An interesting and enjoyable book for sports fans and historical fiction lovers both. I liked plucky, determined Alice. I was surprised the spy story was so little of the novel, but enjoyed nevertheless. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

If you’re looking for a fantastic book with a strong woman lead, I have just the one. Ace, Marvel, Spy by Jenni L. Walsh was one of those books that had me on page one and is still in my thoughts a few days later.

Based on the memoir of Alice Marble, tennis champion turned spy, Ace, Marvel, Spy is a fictional account that takes readers to Alice’s early tennis start in the 1930s and through the end of World War II. While it jumps between both time periods, it was easy to follow, and told Alice’s story beautifully.

One of my favorite things about reading is learning about real people and events. I’m happy to say that this book did just that. I started reading knowing nothing about Alice. I hadn’t even heard of her until this book was announced. After reading, I can say I know who Alice was and why she is someone worth knowing about. Her perseverance is truly inspiring.

Ace, Marvel, Spy releases Tuesday, January 14th.

Content Warning: Swear words throughout, a few fade-to-black scenes. I did skip over a couple scenes.

Marbel's true story is so extraordinary, it falls under the "truth is stranger than fiction" category -- but in Jenni L. Walsh's expert hands, it's the best of both. ACE, MARVEL, SPY introduces contemporary readers to an extraordinary woman who overcame nearly insurmountable odds to find pioneering success not only in the tennis record books, but in America's role in WWII history. I'm dismayed that history could have ever forgotten the likes of Alice Marble, and deeply grateful to Walsh for bringing her back to life in triumphant full color. Walsh was already an auto-buy author for me, but her latest is an unforgettable page-turner: my favorite kind of empowering historical read.

Alice Marble is young tennis prodigy when she is offered a free ride by a tennis coach. She wants to enlist for the military after Pearl Harbor, but she’s a woman so no organization will accept her. The government approaches her to do a little gossip gathering as she travels to tournaments. Love comes and love is taken away, but it be rekindled? Only time will give us the answer.
Goodreads

Tennis girls we need to step up our game apparently 😭. First, thank you so much to Harper Muse for the complimentary copy, this was so exciting to receive! This book had such an interesting hook, setting, and main character, so I was very eager to read it. Ace, Marvel, Spy, follows Alice Marble as she navigates becoming a professional tennis player, a comic book writer, a wife, and eventually, a spy during World War 2. We first meet her at around 17, with big dreams but no real guidance. Enter Teach, a tennis coach determined to make her the best player in the world, no matter what it takes. As Alice’s career progresses, war encroaches upon America and threatens the tennis world. And Alice wants to help stop that.
The narrative is told in a non-linear fashion, and is partially told through newspaper articles which fits the 40s setting. However, this non-linear fashion was a little confusing at first, and made it somewhat difficult to put the timeline together. The setting was an interesting backdrop, especially the old tennis world. I’ll be honest, I don’t know much about pro tennis in the 40s, so I’m not sure how much of the book was historically accurate, but I did recognize a few names here and there which was cool. I felt that Walsh captured the feeling of being on the court well, but there are a LOT of mid-match scenes, and I feel they might be boring or difficult to understand for non-tennis players.
Speaking of scenes and what Alice is doing in them, I feel that the marketing and title of the book are a tad misleading. Yes, Alice is a spy, but we only see her in action for maybe 2 pages in the beginning/early middle of the book, then for the last 20% ish. The marketing relies heavily on this idea of her being a spy, and that last 20% or so is the most interesting part, but the rest of the book is focused on tennis, and even as a tennis player, I was ready for something else to happen.
Another thing was that the entire book felt very…detached? It read almost more like a school textbook or Wikipedia page, because we were being told why Alice felt or did things, but not really made to feel those things ourselves or even fully understand why she feels those things, if that makes sense. This really didn’t help me feel any less bored. Her romances were interesting, but brief, and her relationship with Teach honestly had me making a confused face the entire time because Teach seemed very one-note. None of the side characters felt flushed out, which again, didn’t help with the bore.
This was one of those books that I feel like source material and hook was much better than the execution. Unfortunately, I was just kind of bored while reading, except for that last 20% or so. She has released at least 2 memoirs, which I do think I’ll read because it’ll be interesting to hear her POV.
My review on Instagram was posted on January 29th, and my Goodreads review will be posted today.

I went into this with an eye-roll, another now-and-then World War II romance. But wait! It’s based on the real-life Alice Marble, who I had never heard of before, and a glance at her Wikipedia page is enough to convince anyone her story deserves to be told. At times, it leans a little too hard into pro-America war propaganda to feel entirely believable. It’s sobering to remember that, while this isn’t her account, Alice Marble did exist and made many of these choices. Unfortunately, the writing didn’t draw me in or demand my attention. Instead of being in awe of the novel, I’m more inclined to seek a biography of Alice Marble. This should have been irresistible with so much action and incredible life events. I can’t help but wish it was tackled from a fresh angle.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for access to this book.

Having never heard of Alice Marble or much of an interest in tennis, Ace, Marvel, Spy was a delightful twist of the real Alice’s life, tennis career and brief gig in espionage as Jenni L. Walsh’s newest historical fiction novel.

Be prepared to feel like your falling into Wonderland, as readers are effortlessly transported into the world of tennis; whether it be the heat off the court, the swish of the racket or the roar of the crowd as you watch the rise and fall of Alice achieving her dreams.

Alice Marble was a nobody. Raised in a family with no means, it’s the risk of one woman, Teach, that takes Alice at the young age of 15, to stardom within 10 years! Alice Marble is a legend, challenging the status quo, major setbacks, all while fighting for equal treatment and introducing new techniques.

This book is a must read, but I wish the last quarter of the book read better. While true that Alice aids her country as a spy during WWII, this portion of the Walsh’s interpretation reads too much from the understanding of present day and the realized gravity of what Hitler and the Nazis’ did. During the 1940’s while there were some rumours of the atrocities, there was no evidence yet, and I think if written authentically, Alice would have had different motivators for turning against Hans that would have felt more historical accurate and fitting to her presented personality.

This couldn’t have been any more of a timely read. I had the Australian Open in the background while I absorbed this one.

We all know the story of Billie Jean King and her fights in the tennis world, but I’d never heard of Alice Marble and didn’t know she wasn’t fictional until I read the author’s note.

It’s a lot about Alice’s struggle to become a tennis player and a grand slam winner. I had. I idea anyone had one three titles at the same tournament. It’s also a little bit about Alice’s love life and her time as a spy. I would have loved more on that last one and am glad the author explains why she wasn’t able to include more of that part of her life.

It almost seems like tennis was a different sport back then and it was so interesting to read of all Alice overcame to become a world class athlete.

Gail Shalan narrates Alice and does a great job bringing her and the time period alive.

Historical fiction meets biography in a novel about tennis star Alice Marble. The story is Inspired by Alice’s memoir “Courting Danger.” It’s fast-paced, exciting and all around fun for anyone who loves WWII novels.

The story goes back and forth between the 1930s and 1940s. Allowing the timelines and events to connect with suspense.

The characters are not only lovable, but have consistent character development as they (mainly Alice) grow and mature throughout her tennis career.

By Jenni L. Walsh
Arc - NetGalley
Read by Gail Shalan
Publisher by Harper Collins Focus, Harper Muse
Publication January 13, 2025
Genre: Women's Fiction, Historical Fiction, General Fiction (Adult)

I love tennis! I love spies! Did I know that Billie Jean King's coach was both a tennis star and a spy? Not until I read this book!

The author is clear that Ace, Marvel, Spy is historical fiction based on one primary source: Alice Marble's own memoir. (Walsh is also clear that the memoir itself is probably not 100% factual.) That said, it was full of real tennis history and tons of fun. I spent a great time reading and learning about a real life interwar tennis star.

The book has dual timelines, one in present tense set during WWII, and one in past tense that describes Alice's rise to tennis stardom. While I am on the record as being very skeptical about the dual timeline narrative technique, it worked really well here.

If you like historical fiction, WWII narratives, sports history, or are at all interested in tennis, I definitely recommend this book.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

As a historical fiction reader, I love that we are getting these stories of women who had such a profound impact on our history.

This one is a must-read. What a remarkable women. I will be sure to pick up any future Jenni Walsh books!

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the arc. All opinions expressed are my own.

This historical novel is about a real life historical figure I knew nothing about, tennis player Alice Marble. It’s told in two alternating timelines - one, in the 1930s, as Alice journeys to become a women’s tennis champion; the other during WWII when official tennis competitions are on hold and Alice does promotional work including for the government, culminating in a bit of spy work.

I’m a huge tennis fan, yet I was not familiar with Alice, so I loved learning about her very interesting and colorful life. This book also avoided a problem some historical fiction about real people has where the person remains sort of remote - instead, I felt like Alice and her inner thoughts really came to life.

After reading Unsinkable last year, I knew I had to get my hands on Jenni’s newest book.

I’m not a big tennis fan, but tying tennis into WWII, I knew I would like this one. I had never heard of Alice Marble before this book. Tennis is definitely a more prominent part of the story but it didn’t turn me off. We get the history of Alice’s tennis career and her participation in the war, in dual timelines. Her relationship with her coach, Teach, is also a large part of this story. I find that relationships between coaches and high level athletes to be incredibly controlling, and Teach is definitely that. Alice struggles to have any kind of life beyond tennis.

Thank you NetGalley, Harper Muse Books and TLC Book Tours for my copies of this book.

From the bestselling author of Unsinkable and The Call of the Wrens, Jenni L. Walsh delivers a masterpiece, ACE, MARVEL, SPY, inspired by the true story of an icon—a tennis champion, world number one ranking, a remarkable, courageous, strong, and determined woman, Alice Marble.

Alice's life, filled with triumphs and challenges, is a testament to the power of resilience and determination. This captivating and inspiring historical fiction not only sets the tennis world on fire but also ignites a spark of inspiration in the hearts of its readers. A true heroine you will root for until the end.

Alice Marble and her tennis coach, Eleanor “Teach” Tennant, are formidable women in this captivating historical fiction. I loved this book so much. You will laugh and cry. No matter what gets Alice down, she perseveres with the help of her side-kick demanding and hilarious British coach. It is hard to imagine this in the 1930s and 1940s.

About...

Born in the small town of Beckwourth, CA, Alice Marble moved to San Francisco with her family at the age of five. A tomboy, her brother persuaded her to try tennis. They had little money, but her dream was about to come true. All her hard work will pay off.

Alice chose tennis as a sport when her brother Dan suggested it over baseball. Who knew she would become the #1 tennis champion while maintaining a growing career as an associate editor on Wonder Woman?

She also created the 'Wonder Women of History' feature for the comics, which told the stories of prominent women of history in comic form. This was a pioneering effort in highlighting the achievements of women in a male-dominated industry.

After being recruited by her tennis coach, Teach, she excelled, worked hard, and continued striving for the best.

She went on to marry, but then her world crumbled after the news of her husband's death serving in the war in Germany and the miscarriage.

With the war halting her tennis, she wanted to help. The opportunity came when the US Army sent her a request under the guise of playing in tennis exhibition games in Switzerland; she would be a spy for them. She wants nothing more than to avenge her husband's death.

But Alice's journey was not without its challenges. The war halted her tennis career, and she faced another setback with TB and going up against men. However, she did not let these challenges deter her. With the unwavering support of her coach, Alice overcame these obstacles and continued to excel in her career.

My thoughts...

The author brilliantly crafts an unforgettable story inspired by Alice's life and her memoir. The story came alive with letters, notes, telegrams, and newspaper articles. I appreciated the author's note and enjoy books about strong women, especially in this era in a man's world.

I cannot wait to read the author's backlist! Love her writing style.

Alice was an American tennis player who won 18 Grand Slam championships, ranked No. 1 in the world in 1939. She was the top-ranked U.S. player from 1936 to 1940, with extensive accolades.

From winning the French Open, Wimbledon, US Open, Grand Slam doubles, and much more, in 1964, Marble was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame and became a tennis teacher in Palm Springs after retirement with Bille Jean King as one of her students. How cool is that?

Marble's contribution to the desegregation of American tennis was significant. She wrote an editorial in support of Althea Gibson, which was instrumental in Gibson's entry into the 1950 U.S. Championships. This made Gibson the first African-American player, man or woman, to compete in a Grand Slam event, a milestone in tennis history.

She inspired many and achieved many more things during and after her career, including being a spy. Thank you, Jenni, for a creative retelling of this memorable story. Meticulously researched, rich in detail and character, mixed with heartache, competition, drive, ambition, and humor.

ACE, MARVEL, SPY is enthralling; a fabulous mix of literary fiction, historical fiction, coming-of-age, sports, WWII, adult fiction, and feminism. A page-turner, the novel will appeal to a wide variety of readers and is perfect for book clubs. Marble was a remarkable woman with grit and determination, making her mark on the world.

If you love tennis (I come from a family of tennis players, my sons and grandson), you will adore ACE, MARVEL, SPY, and getting to know the dazzling Alice and her coach, Teach.

Audiobook...

Top Audiobook List of 2025! Last but not least... Oh my, I loved this audiobook, narrated by the mega-talented and favorite Gail Shalan! An award-winning performance; I listened to the audiobook twice and enjoyed it immensely. The banter between “Teach” and Alice laugh out loud hilarious and priceless! Gail added the passion, intensity, suspense, and drama of both Alice and Teach. I especially enjoyed the parts about the men, and Gail's British accent (Teach) was riveting and highly entertaining. I highly recommend the audiobook. Thank me later. Quite the performance you do not want to miss.

BEHIND THE MIC: Speaking of Gail, stay tuned for my upcoming Feb (Blog/Newsletter) #AudioElevatorSeries Q&A Interview with Gail Shalan (the first to kick on a new series as part of my #AuthorElevatorSeries & #LitLiftMiniAuthorChats) where we go behind the mic, the audiobook, and the narrator. Get all the exclusives from Ace, Marvel, Spy, and her three other featured January audiobooks and upcoming projects and secrets inside the booth. I am a huge audiobook fan excited about this new series, connecting narrators and listeners. And, of course, Gail is the perfect storyteller! You are going to love it.

Recs...

For fans of the author and those who enjoy novels of strong, resilient women, sports fans and the works of Kate Quinn, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Kristin Hannah, Patti Callahan Henry, and other historical fiction focused on real women and their bravery and courage.

A special thank you to Harper Muse and Harper Collins Focus for an ALC and ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I also purchased the paperback copy, which sits on display front and center in my home library. (I wish it came in hardcover).

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Pub Date: Jan 14, 2025

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Interview Gail Shalan (Ace, Spy, Marvel)

Reviewing this book is a bit difficult because I have a hard time seperating the actual book from just how fucking awesome of a person Alice Marble is. I had never heard about her before this book, and of course my knowledge on her now is just what was presented in this book, but I truly think she is such a badass. This woman went through so much shit in her life, and she just kept getting up and kicking ass while doing it as well. Consistantly exceeding expectations like it is absolutely nothing, and that's just within her tennis career. On top of that she also just was a great advocate for equality within the sport, wrote a comic series highlighting different badass women in history, and was a fucking spy during WWII. Truly, how is this woman's exsistance just not common knowledge? Am I just stupid that I didn't know? Am I the only one? I guess this book was the most succesful in making me want to research everything there is to know about Alice Marble.
However, for the rest I just don't think the writing fully worked for me. I feel like at times it could feel a bit juvenile, and overall didn't really match the tone of the book in moments. At times it also just felt like the author learned a cool fact in her research and just HAD to include it even if it didn't really flow to well with the rest of the story. The dialogue could also just feel a bit stiff at times, and some of the messaging could feel a bit preachy. I also personally didn't really like the dual timeline way of telling the story. I feel like this would have been better if it was just told in chronological order. I just feel like the way it was done we kept refferincing things in the "now" storyline that were important to Alice's personal developement but it would take forever for that to happen in the "then" storyline, which also made it that some of the stakes in the "then" storyline were undercut because we basically already got the consequences of it. I don't know.
Despite all of those issues though I did still have a good time reading this book. I thought it was incredibly interesting (although I don't know how much of that was just Alice's life), and it does make me want to do my own research on this person I have never even heard of before. I also thought it was a pretty compelling read, and it did not lose my attention anywhere. However, I just personally had several issues with the writing of this one, I guess.

I really liked this book! This is historical fiction based on the life of tennis player Alice Marble. She really wanted to be a tennis player when she was young, but she did not have the money to fulfill her dream. Along comes "Teach," who offers her free lessons and a place to stay. That is just the beginning. In spite of several setbacks, she manages to rise to the top in the tennis world. I thought it was interesting to read about her life. She never gave up on life or love. She even found a way to help her country during the war. Don't miss this inspiring book about a courageous lady! Thank you to Harper Collins Focus and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book . I found it week written,, engaging and had good characters and plot . Truly a joy to read .
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review book

Well..give an Alabama girl one snow day, and she will zip through this lovely story! This was a delightful read! Alice Marble was a fierce athlete and competitor. Even when the odds were stacked against her, she persevered and was able to rise to the top of the tennis world. Her accomplishments do not stop there, as she finds true love and then also works for her country in a way she never imagined! This was such a good book, and I was sad to see it end! Loved it!

This was a fantastic book about a woman who was driven in her sport and in her life. Alice was a force to reckon with and a story I will not soon forget. You don’t need to be a tennis fan to truly enjoy this novel.

This was a fascinating read. Historical fiction based on a real person, Alice Marble. She was such a fascinating woman. The story is told in two timelines. The first is when she is plucked from obscurity by her coach, Teach, who coaches her and takes her in. The second is when World War 2 breaks out, and Alice is sent on a clandestine mission to spy, using an international tennis match as a reason why.

4.5 stars rounded up.