"The Last Agent in Paris" by Sharon Maas is historical fiction based on the true story of Noor Inayat Khan, who was the first female radio operator sent into France by a secret British WW2 organization called the SOE, or the Special Operations Executive. She carried her radio in a suitcase, transmitting messages in Morse Code. Working behind enemy lines like this was very dangerous, and often resulted in torture or death if the agent was discovered.
This is a very interesting, well written book that grabs your attention, and does not let up. Noor Inayat Khan was a British citizen who demanded to be included in the efforts to overturn the occupation of France by the Nazis. Her story will leave you amazed.
this book is published by Bookouture. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this book.

From the very first page of this book, I was stunned, mesmerised. Written with a ferocious passion that'll knock the wind out of you!
I’m so sad it's over. I could have read another sixty chapters . . . A fantastic read!

The Last Agent In Paris by Sharon Maas is a powerful, historical novel that I read in just two sittings, pausing only to sleep.
This is the story of Noor Inayat Khan. As a historian I knew the bare bones of her story but this book puts flesh on those bones.
Noor Inayat Khan was the first female wireless operator in France in World War II. The average life expectancy for wireless operators in France was just six weeks. She was small in stature but hugely brave and courageous. Her lips were forever sealed as her fate was marked.
We hear of Noor Inayat Khan’s life story from her birth in Russia in 1914 right up to her ending.
Her character was largely shaped by her father, with whom she had a close relationship. “Some people are just mean, you can’t change them… You’re the only person you can really change.” Wise words from her father. Noor Inayat Khan lived by these words as she worked on her own character. She was by nature a pacifist so war did not come easily. As the Nazis spread their lies, she believed “the pen is mightier than the sword… Peace starts in the home with children. We must nourish the minds of children.”
As a resident of Paris, Noor Inayat Khan decided “I’m training as a nurse, I will fight this, in my own peaceful way.” However, as the Nazis marched into France, the whole family, along with many others, marched south, eventually ending up in England.
Noor Inayat Khan wanted to help her beloved France. She used her skills and became a wireless operator, despite knowing there was little chance of returning.
The Last Agent In Paris was a powerful true tale. The reader marvels at the bravery of a small in stature woman. This book must be read in her memory. May Noor Inayat Khan never be forgotten.
I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

An impressive story based on real characters! This novel has really touched me by its honesty about this extraordinary woman, (brave, studious, loving) Noor, aka (the writer, creative ) Nora or the (explosive, reckless, authentic, still naïve) Madeleine. Yes, the family person, Noor will remain faithful to her beloved ones, while her integrity, philosophy will lead her to becoming Madeleine, the radio operator sent too early behind the lines.... Too early or was it a mistake altogether to trust her psychological strength for this job?
This novel is different from most WWII novels: here you get a deep insight into Noor's as well as her family's background. A fascinating childhood with an exceptional father who introduced her to music and the Sufi philosophy. All true and real: I had the feeling I knew Noor, her strengths and her weaknesses as well . That's why this novel made such an impact on me and Madeleine got under my skin. I felt for her, got angry at her, with her... A very instructive novel on more than one level about a lady who deserved so much more....
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.

The Last Agent in Paris has a fascinating premise and well-developed characters. One of the most interesting parts of the book is Noor's discussion with her brother about how to help during the war. Their Sufi background includes pacifism, but both decide to help in the war effort. The book also has an intriguing opening that hooked me right away.

The first half of the book was a slog for me due to its writing style. It was mostly "telling" rather than "showing," and the dialogue often felt stilted to me. Furthermore, there were a lot of interesting and promising plot points that just got dropped - or randomly picked up again later without much development (e.g., Goldberg). These two aspects of the writing make it unclear whether the book is trying to be a non-fiction biography or a novel. Furthermore, there are a lot of grammatical errors (e.g., incorrect comma usage, incomplete sentences, and tense shifts). I tried not to let those mistakes impact my rating of the book; those might be removed prior to publication, or perhaps they're supposed to have some stylistic purpose that I didn't understand.

I made myself keep reading so that I could give the whole book an honest review, and I'm glad I did. I liked the second half of the book so much better. The grammatical errors and heavy-handed storytelling were gone, replaced with action and excitement.

I appreciated Maas' attention to historical detail. Noor Inayat Khan is a person of vital importance in history and I am glad her story is being told. Other fans of WWII will enjoy this book, especially if they aren't too particular about writing style.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free eARC. I post this review with my honest opinions.

A well written and researched novel, this book was a joy to read. It was clear from the start that Maas put so much work into this. I enjoyed the background we got as readers in the beginning, it’s rare that WWII historical fictions go into detail beyond the initial time period. There was so much detail in the story, it was easy to get lost in Noor and her incredible bravery. Truly a remarkable story that has been told with so much care and respect.

I knew of Noor Inayat Khan's inspiring life before reading this account, which unfortunately I found difficult to get through. The writing was just not my cup of tea. I will not post this elsewhere, to give the book a better chance with other readers who might enjoy it more.

This had everything that I was hoping for in the description and thought the World War 2 element worked well overall. The characters were everything that I wanted and worked with the historical element in this. I appreciated that Sharon Maas used the true story as a story element.

I have tried several times to read this. Cannot get into it. I hope others can give you a positive review but this one drags for me and is not catching my attention.

This is a story set in WWII in France. It is based on the true story of an incredibly brave young woman who was a wireless radio operator in occupied France. It is a story of heartbreak and incredible courage. Keep the tissues handy Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.