The Best of Our Spies

Arnold Vermeulen had entered England as a  refugee from Belgium when the Germans invaded, however it didn’t take long for the British to determine that he was a sleeper agent of the Nazis.  It also didn’t take them long to turn him.  He was to pass on the messages of a female German spy known as Magpie.

Colonel Visser, a member of the Dutch intelligence, working with Captain Edgar of MI-Five assure Professor Newby, who is in charge of XX Committee, that Vermeulen can be turned, but they want to get their hands on the Magpie.  But how will they accomplish that?

Fortunately, Captain Edgar’s team is able to identify Magpie and trail her after she meets with Vermeulen.  She has come from France and is a nurse.  When Edgar speaks to her matron, it fortunately turns out that the young woman has requested a transfer to a military hospital.  Newby tells Edgar that the request will be granted in time.

Nathalie Mercier, also known as the Magpie, receives her request to transfer to a naval hospital.  While there she quietly goes through the files of the patients and discovers that a Lieutenant Owen Quinn is to be transferred to London to work in intelligence.  She begins to put her plan into play.

Unbeknownst to Quinn, he is destined for Naval Intelligence.  He does take a hint from Captain Edgar and becomes engaged to Nathalie.  One of his major projects was the Dieppe Raid.  Quinn was very upset with the results.

The plan is to give Magpie more information about the upcoming invasion.  So, Quinn is allowed to take home maps of Calais, so that she will pass on the information that the invasion is to be directed there.  The plan works quite well.  Major Edgar’s next plan is to send Nathalie to the area.

What follows is the invasion of Europe, but not at Calais.  Nathalie plays a role that she is unaware of that helps with the invasion.  She then disappears.  Quinn, once the invasion is well established goes in search of her.  Will Edgar get to her first or will her Nazi handlers punish her for providing false information?

Author Alex Gerlis has written a tremendous thriller that I found hard to put down.  The conclusion is shocking.  However, I am sure that all who read this book will enjoy it.  I look forward to reading more from this author.