Spymistress cover art

Spymistress

The True Story of the Greatest Female Secret Agent of World War II

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Spymistress

By: William Stevenson
Narrated by: Nicholas Camm
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About this listen

A rousing tale of espionage and unsung valor, this is the captivating true story of Vera Atkins, Great Britain's spymistress from the age of 25. With her fierce intelligence, blunt manner, personal courage, and exceptional informants, Vera ran countless missions throughout the 1930s. After rising to the leadership echelon in the Special Operations Executive (SOE), a covert intelligence agency formed by Winston Churchill, she became head of a clandestine army in World War II. Her team went deep behind enemy lines, linked up with resistance fighters, destroyed vital targets, helped Allied pilots escape capture, assassinated German soldiers, and radioed information back to London. As the biographer of her mentor in the SOE, William Stevenson was the only person Vera Atkins trusted to record her story.

©2007, 2011 William Stevenson (P)2014 Audible, Inc. 20th Century Americas Espionage Historical Military Military & War Modern Politicians Politics & Activism True Crime United States Women World War II War Royalty Imperialism Winston Churchill King Submarine Holocaust Franklin D Roosevelt Interwar Period

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All stars
Most relevant  
The story, ostensibly woven around Vera Atkins, actually covers a far wider narrative of covert activity by the allied forces, with an emphasis on SOE but including other agencies, and goes some way toward filling the gaps in the overall picture whilst leading the reader to reach possible conclusions as to why some actions were undertaken in the manner they were. The narration was a little dull, with some dubious pronunciations, but this didn’t distract from the content of the work.

A story full of information

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I was so looking forward to listening to this audiobook but I was ultimately rather disappointed. At first I thought my concentration was lacking but after backtracking many times, I still couldn’t follow the thread. It seemed to be very disjointed and I’m not sure I learnt a lot about Vera Atkins in the end. I now have more questions than answers.

Disappointing

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Had high hopes and is obviously a fascinating story but just had to bail out. The narrators voice is SO dull and uninspired that I lost interest in the story which I was looking forward to. Shame.

Fascinating story, dull narration

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I do understand other reviewers who have found the narration difficult, but I enjoyed his style. He delivered the narrative in what I imagine to be that of a war correspondent thus adding to the atmosphere.
The introduction is very annoying for anyone in the UK who is not English. More than 60 nations participated in the WW2, so it can be very annoying to have English or American writers sounding as though they were the main "winners."
I did appreciate due honour being given to the immense Polish contribution to the whole war effort in many areas. All-in-all a remarkable story of a truly remarkable lady plus so many confirmations of material I have seen/heard of from other sources.

important book

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By any measure Vera Atkins was a truly amazing person. William Stevenson memorialises her life so well.

The times she lived in and the events she witnessed will be remembered through the ages, as will her contribution to them.

When you read this book alongside the stories of Virginia Hall (“a woman of no importance”), Christine Skarbek GC and the other female legends of WW2 it leaves you feeling truly humbled.

I just wish this sort of history was taught more often in schools.

An exceptional story, beautifully narrated

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I originally thought this book must have been written before most of the Ultra Secret had been released, but it was first published in 2006. That leave the book with no excuse for getting so many points wrong. It led me to doubt how much of the book can actually be believed. There are so many other points where the author deciders to go with coincidence to make a good story.

Too many errors

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A dramatic war time story of appalling cruelty and outstanding bravery.Humans at their best and worst. Well narrated.

Excellent

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Vera Atkins was an inspirational woman and this is her story. I don't quite agree with the title and I'm not sure that Vera would have either. Vera was the one who sent her girls into the field and she grieved for every single one of them that did not return.

A remarkable lady

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Amazing story. Excellent performance. Very enlightening As a child in the 30’s some of the info certainly tells a very brave and also ghastly story. Thank u for writing the account. Thank u for putting it in audible.

Extraordinary lady

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what we owe in incalculable to this small cross society group of incredible human being's who were often conspired against from within the Allies , who with little official assistance gave everything for freedom, most who's storieswill never be fully told....we owe them EVERYTHING.

This is the history that should be taught in schoo

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