In 1937, Amelia Montague has few prospects after her husband’s death. Disowned by her family and with mounting debt, she is desperate to make herself indispensable to her cousin Wallis Simpson as a private secretary. But Wallis is difficult and demanding as the date of her wedding to the Duke of Windsor draws near. Many close to the crown are still punishing the duke for abdicating his throne, and his brother who replaced him as king of England refuses to acknowledge Wallis as a member of the royal family. Snubbed and exiled to France, Wallis and the duke surround themselves with sycophants and, more troubling to Amelia, Nazi officials and supporters who are making promises to return the former king to his throne. When it becomes apparent that the couple’s plans aren’t just idle talk, Amelia must collaborate with MI5 and the FBI to stop Wallis and the duke from handing England over to Germany.
VERDICT Those unfamiliar with Wallis Simpson may wish for more backstory, but Blalock (An Indiscreet Princess) sketches out enough of the history that readers won’t be lost for long. A solid entry into the World War II subgenre that will entertain and educate historical fiction fans.
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