4.5 stars! This is one of my favorite types of books: real-life, inspiring women from the past who defied the odds of their gender and made their indelible mark on history!

You don't have to be a tennis player or fan to appreciate this detailed, moving, and well researched novel about Alice Marble, the trailblazing female tennis star of the 1930s who later coached Billie Jean King. Even more shocking is that no one knew during her tennis career that she was also a spy in WWII.

The historical fiction plot jumps between two timelines, the present, which is set during WWII, and the past, which follows Alice's rise to fame starting as a teenage tennis player. I love a book with dual timelines and thought this plot device worked well to help the reader understand Alice's struggles in a male dominated sport and the sacrifices, including leaving the love of her life, she chose to make to rise to the top.

I thought the author did a great job with bringing Alice to life and telling her complex story without making the book too long and bogged down in facts, as some works of historical fiction tend to do. That being said, I wanted even more time in this story dedicated to her espionage, which did not feature as prominent role in the novel as I anticipated. Regardless, we should all be inspired by the bravery and perseverance of a woman like Alice, so I can't recommend this one enough!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for an audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved the idea of this novel, but it took until chapter 39 to get to most of the action. While the backstory was definitely important to understand the dynamics of relationships between the characters, it was drawn out.

I liked this novel, and will suggest it to other who are interested in historical fiction.

I enjoyed Jenni L. Walsh's historical novel Ace, Marvel, Spy.

I'm a big tennis fan, so I'm a little embarrassed t0 admit I don't know of Alice Marble. Granted, it was a bit before my time, but this woman did so much for the sport of women's tennis I'm glad Walsh wrote this lovely story. Hopefully loads more folks will learn about this tremendous human.

Not only did Marble advance women's sports, but she led a courageous life and did indeed do her best to aid the efforts of the US during WWII. Walsh also writes some great descriptions of tennis points.

The audiobook is nicely performed by Gail Shalan. This is a huge cast, with tons of different voices and accents, nice job.

This was a lively story. Alice Marvel’s diary was used to write it. It therefore was not totally fiction. Interesting sports star
Novel.

Well-written and entertaining! A good mix of professional tennis, a player’s personal life and her World War II spy operations.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was amazing! This was an interesting story and I loved the way it was presented. I loved that it was based on a true story, I had never heard of Alice Marble but this was fascinating! Highly recommend this one!

🎧Ace, Marvel, Spy🎧
By: Jenni L. Walsh
Narrated By: Gail Shalan
Review Score: 4 Stars

Boogie’s Bulletpoints
•Historical Fiction
•Sports: Tennis
•Women fighting for equality
•Thriller/Spy element

———

🎧 Audiobook Review! 🎧

This was such an interesting book! Alice is a tennis champ who also wants to do more for the war effort.

The story jumps back and forth between when she started her tennis career and then to her time in World War Two.

I do not know much about tennis, but I still found that part of the story interesting and easy to follow.

I really enjoyed following along on Alice’s journey! This is a different take on historical fiction, and I really enjoyed it.

This is the story of Alice Marble, an incredible woman in history I had never heard of before. She was an American tennis player in the 1930’s-40’s and overcame many hurdles throughout her career and her life. Though this is a work of fiction, it is based off the memoir Alice wrote herself. The author did a wonderful job of telling her story as Alice experienced so much in her life with sports injuries, sickness, car accidents, love, and loss.

I enjoyed the audiobook and felt that the narrator did a great job of bringing Alice and the other characters to life.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook ARC to listen to and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love biographical fiction, and I love how many of them are featuring women in history. I'm not a tennis fan so I did not know who Alice Marble was. With the title and timeframe, I thought she was going to be similar to the stories about women in the resistance written by Ariel Lawhon and Erika Robuck. As this book is every bit as well-written as the books by those women, Marble had less to do with the war.

Walsh focused mostly on Marble's tennis career which began during the Great Depression. Sports were so different back then. She had no coach and played on public courts yet she would play in tournaments and the tennis association even sent her to national competitions.

The story is split between the beginning of her career in the 1930s and the war years. As I was listening to the audiobook, it usually took me a sentence or two to figure out which time period we were in. The narrator, Gail Shalan, does have a slightly younger sounding voice for the younger Alice Marble so it was more difficult as the the past caught up with the present (the war years). Shalan has narrated a lot of books but this is my first audiobook with her as the reader. She really brought the story to life and I hope I get to listen to more books with her as narrator.

Like a lot of people who lived in the 1930s and 1940s, Alice had an interesting life and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing this time period (which is a favorite of mine) through the eyes of a female athlete.

Also, be sure to read/listen to the author's note about her sources. She relied heavily on Marble's memoir and I thought Walsh's observations were interesting.

You don't have to be a sports fan to enjoy this book. If you want to learn about a tough woman living during a tough time, then this is the book for you. This would also be a great book to read for Women's History Month.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Wednesday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2025/02/ace-marvel-spy-by-jenni-l-walsh.html

Ace marvel spy was an entertaining enough historical fiction. The writing at times lacked punch or fleshed out storytelling but the subject matter was interesting. Unfortunately the spy aspect was very light.

Ace, Marvel, Spy written by Jenni L Walsh and perfectly narrated by Gail Shalan was the true story of Alice Marble - tennis pro turned U.S. spy during WWII.

Jenni Walsh pulled Alice’s tales from her memoir and gave them life. This was so well done that I questioned if it was a true story or not.

Gail Shalan brought Alice’s life through various struggles in tennis, love, life, and espionage.

4/5 stars - I would have liked a little less of the tennis content.

Having started this book curious about the true life inspiration, I have to say it's shaping up to be a wonderful historical fiction with a feminist slant to it. I started listening to it last night and then had trouble falling asleep because it was too interesting, and then I was driving around today and loved having the company in my headphones. I'm hoping the rest of the book will be just as interesting as the beginning, because it shaping up to be a wonderful inspiring experience.

I loved listening to this thrilling retelling of the tennis champion turned spy. The perfect listen for fans of WWII fiction with a twist.

Ace, Marvel, Spy is a riveting historical fiction novel that brings to life the extraordinary true story of Alice Marble—an 18-time Grand Slam tennis champion, singer, designer, comic book writer, and, incredibly, a WWII spy. Jenni L. Walsh masterfully blends history, intrigue, and emotion, crafting a tale that is as inspiring as it is thrilling.

This novel truly has it all—tennis, romance, espionage, and a deep exploration of a woman who defied expectations at every turn. The character development is rich and immersive, making Alice feel like a real, complex person rather than just a historical figure. It’s almost unbelievable that such an incredible woman existed, yet her story remains largely unknown. Walsh ensures that changes with this compelling, beautifully written book.

The audiobook, narrated by Gail Shalan, is a perfect match for the story. Shalan’s voice captures Alice’s strength, vulnerability, and determination, making it feel like a firsthand account rather than a work of fiction. Her narration adds another layer of depth, making the listening experience truly captivating.

Whether you’re a fan of historical fiction, WWII-era stories, or just love tales of women doing amazing things, Ace, Marvel, Spy is a must-read (or listen). This book is a testament to Alice Marble’s incredible life, and Walsh’s storytelling ensures that her legacy won’t be forgotten.

I was looking forward to this and had high hopes. Unfortunately, I found the writing style a bit grating, and the way Alice was portrayed was rather irritating. The narrator was great though, and that made me keep listening until the end.

This story was very interesting historical fiction. I wish we got a little more about her life as a spy and what went into it. I did enjoy the different timelines and the main characters traits.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC! I really enjoyed this historical fiction account of Alice Marble’s life. I had no idea who she was and I love tennis and history so it was great! I really enjoyed the audiobook.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This is the story of a woman who is tennis champion, an editor, and a spy. I had no idea who this woman was before I pickled up this book., But she was a true badass. I loved everything about this book.

This book was very cool! I had the audio copy of this book. It’s a Historical Fiction based on a real person, Alice Marble. She was a tennis trailblazer faced with so many obstacles like being a woman in a man’s world, poverty and loss. Her perseverance in finding a new normal and reinventing herself was nothing short of heroic! I did not know any of her story and loved getting to know her through this fiction version! The only thing that I found slightly confusing was the flashbacks and flash forwards in time. In the audio, it is sometimes hard to know when we transitioned, but I was able to follow. If you love tennis or don’t, I still think you will enjoy this book. She is responsible for women wearing shorts in tennis, eliminating segregation in tennis and spying for her country! What an amazing woman! My favorite quote is They “fought to be their best selves”. What could be better than that? Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for sending me this ARC for an honest review!

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)