The Princess Spy, Larry Loftis
The Princess Spy, Larry Loftis
16 Rating(s)
List: $25.99 | Sale: $18.20
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The Princess Spy
The True Story of World War II Spy Aline Griffith, Countess of Romanones

Bestseller

Author: Larry Loftis

Narrator: Kate Reading

Unabridged: 9 hr 46 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 02/09/2021


Synopsis

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL, AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER

“As exciting as any spy novel” (Daily News, New York), The Princess Spy follows the hidden history of an ordinary American girl who became one of the OSS’s most daring World War II spies before marrying into European nobility. Perfect for fans of A Woman of No Importance and Code Girls.

When Aline Griffith was born in a quiet suburban New York hamlet, no one had any idea that she would go on to live “a life of glamour and danger that Ingrid Bergman only played at in Notorious” (Time). As the United States enters the Second World War, the young college graduate is desperate to aid in the war effort, but no one is interested in a bright-eyed young woman whose only career experience is modeling clothes.

Aline’s life changes when, at a dinner party, she meets a man named Frank Ryan and reveals how desperately she wants to do her part for her country. Within a few weeks, he helps her join the Office of Strategic Services—forerunner of the CIA. With a code name and expert training under her belt, she is sent to Spain to be a coder, but is soon given the additional assignment of infiltrating the upper echelons of society, mingling with high-ranking officials, diplomats, and titled Europeans. Against this glamorous backdrop of galas and dinner parties, she recruits sub-agents and engages in deep-cover espionage.

Even after marrying the Count of Romanones, one of the wealthiest men in Spain, Aline secretly continues her covert activities, being given special assignments when abroad that would benefit from her impeccable pedigree and social connections.

“[A] meticulously researched, beautifully crafted work of nonfiction that reads like a James Bond thriller” (Bookreporter), The Princess Spy brings to vivid life the dazzling adventures of a spirited American woman who risked everything to serve her country.

About Larry Loftis

Larry Loftis is the New York TimesWall Street JournalUSA TODAY, and internationally bestselling author of the nonfiction spy thrillers The Princess Spy, Code Name: Lise, and Into the Lion’s Mouth. A two-time winner of the Florida Book Award, his books have been translated into numerous languages and can be found in Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Italy, Serbia, Czech Republic, Taiwan, India, Australia, New Zealand, and throughout the UK.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Katie on February 03, 2021

I love reading about the contributions of women during World War 2. Aline Griffith grew up in New York and when her brothers left home to fight in the war, she wanted to do her part as well. She ended up being recruited to work for the Office of Strategic Services which was basically a precursor to......more

Goodreads review by Jean on December 27, 2020

The book is well written and researched. It was particularly well documented. I found the footnotes, notes and bibliography helpful. The item that got my attention was in the preface of the book. Loftis said “For many war buffs, the testimony of spies is presumed false until proven true.” Spies never......more

Goodreads review by Emily on January 05, 2021

I was gobsmacked to learn about this book, because in my youthful days working in book publishing, Aline was a friend of my boss and I remember her calling the office from time to time. I'm embarrassed to report that--with the supreme obliviousness of a 23 year old--I mentally categorized her as one......more

Goodreads review by Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader on September 05, 2021

Narrative nonfiction is one of my favorite genres. The Princess Spy is an exciting account of espionage. As World War II is just beginning, Aline is a young college graduate living in NYC. She is compelled to help the war effort in some way, but no one takes her seriously. That is, until she meets a......more

Goodreads review by Karen on August 14, 2023

What is fun about this book is that it is non-fiction, but it reads like a fiction novel. It is an exciting story about a real person who wanted to do something during the war…and was thus recruited to become a spy. Aline, an American college graduate and model, became one of the Office of Strategic......more