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Edward Wake-Walker
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A House For Spies: SIS Operations into Occupied France from a Sussex Farmhouse Kindle Edition

by Edward Wake-Walker (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 1,386 ratings
An unforgettable history of French intelligence agents and courageous British pilots who risked everything in the fight against Hitler! Perfect for fans of Ben Macintyre, Giles Milton and Sinclair McKay.

From 1941 to 1944, Bignor Manor, a farmhouse in Sussex provided board and lodging for men and women of the French Resistance before they were flown by moonlight into occupied France.

Barbara Bertram, whose husband was a conducting officer for the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), became hostess for these daring agents and their pilots during their brief stopovers in their house.

But who were these men and women that passed through the Bertram’s house?

And what activities did they conduct whilst in France that meant that so many of them never returned?

Edward Wake-Walker charts the experiences of numerous agents, such as Gilbert Renault, Christian Pineau and Marie-Madeleine Fourcade, and the networks of operatives that they created that provided top-secret intelligence on German defences and naval bases, U-boats, as well as Hitler’s devastating new weapons, the V-1 and V-2 flying bombs.

A House For Spies provides fascinating insight into the lives of SIS agents and their Lysander pilots who provided invaluable intelligence to Allied forces. This is a much-forgotten aspect of the Second World War that is only now being told by Edward Wake-Walker.

“Utterly fascinating, very moving and funny. I couldn't have enjoyed it more.” — Hugh Grant

“Edward Wake-Walker's meticulously researched chronicles of desperate resistance, audacity, duty, determination and daring are a valuable addition to the history of World War II” — Bel Mooney, Daily Mail

“It kept me up at night as I wanted to know what happened to all the various characters [brought] so admirably back to life” — Russell England, Director of Bletchley Park: Codebreaking's Forgotten Genius and Operation Mincemeat
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  1. Print length
    379 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    March 9, 2020
  5. File size
    2.7 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review


"It kept me up at night as I wanted to know what happened to all the various characters, [brought] so admirably back to life" – Russell England, director of BBC documentary Operation


"Mincemeat. Utterly fascinating, very moving and funny. I couldn’t have enjoyed it more" – Hugh Grant, actor.

About the Author

Edward Wake-Walker is the great nephew of Barbara Bertram. The son of a Royal Navy officer, he was educated at Marlborough College and Aix-en-Provence University before joining the staff of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in 1975. He has traveled extensively representing the RNLI as their PR director, and he has also published five books on the history of saving life at sea. The actor, Hugh Grant, his first cousin, is also a great-nephew of Barbara Bertram.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B082WM8N1F
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sapere Books
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 9, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.7 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 379 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1913518004
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 1,386 ratings

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Edward Wake-Walker

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
1,386 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-researched and interesting, particularly praising its coverage of the French resistance movement. Moreover, the book receives positive feedback for its readability, with one customer noting it reads like a history lesson. Additionally, customers appreciate the book's portrayal of incredible bravery. However, the story length receives mixed reviews, with several customers finding it difficult to follow.

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Information qualityHistoryReadabilityHeroismStory length
12 customers mention "Information quality"12 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well-researched and informative, with one customer noting how it reads like a history lesson and another highlighting the valuable insights from those in England.

"Fact is always better than fiction and this well researched book is a gem full of the little known stories of a handful of volunteer French secret..." Read more

"...books beforehand as well as many others, I found this book to be very informative...." Read more

"...The author goes in great detail about the agents sent to France and the coordination of the French resistance...." Read more

"Very interesting documentation of the incredible servants who provided for the spies before and after their duties to France...." Read more

10 customers mention "History"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's historical content engaging, particularly its detailed account of the French resistance movement and SIS operations during World War II.

"...better than fiction and this well researched book is a gem full of the little known stories of a handful of volunteer French secret agents who..." Read more

"...great detail about the agents sent to France and the coordination of the French resistance...." Read more

"...A bit tedious at times with some of the quotes but a good historical view of those involved on the front lines." Read more

"It really is a history story, or should say stories about so many interesting relationships formed during that time of WW2...." Read more

6 customers mention "Readability"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book an intriguing and interesting read.

"...members primarily from France and England. The story was very interesting because it described the activities of many of the Spies and..." Read more

"This was an informative and suspenseful read about spy networks in France during World War II...." Read more

"The individual stories of the underground members was fun to read.Their lives during the time they took hazardous risk had to be crazy." Read more

"Hiding folks in World War II was a dangerous deadly thing...intriguing read." Read more

3 customers mention "Heroism"3 positive0 negative

Customers praise the heroism depicted in the book.

"...Incredible bravery!" Read more

"Fabulous story of WWII espionage and the brave men and women who were instrumental in bringing information out of Axis-held Europe." Read more

"Amazing heros..." Read more

4 customers mention "Story length"0 positive4 negative

Customers find the story length of the book difficult to follow, with one customer noting that the narrative flow is interrupted badly and another mentioning that stories ramble without resolution.

"Interesting story of the French resistance during WWII. A bit tedious at times with some of the quotes but a good historical view of those involved..." Read more

"Sometimes hard to follow but an excellent history of the many courageous French men and women who worked tirelessly to defeat their German occupiers." Read more

"...The narrative flow is interrupted badly by inexplicably switching to tell someone else's story...." Read more

"...This reads like an after action report. I usually try to finish every book, but just found no enjoyment and put it down less than half way through." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • James R. Bowen
    5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Fascinating and Bloodcurdling Read..
    Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Fact is always better than fiction and this well researched book is a gem full of the little known stories of a handful of volunteer French secret agents who risked it all in the fight to rid France of the hated German occupiers. So many of them were caught and died horrible deaths at the hands of the Gestapo...Hard to put it down.
    Helpful
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  • Patrick Morrissey
    4.0 out of 5 stars The inner workings of the Bertram’s clandestine BnB.
    Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2022
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    If this is your first book on the Lysander operations or clandestine operations in France, you are going to be disappointed. I strongly suggest you read Hugh Verity’s WE LANDED BY MOONLIGHT and Lynne Olson’s MADAME FOURCADES SECRET WAR first. Having read both those books beforehand as well as many others, I found this book to be very informative. The chapters devoted to Barbara Bertram’s inner thoughts on how she had to plan on a day to day basis for outgoing and incoming passengers was priceless. The epilogue going through each of persons in the Lysander operation and the French intelligence networks war and post-war activities to be excellent. On another note, this volume put a human side to the pilots and passengers of the Squadron 161.

    Patrick Morrissey
    Albuquerque
    One person found this helpful
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  • Harry E. Preston
    5.0 out of 5 stars unknown wwii history
    Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    An interesting read about the French resistance in WWII. The author goes in great detail about the agents sent to France and the coordination of the French resistance. There are quite a few instances about arrest and escape of captured agents. The brutality of the Germans was terrible.
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  • Amazon Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars French resistance in WWII
    Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Interesting story of the French resistance during WWII. A bit tedious at times with some of the quotes but a good historical view of those involved on the front lines.
    Helpful
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  • James Bliehall
    4.0 out of 5 stars A truly unique and incredible tale
    Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Not many of us would have the courage to face and endure what they did. I only wish the author would not have let us know during the actual missions Terschuur Terschuur
    Helpful
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  • Jim
    5.0 out of 5 stars Special Place Before Spy Duty
    Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Very interesting documentation of the incredible servants who provided for the spies before and after their duties to France. The stories of all the heroic missions of all the spies who risked their lives to provide intelligence to the allies. Incredible bravery!
    Helpful
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  • Dan B.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed reading the relationships between the French and English.
    Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    It really is a history story, or should say stories about so many interesting relationships formed during that time of WW2. Enjoyed the actual photos of some of the people involved.
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  • Anonymous
    4.0 out of 5 stars The incredible story of SIS ops in occupied France.
    Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Everyone and everything involved are extraordinary in some way or another. It describes how pilots flew into occupied France, the agents, their missions, and the results thereof. We're also treated to the various leaders of the diverse France in exile parties, often who have hatred of one another as well as the Nazis. Each has their own agenda, as do the British. The agents themselves are a varied lot, often with their own personal motivations. Tragically, the majority end up being captured, tortured, and shot. It makes for grim reading. Through it all is the ordinary housewife with her children and pets who tends to the secluded house where agents stay prior to leaving for France and after their return, though she knows, as do they, that most likely they won't make it back.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Harry Holtom
    5.0 out of 5 stars Superb
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 23, 2024
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Superb book, about SIS operations in France and other places in the world.
    Report
  • Ken
    4.0 out of 5 stars About real people and real situations
    Reviewed in Australia on August 25, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Great story, really well done
    Report
  • Margaret L
    4.0 out of 5 stars True story
    Reviewed in Canada on February 20, 2021
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Very interesting insight into the incredibly brave men and women of the second world war - the like of which we will likely never see again with the advent of modern technology which deprives us of the personal/humane angle of bravery.
    Report
  • Dr W W M McConnell
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating insights, sad at times.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 12, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    A really interesting insight into the war in occupied France with heroism, ingenuity and also the darker side of resistance with duplicity and betrayal. Definitely a worthwhile read.
    Report
  • Dick Dunn
    4.0 out of 5 stars A great read.
    Reviewed in Canada on July 6, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Well written and easy to follow. A truly different time in history.
    Report

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