An Unlikely Spy: A Novel

Written by Rebecca Starford

Narrated by Jane Collingwood

“A beguiling tale of espionage."" -- Pam Jenoff, author of The Orphans Tale and The Lost Girls of Paris

A twisting, sophisticated World War II novel following a spy who goes undercover as a part of MI5—in chasing the secrets of others, how much will she lose of herself?

Evelyn Varley has always been ambitious and clever. As a girl, she earned a scholarship to a prestigious academy well above her parents’ means, gaining her a best friend from one of England’s wealthiest families. In 1939, with an Oxford degree in hand and war looming, Evelyn finds herself recruited into an elite MI5 counterintelligence unit.

A ruthless secret society seeks an alliance with Germany and, posing as a Nazi sympathizer, Evelyn must build a case to expose their treachery. But as she is drawn deeper into layers of duplicity—perhaps of her own making—some of those closest to her become embroiled in her investigation. With Evelyn’s loyalties placed under extraordinary pressure, she’ll face an impossible choice: save her country or the people who love her. Her decision echoes for years after the war, impacting everyone who thought they knew the real Evelyn Varley.

Beguiling and dark, An Unlikely Spy is a fascinating story of deception and sacrifice, based on the history of real people within the British intelligence community.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Jun 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9780063037939

Rebecca Starford

 Rebecca Starford is the publishing director and cofounder of Kill Your Darlings. She has a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Queensland and lives in Brisbane, Australia.

Reviews for An Unlikely Spy

[kity16 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I've liked the idea for the story, but i think it was a bit poorly executed.
You start with Evelyn's upbringing, then her as a spy, then back to her after her spy days. You get little time to connect and discover the characters, because the scene keep moving.
Might just be my opinion, as i was listening to an audiobook.

[wagner5sarah35 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Espionage and betrayal drive the plot of this WWII-era novel. Evelyn was born into a family of limited means, but a scholarship to a prestigious school puts her in the company of an entirely different social class and slowly, Evelyn changes, taking on the mannerisms and attitudes of her new friends. After completing a degree in German literature on the eve of war, Evelyn is recruited by MI-5 and is asked to infiltrate a group of Nazi sympathizers in London. However, Evelyn struggles to separate her own personal life and her undercover work, causing her two lives to violently collide in a way that she struggles with for years to come. Overall, a decent work of historical fiction and highly recommended to those intrigued by the espionage piece of the war.