The Spy Who Loved: The Secrets and Lives of Christine Granville
Clare Mulley
Jul 2016 · Penguin Random House Audio · Narrated by Elizabeth Sastre
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16 hr 17 min
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The Untold Story of Britain's First Female Special Agent of World War II
In June 1952, a woman was murdered by an obsessed colleague in a hotel in the South Kensington district of London. Her name was Christine Granville. That she died young was perhaps unsurprising; that she had survived the Second World War was remarkable.
The daughter of a feckless Polish aristocrat and his wealthy Jewish wife, Granville would become one of Britain's most daring and highly decorated special agents. Having fled to Britain on the outbreak of war, she was recruited by the intelligence services and took on mission after mission. She skied over the hazardous High Tatras into occupied Poland, served in Egypt and North Africa, and was later parachuted behind enemy lines into France, where an agent's life expectancy was only six weeks. Her courage, quick wit, and determination won her release from arrest more than once, and saved the lives of several fellow officers―including one of her many lovers―just hours before their execution by the Gestapo. More importantly, the intelligence she gathered in her espionage was a significant contribution to the Allied war effort, and she was awarded the George Medal, the OBE, and the Croix de Guerre.
Granville exercised a mesmeric power on those who knew her. In The Spy Who Loved, acclaimed biographer Clare Mulley tells the extraordinary history of this charismatic, difficult, fearless, and altogether extraordinary woman.
In June 1952, a woman was murdered by an obsessed colleague in a hotel in the South Kensington district of London. Her name was Christine Granville. That she died young was perhaps unsurprising; that she had survived the Second World War was remarkable.
The daughter of a feckless Polish aristocrat and his wealthy Jewish wife, Granville would become one of Britain's most daring and highly decorated special agents. Having fled to Britain on the outbreak of war, she was recruited by the intelligence services and took on mission after mission. She skied over the hazardous High Tatras into occupied Poland, served in Egypt and North Africa, and was later parachuted behind enemy lines into France, where an agent's life expectancy was only six weeks. Her courage, quick wit, and determination won her release from arrest more than once, and saved the lives of several fellow officers―including one of her many lovers―just hours before their execution by the Gestapo. More importantly, the intelligence she gathered in her espionage was a significant contribution to the Allied war effort, and she was awarded the George Medal, the OBE, and the Croix de Guerre.
Granville exercised a mesmeric power on those who knew her. In The Spy Who Loved, acclaimed biographer Clare Mulley tells the extraordinary history of this charismatic, difficult, fearless, and altogether extraordinary woman.
The Untold Story of Britain's First Female Special Agent of World War II
In June 1952, a woman was murdered by an obsessed colleague in a hotel in the South Kensington district of London. Her name was Christine Granville. That she died young was perhaps unsurprising; that she had survived the Se...
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About the author
CLARE MULLEY is the award-winning author of two biographies:
- 'THE SPY WHO LOVED' tells the extraordinary story of Krystyna Skarbek, aka Christine Granville, Britain's first female special agent of the Second World War, and was published to great critical acclaim in 2012 in the UK, 2013 in the USA.
- 'THE WOMAN WHO SAVED THE CHILDREN', is a biography of Eglantyne Jebb, Founder of Save the Children and perhaps unlikely champion of children's rights, and won the British Daily Mail Biographers' Club prize. Then British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called it 'a truly brilliant book'. Clare is still a Campaigns Ambassador for Save the Children, and all royalties from the book go to the charity's international programme work.
Having had three very lively daughters, Clare is now working (when she gets the chance) on a third biography, also set in WWII. Clare is a seasoned public speaker, regularly appears on radio and occasionally writes and blogs for various websites, and British publications. www.claremulley.com
- 'THE SPY WHO LOVED' tells the extraordinary story of Krystyna Skarbek, aka Christine Granville, Britain's first female special agent of the Second World War, and was published to great critical acclaim in 2012 in the UK, 2013 in the USA.
- 'THE WOMAN WHO SAVED THE CHILDREN', is a biography of Eglantyne Jebb, Founder of Save the Children and perhaps unlikely champion of children's rights, and won the British Daily Mail Biographers' Club prize. Then British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called it 'a truly brilliant book'. Clare is still a Campaigns Ambassador for Save the Children, and all royalties from the book go to the charity's international programme work.
Having had three very lively daughters, Clare is now working (when she gets the chance) on a third biography, also set in WWII. Clare is a seasoned public speaker, regularly appears on radio and occasionally writes and blogs for various websites, and British publications. www.claremulley.com
CLARE MULLEY is the award-winning author of two biographies:
- 'THE SPY WHO LOVED' tells the extraordinary story of Krystyna Skarbek, aka Christine Granville, Britain's first female special agent of the Second World War, and was published to great critical acclaim in 2012 in the UK, 2013 in the ...
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