From Goodreads: “June 1940. France has fallen to the Nazis, and Britain may be next–but to many Americans, the war is something happening “over there.” Veronica Grace has just graduated from college; she and her mother, Violet, are looking for a fresh start in sunny Los Angeles. After a blunder cost her a prestigious career opportunity in New York, Veronica is relieved to take a typing job in L.A.–only to realize that she’s working for one of the area’s most vicious propagandists.

Overnight, Veronica is exposed to the dark underbelly of her new home, where German Nazis are recruiting Americans for their devastating campaign. After the FBI dismisses the Graces’ concerns, Veronica and Violet decide to call on an old friend, who introduces them to L.A.’s anti-Nazi spymaster.

At once, the women go undercover to gather enough information about the California Reich to take to the authorities. But as the news of Pearl Harbor ripples through the United States, and President Roosevelt declares war, the Grace women realize that the plots they’re investigating are far more sinister than they feared–and even a single misstep could cost them everything.”

First off, props to Susan Elia MacNeal for coming up with the name Veronica Grace, the same name I came up with for my oldest daughter 19 years ago. 🙂

Mother Daughter Traitor Spy (Amazon) is the result of all the research from #NetGalley #ARCReview #TheHollywoodSpy (#MaggieHope #10) by #SusanEliaMacNeal. She had such a wealth of information about the Nazi movement on the west coast of the United States before we entered WWII that this standalone novel is the result. And it’s truly a story that needs to be told. I read a lot of history but had no idea about this aspect of WWII until I read the Hollywood Spy.

As for the story, it reads like a movie, but knowing that most of the events happened in real life brings it all home. I can’t imagine being Veronica and Vi Grace and becoming spies, hanging out with Nazis and going along with all they say and do in order to obtain information. I don’t think I could have done it myself.

The story, and the action, move quickly, and I found myself immersed in the novel. Some reviewers say the story and writing are simple, but if you ask me, that’s what makes Mother Daughter Traitor Spy work. The facts are so shocking, there’s no need to embellish or try to make the story the great American novel. Much like my beloved Nancy Drew travelogue stories, Susan Elia MacNeal weaves facts into her narrative that make an interesting story.

I thought the ending was a bit unbelievable and a tad rushed, but that didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the story. If you like a good WWII story, this is for you.

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