Mara Timon’s "City of Spies" invites readers into the exciting world of wartime espionage set in 1943 Lisbon. This thrilling historical fiction follows Elisabeth de Mornay, a British SOE agent who has to escape Paris after her cover is blown. Now in neutral Portugal, she embarks on a new mission: to infiltrate a German spy ring trying to undermine Allied shipping efforts.

Timon paints a vivid picture of Lisbon during World War II, a city buzzing with spies, diplomats, and refugees, each with their own hidden agendas. The atmosphere is thick with intrigue and risk, and Elisabeth must use her wits and bravery to navigate this perilous landscape. The story moves at a quick pace, packed with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

One of the highlights of "City of Spies" is Elisabeth herself. She’s resourceful, determined, and challenges the norms of a male-dominated world. She’s clever, courageous, and knows how to leverage her femininity to her advantage. The supporting characters are also well-developed, each bringing their own motivations and secrets to the mix.

While the book shines in its rich historical backdrop and character depth, some readers might find the plot a little predictable. There are familiar espionage tropes at play, and at times, the romantic subplot feels a bit forced. But these small issues don’t really take away from the overall enjoyment of the story.

In summary, "City of Spies" is a delightful debut from Mara Timon. It's a captivating and atmospheric read that beautifully captures the intrigue and excitement of wartime espionage. With engaging characters and a vibrant historical setting, this book is sure to charm fans of the genre!

Well ... I guess I'm just going to have to go out and buy book two now, aren't I? Not, before anyone wonders, because this book ends on a cliffhanger, or that the story is not self contained within the binding of this novel, although, arguably its protagonist, Elisabeth, clearly has some unfinished business by the end of the book. No. It's because I really enjoyed it and I want to see how Elisabeth's life plays out. This was a beautifully plotted, totally engrossing story, with wonderful characters who I became very quickly fascinated by. Packed with thrills, emotion and subterfuge, as one might expect in a spy thriller, this is a World War 2 set thriller that grabbed me from the very beginning, and never let go. Loved it.

Elisabeth de Mornay is a Special Agent, living and working in France at the height of the conflict in the Second World War. Shortly after our introduction, it quickly becomes clear that her identity has been revealed to the Nazi's and that, should she stay in Paris, she will be in very grave danger. But, as thrilling, action packed, and full of threat her escape from the city might be, it is only really the start of what will be a complicated and intense period of her life, one where the unexpected really does happen, and I was totally absorbed by the whole thing. From the panicked chase across France to find a safe route back to England, an emotional dalliance with a Scottish pilot whose plane had been shot down, through to an somewhat unexpected family reunion, of sorts, in the neutral country, Portugal, there are so many facets to this story, all of which start, and end, with this strong, independant and highly resourceful protagonist.

I really liked Elisabeth. Loved the way in which Mara Timon has portrayed her fierce nature and how skilled she is at her job. You learn very quickly that it pays never to underestimate her and many a scene has me smiling when she came face to face with adversaries who did just that. But as much as she had that strong, defiant streak within her, there is a certain vulnerability there too, and an emotional side which informs, rather than dominates, her personality. She felt authentic, from her compassion, to her tenacity, and despite being in a few situations which may have seemed somewhat too extreme to survive, I found I didn't care. I was wrapped up in the story and very willing to suspend, if required, any disbelief because the action was just so compelling.

This book, as entertaining as it is as a spy thriller, actually gave me a lot of pause for thought over aspects of the War that I had never considered before, from Portugal's position as a supposedly neutral country, and what that means when it comes to Allies of each side living alongside each other, through to the role of female spies within the war effort and the Resistance. Whilst I was aware they existed, I never really gave much thought to how involved they might be. It was also quite canny in using Portugal as the setting for the book. It allowed Elisabeth and her allies to conduct a kind of investigation into situations which may favour the enemy without the constant threat of war. Don't get me wrong - there was plenty of threat, but not necessarily coming from where you might expect, and that twist in the tale really did tick all my boxes. And our hero manages to forge some very unexpected alliances over the course of the book too, the author creating a very believable chemistry between two people who really should never have worked.

The final scenes to the novel are pacy, full of threat, and laced with the kind of high stakes that really did make me wonder if Elisabeth could survive what was coming her way. It took me by surprise a little too, but all in a good way, the kind that had me powering to the end. Mara Timon created a situation and a sense of time and place in her novel that transported me to 1940's Portugal, to the lives full of excess in the midst of a world facing unimaginable devastation. And I ate it up. Tore through the book in no time at all, and made me all the more determined to read the next book too. I've no idea why I delayed in reading this so long, but I'm glad I finally did. Definitely recommended.

Filled with intrigue, as any top-tier espionage thriller should be, this narrative effortlessly blends fact with fiction, creating a captivating atmosphere. Our protagonist finds herself in incredibly tight spots, leaving readers on the edge of their seats, pondering how she'll wriggle out of each predicament. Yet, these moments of peril only add to the thrill of the read. Elisabeth, our lead character, exudes self-assurance and a hint of opinionation, yet remains undeniably charming and relatable throughout.

I do love a good war/spy story, and this didn’t disappoint. Solange/Lisbet is feisty and can handle herself, and Eduard is… well discover for yourself, but I’m a fan!

The only tiny niggle I’ve got with this - and this might be down to it being an uncorrected proof (long overdue), is that sometimes events would suddenly jump ahead without warning. E.g. at the end where one minute Lisbet has landed at night and been told she’s got a meeting at 8am the next morning. And then in the next paragraph (in my copy) she’s being escorted to the meeting…

But overall, I’d recommend this for anyone who likes a war spy thriller with a dash of romance.

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review. Apologies this is very overdue!

The story is quite fascinating, must say! The initiation of the plot is very interesting but as the story went on I felt a hint of exaggeration. Still the story as a whole is very compelling and I loved it, Thank you for giving me the opportunity.

A debut novel set during World War Two and featuring a feisty, fearless SOE agent. I am fascinated by the role female agents played in the war it was disappointed in the writing and could not finish the novel.

A pleasant WWII thriller with unusually a female agent in the leading role. Nicely paced and held my attention throughout. Some interesting links to historical events and to some obscure facts about the War.

This is a very accomplished debut novel set in the world of espionage during World War II in Europe.
In a brave and creative departure from the familiar struggle in occupied France, Mara Timon brings the combatants into the neutral location of Portugal. Lisbon is the City of Spies and is as a much a character as the “diplomatic” staff of the Allies and Axis powers.
Politically Portugal is trying to remain even handed and maintain a balance of power without favouring either party. As the war progresses the leadership become more pragmatic but the situation on the ground remains as fraught with danger as ever.
SOE agent Cécile has fought against the Germans in France, now she needs fresh skills with the ability to adjust to a fresh and dangerous environment.

This is a thrilling novel, melding fact and fiction to draw out the balance of power, the almost hidden struggle that was instrumental in the outcome of the war. Since the sides are so blurred with their agents less defined and individual allegiances perhaps governed by financial gain Cécile struggles to find people she can trust. Matters take a turn for the worse and more dangerous for her, when aspects of her betrayal and escape from France re-surface.

I really enjoyed the tension the author was able to generate in this well chosen location that brought intrigue and a sense of autonomy where previously one worked under strict orders and where you life depended daily on others being like minded and diligent in their covert operations.
I liked the list of characters at the start. Don’t let this put you off as the piece is well written and as such you will be rarely need to refer to this list, to resolve who is who. Cécile could have done with a copy to find out who was who and definitely who was who they pretended to be.
In addition I found the author’s comments at the close of the book and what drew her to this unique environment during a worldwide struggle, that was so key. Mara has been inspired by true events and her imagination and inherent skills of a story-teller has produced a stunning book full of intrigue and danger.

The characters are believable and their courage deserves these fiction accounts that celebrate their efforts. The role of women spies was a courageous move that matched the bravery of those who enlisted and took the war into Europe.
Along with the often unsung heroes of those civilians who resisted occupation; the women Mara highlights through Cécile’s wartime efforts were truly fearless. One in three never returned to receive the medals they deserved, nor the life of freedom their sacrifice brought about.

I absolutely loved this book, a wonderful espionage story set in Europe during World War Two!
I knew a little bit about Lisbon being a city full of spies during World War Two, from reading Solitaire, the fifth book in the Clara Vine series by Jane Thynne. I didn’t realise to what extent the government of Portugal played though, keeping all the different spy networks under surveillance, and benefiting from them.
Elizabeth de Mornay was a fantastic main character, who I rooted for right from the start of the book. I loved following her escape from Paris, through France to Lisbon. It was an intense journey she took, both physically and emotionally.
There were so many twists and turns in this book, with some brilliant unexpected moments, that had me gasping with shock at times. The author certainly knew how to surprise me!
There were lots of dodgy characters, and situations that had my heart in my mouth hoping that Elizabeth would be safe and not discovered by her enemies! Who exactly who were her enemies? Who could she trust?
A brilliant novel that I thoroughly recommend and can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next!

Oh my goodness, what a stunning read this is! A fast paced and stylish WW2 espionage thriller that kept me completely gripped throughout, it introduces SOE agent Elisabeth de Mornay who, pursued by the Gestapo, flees Paris and makes her way to neutral Lisbon. There she receives a new assignment along with a brand new identity.

With its vividly portrayed and unique cast of characters, Mara Timon’s debut novel City of Spies is an exciting espionage thriller that moves along at a cracking pace, the action never losing momentum right up until the final page has been turned. Elisabeth is a character I loved from the outset, with her strong, feisty personality, breathtaking bravery and loyalty to her country. But there’s also a vulnerability to her that makes her resilience in the face of danger all the more admirable, bringing an authentically human aspect to the story that I loved.

Mara Timon’s beautiful writing transported me to WW2 Lisbon, bringing it so vividly to life I almost felt like I was there. I had no idea that Lisbon was neutral territory during the war, so that was an interesting historical aspect of the story that I found fascinating!

From the opening page right through to its final, thrilling denouement, City of Spies had me on the edge of my seat throughout. An exhilarating and highly entertaining read that took my breath away, I honestly can’t recommend this wonderful espionage thriller highly enough.

And after that ending, I’m so pleased to learn there is going to be a sequel. I can’t wait to read it!

The debut novel from Mara Timon is a fast-paced espionage thriller about a female spy set in 1943 Lisbon.

I have little to none experience with spy stories, but I love to read one from time to time simply because I enjoy them greatly. That was also the case with "City of Spies", which took me on a great adventure and allowed me to disconnect from the real world for a few hours. It's deeply atmospheric, the characters are full-fleshed and interesting, and the writing style is just on point with the tone of the story. Moreover, I love urban settings in novels, and Lisbon did not disappoint.

By and large, this was a fascinating and thrilling read that kept me at the edge of my seat. A great debut by Timon, to say the least!

Atmospheric, funny, dark and surprising voices I loved this very modern historical fiction. The main character was uniquely relatable and twists and turns will keep you hooked in

Elisabeth de Mornay is an SOE agent working in France during WWII, but when her cover is blown she escapes via Spain and ends up in Lisbon which is supposedly neutral. Her Godfather a diplomat at the British Embassy sets her up with a new cover in order to befriend the German officers who are living in Lisbon to find out what they are up to. A war story with surprising differences, thoroughly enjoyed this book and have already recommended it to a friend.

As I might have mentioned once or twice I’m a huge fan of books set in World War 2 so this book instantly appealed to me. Stories about women working for the resistance are always really interesting and I find it incredible to think of these ordinary people doing such brave work.

The author does a great job of setting the scene in her book and her vivid descriptions helped me imagine what Lisbon was like during the war. It must have been an atmospheric though dangerous place to live and I liked how the author manages to reflect this with the short or incomplete sentences in the first part of this book. I felt this helped build the atmosphere and gave the story an edge to it as you became aware that everyone had secrets and no one could be trusted.

Elizabeth (codename Cecile) is a wonderful main character who I really enjoyed following throughout the book. She was such a brave, together character and I found I wanted to keep reading to find out what she gets up to. Some of the situations she finds herself in were very tense and I found myself reading faster and faster until she was out of danger. I always think it shows great skill to make a reader care about a character like that.

Overall I really enjoyed this interesting read which had plenty of twists and turns to keep me glued to the page. It was fascinating to learn more about wartime Lisbon, especially as it’s a setting I don’t think I’ve read much about before. I’m now very excited to read more from this author in the future.

Huge thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Zaffre for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

How did this book end up in my hands? I was given a digital review copy by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Was it a page-turner? This is certainly a very compelling book and there are so many intriguing characters that – even when tired after a long day – I just wanted to keep going to find out what happened next.

Did the book meet my expectations? I started reading it without too many expectations. While I was interested in both the historical period and the location of the novel, I am not normally a fan of spies and political intrigue. I can now safely say that I am glad I picked this up as it both entertained me and gave me new knowledge. Surely there will be a sequel though? I am all for open endings but the last paragraph left me wanting a little more closure. Unless, as I’m hoping, there’s more to come!

Three words to describe it. Atmospheric. Well-researched. Fascinating.

Do I like the cover? I love love love the cover. I’m not normally drawn to novels about war and spies so when I read the title I wasn’t sure I wanted to read this at all. Then I saw the cover and there was no going back!

Have I read any other books by the same author? This is the author’s debut novel and I will make sure I keep an eye on what comes next.

Mara Timon’s debut novel is one of intrigue and espionage in World War II. With little preamble, we are thrust straight into the action as, betrayed to the Gestapo in Paris, our heroine goes on the run. Following a thrilling escape through the French countryside to the coast, Elizabeth arrives in Lisbon, a city whose neutrality means that British and German agents mix with French refugees and locals, where the war is fought in the shadows, kidnappings and assassinations a daily event. Working undercover for her godfather, an English ‘diplomat’, Elizabeth finds herself entering this society, where anyone might be an enemy or an ally, where she will need all her training and guile just to survive. The core of the novel is tense and claustrophobic as Elizabeth , alias mysterious French widow, Solange Verin, tries to find those responsible for betraying Allied ships to the Nazis, only to explode into a breathtaking climax as she confronts the enemy.

CITY OF SPIES is a “Girls Own’ thriller, an adventure set against the complex and confusing theatre that is wartime Portugal. I was unfamiliar with events in Lisbon during the war but Mara Timon vividly brings the city to life. The espionage is much more towards the Fleming end of the spectrum than the Le Carre, and none the worse for that, but this is a fresh take on the genre, glamorous, romantic and exciting.

An excellent debut. This is a highly entertaining, fast paced and action packed spy thriller that kept me hooked.
I loved the well thought characters, the well researched historical background, the solid and tightly knitted plot.
I can't wait to read another book by this author.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I am totally bowled over with this story, it is courageous, emotional and brings out the best and worst of people on both sides of the second world war.

Elisabeth de Mornay is working for the British Secret Service in Europe in 1944 when she has to flee. She isn’t a woman that easily blends in society being five ten inches tall and strikingly attractive but she works her assets to her advantage when ever she can. She is the most likeable of characters so I had an instant connection to her which made the story even more intense. She puts herself into situations that she feels will make a difference to the war. Her personal connections are to some pretty high ranking officials from the British side, which could endanger her even more, if they were to be discovered.

I literally read this book cover to cover in one sitting and the world just had to carry on without me. From opening the book it was tense, daring and exciting. She is a people person who is brilliant at the roles she plays but her emotions are for real. I loved how the characters were brought to life, some that raised the hairs on the back of my neck in terror, while others I swooned over.

I really loved that the author created her characters as people, not divided on different sides of the war not making them good or bad because of where they had been born. This is one of the best best of this type of story that I have read. It felt real. Oh wow! there had better be a follow up to this, I have been left with an OMG feeling that really needs a fix very soon! Awesome, give me more!

The stunning debut from the new name to watch in espionage thrillers. City of Spies is set in neutral Lisbon, Portugal, in 1943 and follows Special Operations Executive (SOE) agent Elisabeth de Mornay, codename Cecile. When her cover is blown, she must flee Paris leaving Nazi-occupied France behind her. She receives new orders: despite being hounded by the Gestapo and bad luck she must infiltrate high society in neutral Lisbon and find out who is leaking key information to the Germans about British troop movements. As Solange Verin, a French widow of independent means, she will be able to meet all the rich Europeans who have gathered in Lisbon to wait out the war. One of them is a traitor, and she must find out who before more British servicemen die. Complications arise when 'Solange' comes to the attention of German Abwehr officer Major Eduard Graf. As they get to know each other, she struggles to keep her lies close to the truth. But in a city that is filled with spies, and with no one being who they claim to be, how can she tell who is friend or foe?

Mara's superb debut novel is a potent mix of fact and fiction and the importance of Lisbon to both the Allies and the Germans is conveyed by the sheer number of spies present in the city at the time, making Elizabeth's mission all the more dangerous. The tension was palpable throughout and the disquieting feeling of never knowing who can be trusted really gets under your skin and into your psyche. There is plenty of intrigue and the twists and turns of the plot are beautifully executed. For a debut, this is an accomplished work of historical fiction and hints at what we readers can expect from Timon in her future publications. Elizabeth is a great protagonist who is intelligent, bold and holds her own in a world dominated by men. What she holds in her heart means she fearlessly applies herself to do whatever it may take to halt the plans of the Nazi regime. Overall, an absorbing, entertaining and interesting read. Many thanks to Bonnier Zaffre for an ARC.

Wow! This is an action packed, fast paced spy thriller and I loved every second of it. With an amazing feisty female protagonist, this book will put you in the heart of Lisbon during WWII and will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Elisabeth is such a brilliant character. I loved everything about her. She’s brave but has a vulnerable side, she will do whatever it takes for the people she cares about and for her country, and she really does put herself into some dangerous situations. I connected with her from the very beginning, and enjoyed every heart stopping moment that she took me on. But it’s not just her – the other characters in this are all brilliant too. I don’t want to say too much about any of them because I want you to experience the full intrigue when you read this, but just know that you will love so many of them, and detest more than a few!

The fact that this is set in neutral Lisbon was eye opening and brilliant. You’d think a neutral country would be exactly that – neutral…..but there is so much more that goes on behind the scenes, and Lisbon was the perfect setting for the City of Spies. Timon, having been to Lisbon, does a wonderful job of immersing you into the glamorous City and fully submerges you into the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed her writing style, told from Elisabeth’s point of view. It was easy and enjoyable to read, and the style easily made me feel like I was in the 1940’s. The action is incredible – there is always something going on, whether that’s a full on fight or Elisabeth off investigating and finding information. You honestly won’t want to put this down for a minute. And the ending……I literally had a ‘what!’ moment and didn’t want it to end. I’m just so happy there will be another book so I can catch up with this amazing heroine.

And finally, the other thing worth noting, and I found added a fantastic amount of added value, was the character list at the beginning of the story which tells you which characters are historically accurate; as well as the historical notes at the end which fills the reader in on what really did happen. If you’re a history fan like me, this made such a difference.

Overall, an absolutely stunning and intense debut. If you’re looking for your next action packed thriller/spy thriller/historical fiction novel then you need to check this out. I promise you won’t be disappointed. 100% recommended by me – I can’t wait to read the next one!