The Spy Who Loved: The Secrets and Lives of Christine Granville
Clare Mulley, 2012
448 pp.

Book Review by Molly Lundquist
December, 2014
It's a story straight out of Ian Flemming, except that Christine Granville was the real deal. Beautiful, clever, undaunted by danger, she was of Polish birth and one of Britain's top spies during World War II. Her exploits were so audacious she became a living legend.

Men and women alike found her irresistible; even ferocious Nazis dogs fell under her spell. Defying the odds—to say nothing of physical hardship—Granville survived the war only to be undone by a former lover. It was a sad and ignoble end to a glorious life.

Granville's story is bound up with the tragic history of her beloved Poland. When the Germans—and Russians—invaded in 1939, she felt compelled to support the Polish resistance, skiing across the frozen Carpathians to carry messages from the outside world.

As Britain's first—and longest serving—female special field agent, Granville operated in territories where life expectancy for spies was "little more than a few months." The list of lives saved makes for "an impressive roll call." Danger elated her, and her physical endurance was astonishing—without either, she grew restless and morose. Put simply, "Christine loved men and sex, adrenaline and adventure."

The Spy Who Loved is a detailed, scrupulously researched biography—at times confusing due to the large number of players involved (many with difficult Polish names). And details of a long hiatus in Cairo make for particularly dull reading. But eventually we're on the road again where Granville's further adventures prove more daring than ever.

This book is a challenging undertaking; many may want to avoid it. But if you are drawn to World War II histories, as well as indepth biographies, you'll find this an extraordinary read—because Christine Granville was nothing less than extraordinary herself.

You will come away wondering what made Granville tick, what made her crave danger. You'll also wonder if you would ever have the guts to do what she did.

See our Reading Guide for The Spy Who Loved.