Plunge into Espionage and Romance in Post-WWII Paris and London with 'Spitfire'

Plunge into Espionage and Romance in Post-WWII Paris and London with 'Spitfire'

Thursday, 4 February, 2021

The right book can instantly transport you to anywhere — and anytime — in the world. Every Thursday, we recommend one of our favorite books with a strong sense of place so you can see the sights, meet remarkable people, go on exciting adventures, and feel big feelings. Bonus: You don't even have to put on pants.

This post is part of our 'Weekend Getaway' series.

rule

Travel back in time to 1946 London and Paris. The second World War has ended, but a new, chilly war of clandestine meetings and shifting alliances has just begun. It’s unclear who to trust and which side is in the right — and it’s all just what our heroine Livy needs.

Olivia ‘Livy’ Nash has been in a muddle for a year, alive but not really living. Her days are spent proofreading an inane lady’s column for the newspaper, and she wiles away her nights with just a bottle of off-brand vodka for company. Then Ian Fleming makes her an irresistible offer.

Livy spent the war fighting in the resistance. It gave her purpose and the love of her life — until betrayal left her with nothing except a hardened heart. Now she’s alone and jaded, left behind by the more respectable war heroes and doomed to a life of… what? A single woman in a world that wants her to return to her pre-war, lady-like situation of looking pretty and doing as she’s told.

Then Ian Fleming buys her a drink and throws her a lifeline that proves to be more complicated than it seems: He offers her a job as a foreign correspondent, but Livy soon realizes that typing stories is not what he has in mind. Fleming is recruiting an espionage unit to fight ‘the next war’ which ‘began before the last even ended.’ He sends Livy to Paris on a mission to track down a traitor and, perhaps, find the fierce version of herself that she lost.

In the post-war days, the cities of Paris and London are glamorous and treacherous; champagne and threats flow with equal abandon. As Livy meets with contacts and follows clues, we traverse the streets of Paris with her, dashing under bridges, drinking wine, eating chocolate pastries by the Seine, and outrunning Russian agents on the cobblestones.

The plot is rife with double-crosses, intrigue, action-packed set pieces, and the wry humor of agents, veterans, diplomats, and government officials who approach every conversation with ulterior motives and healthy cynicism. And through it all, there’s Livy, a heroine to believe in: mouthy, distrustful, slightly broken, but determined, a woman who cares just enough — and too little — for herself that she strides brazenly into danger at every opportunity.

Two things to note: The audiobook version of Spitfire is narrated by Justine Eyre and brings Livy to vibrant life; highly recommended. The second Livy Nash mystery Nightshade is available now.

Tonight at the French Embassy, there’s a soiree, and you are cordially invited… I trust you’ll keep that Lancashire sass under wraps. You enter the party as Mademoiselle Bélanger, and you leave the party as the same. It’s a simple assignment. Maintain your cover at all costs. Like falling off a log for you, darling. Oh, and you’ll be receiving microfilm from an operative at the party. Only trouble is, we’ve no idea who it is. — M.L. Huie

Spitfire

by M.L. Huie

This thrilling spy story (312 pages) was published in January of 2020 by Crooked Lane Books. The book takes you to post-WWII Paris. Melissa read Spitfire and loved it; it wouldn't be on our site if she didn't recommend it.

Bookshop.org is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support independent bookstores and give back to the book community.

Spitfire: A Livy Nash Mystery

 

Top image courtesy of Everett Collection/Shutterstock.

Want to keep up with our book-related adventures? Sign up for our newsletter!

keep reading

Get a different perspective on WWII with this sweet and affecting novel about life in a posh hotel in Portugal. You'll meet privileged exiles, aristocrats on the run, rich revelers, and one unforgettable little boy.
If a rich older man is murdered, his much younger, very curvaceous, and maybe promiscuous wife must be guilty. Right? Not so fast! Agatha Christie makes everyone a likely suspect and keeps you guessing 'til the end.
This weekend, travel back to the 1940s with Bernie Gunther, a good detective and good man in bad circumstances. You'll visit Yugoslavia, go toe-to-toe with Joseph Goebbels, fall in love — and oh! solve a murder.
This is a love letter to the unforgettable meals we've eaten in Paris — and we share a recipe for a dish that perfectly captures the high-low spirit of French cuisine. Great ingredients + imagination = pure pleasure.
These Instagrammers go beyond the typical postcard shots to share the extraordinary and everyday happenings in Paris. From cafés in the rain to sun shining on the Seine, you'll be transported there in an instant.
We've said it before, but it bears repeating: Paris is always a good idea. That's why we're recommending 13 books that are like a magic portal to Paris. Wouldn't you enjoy a virtual trip to the city by the Seine?

sharing is caring!

Can you help us? If you like this article, share it your friends!

our mission

Strong Sense of Place is a website and podcast dedicated to literary travel and books we love. Reading good books increases empathy. Empathy is good for all of us and the amazing world we inhabit.

our patreon

Strong Sense of Place is a listener-supported podcast. If you like the work we do, you can help make it happen by joining our Patreon! That'll unlock bonus content for you, too — including Mel's secret book reviews and Dave's behind-the-scenes notes for the latest Two Truths and a Lie.

get our newsletter

Join our Substack to get our FREE newsletter with podcast updates and behind-the-scenes info — and join in fun chats about books and travel with other lovely readers.

no spoilers. ever.

We'll share enough detail to help you decide if a book is for you, but we'll never ruin plot twists or give away the ending.

super-cool reading fun
reading atlas

This 30-page Reading Atlas takes you around the world with dozens of excellent books and gorgeous travel photos. Get your free copy when you subscribe to our newsletter.

get our newsletter
Sign up for our free Substack!
follow us

Content on this site is ©2024 by Smudge Publishing, unless otherwise noted. Peace be with you, person who reads the small type.