Today is my stop on the A Reluctant Spy blog tour, and I will be sharing my review of the book with you all. This is my first ever blog tour, so I am extremely excited, and also a little nervous!
Summary:
Hilda Campbell was born in the north of Scotland in 1889. She married German national Dr Willy Bűttner Richter in 1912. They honeymooned in Scotland and returned to settle in Hamburg. Dr Richter died in 1938. After visiting her ailing parents, Hilda returned to Germany just before the Second World War began. She became a double agent, controlled by Gerhardt Eicke in Germany and Lawrence Thornton in Britain. How could she cope under such strain, and with her son Otto in the German Army? Nor did she expect her evidence to be so cruelly challenged at the Nuremberg Trials. Learn of her post-war life, which took her abroad as a British Ambassador’s wife.
This is an extraordinary story based on the life of the author’s great aunt, Hilda. The book includes several authentic accounts.
My Review:
I have always been highly interested in history, particularly the World Wars, so A Reluctant Spy immediately appealed to me, especially as it is based on a true story. Of course I jumped at the chance to be part of this blog tour, and the story certainly didn’t let me down.
Although the story wasn’t as action packed as I had expected, and it jumped through the years pretty quickly, this certainly didn’t lessen the quality of the book. For a generation who didn’t experience either of the World Wars, we can’t even begin to comprehend what all of these people had to go through, and how difficult these times were, but A Reluctant Spy gives us a pretty good insight into life during World War II, and definitely from a unique perspective. I have no idea how many double agent spies there were during the war, but this is the first story of that kind that I have ever come across, and Hilda’s story was definitely a fascinating read.
Miller Caldwell did an excellent job of portraying the misery, pain, and grief that the war caused so many, especially towards the end of the book, where we reach the end of the war. Caldwell’s attention to detail within his writing really lifted this book to a higher level, and really made you feel the emotions of Hilda’s story.
Hilda’s strength and determination, in the face of such unimaginable challenges, is something we could all learn a great deal from, and I am glad that even after all of the pain she went through, Hilda was still able to find happiness once again.
As a whole, A Reluctant Spy was a great read, and I would highly recommend it, especially if you have an interest in historical events.
Author Information:
I retired at the age of 53 as I found I had mild cognitive impairment MCI. This is a condition which gives me a poor memory but a sharp mind. It was difficult to find work that would take me and so I decided to write books. Sixteen years later, I have written twenty three books with another two yet to be published. I have learned the book writing skills through writing clubs and writers magazines. Over the years I find my writing is much better received. I am seen as a novelist but I have three illustrated children’s books, several biographies and three self help books as well. My website sags with the volume. But I cannot be pigeon holed. It depends what theme obsesses my thinking, as that will be my next book.
I have been on the committee of the Society of Authors in Scotland and have been their Events Manager. I am due to speak at next year’s Wigtown Book Festival as A Reluctant Spy will be a documentary by then. That reminds me I have an agent. A Literary as well as a Film agent in Mathilde Vuillermoz. With her on board I will release some of my self published books through her. Without an agent it is becoming more difficult to attract traditional publishers. So I remain optimistic and find like a graph, my trajectory is currently on an upswing.
You can find Miller Caldwell here: Website, Twitter
Follow The Tour:
A huge thank you to Fare Rogers and Authoright for providing content and materials for this post, and also for allowing me to be a part of this blog tour.
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