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An Unlikely Spy

A Novel

by Rebecca Starford

Narrator Jane Collingwood

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Length 10 hours 25 minutes

Language English

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Bookseller recommendation

“Historical fiction about the early days of World War II, and bright young Evelyn Varley who gets recruited to MI5 in London. Based on real people and events it's a great depiction of the world of espionage and the sacrifices and consequences one faced by being part of the spy network. Interesting author's notes at the end too!”
— Polly • The Hickory Stick Bookshop

Bookseller recommendation

“World War II looms in London, and Evelyn Varley wants to find her place in the world. She joins the MI5 counterintelligence unit but, as the reader learns in the very first chapter, finding a place for yourself may not mean that it’s the right place. I was pulled into Evelyn’s story from the start and stayed hooked in a race to find out what has happened in Evelyn’s life to shape the woman she has become. The Unlikely Spy is a great read for those interested in how WWII shaped the lives of young people in England. For lovers of WW2 fiction and character studies. ”
— Jennifer • The Snail on the Wall

Summary
About the author

“A beguiling tale of espionage."" -- Pam Jenoff, author of The Orphans Tale and The Lost Girls of Paris

A twisting, sophisticated World War II novel following a spy who goes undercover as a part of MI5—in chasing the secrets of others, how much will she lose of herself?

Evelyn Varley has always been ambitious and clever. As a girl, she earned a scholarship to a prestigious academy well above her parents’ means, gaining her a best friend from one of England’s wealthiest families. In 1939, with an Oxford degree in hand and war looming, Evelyn finds herself recruited into an elite MI5 counterintelligence unit.

A ruthless secret society seeks an alliance with Germany and, posing as a Nazi sympathizer, Evelyn must build a case to expose their treachery. But as she is drawn deeper into layers of duplicity—perhaps of her own making—some of those closest to her become embroiled in her investigation. With Evelyn’s loyalties placed under extraordinary pressure, she’ll face an impossible choice: save her country or the people who love her. Her decision echoes for years after the war, impacting everyone who thought they knew the real Evelyn Varley.

Beguiling and dark, An Unlikely Spy is a fascinating story of deception and sacrifice, based on the history of real people within the British intelligence community.

Fiction Mystery & Thriller Historical Fiction

Rebecca Starford is the publishing director and cofounder of Kill Your Darlings. She has a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Queensland and lives in Brisbane, Australia.