Small Town Girl cover art

Small Town Girl

Love, Lies and the Undercover Police

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Small Town Girl

By: Donna McLean
Narrated by: Donna McLean
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About this listen

You live with someone for two years and then...they simply don't exist.

Over 40 years, two British police units acted undercover to infiltrate activist groups. At least 20 of those officers deliberately targeted women and entered relationships with them. One of those women was me. This is my story.

Men wrote the police files. They wrote the scripts and the headlines. Men wrote the court orders to make us anonymous, and they will sit in judgement at the coming public inquiry. In a system that doesn't see women, you have to fight to be heard. When they take your identity, you have to find your voice.

Learning the truth nearly destroyed me - but an accidental activist was born.

A voice at the centre of the Spy Cops scandal. The great love story of Donna McLean's life wasn't just built on lies, it was one. With an inquiry underway, Small Town Girl is a reclamation of a truth that was ruthlessly buried.

©2022 Donna McLean (P)2022 Hodder & Stoughton Limited Activists Politics & Activism

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All stars
Most relevant  
This book made me cry, laugh and sit in absolute wonder at the strength of Donna and the other brave activist women. Despite what the police put them through and continues to put them through, are owning their story and fighting to prevent this huge miscarriage of justice and invasion of human rights happening again.

A Gripping read

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absolutely loved it, brilliantly written and loved the narration which is all so important with audio books.

simply brilliant

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A brilliantly written and profomed true story of intimate state betrayal. . . .

couldn't stop listening

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An eye opener. In the west we believe we are living in a democracy. This story is a glimpse how political opponents are controlled.

Story about the British Stasi

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If this was fiction it would be enthralling, emotive, dramatic & addictive as a page turner. As a true crime novel it is all of these things and so much more. Donna’s recollection of not just the events but how she felt at every moment makes this book a powerful recounting of a deeply personal experience made even more powerful by the fact she reads the book herself. This writer is not only a force to be reckoned with but also my new favourite author.

Wow Just wow

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Definitely a story that needs to be told and the author tells it well here, great job of interweaving the different timelines. It says a lot about Donna that she came out the other side of this and sounds like she is still a fighter. Great read.

Both terrifying and gripping, a must read.

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If you don’t about this scandal, you need to. If you are not angry about this scandal, you should be!!! A powerful story of how the life of an ordinary woman was violated by state sanctioned, undercover ‘political’ policing - outrageous/unwarranted/corrupt.
Well done Donna for so eloquently sharing your story

Tell everyone you know!!!

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Shocking revelations of how our police force sent in police officers to spy on legitimate activists.
This story illustrates how fragile our supposed democracy is - Boris at parties during lockdown is the thin edge of the wedge.

A Must Read!

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I could not turn this off. I listened to the whole thing in one go, it's detailed, intelligent, balanced and calmly delivered. considering how heartbreaking the story is hearing it calm and beautifully read by Donna herself is quite humbling. EVERYONE MUST LISTEN! then we must look to all the other books she mentions and that have been published since. The world needs to know and this needs to stop. (trying very hard not to make this review political)

Fascinating, captivating and utterly terrifying

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A real eye opener about the standards and tactics of those responsible for upholding the rule of law.

Fascinating

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