In the late 1930s, Alice Marble was among the world's leading tennis players and is still regarded as one of America's greatest female athletes. Her name, however, is barely recognized today. I’m pleased to say I am well-acquainted with Alice Marble, which piqued my interest in reading Ace, Marvel, Spy by Jenni L. Walsh, a work of historical fiction using Marble's autobiography as its primary source.

Alice Marble grew up in San Francisco and discovered her passion for tennis at 13. With her powerful groundstrokes and aggressive serve-and-volley style, Alice was determined to succeed. She found the ideal coach in Eleanor "Teach" Tennant, who guided Alice to win 18 Grand Slam Championships and introduced her to the biggest celebrities of the time. However, World War II disrupted her career. Alice's life before the war is described in the past tense, while her experiences during the war are in the present tense, including her involvement in espionage. Although her spy activities for U.S. Army Intelligence remain unproven beyond her autobiography, Walsh includes in this engaging book the story Alice consistently stood by. Alice Marble led a remarkable life, from her tennis achievements and Hollywood connections to writing for Wonder Woman comics and her wartime endeavors. This book offers an entertaining portrayal of an inspiring woman.

4.25 stars

"𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘺, 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘴, 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘺 - 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦, 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦."

𝗔𝗖𝗘, 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗩𝗘𝗟, 𝗦𝗣𝗬 tells the fascinating true story of Alice Marble, who was not only a tennis legend (she was the first to woman play a serve-and-volley game, becoming the #1 player in the world and winning every singles match she played in 1939 and 1940) but also used her professional tennis career as a cover to spy for the US Army during WWII to avenge death of her husband.

I'm a tennis fan but was unfamiliar with Alice until the author graciously sent me a copy of this book. I loved reading about the challenges she faced on the court, the innovations she brought to the game and her relationship with her coach. But you don't have to know the sport to enjoy this book. Alice's story is beautifully told and quite a ride. It's hard to believe one woman could have lived such an extraordinary - and to many of us, unheard of - life. She was truly a groundbreaking athlete and had as big of impact off the court as she did on. I hope this book brings more attention to her story.

Thanks to Harper Muse and to Jenni for the copies to review.

Her life held both triumph and disaster

A quote from Kipling, I am told, is to be found over the double door entry to Wimbledon: "If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat these two imposters just the same." In this novel based on the life of an incredible athlete, tennis great Alice Marble, it would seem that Alice did encounter both and was able to handle them. At a time when women tennis players were from wealthy families and inhabited a certain level of society, Alice Marble was an anomaly. She was raised in San Francisco CA in a blue collar family whose existence was made more precarious when her father died after an automobile accident. One of her older brothers encouraged her to try tennis rather than playing baseball with boys, and her strength and natural athleticism served her well in that game. Her mother and brothers were willing to work hard to support her playing the sport, and when Alice was still a teen she attracted the attention of Eleanor "Teach" Tennant, a tennis coach who saw enormous promise in her and would sacrifice a great deal to help Alice succeed. In her rise to the pinnacle of her sport Alice would silence naysayers, put her very health at risk to meet challenges by those who felt she didn't "belong", be sidelined by illness and injury, but in the end would achieve her loftiest goals. She would also spend time at Hearst Castle, develop a friendship with Carole Lombard, be rejected from joining all four branches of the military, and help the war effort in surprising ways. She would experience love and great loss during her journey, but tennis would be her rock and at times her salvation.
In novels based on the life of a real person it can be challenging to determine what the person actually did and what the author has imagined, and in Ace, Marvel, Spy it is no different. Author Jenni L. Walsh used Alice Marble's memoirs as the basis for her story, and admits that there are likely exaggerations and more that have been transplanted into the novel. That said, it is a highly enjoyable read, with an irrepressible protagonist whose accomplishments as a woman in the pre and post WWII years were nothing short of remarkable. The story does not unfold in sequence, which at times required me to pause and figure out when a particular section was occurring in relation to what I had just read previously. Having recently read the biography of another female tennis great, Althea Gibson (Althea: The Life of Tennis Champion Althea GIbson by Sally H. Jacobs, which I highly recommend), I understood a bit more than I might have otherwise done about the different tennis groups and tournaments that would feature in Alice's career. All in all, the book moves at a good clip, and the character of Alice is well-developed (although supporting characters are not always equally fleshed out). Its an enjoyable read and while it is by no means a biography I enjoyed learning about Alice's many accomplishments as well as glimpsing people with whose lives she intersected. Alice played at Wimbledon with Bobby Riggs and would go on years later to coach Billie Jean King, then Ambassador Joe Kennedy introduced her to the Queen, and so on. Readers who have enjoyed historical fiction from authors like Allison Pataki, Carole Hopson and Tracy Emerson Wood would find this tale of appeal, as would those interested in tennis players years ago. My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for allowing me early access to this fascinating story in exchange for my honest review.

This book is exactly why I love historical fiction.
Ace, Marvel, Spy brings to life the story of a name lost to history.
This book has informed me and educated me about the story of an individual who made a difference in the world and who made a significant contribution in so many ways - both on and off the tennis courts.

You don’t need to be a tennis fan to enjoy this wonderful re-telling of the life of Alice Marble - who rose from a family of no financial means to become the world number one in tennis in 1939; who overcame a huge amount of illness, injury, loss and grief; and who aided US Army Intelligence as an undercover spy during the Second World War.

Jenni L. Walsh’s writing had me utterly absorbed in Alice’s life. This book is highly deserving of praise and attention, and has my full recommendation.

Be inspired by the life and accomplishments of Alice Marble; Ace, Marvel, Spy.

I received a complimentary advance copy of this book from the publisher, HarperCollins Focus. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A really good read about determination and resilience (and not so much spying). I was not familiar with Alice Marbel who was a tennis ace who rose beyond where anyone could have expected her to go. She, thanks to her coach Teach, was a winner both on and off the court, despite a lack of funds, illness, and so on. And then she fell in love but that wasn't to last due to WWII. The idea that she would serve as a "spy" by collecting information while playing tennis in Switzerland seemed outlandish but it worked because no one suspected her. Walsh has done a good job of researching Marbel (using Marbel's memoir) but more importantly of bringing her to life. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. For fans of historical fiction.

Alice was a fascinating character to spend some time with. Caught between different worlds with a modern outlook at the wrong time and how she persevered. She learned a lot the hard way, but fought for everything she had with everything she had. Walsh pens a compelling story of a real character that entertains and keeps the audience rooting for her.

[I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.]

<I>Ace, Marvel, Spy</I> by Jenni L. Walsh is a biographical fiction take on Alice Marble, a popular tennis player who rose to fame in the 1930s. Marble was not only a star on the court, but she played a role on the editorial board of DC Comics, and was called on to engage in spy activities during WW2.

Although the title and synopsis place an emphasis on Alice's role (more on that in a bit) as a spy during WW2, this element of the story really doesn't come into play until towards the end of the book and it's not a heavy focus. I'd never read anything about Alice Marble prior to reading the book, but after I finished I did some reading online and it seems that the details of Alice's spy activities are murky and very little information about her spy work have been corroborated by evidence. I wonder if that might be one reason it plays so little a part in the story. The novel's take seems to base its details on Alice's memoir at face value, in any case.

Walsh's prose is overall engaging and pleasant to read. What surprised me the most were the tennis scenes, which were written vividly; I'm not much of a tennis person, but Walsh managed to make the game scenes delightful, and sometimes even a bit intense, to read. You really get a sense of Alice's push to succeed and overcome her difficulties. There were a few moments where scene and timeframe changes felt a bit jarring, especially towards the end of the novel. I almost wish we been able to spend more time on Alice's later life than we did.

Walsh's approach to Alice's story feels very grounded, which I appreciate when reading historical fiction based on real people. I prefer for the historical figures to feel like actual characters rather than lofty mythical figures, and Walsh takes us inside Alice's world in a way that makes her (and the people around her) feel authentic.

Overall, I would place this between 3 and 4 stars; a perfectly enjoyable historical fiction about a lesser-known but interesting historical figure.

Ace, Marvel, Spy, by Jenni Walsh, is the story of Alice Marbel, a girl who came from poverty to become the number one woman tennis player in the world in the early 1940s. Teach” Tennant volunteered to coach Alice and introduced her to Hollywood stars in addition to sharpening her tennis skills. Alice had her challenges, including health issues, overcoming prejudice, but she kept her eye on the goal.
During WWII, Alice was recruited to work as a spy because of her perfect memory. The book was a fascinating story of a woman, unknown to me, who worked tirelessly to achieve the goal she set.

I did not know who Alice Marble was before I started reading this absorbing historical fiction by Jenni Walsh. Now I know that I won’t forget who this talented athlete and woman was.

Alice was growing up poor. Her father had died and older brothers had left school to help support the family. One of these brothers sparked Alice’s interest in tennis, even though it was because he wanted to channel her away from what he perceived to be the less ladylike sport of playing ball.

Alice had raw talent, drive, ambition, spirit but not the resources of some of the well heeled players against whom she was matched. She got a lucky break when “Teach” noticed her. She went on to work so hard at her game. Readers will find themselves rooting for Alice and hoping for her success in both tennis and life.

However, as can be gleaned from the title of this book, Marble did more than play tennis. What was her work during WWII? How much of a difference did she make? What was the rest of her life like? Read this one to find out.

Anyone who enjoys historical fiction will, I think, enjoy getting to know Alice Marble. Tennis fans, too, are in for a real treat. I very much liked this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Focus for this title. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed learning about the amazing Alice Marble who I had never heard of before this book. This woman overcame much adversity to become a tennis champion. She needed that determination as her life took many twists and turns, leading her to become an American spy during WWII. I appreciated Jenni’s author’s note to let the reader know what was real and what was embellished. This book is perfect for historical fiction fans, especially those with an interest in tennis.

** “It’s funny, in tennis, love means nothing. But in life, love is everything.” **

Jenni L. Walsh offers a deeply revealing telling of the life of Alice Marble, a real-life tennis phenom, in “Ace, Marvel, Spy.”

Told over two time periods — during Alice’s younger years as a rising tennis star, and during World War II and its impact it had on her life and choices — the book gives an interesting take on a woman most people have never heard of. But she was at the top of her game, hobnobbing with celebrities like William Randolph Hearst and Carole Lombard and invited to be on a presidential fitness task force by FDR himself.

She overcame many insurmountable circumstances, and eventually devoted herself to help her country end the evil of Hitler’s reign.

Walsh does a great job of fictionalizing a true marvel’s life, while giving a glimpse into the reasoning behind her choices. She also fills the story with several great themes, like overcoming incredible obstacles; finding hope in every situation; the implication of benefitting from the loss of others; and dealing with “illness, inequality, and comeback.” The theme that repeats throughout the novel is love and its power.

At times the pace was a little slow, but overall “Ace, Marvel, Spy” was a fascinating read into an inspirational woman. There is a bit of mild language and moments of inferred intimacy.

Fans of authors like Katherine Reay, Kristy Cambron, Kate Quinn and Rachel McMillan will love “Ace, Marvel, Spy,” which is due out Jan. 14.

Five stars out of five.

Harper Muse provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

In her lifetime, Alice Marble was the world's number one woman tennis player, a spy for the US during World War II, and the editor of Wonder Woman comics. Once you've wrapped your brain around all that, you next question will be how you've never heard of her.

Thankfully, Jenni L. Walsh did hear about her, and this entertaining novel is the result. Alice was born poor and due to the interest of a powerful tennis coach, had access to some of the opportunities that her wealthier competitors had. It was a struggle, but Alice was so focused on becoming the best that neither illness or accidents could derail her. She reached the apex of women's tennis in 1939, the year when Europe cancelled all competitions to fight the war. Struggling to find her place in the war effort, her special experience in Europe and the US made her just the person for a special mission. As someone who is not a dissembler, this may be her most challenging calling.

Walsh spends most of the book focusing on Alice's growth as an athlete and the health and physical challenges she faces. Surprisingly, less emphasis is placed on her spy career or the marvel of Wonder Woman. Walsh does an excellent job of showing how difficult it was for women to be competitive in a sport without being called unladylike, or vulgar, terms that could crash a career in the 1930s.

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

Thanks the the publisher and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Historical Fiction Fans: How Does Walsh’s Serve Land?



I’ll start by saying that there are two types of historical fiction, one of which I profoundly prefer. The first, uses the history as the inspiration for their fiction. The second uses fiction as a way to bring more engagement into the history. The first emphasizes the fiction, the second, the history. The latter is much more enjoyable to me as I don’t have to spend my time debating the historical accuracy. I think Walsh’s Ace, Marvel, Spy will do really well and there is a strong audience for this book! However, in her author’s note, she explained that she based the book almost solely on Alice Marble’s own memoir. While I understand the decision, I much appreciate a more thoroughly sourced novel. There were some out of the time period language that was used, some of the plot seemed too far-fetched (specifically regarding her love interests), and the dialogue was simplistic at times. With those criticisms out of the way, I love the story of Alice Marble. Her future connection as a coach and inspiration to Billie Jean King is a fun tidbit of knowledge. And, I am very happy that Walsh has brought her story to life to a broader audience. As I said, I think it will be very enjoyable for many who love historical fiction.


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I am grateful to NetGalley and Harper Muse for providing me with an advanced reader copy of Jenni L. Walsh’s Ace, Marvel, Spy.

"It's funny, in tennis, love means nothing. But in life, love is everything. And Alice has loved fiercely-people, moments, and a game." Alice Marble, a scrappy girl from northern California is a raw talent on the tennis court. One woman sees her as a diamond in the rough and gives everything to polish this hidden gem. This captivating story follows the rise of one of the best tennis players and her multifaceted life. The true sign of a successful historical fiction book is when it inspires you to learn more about the character and I am looking forward to learning more about Alice Marble.

With a flair for mining out remarkable women from obscurity in history, Jenny L. Walsh has once again unearthed the extraordinary in her latest novel Ace, Marvel, Spy. Alice Marble was a trailblazer, tennis champion, spy, and overall American icon. I’ll be the first to admit that I had never heard of Alice Marble before, but she quickly had me wanting to pick up a racquet and start swinging.

I received a copy for review purposes. All opinions are honest and mine alone.


ACE, MARVEL, SPY is a BioFictional novel about tennis star, Alice Marble and her coach, Teach Tennant. According to author, Jenni L. Walsh, most of her supporting documentation comes from Alice’s memoir, in her own words and the author’s imagination to fill in the blanks.

The story is incredible as Alice comes from a family that’s not traditionally tennis savvy, (low socioeconomic status). Her family makes great sacrifices for her to succeed. Alice is plagued by physical problems but blessed with God given talent. She catches the attention of an important coach and a lifelong relationship is born.

Walsh breaks the story between past and present timelines that roll forward as the story progresses. I found many of the changes to be jarring and was looking for information that never came in either timeline. The plot is very action oriented, with a fast pace. You won’t be bored altho’ I was stunned by how many times Alice had to battle back from a serious injury or illness.

One of the more interesting storylines is about Alice’s infatuation with Hollywood actors, especially Carole Lombard. Alice and Carole have a special relationship that spans a few years and revolves around a shared experience. Alice and Teach spend time at the Hearst Castle on a few occasions. It makes great reading.

If you’re expecting a spy novel, this book is only about 20% focused on that area. Tennis enthusiasts will be much happier. Walsh brings in lots of interesting historical figures and facts about players, locations, clothing, gear, rankings, travel, etc. Impact from WW2 and changes towards women in sports are handled well throughout the book.

Aside from a few soft expletives, the book is clean with romantic scenes being off screen mostly and violence being without description. I’d rate the book PG and safe for mature 12-14 year olds📚

Read and Reviewed from a NetGalley eARC, with thanks

Fun fact: I am the only person in my family that doesn’t play tennis. My brother even played D1 tennis. Spies on the other I know a lot about. I had to read this novel about Alice Marble, a real-life tennis ace and spy during WWII. Alive delt with health issues, a miscarriage, and her husband a pilot fighting in Europe.

Ace, Marvel, Spy was a great read the follows Alice’s early tennis career and then later in life. I recommend this book.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse! You know Jenni L Walsh is always a must-read author for me! #AceMarvelSpy #NetGalley

I had known nothing about Alice Marble, nor is tennis a sport I know much about. I enjoyed the book’s historical aspect, but I expected a spy novel, not a fictionalized story about Alice Marble. The book blurb had me thinking this was a tale about a female spy who is a famous tennis player whose husband dies in the war when the Army asks her to spy. It was disappointing because the spy aspect arrived late, and the beginning was a slow burn. I cannot say I disliked the book, nor can I say I liked it. However, I found it interesting to learn about Alice Marble and her portrayal in the world of 20th-century women’s sports.

Because I read the book from start to finish, I give it a solid three-star rating. However, the story and plot never resonated with me and did not hold my interest for more than a couple of hours at a time.

I want to thank Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book as a free ARC. This review is voluntary and mine alone.

I’ve enjoyed other Jenni Walsh books so I was looking forward to reading this. This historical fiction takes place over a number of years for the main character. The story was interesting and entertaining. I struggled a bit with the back and forth of the time periods, I think I would have preferred for it to be told chronologically. It was an interesting different view of the war and fame - I would recommend this book.

Wonderful! As a tennis fan, I loved this story. Miss Marble is quite the marvel on and off the court. It's was Greta learning her story. Walsh did an excellent job bringing it to life.