A riveting new Maggie Hope mystery

Mrs Roosevelt's Confidante: A Maggie Hope Mystery By Susan Elia MacNeal Pub Date: October 27, 2015 Description In this latest riveting mystery from New York Times bestselling author Susan Elia MacNeal, England's most daring spy, Maggie Hope, travels across the pond to America, where a looming scandal poses a grave threat to the White House and the Allied cause. December 1941. Soon after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Winston Churchill arrives in Washington, D.C., along with special agent Maggie Hope. Posing as his typist, she is accompanying the prime minister as he meets with President Roosevelt to negotiate the United States' entry into World War II. When one of the First Lady's aides is mysteriously murdered, Maggie is quickly drawn into Mrs. Roosevelt's inner circle—as ER herself is implicated in the crime. Maggie knows she must keep the investigation quiet, so she employs her unparalleled skills at code breaking and espionage to figure out who would target Mrs. Roosevelt, and why. What Maggie uncovers is a shocking conspiracy that could jeopardize American support for the war and leave the fate of the world hanging dangerously in the balance. Review In December 1941, Winston Churchill arrives in Washington to meet with President Roosevelt. Maggie Hope plays a unique role in Winston Churchill's retinue. Posing as a secretary, she is in a special agent working for the British government. When one of Eleanor Roosevelt's aides is discovered murdered and a plot to discredit the First Lady is revealed, it is up to Maggie to investigate and keep things quiet. Any hint of a scandal could threaten the fragile negotiations between the two powers. Also in the balance is the life of a young African American who is to be executed by the state of Virginia. There is a notable outcry because he was not tried by a jury of his peers. The heavy racism of the time, and the oppression of the Jim Crow laws is posed in parallel with the nazi persecution of the Jews. As Maggie quickly discovers, justice is not black and white, and politics is a dirty business, especially for a spy. Mrs Roosevelt's Confidante is a well written historical mystery. While it is fiction, Susan MacNeal spent a great deal of time researching her topic. It shows in her immersive writing. Mrs Roosevelt's Confidante brings the America of 1941 to life in an exciting way. 5/5 I received a copy of Mrs Roosevelt's Confidante from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. --Crittermom http://muttcafe.com/2015/10/mrs-Roosevelt's-confidante/