CHURCHILL'S SPYMISTRESS

This compelling new historical novel tells the story of Vera Atkins and her role work in WWII to defeat the Nazis.

CHURCHILL'S SPYMISTRESS is an epic, sweeping historical novel based on the true story of the woman behind Churchill's secret army. A brave and daring spy before she was spymistress of the real-life Special Operations Executive, Vera Atkins recruited, befriended, and helped train numerous legendary female spies who were integral to the Allies' resistance efforts in WWII. These were "her girls," and when so many of them didn't come home, she was the only one to investigate their fates--uncovering secrets that reached all the way to Churchill himself. Told with a historian's depth of knowledge, this gripping novel will take readers on an immersive, page-turning journey into the incredible lives of the sisterhood of women who helped Britain win the war.

1947, London. British spymistress Vera Atkins returns from her war crimes investigations in Germany having discovered a terrible secret about her country and the fate of the women she trained as war-time spies. With a gun in her pocket and nothing left to lose, she confronts Winston Churchill with two questions: What did you know? And how did it begin?

1941, London. Romanian immigrant Vera Atkins wants nothing more than to make a new life in the adoptive country she loves. Being hired by the French Section of a new intelligence agency aiming to set Europe ablaze with resistance seems the perfect way to contribute to the war effort. Ambitious and whip-smart, Vera quickly rises to the rank of intelligence officer and opens the door for women to serve as agents on the front lines. Among them, there's American amputee Virginia who's eager to prove herself, scrappy young Andrée who yearns to return to the resistance, blue-blooded Lise who follows her brother into spy work but longs for independence from her family, and steady, self-made Pearl who despises the Nazis for imprisoning her fiancé.

Soon Vera becomes the center of the most effective spy network in modern history. All while hiding personal secrets of her own. And when disaster strikes and her agents are compromised in France, the web of lies and betrayals stretches from London to Paris to the heart of Nazi Germany. What Vera learns could destroy not only the British government but the world's fragile post-war peace...

A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestseller, LAURA KAMOIE has always been fascinated by the people and stories of the past. She holds a doctoral degree in early American history from The College of William and Mary, published two non-fiction books on early America, and most recently held the position of Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Naval Academy before transitioning to a full-time career writing genre fiction as the New York Times bestselling author of over forty books, Laura Kaye. Laura's debut historical novel, America's First Daughter, co-authored with Stephanie Dray, was a New York Times bestseller. Her follow-up novel, My Dear Hamilton, was another instant bestseller and award-winner that consistently tops must-read lists and garners media attention. Writing historical fiction allows her the exciting opportunity to combine her love of history with her passion for storytelling. Laura lives among the colonial charm of Annapolis, Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and monster German shepherd, Schuyler.