Mother, Daughter, Traitor, Spy was full of suspense and kept me at the edge of my seat. The story was follows along with nazi sympathizers in LA and it was horrifying, especially in our current political climate, but I could not put this book down! It was done so well and I really enjoyed it. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

This is the first story that I have read by this new to me author, and I will definitely be looking for more of her works. The story was so intriguing and kept me on the edge of my seat. I love it when stories are a mix of facts and fiction, and are based on true events. I think everyone needs to read this story.


I received a complimentary copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Did you know there was an active Nazi sympathizer cell in early 1940s LA? I did not - and this book was a wild ride, based on a true story of a mother/daughter spy pair. Veronica and Violet infiltrate the California Reich after Veronica is hired as a stenographer, and they soon discover that the plots are more sinister than they could have imagined. The high stakes kept me turning the pages. If you enjoy WWII historical fiction, this is a great addition to the genre!

Thank you to Ballantine Books for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This novel, based on the true experiences of a mother and daughter in Los Angeles in 1940, opened my eyes to a piece of history I was not familiar with. Violet Grace is a first-generation German American. Both she and her daughter Veronica are blue-eyed blondes. Those traits make them welcomed into a group of German Americans who gather at a German club in town. Veronica is offered a typing job by one of the members of the club, who she is stunned to realize, is publishing pro-Nazi leaflets that are being distributed throughout southern California. Veronica goes to the police and FBI, but her information is ignored by the authorities. It is only when Violet reaches out to her late-husband’s military commander that the Graces are believed and put in touch with a man who is tracking the activities of American Nazis in Los Angeles. The Graces become spies for this man and thus begins their incredible journey into a network of men and women who are plotting to overthrow the American government and aid Hitler in winning World War II. They are even secretly building a home/ headquarters for the Fuhrer outside Los Angeles for when, they hope, a victorious Hitler comes to America.
MacNeal, the author, has written a very suspenseful novel full of twists and fraught with danger. The tension between her characters is palpable. Although this is based on a true story with a known outcome, MacNeal leaves the reader anxiously rooting for these two courageous women to expose the traitors before they can succeed in their unthinkable mission. I would like to thank the publisher, Random House, and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Big big big fan of Susan Elia MacNeal here! I have loved her Maggie Hope series over the years and when I saw this one was coming out, I actually thought it was maybe a novella or something tied to the Maggie Hope series. If you are familiar with the Maggie Hope books, then you will know that spying and familial connections play a big role. So just based on the title I thought surely this book would tie into the Maggie books some how. However, it’s actually a stand alone book! No connection to the Maggie books.

I I know that for some authors it’s hard to branch out into a world of standalone books. Authors get to be ‘known’ for a character, or series etc and next thing you know they have become pigeon holed. I think what works for this one is MacNeal sticks to familiar territory. She knows her history and always does such a great job developing the historical context. While this book wasn’t a Maggie book, I felt connected to the time period and setting in the same way that I would with one of her series books.

I love this book for new fans of MacNeal. The Maggie books are about 10 books into the series and sometimes it can be intimidating to go back and read the whole series in order to get caught up before the next release comes out. This book gives interested and new readers the chance to explore MacNeal’s writing and style without having to go back and read a whole series. It is a great standalone novel and should not be missed!

Summary

A mother and daughter find the courage to go undercover after stumbling upon a Nazi cell in Los Angeles during the early days of World War II–a tantalizing novel from the New York Timesbestselling author of the Maggie Hope series

“A stirring standalone thriller . . . Susan Elia MacNeal’s page-turning prose is as entertaining as ever–I was riveted from beginning to end.”–Kate Quinn, author of The Alice Network

June 1940. France has fallen to the Nazis, and Britain may be next–but to many Americans, the war is something happening “over there.” Veronica Grace has just graduated from college; she and her mother, Violet, are looking for a fresh start in sunny Los Angeles. After a blunder cost her a prestigious career opportunity in New York, Veronica is relieved to take a typing job in L.A.–only to realize that she’s working for one of the area’s most vicious propagandists.

Overnight, Veronica is exposed to the dark underbelly of her new home, where German Nazis are recruiting Americans for their devastating campaign. After the FBI dismisses the Graces’ concerns, Veronica and Violet decide to call on an old friend, who introduces them to L.A.’s anti-Nazi spymaster.

At once, the women go undercover to gather enough information about the California Reich to take to the authorities. But as the news of Pearl Harbor ripples through the United States, and President Roosevelt declares war, the Grace women realize that the plots they’re investigating are far more sinister than they feared–and even a single misstep could cost them everything.

Inspired by the real mother-daughter spy duo who foiled Nazi plots in Los Angeles during WWII, Mother Daughter Traitor Spy is a powerful portrait of family, duty, and deception that raises timeless questions about America–and what it means to have courage in the face of terror. (Summary from Goodreads)

Review

One of the things that makes this book so compelling is that it’s based on a real life mother/daughter spy team. I personally work with my mother and it’s been one of the best experiences of my professional career and I can’t even imagine what it would be like to share a spy job between mothers and daughters. The complexity of the mother/daughter team, Violet and Veronica, was evident in the story and I loved seeing how MacNeal played up their strengths, flaws, complexities and motives. It was a very well done character novel and I loved getting to know these two women and I especially loved how MacNeal outlined how much of the story was fiction versus real life.

MacNeal is a seasoned writer with a wonderful prose, with each novel she writes she just gets better and better. This book did no disappoint and I think many readers will find something to love within the pages. Not all the characters are likable but readers will quickly understand their motives. The book does take a little bit to set up the story, so I found the first part a little on the slower side as it built up the background, setting, and story. But once we got into the actual spying etc, it really picked up and was full steam ahead until the ending.

I especially loved that this book was set in LA. LA is such an unconventional setting for most WWII novels, but I think that’s what makes this one stand out from the others. If I was just looking at the cover of this one, I would have thought (and totally did!) ‘oh this one is going to be set in England…maybe France’. LA is just not the first place you think of when it comes to WWII spy novels so I found the setting a welcome and refreshing surprise. There is simply so much to adore in this book—-great character, a unique setting, but the star here is the historical research. I would expect nothing less from MacNeal, as her research is always top shelf. But this one really stands out as exceptional when it comes to historical research!

Book Info and Rating

Format: 336 pages, hardcover

Publication: September 20, 2022 by Bantam

ISBN: 9780593156957

Free review copy provided by publisher, Bantam Books, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.

Rating: 5 stars

Genre: historical fiction, spy novel

This mother-daughter Nazi-hunting novel, inspired by real events (!) in Los Angeles, was such a fun read. Rooting out fascist elements in the United States feels particularly timely (ugh!), and while I may be slightly biased – I have personally introduced many a friend to the real life "nazi hike" in the Pacific Palisades, i.e. exploring the ruins of Murphy Ranch – I quite enjoyed the novelty of an eve-of-WWII novel that takes place in Southern California. The story and characters feel very well researched, and I loved the escalating tension and peril that ultimately culminates in the raid of Murphy Ranch, derailing the establishment of a home-base for the Third Reich in North America. Susan Elia MacNeal writes with a cinematic style, chapters build upon each other beautifully and I love that in the novel, as in real life, the racist, sexist German-American fascists were undone by an unassuming, patriotic mother and daughter team.

June 1940. Veronica has graduated from college and has a job lined up at a prestigious magazine, when an earlier mistake derails her plans. She and her mother, Grace head to California to start over. There, they become aware of Nazi cells in the LA area. When efforts to report them to law enforcement fail, Grace tells her late husband's friend who works in Navy intelligence. He recruits them both to get close to the people in the organization and try to find out their plans. What they find is truly terrifying; a plan for an attack on American soil.
As they gain more and more knowledge, the danger for themselves and America increases more and more.
This is an amazing story based on actual people.
Grace and Veronica personify the courage and determination of their era. They knew the stakes and forged ahead even at the cost of their own lives.

The New York Times bestselling author of Mr. Churchill’s Secretary and the Maggie Hope mysteries, Susan Elia MacNeal has a rare gift for making historical fiction real and relevant in today’s world.

Mother Daughter Traitor Spy is no exception.

In this standalone suspense thriller, the award-winning author introduces us to mother and daughter Violet and Veronica Grace, just as Veronica graduates from college about to set off on a promising and exciting career in journalism.

Life and our grand plans for it, however, can unravel like the delicate thread of a cherry blossom on a silk blouse. That’s when life gets interesting and can become more than a bit scary.

Based on a real-life mother/daughter team, Grace and Sylvia Comfort, MacNeal shines a light on a shocking World War II-era story previously relegated to the edges of our history - of Hollywood Nazis, two brave women and the Jewish spy ring that worked together to take them down.

MacNeal’s compelling storytelling had me on the edge of my seat, sometimes yelling at the characters. While I was afraid for the inexperienced mother and daughter spies as they infiltrated a Nazi cell, I was terrified for the Jewish undercover operatives with whom they worked, worrying what would happen to them, to their families, should they be found out.

What makes this story all the more frightening is that you can see current-day forces in play that could make it feasible for these unbelievable events to happen in our country today.

I received a free egalley of Mother Daughter Traitor Spy courtesy of Bantam Books, Random House Publishing Group, through NetGalley. This review is fair and impartial.

I highly recommend Mother Daughter Traitor Spy. In fact, I believe it along with MacNeal’s Maggie Hope series, should be required reading not only to give context to the world we live in today but to more importantly show how unsung bravery can make all the difference.




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A Historical WWII Spy Story Set In Los Angeles

When we think of Los Angeles during the WWII era, we often think of movie stars and palm trees, but Los Angeles was also the home of Hitler sympathizers such as the Silver Shirts and the German American Bund. These fanatics hoped to turn the US into a replica of Hitler’s Germany.

In 1940 Veronica Grace has just graduated from Hunter college and been offered her dream job at Mademoiselle. When her affair with a married man becomes known, she’s told she will never work in New York and Mademoiselle rescinds her offer. With her mother, Violet Grace, they decide to go to Los Angeles where they can live rent free in Violet’s brother’s vacation house.

Soon after their arrival, Veronica is offered at typing job. Violet also finds employment embroidering blouses for wealthy women. Both women discover their employers are involved with the Nazi movement in the US. When the FBI dismisses their concerns they go to an old friend of Veronica’s father who introduces them to the man behind the infiltration of the Nazi organizations. He recruits them as spies. They discover they have joined a very dangerous game.

The historical background for this novel is chilling and very well researched. I particularly enjoyed reading the Afterward about the real people involved in the spy operation.The plot is somewhat slow moving in the beginning as the basis of the story is set up, but after the women become involved in the spy operation the pace picks up and it’s quite exciting.

I thought the characters were very well done. They started as politically naive, but they grew throughout the story. Veronica, particularly, discovered that her journalism skills fit well with her work as a spy. If you enjoy historical novels, or spy novels, I highly recommend this one.

I received this book from Random House for this review.

Mother Daughter Traitor Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal is true historical fiction as all of the leading players were based on real people and overall real situations. It was an eye-opening novel about American Nazis and what Roosevelt had to put up with before he made the decision to enter World War II. Well, the Japanese really made that decision. It all happened by accident. Veronica was on track for a successful life as a journalist but she had chosen the wrong man to mentor her. When the affair began she hadn’t even known he was married. But, married he was and to the daughter of a scion of the publishing business in New York. That was that and so she and her mother moved to Los Angeles at the behest of her uncle and accidentally became involved with a group of American Nazis. They went to the police. . . nothing. They went to the FBI . . . nothing. Her mother called upon an old friend of her deceased father who was in Navy Intelligence and it all began. They were nearly killed. This is the story of two accidental spies in Los Angeles at the beginning of the war.

MacNeal has done a top notch job of picking a story that was real, fictionalizing it, and making it even more real. At the same time she told a small portion of history that is largely unknown, at least it was to me. It shows how insidious an idea can be, how it can affect otherwise good people, and take on a life of its own. Of course, they were true believers and some of what they believed made Veronica sick. She was a good, well-written character who grew throughout her experience. Her mother, as well. They were different people at the end of this chapter, but they still had the war to face, but not as spies. It was an excellent read.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Mother Daughter Traitor Spy by Random House, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #RandomHouse #SusanEliaMacNeal #MotherDaughterTraitorSpy

It’s publication day for Susan Elia MacNeal’s Mother Daughter Traitor Spy! I adore all of MacNeal’s Maggie Hope historical mysteries so I was thrilled when I learned she would have a standalone historical mystery coming out this month! I was even more excited when I got approved from an advanced copy on @Netgalley. I devoured this mystery in under 24 hours and had to stop myself from reading the end first because I was dying to know what happened.

It’s June 1940 and Veronica Grace and her mother Vi are life-long German-American New Yorkers. Veronica has just graduated from college, but suddenly finds her exciting plans going up in smoke. Vi’s brother invites them to LA and to stay in his cottage and the mother-daughter duo find themselves looking forward to a fresh start.

Finding work isn’t easy, but Veronica stumbles upon a job as typist only to realize she’s working for propagandists–German Nazis recruiting Americans for their horrifying campaign. The women take their concerns to the police and FBI who aren’t interested, but through an old family friend they are connect with an anti-Nazi spymaster and soon the women are undercover as spies in the community.

This was so outstanding. The level of research and details is mind blowing and the writing creates this intense mystery that I could not put down. Definitely read the author’s notes and other information in the back to learn that so much of this is based on real people and true stories. Highly recommend! 5 stars!

Mother Daughter Traitor Spy
by Susan Elia MacNeal
Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam
Pub Date: Sep 20

I've adored the Maggie Hope series from book one, and Susan Elia MacNeal's newest -- a standalone -- is equally compelling. Based on real events and people in L.A. during early WWII, when a mother and daughter discover a Nazi cell operating in the city, spewing anti-semitism and propaganda designed to keep the United States from supporting the Allies.

MOTHER DAUGHTER TRAITOR SPY will keep you pinned to the pages, reading late into the night, gripped by the author's beautifully written, meticulously researched story of two brave women willing to risk everything to keep America free. A must-read for histfic fans and readers keen for a unique look at WWII.

Thanks to @susaneliamacneal, @randomhouse, and @netgalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

#MotherDaughterTraitorSpy #SusanEliaMacNeal #RandomHouseBallentine #NetGalley #earlywwiifiction #historicalfictionnovels #nazisinlanovel #bookstagramcommunity

I was struck repeatedly by the vivid world MacNeal was able to create. At times it was easy to imagine the smell of the ocean, or the hot dogs on the street; not to mention the glorious sunsets or incredible clothing and homes.

I realize the story is fiction, but based on factual people. "In awe" is not too strong of an expression when I finished reading what these two women were willing to do for their country. The things they tolerated while trying to garner enough evidence was incredible.

Certainly had its share of "adult" themes running through the book, but one of my favorites was that of the pomegranate. Some foreshadowing, some similarities to the story of Persephone and Hades.

A very well-told story about some incredibly brave men and women who fought mostly without weapons and contributed to winning a war.

Some of my favorite quotes:
The best journalist is guided by ethical standards— to help readers make decisions about their lives, their societies, and their governments.

“You know as a journalist, I support the First Amendment,” Veronica said. “Freedom of speech and freedom of the press, always. Always. Even when I don’t personally like it. Perhaps especially then."

“Here’s the thing, Veronica,” he said, “nice isn’t good.”

"Letting go of the rage means facing the fear and the pain. And that’s not going to happen any time soon— if ever.”

Veronica Grace’s career as a journalist was over before it even started. The position that she had lined up at a magazine after graduating in 1940 was lost after her affair with a married man violated her contract’s morals clause. With no prospects of employment in the New York area, she moves with her mother Vi to California. VI’s brother offers them a place to live but with no experience, Veronica finds it difficult to find a job. A chance encounter leads to a job offer as a typist. On her first day she realizes that her employer is tied to the American Nazi party. Their beliefs are appalling and their publications are filled with calls to violence. She and Vi contact the police and the FBI to report what she has found, but they have not violated any laws so no action is taken. Vi is the widow of a naval officer. One of her husband’s friends was involved in intelligence and he puts them in touch with Ira Levin, a lawyer who has been tracking the movements of the Nazi party. Ira convinces Veronica to stay with her job and keep him informed of their activities. It isn’t long before Vi also becomes involved when she meets some of the women in the party who are impressed by her embroidery skills.

Susan Elia MacNeal is the author of the wonderful Maggie Hope series, which touched on the activities in California in her last novel. Mother, Daughter, Traitor, Spy is loosely based on the true undercover work of a stenographer. While Veronica is aware of the dangers, she is also aware that the threats to America must be stopped. She is mentored by Joshua, a reporter who has seen the damage done in Europe by Hitler’s rise. Although he constantly cautions Veronica to be vigilant, she is determined to see it through even though she is sickened by what she experiences. With the re-election of Roosevelt approaching, the threat of violence continues to grow. MacNeal once again provides an exciting tale of historical fiction. I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine for providing this book for my review.

MacNeal excels at historical, particularly WWII-era, fiction. With Mother, Daughter, Traitor, Spy, she tackles 1940s Los Angeles, and America First and other pro-Nazi organizations. The mother-daughter duo in the novel, Vi and Veronica, are based on real mother-daughter spies that infiltrated American Nazi groups and reported their findings to the FBI, in time to avoid major acts of sedition and sabotage.

Mother Daughter Traitor Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal is a standalone historical fiction spy novel inspired by real people and events. It brings to life the conflicting sentiments that existed in America at the time. One aspect that is unique to this novel is that it is not set in Europe, but instead is set in Los Angeles, California. Events start in June 1940 with Veronica Grace’s college graduation. When a personal scandal costs her a journalism career opportunity in New York, she and her mother Violet decide to start fresh in California where her Uncle Walter has a summerhouse they can live in rent-free.

Veronica finds a typing job, but then realizes she’s working for vicious propagandists supporting Germany in the war and saying vile things about those that don’t meet their vision of race, religion, and color. After the police and FBI dismiss the Graces’ concerns, they call an old friend of Veronica’s father. He puts them in contact with the local spymaster and they both go underground as spies. As the story progresses through the presidential election, Pearl Harbor, and war being declared on Japan, Germany, and Italy, Veronica and Violet continue to gather information, even as their risk of exposure becomes greater.

Based on a real mother-daughter spy duo, Veronica and Violet are well-developed characters. They seem to be somewhat naïve, but definitely feel a duty to protect democracy and do what is right for the country. Readers can see them grow as events unfold and they face challenges. Veronica finds that many of the qualities that make a good journalist are also good qualities for a spy. Most of the characters in the book are based on real people. There are those that are like Veronica working to save democracy and ensure that America stands for all citizens. Then, there are those that believe in isolationism, some who are violent with hatred and a feeling of superiority, the misguided and gullible, or people simply wanting a purpose and a sense of community.

The story is moving, as well as full of intrigue and suspense. Unfortunately, it also seemed to parallel many sentiments that are occurring in the America today. The first third of the book had a slow pace as the characters and situation unfolded. Once Victoria and Violet agreed to be spies, the danger and the pace increased significantly. The world-building was great and gave a realistic sense of time and place.

Overall, this story is inspiring, well-written, and well-researched and it is a story that will stay with me. While there was fear and hatred, there was also courage, love, and duty. The Afterward, Acknowledgements, and Historical Notes are enlightening. They, along with the sources section show the amount of research the author did to make this novel authentic to the times.

Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam and Susan Elia MacNeal provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for September 20, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

A mother and daughter move to CA from NY to make a new start and get recruited to spy on a Nazi group. The daughter gets a job as a typist for the group.

Wow. I’m a huge fan of the Maggie Hope series so I was immediately interested in this standalone book by Susan Elia MacNeal. It did NOT disappoint. The story was simultaneously thrilling and chilling. I had no idea of the extent of Nazi influence in the United States before and during WWII. Although this book is based on a true story, it reads like a gripping thriller novel. It’s also very sobering as we can see comparisons and similarities to our present day problems. Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Bantam Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I have read the Maggie Hope series set in WWII Europe and enjoyed each book. Given that, I was eager to read Mother Daughter Traitor Spy and I wasn't disappointed. If anything I was left feeling uneasy due to the way too close parallels with America's current situation with the MAGA and Make America Great movement. As they say, those who do not study history are bound to repeat it. We survived the Nazi movement in the 1940's but will we be able to do so again? Much food for thought.
Violet and Veronica Grace move from New York to LA in 1940 and get started on a new life. Looking for a job, Veronica gets one as a typist but it turns out to be part of the American Nazi movement. Reporting this to the authorities hits a brick wall due to the focus being solidly on routing out Communists. One thing leads to another and she and her mother connect with a Jewish group who are all too aware of the danger America faces. The plan is to gather enough information on the Nazi and white supremest activities to make the FBI pay attention. On the eve of Pearl Harbor and the third term of FDR America is in grave danger of seeing democracy ended. Sounds all too familiar and all too possible today.
The story is based on real events and real people - the research is top notch as it is in all of Susan Elia MacNeal's books. While the characters could have been fleshed out a bit more, that didn't bother me. I was more focused on the history and connecting it to current events. I kept thinking about the saying "boiling the frog". By the conclusion of the book I thought about today's political climate, that America may have reached the boiling point and then Democracy ends.
My thanks to the publisher Bantam and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

“Nice isn’t kind. Nice isn’t good.”

Mother Daughter Traitor Spy is a stand-alone novel by the author of the Maggie Hope series, Susan Elia MacNeal. At least one of these books deals with an American doing an investigation in Los Angeles during WW2, so this novel isn’t a complete surprise to this Maggie aficionado.

“Another sunny day in Los Angeles—shocking.”

This story centers on Veronica Grace and her widowed mother, Vi, who is going through menopause. No one would suspect them of being spies, but that’s what they become when they start over on LA. One of my favorite parts of the book was when they got their first taste of LA winter and were surprised at how cold it was. Transplants never believe sunny SoCal gets chilly ever.

“Oh scheisse. ‘The KKK,’ Veronica ventured, hoping against hope she was wrong. ‘You mean … the Ku Klux Klan?’ ‘Oh, sure, they’re big out here, didn’t you know? People call Anaheim ‘Klanaheim.’”

The story is twisted—Veronica needs a job desperately and a Nazi woman recommends she take a job with her brother-in-law. Veronica is disgusted but the authorities are too busy catching commies to do anything about Nazis. Besides, they are protected by the first amendment.

“Veronica ended with telling them about Will. ‘He has a backpfeifengesicht,’ she told them. It was a German word her grandmother had taught her that didn’t exist in English, meaning a face badly in need of a fist.”

The mother-daughter duo are quickly accepted in Nazi circles and Veronica starts dating an up-and-coming leader who constantly tries to force her to sleep with him and then has more respect for her when she refuses.

The novel has several echoes with present day and it’s hard to know whether this was incidental or it’s really very similar to today on purpose. I fear the former. This book is about Los Angeles in the 1940s and the characters based on real life Angelenos who fought the Nazis in America. I enjoyed the characters. While the book was based on real people, it didn’t feel like a based-on novel.