Synopsis
The Spy Who Loved: The Untold Story of Churchill's Favourite Secret Agent
In June 1952, Christine Granville, The Spy Who Loved, was murdered by an obsessive colleague in a South Kensington hotel. That she died young was perhaps unsurprising. That she had survived the Second World War was remarkable.
The daughter of a feckless Polish aristocrat and his wealthy Jewish wife, Christine fled to Britain on the outbreak of war and became MI6's first female recruit. She skied into occupied Poland, served in Egypt, and later parachuted into Nazi-occupied France. Her quick wit, courage, and determination won her release from arrest more than once, and she saved the lives of several fellow officers, including one of her many lovers, just hours before his scheduled execution by the Gestapo.
Christine's intelligence and service, including single-handedly securing the defection of an entire Nazi German garrison, were significant contributions to the Allied war effort. She was awarded the George Medal, the OBE and the Croix de Guerre.
In The Spy Who Loved, Clare Mulley brings this complex, courageous, and effective special agent vividly to life, ensuring Christine Granville is remembered as she deserves.
Details
05 July 2012
9780230759527Reviews
A stunning biographical achievementAlison Weir, lison Weir, New York Times bestselling author of Innocent Traitor and The Lady Elizabeth
Clare Mulley tells her story with a bravura that matches Christine's charismatic characterSaga
A fine account of Christine Granville's extraordinary war, told with skill and care . . . Mulley succeeds in making her human . . . inspiringLiterary Review
Compulsively readable . . . Clare Mulley has done a dogged piece of detective work piecing together Christine's ultimately tragic life. Understandably obsessed by her charismatic subject, she has written a thrilling book and paid due homage to a difficult woman who seized life with both handsDaily Telegraph
