The Book

The Secretary historical spy

The Secretary historical spy

Moscow, 1958. At the height of the Cold War, secretary Lois Vale is on a deep-cover MI6 mission to identify a diplomatic traitor. She can trust only one man: Johann, a German journalist also working covertly for the British secret service. As the trail leads to Vienna and the Black Sea, Lois and Johann begin an affair but as love grows, so does the danger to Lois.

A tense Cold War spy story told from the perspective of a bright, young, working-class woman recruited to MI6 at a time when men were in charge of making history and women were expendable.

The Author

highly respected author Deborah Lawrenson writer of eight acclaimed novels
Author Deborah Lawrenson

Deborah Lawrenson spent her childhood moving around the world with diplomatic service parents, from Kuwait to China, Belgium, Luxembourg and Singapore. She worked as a journalist in London and has written eight novels.

As a curious, observant child Deborah experienced their subsequent adventures but it was only as an adult that she began to understand the undercurrents and the real meaning of things her enigmatic, deeply private mother told her.

How The book Came to be.

Joy Deborahs Mother Image credit Deborah Lawrenson
Joy Deborahs Mother Image credit Deborah Lawrenson

Deborah reveals the novel is largely inspired by a diary left behind by author Deborah Lawrenson's late mother who worked for the British Intelligence. 

Adding "Authentic and historical details are provided by the 1958 diary kept in Moscow by my Mother who worked for British Intelligence. My parents met that year when they were both working at the British Embassy in Moscow. I grew up with bugged apartments and stormy romance and trailed by the KGB.

the sources of the inspiration for the book Joys 1958 diary
Joy's diary image credit Deborah Lawrenson

There is a substantial author’s afterword at the end of the novel which explains Deborah’s family research in further detail.

RELEASE DATE:  28/02/2025    ISBN: 9781835741436     Price: £9.99


by for www.femalefirst.co.uk


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