Her Secret Service

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What to expect

'Beautiful written and elegiac . . . a masterpiece' Damien Lewis, author of multiple Sunday Times Bestsellers
'Riveting, original and scrupulously researched' Richard J Aldrich, author of GCHQ
'Phenomenal . . . genuinely pioneering, undoubtedly necessary and a great read' Rory Cormac, author of How to Stage a Coup

Since the inception of the Secret Service Bureau back in 1909, women have worked at the very heart of British secret intelligence - yet their contributions have been all but written out of history. Now, drawing on private and previously-classified documents, leading historian Claire Hubbard-Hall brings their gripping true stories to life.

From encoding orders and decrypting enemy messages to penning propaganda and infiltrating organisations, the women of British intelligence played a pivotal role in both the First and Second World Wars. Prepare to meet the true custodians of Britain's military secrets, from Kathleen Pettigrew, personal assistant to the Chief of MI6 Stewart Menzies, who late in life declared 'I was Miss Moneypenny, but with more power', to Jane Archer, the very first female MI5 officer who raised suspicions about the Soviet spy Kim Philby long before he was officially unmasked and Winifred Spink, the first female officer ever sent to Russia in 1916. In Her Secret Service, Hubbard-Hall rescues these silenced voices and those of many other fascinating women from obscurity to provide a definitive account of women's contributions to the history of the intelligence services.

Critics Review

Riveting, original and scrupulously researched, this remarkable work rescues the lost voices of Britain's intelligence services
Richard J Aldrich, author of GCHQ
Full of anecdote and insight, Claire Hubbard-Hall has crafted a fascinating history of the pivotal role played by women in the British intelligence services. A hugely enjoyable read
Clare Mulley, author of Agent Zo
A phenomenal achievement . . . one of those rare books that is genuinely pioneering, undoubtedly necessary, and a great read. There is something new on every page
Rory Cormac, author of How to Stage a Coup
Beautifully written and elegiac . . . a masterpiece that showcases the incredible contribution made by Britain's female intelligence operatives at home and abroad. For those who went deep into harm's way, they had little more than their charm, intelligence, wit and beauty as a foil to the enemy's most cunning and vicious predations. An entrancing book showcasing women's long forgotten voices in espionage histories
Damien Lewis, author of multiple Sunday Times Bestsellers
Compelling and impeccably researched . . . Forget James Bond; these are the real heroines of British espionage
Tracy Borman OBE
Pays tribute to the legions of women who devoted their lives to the British secret service but whose efforts went largely unacknowledged
Caroline Moorehead, Spectator
Groundbreaking
Bee Wilson, Sunday Times
Passionately and expertly uncovers remarkable stories of women as strategists, operational leaders and pioneers who contributed significantly to the outcomes of both world wars and to the development of intelligence during the interwar period
Ashleigh Percival-Borley, Journal of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism

User Reviews

Book 4.0
Narration 5.0
4.0
5.0
While the narrative is fascinating and deserves 5 stars, the book is let down by its editing - this could have been much sharper. There is a lot of repetition, particularly of acronyms, which starts to grate as the narrative goes on.
Jo Lloyd 08/02/2025

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