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A Beautiful Spy
From the million-copy Sunday Times bestseller comes a thrilling novel about a woman with an extraordinary life, based on a true story.
'Fantastic… Exciting, impeccably researched and full of powerful period atmosphere' Daily Mail
Minnie Gray is an ordinary young woman.
She is also a spy for the British government.
It all began in the summer of 1928...
Minnie is supposed to find a nice man, get married and have children. The problem is it doesn’t appeal to her at all. She is working as a secretary, but longs to make a difference.
Then, one day, she gets her chance. She is recruited by the British government as a spy. Under strict instructions not to tell anyone, not even her family, she moves to London and begins her mission – to infiltrate the Communist movement.
She soon gains the trust of important leaders. But as she grows more and more entangled in the workings of the movement, her job becomes increasingly dangerous. Leading a double life is starting to take its toll on her relationships and, feeling more isolated than ever, she starts to wonder how this is all going to end. The Russians are notorious for ruthlessly disposing of people given the slightest suspicion.
What if they find out?
Full of suspense, courage and love, A Beautiful Spy is a stunningly written story about resisting the norm and following your dreams, even if they come with sacrifices.
'Fantastic… Exciting, impeccably researched and full of powerful period atmosphere' Daily Mail
Minnie Gray is an ordinary young woman.
She is also a spy for the British government.
It all began in the summer of 1928...
Minnie is supposed to find a nice man, get married and have children. The problem is it doesn’t appeal to her at all. She is working as a secretary, but longs to make a difference.
Then, one day, she gets her chance. She is recruited by the British government as a spy. Under strict instructions not to tell anyone, not even her family, she moves to London and begins her mission – to infiltrate the Communist movement.
She soon gains the trust of important leaders. But as she grows more and more entangled in the workings of the movement, her job becomes increasingly dangerous. Leading a double life is starting to take its toll on her relationships and, feeling more isolated than ever, she starts to wonder how this is all going to end. The Russians are notorious for ruthlessly disposing of people given the slightest suspicion.
What if they find out?
Full of suspense, courage and love, A Beautiful Spy is a stunningly written story about resisting the norm and following your dreams, even if they come with sacrifices.
432 pages, Paperback
First published February 18, 2021
140 people are currently reading
1845 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Hore
38 books746 followersRachel Hore worked in London publishing for many years before moving with her family to Norwich, Norfolk and turning to writing fiction.
Rachel is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Dream House (2006), The Memory Garden (2007), The Glass Painter's Daughter (2009), which was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Novel of the Year 2010, A Place of Secrets (2010), which was a Richard and Judy Bookclub pick, and A Gathering Storm (2011), which was shortlisted for the RNA Historical Novel of the year, 2012. The Silent Tide was published in 2013, A Week in Paris in 2014 and The House on Bellevue Gardens in 2015.
Her new novel, Last Letter Home, will be published on 22nd March 2018.
Rachel is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Dream House (2006), The Memory Garden (2007), The Glass Painter's Daughter (2009), which was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Novel of the Year 2010, A Place of Secrets (2010), which was a Richard and Judy Bookclub pick, and A Gathering Storm (2011), which was shortlisted for the RNA Historical Novel of the year, 2012. The Silent Tide was published in 2013, A Week in Paris in 2014 and The House on Bellevue Gardens in 2015.
Her new novel, Last Letter Home, will be published on 22nd March 2018.
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September 21, 2025
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A Beautiful Spy is a wonderful story about Minnie, a girl who becomes a spy for the British Government. Refusing to just settle down and marry, as she is expected to, Minnie wants excitement. Little does she know, with excitement, comes danger…
Synopsis:
The year is 1928, and Minnie is supposed to find a nice man, get married and have children. The problem is it doesn’t appeal to her at all. She is working as a secretary, but longs to make a difference.
Then, one day, she gets her chance. She is recruited by the British government as a spy. Under strict instructions not to tell anyone, not even her family, she moves to London and begins her mission – to infiltrate the Communist movement.
She soon gains the trust of important leaders. But as she grows more and more entangled in the workings of the movement, her job becomes increasingly dangerous. Leading a double life is starting to take its toll on her relationships and, feeling more isolated than ever, she starts to wonder how this is all going to end. The Russians are notorious for ruthlessly disposing of people given the slightest suspicion.
My Thoughts:
I have always loved stories about women that were spies in the time before and around the Second World War. There is something I always admire about these women. Their determination to make a difference, their bravery and their dedication, despite the big risks. The willingness to serve a cause, knowing well what the repercussions are.
Through Minnie’s life, we got to see the highs and lows of being a spy in a much emotional environment. It was refreshing to see all the emotions Minnie was going through. Being a spy and living a double life impacted her greatly, and we could see her struggling to keep up. This closeness to the character made Minnie much more loveable and relatable person to me as a reader.
I felt that at times, the story would go into one direction for a few pages, but with no apparent goal. Sometimes, this would keep me off track and confuse me. Most of the chapters told a story that achieved a certain goal by the end of a chapter, and in times when this didn’t happen, it really threw me off. It was as if I was waiting for something to happen, and when it didn’t, it left a bitter-sweet taste in my mouth.
However, I truly enjoyed the story, and I devoured it incredibly fast. I only received it a few days ago, and I was wondering if I’ll made it in time to finish it for my book tour stop, but reading it was not an issue. I am so glad that I saw a part of Minnie and her life story, and the fact that this book is inspired by an actual true story is even more fascinating to me.
If you love historical fiction, especially books about women spies, please pick up “A Beautiful Spy” by Rachel Hore. It’s a powerful and emotional adventure about a woman living two lives and wanting to make a difference in the world.
A Beautiful Spy is a wonderful story about Minnie, a girl who becomes a spy for the British Government. Refusing to just settle down and marry, as she is expected to, Minnie wants excitement. Little does she know, with excitement, comes danger…
Synopsis:
The year is 1928, and Minnie is supposed to find a nice man, get married and have children. The problem is it doesn’t appeal to her at all. She is working as a secretary, but longs to make a difference.
Then, one day, she gets her chance. She is recruited by the British government as a spy. Under strict instructions not to tell anyone, not even her family, she moves to London and begins her mission – to infiltrate the Communist movement.
She soon gains the trust of important leaders. But as she grows more and more entangled in the workings of the movement, her job becomes increasingly dangerous. Leading a double life is starting to take its toll on her relationships and, feeling more isolated than ever, she starts to wonder how this is all going to end. The Russians are notorious for ruthlessly disposing of people given the slightest suspicion.
My Thoughts:
I have always loved stories about women that were spies in the time before and around the Second World War. There is something I always admire about these women. Their determination to make a difference, their bravery and their dedication, despite the big risks. The willingness to serve a cause, knowing well what the repercussions are.
Through Minnie’s life, we got to see the highs and lows of being a spy in a much emotional environment. It was refreshing to see all the emotions Minnie was going through. Being a spy and living a double life impacted her greatly, and we could see her struggling to keep up. This closeness to the character made Minnie much more loveable and relatable person to me as a reader.
I felt that at times, the story would go into one direction for a few pages, but with no apparent goal. Sometimes, this would keep me off track and confuse me. Most of the chapters told a story that achieved a certain goal by the end of a chapter, and in times when this didn’t happen, it really threw me off. It was as if I was waiting for something to happen, and when it didn’t, it left a bitter-sweet taste in my mouth.
However, I truly enjoyed the story, and I devoured it incredibly fast. I only received it a few days ago, and I was wondering if I’ll made it in time to finish it for my book tour stop, but reading it was not an issue. I am so glad that I saw a part of Minnie and her life story, and the fact that this book is inspired by an actual true story is even more fascinating to me.
If you love historical fiction, especially books about women spies, please pick up “A Beautiful Spy” by Rachel Hore. It’s a powerful and emotional adventure about a woman living two lives and wanting to make a difference in the world.
November 28, 2020
Minnie Grey is in her late twenties, she still lives with her mother and works as a typist. She is looking for a more interesting life and some excitement.
When she is approached by a government agency to do some work for them she is excited to move to London and work undercover.
This book is based on a true story about a young woman in the 1930’s who worked for MI5. She infiltrated the communist movement by working with them and reporting their activities. This was difficult and dangerous work and left her in fear of her life.
I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for my e-copy in exchange for a honest review.
When she is approached by a government agency to do some work for them she is excited to move to London and work undercover.
This book is based on a true story about a young woman in the 1930’s who worked for MI5. She infiltrated the communist movement by working with them and reporting their activities. This was difficult and dangerous work and left her in fear of her life.
I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for my e-copy in exchange for a honest review.
February 13, 2022
Based on a true story. In the 1920s Minnie is recruited into MI5,she agrees to do this out of boredom. Yet her spying missions are so mundane and the author shows how ordinary it can be.
This aspect of the book I enjoyed.
However nothing much happens and there is no real danger. The stakes aren't that high even when she goes to India.
The ending was drawn out and the book came to a natural ending after a trial when Minnie gives evidence.
For me the title was misleading as Minnie constantly refers to herself as ordinary and plain, she didn't consider herself beautiful. After all a spy doesn't want to stand out.
This book was like looking at a work of art, recognising it as a good painting and realising it is overpainted.
Authors should know when to stop.
This aspect of the book I enjoyed.
However nothing much happens and there is no real danger. The stakes aren't that high even when she goes to India.
The ending was drawn out and the book came to a natural ending after a trial when Minnie gives evidence.
For me the title was misleading as Minnie constantly refers to herself as ordinary and plain, she didn't consider herself beautiful. After all a spy doesn't want to stand out.
This book was like looking at a work of art, recognising it as a good painting and realising it is overpainted.
Authors should know when to stop.
January 18, 2022
I don't know how a story based on a true life spy can turn out so incredibly dull, but this book was slow and tedious. Not a lot happened! If it wasn't for the fact I had to read it for book club, I probably would have given up. I wouldn't really recommend it, but I do feel like it's the sort of gentle story my grandma might like, so perhaps I'm just the wrong target audience for this author.
August 24, 2021
Easy going read based on a true story based in 1930's spy called Olga Gray London and with the character Percy Glading who was the co-founder of the British Communist Party and events leading up to the trial.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2021
It's the 1930s in Edgbaston, Minnie is working as a typist supporting her mother and younger siblings doesn't want a husband yet and wants better for herself.
she is approached to work as a spy for the British government and soon finds herself living a dangerous double life in London.
What has Minnie let herself in for?
This is not my normal kind of read at all but something drew me to the cover and I thoroughly enjoyed Minnie's journey and I really feared for her.
Based on a true story this is well researched and beautifully written you will not be left disappointed.
she is approached to work as a spy for the British government and soon finds herself living a dangerous double life in London.
What has Minnie let herself in for?
This is not my normal kind of read at all but something drew me to the cover and I thoroughly enjoyed Minnie's journey and I really feared for her.
Based on a true story this is well researched and beautifully written you will not be left disappointed.
February 25, 2021
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DISCLAIMER : Thank you, Simon & Schuster UK for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Rachel Hore's A Beautiful Spy tells us the story of an ordinary young woman from Edgbaston, who changes her destiny by working as a spy for the British Government. Young Minnie is expected to get married, start a family, and live happily in the role of a house-wife. But she has other plans. She doesn't want to live an ordinary life, with no excitement. So when a friend offers the chance to be something more and work for a cause, she jumps at the opportunity. Minnie is recruited by MI5 as a spy to monitor the activities of the communists in London. She works with all of her heart and puts all of her efforts into being the best agent possible. Slowly the stress of leading her double life takes a toll on her and makes it impossible to work. With the dangers of her being exposed, she needs to manage her career and keep the mask in place. Will she succeed? Is she going to be in danger from the communists?
The story is based on the true story of Olga Gray, a spy who worked for Maxwell Knight in the 1930s. Her work is the reason justice was done was meted out in the case of the traitorous Percy Glading. I was very much thrilled to learn about the story as it was an intriguing tale of a strong and brave woman who worked in extremely dangerous situations. While A Beautiful Spy is a fictional account of the real-life story, it didn't fall through in bringing out the character's reality or her personality effectively, in my opinion. I liked the premise of the book. There were some really interesting plot points and events that I found to be extremely intriguing. I liked the exploration of the different aspects like stress, relationships, dangers.
Overall, I wasn't happy with the book. I wanted to like the character and connect with her. It didn't happen. So, this is more of a personal preference. I have seen a lot of people say good things about this book. My issue was mainly the execution of the story and I didn't connect with the character much. I gave the book 2.5 stars and I am really disappointed I didn't like it as much as I thought I would. Having said that, don't let my rating be the reason you don't pick it up. If you like historical fiction and character-driven stories, make sure to check this one out. The story is inspired by a real-life spy and her involvement in the takedown of Percy Glading in the 1930s.
FOLLOW ME ON : TWITTER INSTAGRAM
FR REVIEW :
DISCLAIMER : Thank you, Simon & Schuster UK for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Rachel Hore's A Beautiful Spy tells us the story of an ordinary young woman from Edgbaston, who changes her destiny by working as a spy for the British Government. Young Minnie is expected to get married, start a family, and live happily in the role of a house-wife. But she has other plans. She doesn't want to live an ordinary life, with no excitement. So when a friend offers the chance to be something more and work for a cause, she jumps at the opportunity. Minnie is recruited by MI5 as a spy to monitor the activities of the communists in London. She works with all of her heart and puts all of her efforts into being the best agent possible. Slowly the stress of leading her double life takes a toll on her and makes it impossible to work. With the dangers of her being exposed, she needs to manage her career and keep the mask in place. Will she succeed? Is she going to be in danger from the communists?
The story is based on the true story of Olga Gray, a spy who worked for Maxwell Knight in the 1930s. Her work is the reason justice was done was meted out in the case of the traitorous Percy Glading. I was very much thrilled to learn about the story as it was an intriguing tale of a strong and brave woman who worked in extremely dangerous situations. While A Beautiful Spy is a fictional account of the real-life story, it didn't fall through in bringing out the character's reality or her personality effectively, in my opinion. I liked the premise of the book. There were some really interesting plot points and events that I found to be extremely intriguing. I liked the exploration of the different aspects like stress, relationships, dangers.
Overall, I wasn't happy with the book. I wanted to like the character and connect with her. It didn't happen. So, this is more of a personal preference. I have seen a lot of people say good things about this book. My issue was mainly the execution of the story and I didn't connect with the character much. I gave the book 2.5 stars and I am really disappointed I didn't like it as much as I thought I would. Having said that, don't let my rating be the reason you don't pick it up. If you like historical fiction and character-driven stories, make sure to check this one out. The story is inspired by a real-life spy and her involvement in the takedown of Percy Glading in the 1930s.
April 26, 2022
Minnie Gray leeft een heel normaal leven, maar betrapt zichzelf erop dat ze wat mist in haar leven. Ze wil niet de typische huisvrouw zijn en zich elke dag vervelen.
Uit onverwachte hoek komt er een kans voor Minnie om haar in te zetten voor de Britse overheid. Deze kans pakt ze en na een uiterst geheime training infiltreert ze in de communistische beweging in Londen.
--
Op zoek naar spanning
Minnie Gray komt in het begin over als een heel sterk personage. Ze weet wat ze wil en ze zet zich ervoor in, ongeacht de gevaren die eraan gekleefd zijn. Voor de periode waar we ons in bevinden, namelijk vanaf 1928, is dit vrij uitzonderlijk voor een vrouw om zo moedig te zijn. Dit blijf je terugzien in het gehele boek.
Je leert Minnie Gray en haar leven rustig kennen. Het verhaal begint dan ook op een rustig tempo. Je ziet hoe goed ze het heeft en dat ze eigenlijk niks heeft om zich zorgen over te maken. Voor Minnie is dit echter niet genoeg, ze heeft spanning nodig in haar leven.
Nadat ze gerekruteerd is start de training en deze vliegt voorbij. Als lezer was het prettig geweest om erachter te komen wat ze allemaal leert en hoe ze dit kan toepassen in haar spionage werk, maar hier krijgen we weinig van mee.
Na de training gaat ze algauw aan de slag. De spanning wordt hierbij langzaamaan steeds meer opgebouwd. Je weet eigenlijk net zo weinig als Minnie zelf over de locatie waar ze zich bevindt en de communistische partij waar ze infiltreert. Dit zorgt voor een prettige dosis mysterie.
Hoe langer Minnie aan het werk is voor de Britse overheid, binnen de communistische partij en alles wat daarbij komt kijken, hoe meer zij een band opbouwt met deze mensen. Eigenlijk weet ze nog steeds maar weinig van wat de partij doet, maar inmiddels werkt ze wel heel veel en nauw samen met de mensen ervan waardoor er vriendschappen ontstaan. Wanneer Minnie vervolgens het een en ander ontdekt begint ze zich schuldig te voelen. Ze heeft het gevoel dat ze haar vrienden verraad, ondanks dat ze niet hun meningen deelt. Dit heeft Rachel Hore goed uitgewerkt. Het schuldgevoel van Minnie spat van de bladzijdes af en je kan gemakkelijk met haar meeleven.
Rachel Hore is een Britse schrijfster van romantische fictie. Ze heeft moderne geschiedenis bestudeerd en heeft dan ook meerdere historische romans op haar naam staan. Met Het Droomhuis kwam ze in 2006 voor het eerst in Nederland op de markt.
Minnie
De schrijfstijl van Hore kan als erg prettig ervaren worden. De hoofdstukken zijn relatief kort, het geheel leest gemakkelijk weg en tegelijkertijd geeft ze een duidelijke omschrijving van de omgeving en omstandigheden, waardoor je als lezer een goed beeld krijgt van de situatie van Minnie.
In dit verhaal gaat het voornamelijk over Minnie en haar (spionage)werk voor de Britse overheid, waarbij ze infiltreert in de communistische partij. Een lange reis staat daarbij ook nog om de hoek te kijken, waar de nodige spanning weer naar voren komt. Wat echter spijtig is, is dat het bij deze werkzaamheden blijft. Door de gedachten vanuit Minnie Gray weet je dat ze vriendschappen opbouwt, maar dat komt verder weinig naar voren. Er zit geen verdere diepgang in de onderliggende relaties, waardoor het op een aantal stukken langdradig overkomt. Minnie wordt als een krachtige vrouw neergezet die geen man nodig heeft om zich te vermaken en om rond te kunnen komen, wat in het hele verhaal goed naar voren komt. Echter op de laatste 10 pagina’s maakt de auteur een keuze om dit beeld compleet te veranderen. Dit voelt afgeraffeld en ongepast in de rest van de setting.
De geheimen van Minnie Gray is een vermakelijke historische roman die zich afspeelt tussen de twee wereldoorlogen. Een tijdspanne waar niet vaak naar gekeken wordt en wat daardoor zeer interessant is om eens over te lezen. Minnie is een personage die je laat nadenken om zelf ook eens ‘out of the box’ te denken.
Uit onverwachte hoek komt er een kans voor Minnie om haar in te zetten voor de Britse overheid. Deze kans pakt ze en na een uiterst geheime training infiltreert ze in de communistische beweging in Londen.
--
Op zoek naar spanning
Minnie Gray komt in het begin over als een heel sterk personage. Ze weet wat ze wil en ze zet zich ervoor in, ongeacht de gevaren die eraan gekleefd zijn. Voor de periode waar we ons in bevinden, namelijk vanaf 1928, is dit vrij uitzonderlijk voor een vrouw om zo moedig te zijn. Dit blijf je terugzien in het gehele boek.
Je leert Minnie Gray en haar leven rustig kennen. Het verhaal begint dan ook op een rustig tempo. Je ziet hoe goed ze het heeft en dat ze eigenlijk niks heeft om zich zorgen over te maken. Voor Minnie is dit echter niet genoeg, ze heeft spanning nodig in haar leven.
Nadat ze gerekruteerd is start de training en deze vliegt voorbij. Als lezer was het prettig geweest om erachter te komen wat ze allemaal leert en hoe ze dit kan toepassen in haar spionage werk, maar hier krijgen we weinig van mee.
Na de training gaat ze algauw aan de slag. De spanning wordt hierbij langzaamaan steeds meer opgebouwd. Je weet eigenlijk net zo weinig als Minnie zelf over de locatie waar ze zich bevindt en de communistische partij waar ze infiltreert. Dit zorgt voor een prettige dosis mysterie.
Hoe langer Minnie aan het werk is voor de Britse overheid, binnen de communistische partij en alles wat daarbij komt kijken, hoe meer zij een band opbouwt met deze mensen. Eigenlijk weet ze nog steeds maar weinig van wat de partij doet, maar inmiddels werkt ze wel heel veel en nauw samen met de mensen ervan waardoor er vriendschappen ontstaan. Wanneer Minnie vervolgens het een en ander ontdekt begint ze zich schuldig te voelen. Ze heeft het gevoel dat ze haar vrienden verraad, ondanks dat ze niet hun meningen deelt. Dit heeft Rachel Hore goed uitgewerkt. Het schuldgevoel van Minnie spat van de bladzijdes af en je kan gemakkelijk met haar meeleven.
Rachel Hore is een Britse schrijfster van romantische fictie. Ze heeft moderne geschiedenis bestudeerd en heeft dan ook meerdere historische romans op haar naam staan. Met Het Droomhuis kwam ze in 2006 voor het eerst in Nederland op de markt.
Minnie
De schrijfstijl van Hore kan als erg prettig ervaren worden. De hoofdstukken zijn relatief kort, het geheel leest gemakkelijk weg en tegelijkertijd geeft ze een duidelijke omschrijving van de omgeving en omstandigheden, waardoor je als lezer een goed beeld krijgt van de situatie van Minnie.
In dit verhaal gaat het voornamelijk over Minnie en haar (spionage)werk voor de Britse overheid, waarbij ze infiltreert in de communistische partij. Een lange reis staat daarbij ook nog om de hoek te kijken, waar de nodige spanning weer naar voren komt. Wat echter spijtig is, is dat het bij deze werkzaamheden blijft. Door de gedachten vanuit Minnie Gray weet je dat ze vriendschappen opbouwt, maar dat komt verder weinig naar voren. Er zit geen verdere diepgang in de onderliggende relaties, waardoor het op een aantal stukken langdradig overkomt. Minnie wordt als een krachtige vrouw neergezet die geen man nodig heeft om zich te vermaken en om rond te kunnen komen, wat in het hele verhaal goed naar voren komt. Echter op de laatste 10 pagina’s maakt de auteur een keuze om dit beeld compleet te veranderen. Dit voelt afgeraffeld en ongepast in de rest van de setting.
De geheimen van Minnie Gray is een vermakelijke historische roman die zich afspeelt tussen de twee wereldoorlogen. Een tijdspanne waar niet vaak naar gekeken wordt en wat daardoor zeer interessant is om eens over te lezen. Minnie is een personage die je laat nadenken om zelf ook eens ‘out of the box’ te denken.
January 19, 2022
The only good thing about this book was that it ended. I’m not being facetious, the ending was good! Everything else was appalling.
The were characters unlikable, and the narrative was weak. Having discovered at the very end that this was based on a true story, I can only imagine “Minnie’s” family might be disappointed.. she had worked her way up into the highest echelons of the communist party in England; rubbed shoulders with extremely dangerous Russian operatives; and single handedly took down a spy ring whilst having the constitution of a simpering, neurotic, jellyfish?!?
Bull sh*t!!! I wish this story had been written by someone else - Sorry (not sorry)🥺
The were characters unlikable, and the narrative was weak. Having discovered at the very end that this was based on a true story, I can only imagine “Minnie’s” family might be disappointed.. she had worked her way up into the highest echelons of the communist party in England; rubbed shoulders with extremely dangerous Russian operatives; and single handedly took down a spy ring whilst having the constitution of a simpering, neurotic, jellyfish?!?
Bull sh*t!!! I wish this story had been written by someone else - Sorry (not sorry)🥺
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2021
I only finished this book because it was a book club read. The writing was awful - like a teenage girl's maybe. I found the heroine SO irritating (because of the writing) and felt no sympathy when her father's childhood abuse was mentioned. The story itself was ok. I noticed that this author has written several books - I will definitely never read another one of hers.
January 30, 2025
I had high hopes for this as I noticed it was based on a woman’s true story of f her recruitment as a spy. Unfortunately it fell flat for me as I felt that nothing much happened. It started off well but then seemed to drift into a bit of cosy tale without the bite I was expecting. It would probably appear to some readers but because I expected more it wasn’t the book for me.
November 5, 2021
Wonderful story, beautifully written, full of evocative detail. I really enjoyed this book.
October 9, 2024
This one got off to a great start and I also really enjoyed the last third of it too but I did struggle with the midddle which was a little dreary and repetitive. I found myself getting myself increasingly frustrated with Minnie and the decisions she was making & the long descriptions of how much she hated what she was doing. However, I didn’t realise until reading the author’s note that this was based on a true story. And I loved that Minnie found happiness in the end. 3.5 stars.
March 7, 2021
Life for Minnie Gray changed the day her mother Betty made her attend a garden party near her home in Edgbaston. For it was there she met Dolly Pyle who works for the government ministries. Dolly offers to pass on her name to the relevant people as she feels she would be good and useful. Minnie can’t believe her luck as she finds her life has begun to feel stuck. Working as a typist at the Automobile Association, nothing ever changes and her work offers no path of progress. Life should be opening out for her instead it remains staid and boring. Much times passes and in November of 1931 she receives a letter asking her to attend a house in London regrading a vacancy she had expressed an interest in.
To Minnie that party in 1928 seems so long ago, like the meeting with Dolly never occurred, but as she travels to London and meets with Max who works for British Intelligence, the changes she wanted so desperately to occur in her life are about to take place. By the time she becomes deeply involved in something so secretive that even her family have no idea what she is involved with I sensed Minnie was deeply questioning whether she wanted these changes to occur and perhaps did she long for the quiet old life of her previous existence. So sets in motion a life of spying hence the title A Beautiful Spy which also connects to a song sung in the book. I loved this connection to the title and an engrossing read ensued.
I flew through this book as I found the subject matter fascinating, intense and intriguing. I had never read anything about British spying activities in the years prior to the war and I found Minnie to be a complex yet brave character who navigates such a dangerous path with determination and grit. Yet she is not always strong and on the ball and before long she finds herself ingratiated so deep into a section of society perhaps she would rather not know much about. Her character is tested time and time again, particularly mentally, and this does begin to affect her. I was glad to see that she did struggle that it wasn’t all plain sailing and that the people around eventually realised she needed help. Her emotions, viewpoints and her sense of self were tested time and time again. She wrestles with her conscience an awful lot as she is forced to put on a front and this is so hard to maintain 24/7 but she agreed to something dangerous which would ultimately lead to her helping her country. She knows she can’t back out but how can she go on the more she discovers just exactly what is going on?
Minnie’s task is to go undercover and find out/report about those people who are members of the British Communist Party who have unnerving close ties to the Soviet Union. These extremists hold dangerous ideals which they put above loyalty to King and country. Max becomes her mentor, confidante and ally although as time progresses there are periods where Minnie feels abandoned and used as if she is but a small pawn in a much bigger game. I think she wanted to have Max as a father figure in her life given her experiences with her own father until his death. When this wasn’t always forthcoming and long periods without communication or progress ensued she began to think why am I bothering with this? Is everything I am doing just pointless? She questions whether what she is doing is right or is it just placing her in a position of stress and unnecessary danger?
These people she becomes ingrained with are dealing in illicit activities and she finds her world turned upside down whilst all the time she has to maintain a front and pretence and hope that no one will suspect that really she is keeping track of all of their movements, correspondence, meetings and plans. What a burden for her to shoulder, appearing to have a normal existence but all the time living in a parallel secret one. Minnie does all this because she wants to prove to all those that under rated her that she is worthwhile and can step outside the box of convention constructed around women at the time. That she can be strong, cautious and make solid judgements whilst maintaining a distance and therefore be able to infiltrate Communist groups and societies gaining crucial information. Life has finally given her the purpose she craves and she is doing something exacting and important but leading a double life is gruelling but will all the lies, pretence and watching her back prove just too much for one person to shoulder?
As Minnie’s work intensifies she becomes more burdened and terrified of discovery. On one hand you feel empathy for her but on the other you do think well you asked for something to change and spice up your life so to speak so now you have just go on and deal with it. When an old friend Raymond makes a reappearance in her life this is where she questions whether she should just stop what she is doing and follow her heart? But when one commits to working for British Intelligence there is no easy get out of jail free card and she can’t just drop everything.
I think this is the point where Minnie struggled and asks herself how can she want a thing yet resent it at the same time? Especially as in the last quarter things really became heightened and her activities ramped up even more. She was involved in something so complex and threatening that one wrong step, one misplaced word and her world would come crashing down and would be extremely difficult to build back up again. I genuinely feared for her and the eventual outcome of the book.
The last number of books I have read by Rachel Hore were good but they didn’t make the impact I felt from her earlier novels. At times I found them hard to get through and keep reading but here the story of Minnie, in my mind, is a triumphant return to form for the author with a solid, interesting storyline with lots of historical detail very well researched and written. The characters were complex, secretive and flawed but never dull and I found once I started reading this book it became impossible to put down. Before I knew it I was nearing the final chapters, yet I felt like I had only begun and I haven’t felt this way about the author’s most recent books.
I was easily transported to the fictional world of the characters but I was surprised to read at the end that it was inspired by the real life Olga Gray. This made me want to read more about this woman and what she was involved in and it’s not often these days that I want to do that after reading books. Sometimes you read a book, enjoy it at the time and then when finished park it, forget about it and move on to your next read but here Rachel Hore has written an inspiring story that awakened my mind to a different time in the world that I want to know even more about. A Beautiful Spy is an excellent read packed full of adventure, well developed characters and a riveting storyline. It’s well worth a read.
To Minnie that party in 1928 seems so long ago, like the meeting with Dolly never occurred, but as she travels to London and meets with Max who works for British Intelligence, the changes she wanted so desperately to occur in her life are about to take place. By the time she becomes deeply involved in something so secretive that even her family have no idea what she is involved with I sensed Minnie was deeply questioning whether she wanted these changes to occur and perhaps did she long for the quiet old life of her previous existence. So sets in motion a life of spying hence the title A Beautiful Spy which also connects to a song sung in the book. I loved this connection to the title and an engrossing read ensued.
I flew through this book as I found the subject matter fascinating, intense and intriguing. I had never read anything about British spying activities in the years prior to the war and I found Minnie to be a complex yet brave character who navigates such a dangerous path with determination and grit. Yet she is not always strong and on the ball and before long she finds herself ingratiated so deep into a section of society perhaps she would rather not know much about. Her character is tested time and time again, particularly mentally, and this does begin to affect her. I was glad to see that she did struggle that it wasn’t all plain sailing and that the people around eventually realised she needed help. Her emotions, viewpoints and her sense of self were tested time and time again. She wrestles with her conscience an awful lot as she is forced to put on a front and this is so hard to maintain 24/7 but she agreed to something dangerous which would ultimately lead to her helping her country. She knows she can’t back out but how can she go on the more she discovers just exactly what is going on?
Minnie’s task is to go undercover and find out/report about those people who are members of the British Communist Party who have unnerving close ties to the Soviet Union. These extremists hold dangerous ideals which they put above loyalty to King and country. Max becomes her mentor, confidante and ally although as time progresses there are periods where Minnie feels abandoned and used as if she is but a small pawn in a much bigger game. I think she wanted to have Max as a father figure in her life given her experiences with her own father until his death. When this wasn’t always forthcoming and long periods without communication or progress ensued she began to think why am I bothering with this? Is everything I am doing just pointless? She questions whether what she is doing is right or is it just placing her in a position of stress and unnecessary danger?
These people she becomes ingrained with are dealing in illicit activities and she finds her world turned upside down whilst all the time she has to maintain a front and pretence and hope that no one will suspect that really she is keeping track of all of their movements, correspondence, meetings and plans. What a burden for her to shoulder, appearing to have a normal existence but all the time living in a parallel secret one. Minnie does all this because she wants to prove to all those that under rated her that she is worthwhile and can step outside the box of convention constructed around women at the time. That she can be strong, cautious and make solid judgements whilst maintaining a distance and therefore be able to infiltrate Communist groups and societies gaining crucial information. Life has finally given her the purpose she craves and she is doing something exacting and important but leading a double life is gruelling but will all the lies, pretence and watching her back prove just too much for one person to shoulder?
As Minnie’s work intensifies she becomes more burdened and terrified of discovery. On one hand you feel empathy for her but on the other you do think well you asked for something to change and spice up your life so to speak so now you have just go on and deal with it. When an old friend Raymond makes a reappearance in her life this is where she questions whether she should just stop what she is doing and follow her heart? But when one commits to working for British Intelligence there is no easy get out of jail free card and she can’t just drop everything.
I think this is the point where Minnie struggled and asks herself how can she want a thing yet resent it at the same time? Especially as in the last quarter things really became heightened and her activities ramped up even more. She was involved in something so complex and threatening that one wrong step, one misplaced word and her world would come crashing down and would be extremely difficult to build back up again. I genuinely feared for her and the eventual outcome of the book.
The last number of books I have read by Rachel Hore were good but they didn’t make the impact I felt from her earlier novels. At times I found them hard to get through and keep reading but here the story of Minnie, in my mind, is a triumphant return to form for the author with a solid, interesting storyline with lots of historical detail very well researched and written. The characters were complex, secretive and flawed but never dull and I found once I started reading this book it became impossible to put down. Before I knew it I was nearing the final chapters, yet I felt like I had only begun and I haven’t felt this way about the author’s most recent books.
I was easily transported to the fictional world of the characters but I was surprised to read at the end that it was inspired by the real life Olga Gray. This made me want to read more about this woman and what she was involved in and it’s not often these days that I want to do that after reading books. Sometimes you read a book, enjoy it at the time and then when finished park it, forget about it and move on to your next read but here Rachel Hore has written an inspiring story that awakened my mind to a different time in the world that I want to know even more about. A Beautiful Spy is an excellent read packed full of adventure, well developed characters and a riveting storyline. It’s well worth a read.
August 25, 2024
I don’t know what happened here - I absolutely loved the first Rachel Hore novel I read (“The Dreamhouse”) and was completely transported into the story by her style, but I really had to drag myself through this novel. I felt like, even though the source material should be exciting enough, the way in which it was laid out failed to really convey the depth of emotions Minnie was tortured with during her spying years and most of it just depended on endless repetitions. The ending was also just so fast, like we needed to set up for a happy ending in ten pages. I’m a bit disappointed…
March 17, 2021
I like Rachel Hore's books and I liked Minnie, but I found this rather a slow read - perhaps a reflection of the reality of being a spy. Did not realise it was based on a true story until I got to the end
November 28, 2021
I got half way through this book and abandoned it. I reckon if nothing has happened by that time, there is probably not much coming either! Quite tedious.
December 22, 2021
Not my cup of tea - based on real life but got a bit bogged down in the nitty gritty of going to work undercover for pages and pages and pages!!
March 11, 2021
I’m a huge fan of Rachel’s so I was very excited to be invited onto the blog tour for this, her latest book. One again this author has written a gripping and intriguing book which was hard to put down.
Firstly I absolutely loved Minnie, who I liked from pretty much the first page. She knows what she wants and doesn’t want to just get married like everyone else. She shows lots of courage and determination throughout the book which was wonderful to read about. It definitely made me warm to her more and I found I wanted to continue reading to find out what happens to her.
The author does a great job in setting the scene in this book and I loved how she describes the time period by adding in lots of historical detail. It was definitely an interesting time with lots of political things happening in the run up to the second world war which I always enjoy learning more about. It was a completely different time for women too with society expecting them to get married and then give up their careers or job to become a housewife. This made Minnie’s story even more interesting as she was completely different from the norm.
I felt this book gives the reader a unusual insight into what it’s like to be a spy as it doesn’t just focus on their mission like normal books but also gives the reader a look into their lives so that we can see how difficult it is to be a spy at times. As we follow Minnie throughout the book we become aware of her emotional turmoil as she struggles balancing her two worlds of spying and normal life. I’ve never properly thought about this before so I found this very interesting.
Overall I really enjoyed this intriguing, gripping read which has a very thrilling plot line. This book is actually based on real life spy Olga Grey which I always love and I spent too long googling up things on the internet as I wanted to learn more about her. I raced through this book in a couple of days which is no mean feat when you are homeschooling three children. I felt very sad to finish the book and have to leave Minnie behind.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Simon and Schuster for my copy of this book. If you are a fan of gripping historical fiction based on real life historical figures then I thoroughly recommend this book.
Firstly I absolutely loved Minnie, who I liked from pretty much the first page. She knows what she wants and doesn’t want to just get married like everyone else. She shows lots of courage and determination throughout the book which was wonderful to read about. It definitely made me warm to her more and I found I wanted to continue reading to find out what happens to her.
The author does a great job in setting the scene in this book and I loved how she describes the time period by adding in lots of historical detail. It was definitely an interesting time with lots of political things happening in the run up to the second world war which I always enjoy learning more about. It was a completely different time for women too with society expecting them to get married and then give up their careers or job to become a housewife. This made Minnie’s story even more interesting as she was completely different from the norm.
I felt this book gives the reader a unusual insight into what it’s like to be a spy as it doesn’t just focus on their mission like normal books but also gives the reader a look into their lives so that we can see how difficult it is to be a spy at times. As we follow Minnie throughout the book we become aware of her emotional turmoil as she struggles balancing her two worlds of spying and normal life. I’ve never properly thought about this before so I found this very interesting.
Overall I really enjoyed this intriguing, gripping read which has a very thrilling plot line. This book is actually based on real life spy Olga Grey which I always love and I spent too long googling up things on the internet as I wanted to learn more about her. I raced through this book in a couple of days which is no mean feat when you are homeschooling three children. I felt very sad to finish the book and have to leave Minnie behind.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Simon and Schuster for my copy of this book. If you are a fan of gripping historical fiction based on real life historical figures then I thoroughly recommend this book.
February 18, 2021
An amazing story, completely engaging!
Minnie Gray is a normal young woman, a secretary living at home with her mother. Convention dictates that she meets a man and settles to being a housewife and mother. However, Minnie wants more and her chance comes when she is approached to work for the British Government - as a spy. Without divulging what's really going on to anyone, Minnie moves to London, finding a job and a flat, then starts attending Communist party meetings with the aim of finding out their secrets. As she is accepted and begins to prove her worth, the secrecy begins to wear her down and her health suffers along with her relationship. Well aware of how the Russian's react to infiltrators, Minnie is in a constant state of worry and despair. Can she complete her mission?
I had no idea until I had completed this novel that it was based on fact; and that makes it even more astounding. I can honestly say I've never read another book quite like this, and it pulled me in from the very first. Such a smooth telling of a riveting tale made this an incredible read and one which kept me hooked from the very beginning to the final word. For anyone who thinks all spies are James Bond, this is a must read. Rachel Hore has excelled herself with her latest novel creating a beautifully written attention-grabbing read which I found very hard to put down. A stunning story, and one I'm extremely happy to both recommend and give all five sparkling stars.
Minnie Gray is a normal young woman, a secretary living at home with her mother. Convention dictates that she meets a man and settles to being a housewife and mother. However, Minnie wants more and her chance comes when she is approached to work for the British Government - as a spy. Without divulging what's really going on to anyone, Minnie moves to London, finding a job and a flat, then starts attending Communist party meetings with the aim of finding out their secrets. As she is accepted and begins to prove her worth, the secrecy begins to wear her down and her health suffers along with her relationship. Well aware of how the Russian's react to infiltrators, Minnie is in a constant state of worry and despair. Can she complete her mission?
I had no idea until I had completed this novel that it was based on fact; and that makes it even more astounding. I can honestly say I've never read another book quite like this, and it pulled me in from the very first. Such a smooth telling of a riveting tale made this an incredible read and one which kept me hooked from the very beginning to the final word. For anyone who thinks all spies are James Bond, this is a must read. Rachel Hore has excelled herself with her latest novel creating a beautifully written attention-grabbing read which I found very hard to put down. A stunning story, and one I'm extremely happy to both recommend and give all five sparkling stars.
November 1, 2020
The ARC of this book was kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. #ABeautifulSpy #NetGalley.
As with most historical fictions that catch my eye, this had an interesting premise. It was a break away from the usual early 20th-century historical fiction that I read as the focus was more so on the rising communist threat, rather than the ending of WWI and the start of WWII, although this does come into play later in the story. While I enjoyed the spy aspect, I found myself wishing that less time was focused on Minnie's romantic relations and more on the general history and plot. Despite certain time jumps that felt a little rushed, it was suspenseful at points and managed to keep my interest. A solid historical fiction, with an interesting twist of espionage.
As with most historical fictions that catch my eye, this had an interesting premise. It was a break away from the usual early 20th-century historical fiction that I read as the focus was more so on the rising communist threat, rather than the ending of WWI and the start of WWII, although this does come into play later in the story. While I enjoyed the spy aspect, I found myself wishing that less time was focused on Minnie's romantic relations and more on the general history and plot. Despite certain time jumps that felt a little rushed, it was suspenseful at points and managed to keep my interest. A solid historical fiction, with an interesting twist of espionage.
February 23, 2021
I have often found that fiction brings factual events in history to life and it also gives me a thirst to learn more about the respective subject. This is definitely the case of Rachel Hore’s new novel: A Beautiful Spy, which is based on the remarkable double life of Olga Gray. Olga Gray was a young British woman who was recruited by MI5 to work undercover to gain close access to members of the Communist Party.
Minnie Gray was feeling fed up and bored of the suburban life of 1930’s Edgbaston but all this was about to change when she was introduced to Captain King. An eccentric man who was like the puppet master for numerous operatives working for the government department MI5. Minnie soon became charmed and a little obsessed by this man and found herself embroiled in a double life that put her in the depths of danger and uncertainty.
As time went on Minnie became reliant on the men in her life and she was afraid to upset any of them but as her personal life was spilling into her professional life she had to make sacrifices.
Rachel Hore had me totally gripped with this story. I was impressed with the bravery of the secret agents and Minnie was just one of many that put their lives on hold to help the country. It sounded exciting and thrilling but the constant anxiety of being discovered must have been terrifying.
A thoroughly enjoyable historical fiction that brings to life the remarkability of people.
Minnie Gray was feeling fed up and bored of the suburban life of 1930’s Edgbaston but all this was about to change when she was introduced to Captain King. An eccentric man who was like the puppet master for numerous operatives working for the government department MI5. Minnie soon became charmed and a little obsessed by this man and found herself embroiled in a double life that put her in the depths of danger and uncertainty.
As time went on Minnie became reliant on the men in her life and she was afraid to upset any of them but as her personal life was spilling into her professional life she had to make sacrifices.
Rachel Hore had me totally gripped with this story. I was impressed with the bravery of the secret agents and Minnie was just one of many that put their lives on hold to help the country. It sounded exciting and thrilling but the constant anxiety of being discovered must have been terrifying.
A thoroughly enjoyable historical fiction that brings to life the remarkability of people.
February 28, 2021
The beautiful cover and the whole premise of the story completely grabbed my attention. Determined this year to read more novels based around World War II, to enhance my knowledge of this era, I grabbed at the opportunity to read The Beautiful Spy. The story itself spans a period of time starting in 1928 and finishing in 1955. I have read several Rachel Hore novels before but the last one was in 2018 so I was very excited to read one of her more recent novels. I found it to be a really entertaining and compelling read and I was completely engrossed following Minnie’s life and the highs and lows of being a British government spy. We follow her on an emotional adventure living a dangerous double existence.
The author sensitively portrays all of Minnie’s emotions, the lonely existence and the challenges she faces working as a spy. Determined to make a difference Minnie shows great determination, bravery and dedication to the cause. Early on in the book Minnie embarks on a solitary journey to India and the descriptions of her journey and her time alone for several weeks in Bombay are heartfelt and tense.
There are some lovely characters included in the storyline all of whom are likeable and relatable. I felt there could have been more chemistry in the romantic interludes, which at times felt more like companionship than a romance. Otherwise, this is a lovely gentle spy story which is easy to read and kept me entertained from start to finish. The author’s note at the end is particularly interesting when we learn the book is loosely based on the true story of Olga Gray, who spied for the British Intelligence during the 1930s. The book is extremely well researched and it is a wonderful insight into this period of time and has definitely inspired me to read more historical fiction of this era.
The author sensitively portrays all of Minnie’s emotions, the lonely existence and the challenges she faces working as a spy. Determined to make a difference Minnie shows great determination, bravery and dedication to the cause. Early on in the book Minnie embarks on a solitary journey to India and the descriptions of her journey and her time alone for several weeks in Bombay are heartfelt and tense.
There are some lovely characters included in the storyline all of whom are likeable and relatable. I felt there could have been more chemistry in the romantic interludes, which at times felt more like companionship than a romance. Otherwise, this is a lovely gentle spy story which is easy to read and kept me entertained from start to finish. The author’s note at the end is particularly interesting when we learn the book is loosely based on the true story of Olga Gray, who spied for the British Intelligence during the 1930s. The book is extremely well researched and it is a wonderful insight into this period of time and has definitely inspired me to read more historical fiction of this era.
September 8, 2021
Historical fiction at its best, A Beautiful Spy is a wonderful glimpse into the world of espionage. I loved Minnie from the very start - ambitious and determined, she wants more than just marriage and a family. She was never afraid to get stuck in - even in frightening situations she remained brave and committed. Her involvement in the Communist movement showed the harsh reality of being a spy- often dangerous but more often very monotonous and dreary. Her compassion shone through in all of her relationships and her friendship with Max was particularly interesting.
October 30, 2025
A straightforward domestic 1930s spy yarn that perhaps promises more than it delivers. It trundles along nicely without developing a head of steam. I kept waiting for some twists and turns that never came until I realised at the end that it was based on the true story of MI5 recruit Olga Gray and so was restricted by actual events. The inclusion of real characters is intriguing but again underdeveloped. It’s still a pleasant read but hardly memorable.
October 11, 2021
Intriguing
October 17, 2021
A tale of espionage and MI5, I really enjoyed this, aside from some things seemingly far fetched, and the ending a little disappointing.
September 22, 2022
This was a very tense book and I wanted our spy to be save.
April 23, 2024
Twijfel tussen 2.5* en 3*.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 14, 2024
I couldn't put it down.
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