I absolutely loved the concept of this book as we step back in time to Bletchley Park in WW2. It was really enjoyable to read and full of interesting characters. It was such a fun way to learn more about the history of Bletchley and I would love if this were to be a series. Perfect for fans of Robin Stevens.

I am now finding more and more drawn to certain Middle Grade Historical Novels and I Spy was one of them. I admit it did take me ages to read it but when you end up with not a Kindle Deal and it being the book choice in the Bookbox Subscription I knew that I had to fit it in as soon as I could.

I was not disappointed i also managed to get the audiobook and had such a great time I didn't want the story to end. Robyn, Ned and Mary were such great characters as was having Bletchley Park itself as a character too and I really felt that I was there and that is due to Rhian's fantastic writing. There was so much intrigue, danger and mystery which I ate up. I now have pre-ordered the sequel Hide and Seek and I can't wait to read it.

For all the above reasons I am giving I Spy 4 stars

What a wonderful read, and I’m so happy to have a middle grade book telling the story of Bletchley Park! I loved the spy crew element built on true friendship. Robyn’s connection to nature was heartwarming and the importance of her role in the pigeon loft was so good. The pacing of the book seemed a little off at time and the end wrapped up very quickly but overall and enjoyable read and one I’ll recommend to many!

Robyn is 12 and lives near Bletchley Park. As war breaks out, strange things are happening on the site so she is excited to get the opportunity to work there. She quickly settles into caring for the carrier pigeons but begins to suspect that there are dangerous secrets at Bletchley Park...
Having recently read some books about Bletchley Park during WW2, I was interested to read a book from a child's perspective. I Spy begins in 1939 as war is declared and the park begins operations. This book is aimed at children aged 9-12.
Robyn is determined and feisty. She feels frustrated by her age and her gender so is keen to prove herself. However she is also naive and this makes her vulnerable as she takes risks to find out the truth at Bletchley Park. She is helped by her friends Ned and Mary and together they explore the site looking for clues. I enjoyed the premise of the book but I'm not convinced it is historically accurate as I don't think children were on site and forced to sign the official secrets act.
Robyn shows her gentler side as she cares for the carrier pigeons, yet she is also fiercely protective of them. There is plenty of drama as bombs fall, pigeons are injured, and the children's explorations lead them into danger. I liked the inclusion of real people that worked at Bletchley Park such as Alan Turing and hope the book inspires young people to do more research on WW2 and even visit the museum.
I Spy is an enjoyable children's book with a strong lead character.

Robyn lives with her parents at Bletchley Park, where her father is the chauffeur. When War breaks out and lots more people arrive at the park, it’s clear that something secretive is going on. With her friends, Mary and Ned, they set out to solve the mystery.

Based on historical events, this tries to see events from a child’s perspective. The mystery the children are trying to solve is a bit confused in places and it felt as though the story wandered at times. I expected to find out what went on at Bletchley Park during the war but this isn’t really touched on in the story.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Many a take has been told about the code-breaking at Bletchley during world war 2, but few aimed at children, told through the eyes of a child. But it is not the enigma that is at the heart of this novel, and Alan Turing only makes a brief cameo. Instead, we follow Robyn, who has lived on the estate her whole life, and who is navigating the changes that the war had brought. She is given a position in the pigeon lofts, and so we learn a little about the role of carrier pigeons during the war. Robyn also has her eyes out to figure out who is the spy at Bletchley. It was an enjoyable read although I found the slight time jump after every chapter could be a little jarring.
After reading this, I really want to visit Bletchley Park and see it for myself.

In a market full of WWII stories for children, this was something really different and original that had me hooked throughout.

Set at Bletchley Park at the start of WWII, Robyn lives with her Mum and Dad who work on the park. As the war starts, there's lots going on with more and more people arriving and buildings being constructed every day. Robyn ends up helping to care for the carrier pigeons who take secret messages behind enemy lines but she's sure something strange is going on and enlists her friends Mary and Ned to help her to investigate.

There was lots of really interesting historical detail - the carrier pigeons, the code breakers, the German bombings - that gives a brief introduction but that you could go and learn more about and it was presented in such a way that you would want to find out more. Robyn was an interesting character - headstrong but always underestimated by adults - and I think children would enjoy reading about her.

Definitely a great book that would complement a topic on WWII well and would be enjoyed by anyone who likes reading about the era.

I had this book on my wish list for quite a while before it came out. When I finally got my hands on it I wasn’t disappointed! Set during World War II, "I Spy" is a captivating and thrilling novel that takes place in Bletchley Park, an important intelligence centre for Britain during the war.

The book follows the story of a young apprentice in the pigeon loft named Robyn, who discovers her talent for espionage while working with the carrier pigeons that are used to deliver important messages. As the war rages on and tensions rise, Robyn finds herself embroiled in a dangerous game of spying and secret missions.

One of the things I loved about this book was how it seamlessly weaves historical events and information into the story, making it an engaging and educational read. The author does an excellent job of capturing the atmosphere and setting of Bletchley Park during the war, immersing readers in the time period and making them feel as though they are right there alongside the characters.

Robyn is a fantastic protagonist who is brave, resourceful, and relatable, and readers will find themselves rooting for her throughout the book. The plot is well-paced and full of unexpected twists and turns, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.

Overall, "I Spy" is a must-read for any young reader interested in World War II history, espionage, and adventure. It is a wonderful book that both educates and entertains, and I am sure it will soon become a favourite in our school library.

A lovely WW2 book, which I’d definitely read to my Year 6 class. The characters were very believable and relatable to children.

This is a good adventure story which I would have loved reading as a youngster. Robyn is just 13 years old and she lives on site at Bletchley Park. As it's all very 'hush hush' she isn't allowed to leave to go to school, so she's taken on as an apprentice, looking after the messenger pigeons, or doves as she prefers to call them. She's sure that there's something nefarious going on at BP and is determined to find out what it is.
Thank you Piccadilly Press for giving me the opportunity to read this one, sending me a free digital copy of the book via Netgalley.

I rate it 3.75-4. This is the first of Rhian Tracey’s work that I’ve come across. My follower would know I really do struggle with historical fiction, not enough to put me off that genre completely though. I love the illustration on the cover, love the map on the inside, and the pigeon at the start of each chapter. I also love reading about world wars, I used to enjoy it a lot back in Malaysia, reading it in my mother tongue which is mandarin. I guess although I’m interested in reading about the world war through another point of view, it is more difficult to relate personally therefore there are times where I struggled through this chapter. I found the mystery and the thrill didn’t disappoint, the friendship, the plots were good. However I do feel there were some disconnect between end of a chapter and beginning of the next, somehow it just make me feel like I am having flights of ideas. Perhaps it is the author’s way of describing a 14 year old’s thought process in those difficult times. I do not regret reading this book and when the next is up, I will still want to read it. Thank you for this advanced review copy.

This was such a fun read! Robyn is not your typical girl and when war comes to Bletchley Park she finds herself involved in doing her bit. Robyn is forcibly recruited to look after carrier pigeons. However, never one to rest on her laurels she is sure that there is someone at Bletchley Park who is a traitor and is trying to undermine the combined war efforts. With her friends, Mary and Ned, Robyn decides to investigate...

I like this book because it is a different take on the World War themes which is so prevalent in children's books. There is very little actual warfare, but more an emphasis on collaboration and planning. I like that the Official Secrets Act is invoked, to raise awareness of just how strict rules and laws were at the time. I don't ever recall books set at Bletchley Park before, considering that it was such an important place, I think this title is long overdue! This book goes some way to restore the balance of the genders and their contributions to the war effort, but can go even further. I am hopeful that there will be further titles that will address this.

Well written, with good humour and important factual information, this would make a great class reader, or even the basis of a unit of work. I think able children in Year 4 upwards would enjoy this. I can't wait to get a copy on our library shelves.

This was a Rollercoaster of a Children's Historical Spy Thiller from Start to Finish, Highly Recommended!
(Thanks to Net Galley for this Book).

It is no mean feat to come up with a new angle on World War 2 historical fiction for Middle Graders, but Rhian Tracey has done just that. Her scene is set at Bletchley Park, home to the Enigma code breakers for the duration of the war. We see the transformation of the Park from stately home to military operation through the eyes of Robyn Lewis, an inquisitive, nature loving heroine, daughter to the park's former chauffeur. Robyn endures the changes to family life, and then her own day to day existence, that come her way, and Tracey deals with these changes with a sensitivity which encourages real empathy in the reader for all children who lived through the beginning of the war and its catastrophic effects on families and children across Britain.

I really enjoyed the beginning of the book, especially the touches of nature writing, which the author has a real flare for. However, as the book went on, and the mystery element of the novel gathered pace, I felt that the writing became rushed and I struggled to follow the logic of the children in pursuing their various courses of action. Perhaps this is the point the author is trying to make - that the world of Bletchley seen through the eyes of children was confusing and impossible to make sense of, especially given the fear induced by the imperative of the Official Secrets Act that the children are made to sign - but if this is the case it could have been more clearly executed.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and thought it was original in its content - having never read about the role of carrier pigeons in World War 2 before -,but wish it had carried the promise of the writing quality from the outset right through to the end of the story.

I would recommend this book as a great class read for any Key Stage 2 group studying World War 2. It is a good length, has chapters which would fit well into lessons and lots of cameos and events which could link to a range of English topics.
The book follows the story of Robyn, who lives in the grounds of Bletchley Park with her parents, as war breaks out. It really tracks the changes she faces as the place is taken over by the war machine.
I really wanted to love this book, and there were parts of it I did very much enjoy. The ending was an unexpected twist, the relationship between Robyn and her boss and also her relationship with Joy were warm and interesting. I am also interested to follow Mary’s journey after the conclusion of this story - I just wasn’t very interested in the main mystery of the story involving the heron, however, I do think this book would be enjoyed by the target audience of 9-11 year olds and would be a good read for them.

I'll start by saying that clearly I'm not the target audience for this book, so I've rated it higher than I normally would, trying to take my own perspective out of it. (This is not one I would recommend to my adult followers or friends.) I think this is going to be a good book for a younger audience as it is full of thrills, mystery, and friendship.

Based at Bletchley Park during World War II, we follow a young girl and her friends as they try to unravel the secrets of Bletchley. They've been told partly what is happening on-site but they still feel like the adults are lying to them about something. This is all happening with the backdrop of the senseless actions during the war and the children trying to make sense of that too.

I think younger me would have liked this. And it's very cool to learn about Bletchley, Turing, code breaking, etc. through this story.

What I will say is that sometimes I found the plot fragmented and I felt at a loss as to why new chapters completely glossed over what was being set up in the previous chapter. The time jumps didn't help. That said, because so little time passed through this book (basically about a year), it would make me keen to pick up hopefully follow-up books about what happens to these kids later in and after the war.

Rhian Tracey is not an author we have come across before but we loved this very atmospheric book. A mix of history, mystery and adventure all melded together beautifully. Suitable for all of the family to read together and a great discussion starter.

I love children’s books based in WWII. It’s a period in history that children study at a fairly young age and is recent enough that it is still very accessible for them. This book takes a very different angle - being based in Bletchley and not from the more common evacuee angle. It is a brilliant story, with likeable, relatable characters and story that keeps you on the edge all the way through. Fabulous idea and very well executed.

There is always a sense of awe and mystery when the words Bletchley Park are mentioned. While those who worked there in the past are able to discuss things more freely, signing the Official Secrets Act was a huge responsibility at the time. Guarding close secrets, locations and codes was of the utmost Importance. Robyn lives at Bletchley Park with her parents and when the war begins, she is given the chance to be an apprentice to Mr Samuels, a lovely man who cares for the carrier pigeons.

Robyn has met an onerous man, whom she has nicknamed The Heron for his tall thin stature. She is sure he is up to no good and intends to spy on him every chance she gets. She has also enlisted the help of her best friend Mary and new friend Ned. In a place where secrets are secure, this wom’t be an easy task but Robyn is a determined and spontaneous sort.

This is a page turner in terms of the action and knowledge of just how important BP was to winning the war. Robyn finds hers feet and a sense of peace with the pigeons. She learns to care for them and feels a range of emotions when nature inevitably takes its course.

I enjoyed my visit to BP and admit to having never been to the real site. So perhaps a trip is in order!

A great story that will tie in to World War 2 topics. Nice to have the setting of Bletchley Park. We are introduced to Robyn and her friends as the second world war begins.