought Maggie would get an opportunity to investigate and find the killer, but that’s not what happened. Whatever she learned, she just stumbled upon by accident. I hoped atleast the story arc of the German Spy would be interesting, but it turned out to be quite anticlimactic. None of my favorite characters seemed to have much to do here.
I would still probably continue this series because Maggie is a wonderful character but this book was definitely forgettable.
Nothing really happens on the Island of Scarra where all these agents are isolated and imprisoned. They start getting killed off one by one but and I thought Maggie would get an opportunity to investigate and find the killer, but that’s not what happened. Whatever she learned, she just stumbled upon by accident. I hoped atleast the story arc of the German Spy would be interesting, but it turned out to be quite anticlimactic. None of my favorite characters seemed to have much to do here.
I would still probably continue this series because Maggie is a wonderful character but this book was definitely forgettable.
August 2, 2018
The Prisioner in the Castle is the eighth and latest installment in the Maggie Hope series and author Susan Elia MacNeal has given us a compelling, captivating and cerebral tale.
World War II British secret agent, Maggie Hope, finds herself banished to the remote Scottish island, Scarra, with other SOE agents. MacNeal’s attention to detail in her description of the remote island and the castle that Maggie and the others inhabit is superb and fascinating. She gives the reader a real feel of what each one of the spies is feeling on the island.
What sets this book apart from the previous books is MacNeals use of the plot from Agatha Christie’s classic novel, “And Then There Were None”, as a way of eliminating characters one by one.
Maggie finds herself in a race against time to save herself and others on the remote island from a murderer.
Maggie must use all the skills and tools in her arsenal to outsmart a treacherous individual out to due harm to others as well as potentially changing the course of the war.
While there are references to past stories and characters, Prisioner in the Castle, is enjoyable and certainly entertaining as a stand-alone book, though you may find yourself enticed to go back and read the previous books in the series.
The Prisioner in the Castle will leave you anxious for the next Maggie Hope adventure.
I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley. My review of the book is unbiased. #netgalley #theprisionerinthecastle
World War II British secret agent, Maggie Hope, finds herself banished to the remote Scottish island, Scarra, with other SOE agents. MacNeal’s attention to detail in her description of the remote island and the castle that Maggie and the others inhabit is superb and fascinating. She gives the reader a real feel of what each one of the spies is feeling on the island.
What sets this book apart from the previous books is MacNeals use of the plot from Agatha Christie’s classic novel, “And Then There Were None”, as a way of eliminating characters one by one.
Maggie finds herself in a race against time to save herself and others on the remote island from a murderer.
Maggie must use all the skills and tools in her arsenal to outsmart a treacherous individual out to due harm to others as well as potentially changing the course of the war.
While there are references to past stories and characters, Prisioner in the Castle, is enjoyable and certainly entertaining as a stand-alone book, though you may find yourself enticed to go back and read the previous books in the series.
The Prisioner in the Castle will leave you anxious for the next Maggie Hope adventure.
I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley. My review of the book is unbiased. #netgalley #theprisionerinthecastle
June 18, 2019
I’ve been anxiously awaiting news of Maggie Hope, WWII secret agent for the British, after we were left hanging in THE PARIS SPY. Thankfully, the newest chapter in this beloved series by Susan Elia MacNeal is as thrilling as thrilling can be!
In an ever so polished nod to the Grand Dame of Mystery, this harrowing tale finds Maggie confined to a remote Scottish Island with other agents who are knocked off ... one by one ... in some quite spectacular ways.
And oh my is our favorite spy in a jam! A top secret British agency holds her hostage. Communication is prohibited, while gale force winds prevent escape. Who can Maggie trust? Will she survive? Will she ever earn her freedom? Grab a great big goblet of wine for company, as you won’t be able to let THE PRISONER go until the shocking end. Cheers!
A tip of the tam to one of my fave authors, to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and to NetGalley for the advance copy. Opinions are fully mine.
#ThePrisonerInTheCastle #NetGalley
In an ever so polished nod to the Grand Dame of Mystery, this harrowing tale finds Maggie confined to a remote Scottish Island with other agents who are knocked off ... one by one ... in some quite spectacular ways.
And oh my is our favorite spy in a jam! A top secret British agency holds her hostage. Communication is prohibited, while gale force winds prevent escape. Who can Maggie trust? Will she survive? Will she ever earn her freedom? Grab a great big goblet of wine for company, as you won’t be able to let THE PRISONER go until the shocking end. Cheers!
A tip of the tam to one of my fave authors, to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and to NetGalley for the advance copy. Opinions are fully mine.
#ThePrisonerInTheCastle #NetGalley
May 8, 2024
Ugh, nothing happened in this book. The main character wasn't integral to the plot at all, she was merely the vehicle through which we watched the story. She didn't find the bad guy, she didn't do a good job protecting her fellows, and she didn't [spoiler alert] even take down the bad guy on her own: he met his demise accidentally while she was trying to escape. This character is a strong, educated, brave woman when she's the leading lady; this book wasn't about her at all.
I keep reading these books because the first few were so good and I keep hoping a new installment will be a pleasant surprise. I really need to stop.
eARC from NetGalley.
I keep reading these books because the first few were so good and I keep hoping a new installment will be a pleasant surprise. I really need to stop.
eARC from NetGalley.
October 25, 2022
I don’t think I was aware of just how over this series I am until I had to review this for NG
July 28, 2018
The eighth story in this series owes a big tip of the hat to Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. Set during WWII, Maggie Hope, is a secret agent for the British. She's just back from a dangerous mission when she is reassigned for special training on a very remote island in Scotland. Only when she arrives she discovers it's a cooling off place for agents that the government has deemed are too dangerous to use on missions or mix with the general public.
There are quite a few agents (8-10) who are basically in prison even though they are living in a castle. There is no contact with the outside world-no mail, letters, newspapers. Their families are told they are on special assignment so no one is looking for them.
Then they start getting murdered one after another. Then the commander is killed, the boat drivers who make supply runs once a month and an attack is made on one of the servants. With no access to help, the trained killers must defend themselves against one of themselves who is intent on killing them.
I just loved the story. I liked the remote Scottish castle, the quirky characters and the clever homage to Christie. It's the first one of the series I have read and I plan to go back and read the others. I hope they are as good as this one.
Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
There are quite a few agents (8-10) who are basically in prison even though they are living in a castle. There is no contact with the outside world-no mail, letters, newspapers. Their families are told they are on special assignment so no one is looking for them.
Then they start getting murdered one after another. Then the commander is killed, the boat drivers who make supply runs once a month and an attack is made on one of the servants. With no access to help, the trained killers must defend themselves against one of themselves who is intent on killing them.
I just loved the story. I liked the remote Scottish castle, the quirky characters and the clever homage to Christie. It's the first one of the series I have read and I plan to go back and read the others. I hope they are as good as this one.
Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
November 21, 2018
This is the latest in a series, so if you haven't read the others you should start with the first. I love the the Maggie Hope mysteries, about a woman who is a soy for Britain during World War 2 who also gets caught up in murder mysteries. Here, Maggie is detained on a remote Scottish island because she knows too much when other prisoners start being killed. Maggie has to rely on her wits and skills to find the killer before becoming his or her next victim. Really well researched and written and super suspenseful!
July 3, 2019
KEEPS YOU THRILLINGLY CAPTIVE!
I’ve been anxiously awaiting news of Maggie Hope, WWII secret agent for the British, after we were left hanging in THE PARIS SPY. Thankfully, this eighth book in the beloved series by Susan Elia MacNeal is as thrilling as thrilling can be!
At the end of THE PARIS SPY, Maggie is arrested for refusing to assume a role that could lead to her fellow agents’ deaths. Our favorite spy is imperiled by the very guys who are supposed to be good!
Now, in an ever so polished nod to the Grand Dame of Mystery, Agatha Christie herself, we find Maggie confined to a remote Scottish Island with other errant agents — each secretive, each skilled in deadly warfare — who are knocked off one by one in quite spectacular ways.
My oh my is our heroine in a jam! The clandestine agency holding her hostage bans communication with the outside world, while gale force winds and an unforgiving terrain prevent escape. Who can Maggie trust? Will she survive? Will she ever earn her freedom? Grab a great big goblet of wine for company, as you won’t be able to release THE PRISONER ‘til the shocking end. Cheers!
What makes the Maggie Hope series so compelling are its vivacious protagonist, so real you can see the gleam of her red hair through the Scottish gloom, the thrilling backstory of WWII and the SOE spies who gave all to defeat the Nazis, and the lavish research by the author that adds eloquent authenticity.
A tip of the tam to one of my fave authors, to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and to NetGalley for the advance copy. Opinions are fully mine.
#ThePrisonerInTheCastle #NetGalley
I’ve been anxiously awaiting news of Maggie Hope, WWII secret agent for the British, after we were left hanging in THE PARIS SPY. Thankfully, this eighth book in the beloved series by Susan Elia MacNeal is as thrilling as thrilling can be!
At the end of THE PARIS SPY, Maggie is arrested for refusing to assume a role that could lead to her fellow agents’ deaths. Our favorite spy is imperiled by the very guys who are supposed to be good!
Now, in an ever so polished nod to the Grand Dame of Mystery, Agatha Christie herself, we find Maggie confined to a remote Scottish Island with other errant agents — each secretive, each skilled in deadly warfare — who are knocked off one by one in quite spectacular ways.
My oh my is our heroine in a jam! The clandestine agency holding her hostage bans communication with the outside world, while gale force winds and an unforgiving terrain prevent escape. Who can Maggie trust? Will she survive? Will she ever earn her freedom? Grab a great big goblet of wine for company, as you won’t be able to release THE PRISONER ‘til the shocking end. Cheers!
What makes the Maggie Hope series so compelling are its vivacious protagonist, so real you can see the gleam of her red hair through the Scottish gloom, the thrilling backstory of WWII and the SOE spies who gave all to defeat the Nazis, and the lavish research by the author that adds eloquent authenticity.
A tip of the tam to one of my fave authors, to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and to NetGalley for the advance copy. Opinions are fully mine.
#ThePrisonerInTheCastle #NetGalley
maybe
April 19, 2020shoutout to this book for having a trans flag on the cover
May 8, 2018
THE PRISONER IN THE CASTLE
The Prisoner in the Castle is a very enjoyable murder mystery set on the island Scarra off the Western coast of Scotland. British SOE agents, each fully trained to kill, are being kept there against their will for the duration of WWII due to a variety of secretive reasons. They start to die mysteriously one by one and tensions heighten with suspicions of one another.
They are held in Killoch Castle, medieval in design and decorated with way too many taxidermic prizes. And they are stranded due to a severe storm, radio communication with the mainland spotty at best. Several surprisingly eerie events occur throughout, and twists and turns kept me guessing all the way to the end.
This book is the 8th in the Maggie Hope Mystery Series. It is the first of the series that I have read and it fully works as a stand alone novel. Because it was so pleasantly paced and enjoyable I plan on reading the earlier books in the series as well.
I thank Netgalley, Susan Elia MacNeal, Bantam and Random House for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.
I very much recommend it.
The Prisoner in the Castle is a very enjoyable murder mystery set on the island Scarra off the Western coast of Scotland. British SOE agents, each fully trained to kill, are being kept there against their will for the duration of WWII due to a variety of secretive reasons. They start to die mysteriously one by one and tensions heighten with suspicions of one another.
They are held in Killoch Castle, medieval in design and decorated with way too many taxidermic prizes. And they are stranded due to a severe storm, radio communication with the mainland spotty at best. Several surprisingly eerie events occur throughout, and twists and turns kept me guessing all the way to the end.
This book is the 8th in the Maggie Hope Mystery Series. It is the first of the series that I have read and it fully works as a stand alone novel. Because it was so pleasantly paced and enjoyable I plan on reading the earlier books in the series as well.
I thank Netgalley, Susan Elia MacNeal, Bantam and Random House for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.
I very much recommend it.
November 16, 2018
Maggie Hope has been to a small island off the coast of Scotland which the SOE calls their "cooler". Basically any of their agents who have information that would be of benefit to the Germans, where the SOE isn't convinced of their ability to keep those secrets, are sent here.
There is a large castle on the island and all the SOE agents spend their days hunting, fishing, drinking and... well...spending quality time together ;)
The problem is, that the agents start being killed. One by one. And so begins a Maggie Hope style And Then There Were None. The comparisons can't be ignored, especially at one point when Maggie states "and then there were five". The author isn't trying to replicate the Christie book, it more pays homage to it and recognises that as the basis for the mystery. But there is much more going on in this book as we have Maggie's friends trying to find her, a potential German spy on the island, and of course, the question of what will happen to Maggie even if she does manage to find the killer or escape.
So different from all of the other books in the series, and we still are left hanging from some of the threads left in book 7, but it is a great read and tough to put down. Now to wait (another 2 years?) for book 9.
There is a large castle on the island and all the SOE agents spend their days hunting, fishing, drinking and... well...spending quality time together ;)
The problem is, that the agents start being killed. One by one. And so begins a Maggie Hope style And Then There Were None. The comparisons can't be ignored, especially at one point when Maggie states "and then there were five". The author isn't trying to replicate the Christie book, it more pays homage to it and recognises that as the basis for the mystery. But there is much more going on in this book as we have Maggie's friends trying to find her, a potential German spy on the island, and of course, the question of what will happen to Maggie even if she does manage to find the killer or escape.
So different from all of the other books in the series, and we still are left hanging from some of the threads left in book 7, but it is a great read and tough to put down. Now to wait (another 2 years?) for book 9.
July 18, 2018
Yet another masterful work in the Maggie Hope Mystery series. Where previous books in the series are perhaps more action driven, the suspense in this story is more cerebral in nature. That is until the book draws near to the end, where the action accelerates, the scenes change quickly and it all draws to a pulse-pounding conclusion.
The British agents, all broken goods in each own's way, banished to a remote Scottish island are dropping like flies. Surely, none among them could be the murderer, or could they? It's a race against time for Maggie Hope as she runs for her life and tries to save others along with herself.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially the references to poetry and other classic literature. The natural settings drawn are painterly and the made-to-look-old castle grotesque in description. Author Susan Elia MacNeal's pen is wielded with a masterful flourish and she has delivered yet another great read for mystery and historical fiction lovers. Well done!
I am grateful to author Susan Eliza MacNeal, publisher Bantam Books and LibraryThing First Reads for having provided a free advance uncorrected proof of this book. Their generosity, however, did not influence this review - the words of which are mine alone.
The British agents, all broken goods in each own's way, banished to a remote Scottish island are dropping like flies. Surely, none among them could be the murderer, or could they? It's a race against time for Maggie Hope as she runs for her life and tries to save others along with herself.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially the references to poetry and other classic literature. The natural settings drawn are painterly and the made-to-look-old castle grotesque in description. Author Susan Elia MacNeal's pen is wielded with a masterful flourish and she has delivered yet another great read for mystery and historical fiction lovers. Well done!
I am grateful to author Susan Eliza MacNeal, publisher Bantam Books and LibraryThing First Reads for having provided a free advance uncorrected proof of this book. Their generosity, however, did not influence this review - the words of which are mine alone.
September 2, 2018
My Review of “The Prisoner in the Castle” by Susan Elia MacNeal, Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine, August 7, 2018
Susan Elia MacNeal, Author of “The Prisoner in the Castle” has written an intriguing, captivating, suspenseful, riveting novel. The Genres for this Novel are Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, with a touch of Historical Fiction. This is the eighth Maggie Hope novel in the mystery series, but can be read as a stand alone. The author describes her colorful cast of characters as complicated and complex.
Can you imagine that our Heroine Maggie Hope is imprisoned on a secret island, with other agents for knowing too much information? The powers that be are afraid that certain agents can change the course of World War Two by having too much information, and the solution seems to be to imprison them. Unfortunately one or more of these prisoners is a cold-blooded killer and possibly a spy.
The name of the game for Maggie Hope is to survive, and somehow find help. But who can she trust? All the characters are seem suspect in one way and another, and her loved ones don’t know where she is. I highly recommend this novel for those readers that like a tense, and suspenseful story. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.
Susan Elia MacNeal, Author of “The Prisoner in the Castle” has written an intriguing, captivating, suspenseful, riveting novel. The Genres for this Novel are Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, with a touch of Historical Fiction. This is the eighth Maggie Hope novel in the mystery series, but can be read as a stand alone. The author describes her colorful cast of characters as complicated and complex.
Can you imagine that our Heroine Maggie Hope is imprisoned on a secret island, with other agents for knowing too much information? The powers that be are afraid that certain agents can change the course of World War Two by having too much information, and the solution seems to be to imprison them. Unfortunately one or more of these prisoners is a cold-blooded killer and possibly a spy.
The name of the game for Maggie Hope is to survive, and somehow find help. But who can she trust? All the characters are seem suspect in one way and another, and her loved ones don’t know where she is. I highly recommend this novel for those readers that like a tense, and suspenseful story. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.
July 24, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this latest installment in the Maggie Hope series. It has a gothic feel colliding with a Murder on the Orient Express vibe as Maggie is trapped in a castle with a lurid history. One by one the people on the island with her are murdered, and the remaining inmates are further secluded by a storm that prevents anyone from reaching them. Those on the island are all unique individuals, and I thought I had the culprit figured out twice, only to have scatted by the real antagonist. This novel will satisfy readers of historical suspense.
April 9, 2018
An excellent mystery, in the style of (ugh, I hate that phrase, but it really is applicable here) Agatha Christie mysteries. I didn't realize it was part of a series until I started reading. Some of it might have been better having read all the previous books (obviously) but it didn't affect the overall enjoyment of the story.
Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 10, 2018
Maggie Hope is back! The Prisoner in the Castle is the next installment in the Maggie Hope Mystery series. I have read many books in the Maggie Hope series and really enjoyed them.
Throughout her travels, Maggie Hope has acquired a lot of knowledge (among other things) and it’s this collection of knowledge that makes her a threat some believe. It's these beliefs which have landed Maggie imprisoned in Killoch Castle on a remote Scottish island.
In The Prisoner in the Castle, Maggie Hope faces one of her greatest predicaments thus far, imprisonment in an isolated castle away from friends and family who don't know where she is. Not only is she imprisoned but others around her are coming up dead. In true Maggie Hope style she has to use all the gifts and skills she has to escape from her prison before she's next.
I really enjoy this series because Maggie Hope is resilient, bright and filled with mirth.
I received an advanced review copy (ARC) of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Throughout her travels, Maggie Hope has acquired a lot of knowledge (among other things) and it’s this collection of knowledge that makes her a threat some believe. It's these beliefs which have landed Maggie imprisoned in Killoch Castle on a remote Scottish island.
In The Prisoner in the Castle, Maggie Hope faces one of her greatest predicaments thus far, imprisonment in an isolated castle away from friends and family who don't know where she is. Not only is she imprisoned but others around her are coming up dead. In true Maggie Hope style she has to use all the gifts and skills she has to escape from her prison before she's next.
I really enjoy this series because Maggie Hope is resilient, bright and filled with mirth.
I received an advanced review copy (ARC) of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
May 20, 2018
This book is another wonderful installment in the Maggie Hope series!
Maggie has been imprisoned on a remote Scottish island due to her knowledge of important war time happenings. She’s not the only one either. Other prisoners are there for similar reasons. Either knowing to much or being a threat to the war effort.
Soon after another prisoner arrives on the island, murders begins to happen. First only seeming to be strange coincidences but as the numbers rise it seems there is a Nazi spy in their number.
Set to the tone of Agatha Christie’s ‘And Then There Were None’, Susan Elia MacNeal intrigues you right from the first page! Just when you think you know ‘who done it’ you definitely don’t!
Maggie Hope has quickly become my favorite female British spy and I can’t wait to see where MacNeal will take us next on her next Maggie Hope book!
I was given this ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.
Maggie has been imprisoned on a remote Scottish island due to her knowledge of important war time happenings. She’s not the only one either. Other prisoners are there for similar reasons. Either knowing to much or being a threat to the war effort.
Soon after another prisoner arrives on the island, murders begins to happen. First only seeming to be strange coincidences but as the numbers rise it seems there is a Nazi spy in their number.
Set to the tone of Agatha Christie’s ‘And Then There Were None’, Susan Elia MacNeal intrigues you right from the first page! Just when you think you know ‘who done it’ you definitely don’t!
Maggie Hope has quickly become my favorite female British spy and I can’t wait to see where MacNeal will take us next on her next Maggie Hope book!
I was given this ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.
August 21, 2018
Ah book eight with Maggie Hope. Sad thing was Maggie really was not needed at all. She was just there to move the story forward. I had a hard time with this book,a castle full of spies being killed off one by one. Not one of them could figure it before the books end and very blah ending? This book just
did not do it for me. I hope Maggie is back to her kick butt self in the next book. Really would like to see a show down between her and her mother at some point in the series.
did not do it for me. I hope Maggie is back to her kick butt self in the next book. Really would like to see a show down between her and her mother at some point in the series.
June 27, 2018
The country-manor murders- ‘And Then Their Were None’ plot diverts enough for this one stand on its own. And if you’ve already been reading the Hope books, I think The Prisoner in the Castle will advance the series nicely.
Full review here: http://paulspicks.blog/2018/06/26/the...
All my reviews can be found on my blog: https://paulspicks.blog
Full review here: http://paulspicks.blog/2018/06/26/the...
All my reviews can be found on my blog: https://paulspicks.blog
December 27, 2018
DNF. Really bad rewrite of Agatha Christie’s Ten Little Indians. All the characters are trained spies yet none of them seem to be able to investigate, take preventative measures, protect themselves or spot the murderer. So they just wander off in their own directions so that they can easily be killed. So pathetic I couldn’t even finish.
August 17, 2022
This was my first read of the author and this series. I picked the book up at a used book sale not realizing it was #8 in a series (nothing on the print copy suggests it) but dove in to read it anyway. I mostly liked this, though it did read slow at parts and several times repeated information already explained by a character or in narration. This is a closed room mystery where everyone suspects a killer among them. I imagine this set-up might be a bit of a departure from the earlier books so I'd probably give the earlier books a chance. The gothic, isolated Scottish castle was rather fun.
As for characters: Anna, a prisoner who is supposedly a well-trained spy, seemed anything but. Syed and Quentin offer a bit of diversity, though content warning: some characters make racist judgements about Syed, most of which are acknowledged or refuted by Syed or other characters. There's mention by a character of an Agatha Christie novel with a racist title. Looking back I suppose I can sense out a reason why the author added it but... Idk, seemed an odd choice.
hiding under spoiler tag content/trigger warning involving abuse:
As for characters: Anna, a prisoner who is supposedly a well-trained spy, seemed anything but. Syed and Quentin offer a bit of diversity, though content warning: some characters make racist judgements about Syed, most of which are acknowledged or refuted by Syed or other characters. There's mention by a character of an Agatha Christie novel with a racist title. Looking back I suppose I can sense out a reason why the author added it but... Idk, seemed an odd choice.
hiding under spoiler tag content/trigger warning involving abuse:
April 29, 2024
This one was a slow start for me, but it morphed from a bit boring and frustrating into an eerie locked room mystery. A bit less introspection from the MC, but still turned into a good read! 4 stars
Historical mystery
Historical mystery
March 17, 2018
When looking for inspiration, one could hardly do better than Dame Agatha Christie, which is exactly what author Susan Elia MacNeal has done. Her latest entry in the World War II era Maggie Hope series has looked to Christie's And Then There Were None for The Prisoner in the Castle's plot. MacNeal even gives Christie's work a nod (under its original title) with Maggie referencing it.
In this incarnation of the classic plot, Maggie and other British agents have been exiled to a Scottish island, each for "going rogue" in some fashion, leaving their handlers to question their fitness for future missions. Of course, Maggie has had good reason for her deviation from the rules--not so much for some of the other agents who all have secrets that make them vulnerable.
Exile on an isolated Scottish island would be punishment enough in itself, but soon dead bodies begin piling up. Amid a group of people who have all been trained to kill, the only thing that seems to eliminate a suspect is his or her own death. A shaken Maggie has to look beyond the obvious to find the killer, even as a monster storm keeps help from arriving in time to prevent more deaths.
Back in England, Maggie's friends, who have assumed that she has been off on secret mission, begin to look for her at the behest of a police detective who needs her testimony to ensure the conviction of a vicious killer. MacNeal creates considerable tension as rescue and death inch ever closer to Maggie.
MacNeal's books are meticulously researched and she weaves fascinating fact into her fiction. Maggie Hope is a stand out series.
Full Disclosure--Net Gallery and the publisher provided me with a digital ARC of this book. This is my honest review.
In this incarnation of the classic plot, Maggie and other British agents have been exiled to a Scottish island, each for "going rogue" in some fashion, leaving their handlers to question their fitness for future missions. Of course, Maggie has had good reason for her deviation from the rules--not so much for some of the other agents who all have secrets that make them vulnerable.
Exile on an isolated Scottish island would be punishment enough in itself, but soon dead bodies begin piling up. Amid a group of people who have all been trained to kill, the only thing that seems to eliminate a suspect is his or her own death. A shaken Maggie has to look beyond the obvious to find the killer, even as a monster storm keeps help from arriving in time to prevent more deaths.
Back in England, Maggie's friends, who have assumed that she has been off on secret mission, begin to look for her at the behest of a police detective who needs her testimony to ensure the conviction of a vicious killer. MacNeal creates considerable tension as rescue and death inch ever closer to Maggie.
MacNeal's books are meticulously researched and she weaves fascinating fact into her fiction. Maggie Hope is a stand out series.
Full Disclosure--Net Gallery and the publisher provided me with a digital ARC of this book. This is my honest review.
August 7, 2018
An inescapable island dooms all!
Maggie Hope finds herself in a dire situation in friendly territory. Sequested on the remote Scottish island of Scara (aka 'the cooler' and the 'Forbidden Island') by the Special Operations Executive for nebulous reasons, along with other rogue agents, things take a sinister turn. Meanwhile Maggie's friends think she's on another mission. No one is aware of Maggie's incarceration. No one is looking for her, until Maggie's needed as a witness for a court case, and even then information is not forthcoming from SOE. Her friends have to take other routes to suss out what's become of her.
Meanwhile, the inhabitants (a rather motley crew, incarcerated for good and not good reasons) of the island begin to meet with foul play. The island becomes a death trap, and there is no way to leave. Reminiscent of Agatha Christie's 'Then There Were None', the tension ramps up as Maggie and her companions are left not knowing who to trust and what the end game is.
Another macabre story about the island and it's previous owner underscores the seclusion of the island, adding grist to the mill as the current inhabitants look to surviving.
I enjoyed this further Maggie 'dare doing' but was not as taken with this Hope novel as I have been with previous titles.
A NetGalley ARC
Maggie Hope finds herself in a dire situation in friendly territory. Sequested on the remote Scottish island of Scara (aka 'the cooler' and the 'Forbidden Island') by the Special Operations Executive for nebulous reasons, along with other rogue agents, things take a sinister turn. Meanwhile Maggie's friends think she's on another mission. No one is aware of Maggie's incarceration. No one is looking for her, until Maggie's needed as a witness for a court case, and even then information is not forthcoming from SOE. Her friends have to take other routes to suss out what's become of her.
Meanwhile, the inhabitants (a rather motley crew, incarcerated for good and not good reasons) of the island begin to meet with foul play. The island becomes a death trap, and there is no way to leave. Reminiscent of Agatha Christie's 'Then There Were None', the tension ramps up as Maggie and her companions are left not knowing who to trust and what the end game is.
Another macabre story about the island and it's previous owner underscores the seclusion of the island, adding grist to the mill as the current inhabitants look to surviving.
I enjoyed this further Maggie 'dare doing' but was not as taken with this Hope novel as I have been with previous titles.
A NetGalley ARC
April 13, 2018
Always enjoy a Maggie Hope story and this one was no exception. Thank you Net Galley for allowing me the opportunity to read this book before it is published. The only downside to this good fortune is the wait will seem even longer for the next one in the series to come out. Maggie, our heroine in these stories, is a strong character and author MacNeal stays true to her character through out the series. I like how the book is laden with information about WWII and England's involvement in it from the SEO (secret service/MI5 per se) side of it. I look forward to the next mission Maggie Hope is embroiled in. If you haven't read any of her books you have time to catch up.
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