I read this in two sittings - I wanted to know how it ended without being wholly convinced by it!

The premise is the desire to exploit Hitler’s belief in the occult - and to do so the secret service employs a group of civilians with talents in magic and the occult to help save the country from potential invasion.

Daphne Devine and Jonty Trevelyan, the Great Mystique, become part of this group and are trained up to be part of a grand illusion to persuade Hitler to turn his attention east in the summer of 1940.

I enjoyed reading about the misfits and their audacious plans and was cheering Daphne on throughout.

Slow paced at times but an interesting premise.

***advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
Something of a disappointing read for me, although there are elements which are well done & quite interesting.
I enjoyed the details around camouflage and misdirection, which of course were used in the war, although the narrative felt like it picked up that thread and then parked it for ages before it became vaguely relevant again. I will say when it did become relevant to the story it was a highlight of the story.
I found the main character somewhat flat and not very well rounded, and the pace (and indeed plot) didn’t seem to pick up until well into the second half of the book. Whilst everything about her backstory is ultimately utilised - her contortion and magic trick background, her ancestry, all come into play at certain points - she felt a bit too specific to the plot to feel like a real person.
I also felt there were a number of questions left unanswered - some of this may be explained by this being the first of a trilogy, but some I think may simply be the result of poor plotting.

The book is a fictional take on a potential plan to scare Hitler off and change the course of events. Set in the Summer of 1940, the story follows Daphne Devine and her employee Jonty 'The Grand Mystique'. They are enlisted into a secret mission to help win the war. The duo find themselves in training, and then hidden away and asked to come up with a grand illusion to foil the German troops. The plan is to get them thinking an Occult rituals has worked and has given them great power.
Daphne, finds her strength and grows as a person throughout the story and she is an easy character to get behind and I'm definitely a fan.
I love Syd Moore's books, I've read the all so I may be biased, but I loved this one. It was original and fun. It's so well written and so easy to read the words and story just flow so well. they grab you from page one. I needed to know what happened next. Moore has a unique was of folding in the fact with fiction, it is so well researched and I always end up with a list of extra reading after I've finished and this was no exception. I find a lot of historical fiction is very loose with the facts these days, but not Syd Moore. I would honestly recommend everything this author writes. Read it all now please!

June 1940 & Daphne Devine is working as assistant to stage magician Jonty Trevelyan, aka the Grand Mystique. One evening they are called to a hush-hush meeting with the secret service who ask them to join the war effort. They wish to exploit Hitler's belief in the occult & halt his planned invasion of Britain (Operation Sea Lion) by means of deception & misdirection.

Loosely based on the planned but hastily called off invasion of Britain by the Germany army, this sounded really interesting. The first chapter was definitely intriguing as the reader is dropped headlong into the clandestine meeting between Jonty, Daphne, & the secret service. Unfortunately after that things slowed down a bit & for such an interesting subject, it took an age to actually get going again as Jonty & Daphne went from one place to another without much actually happening.

I liked the camaraderie between the different groups of women, i.e. the lumberjills & Daphne. The book also deftly showed the divide that still existed between the sexes where the women weren't allowed to be seated to eat before all the men had finished, & that they were still treated with disdain by some men. Even in the midst of war, women were expected to maintain a glamorous look as "beauty is your duty."

Overall, although the plot itself was nicely done, it was quite slow paced for most of the book & the ending was quite abrupt. It seems that there may be more books to come but I am undecided as to whether to read the next.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Oneworld Publishers/Magpie, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

It was good to read a different take on a World War Two story. Set in 1940 when the British were dreading a Nazi invasion, this is the story of one of the efforts to plan ahead and disrupt the Germans.
Daphne is a magician’s assistant who has been enlisted into a secret and daring plan to stop Hilter’s efforts to cross the channel and win the war
It is well researched and opened my mind to the creative and almost unbelievable efforts applied on the home front. It was also the heartwarming story of a girl, living in wartime, worried about her family and friends, and hoping for romance.
It would make a good book club read with lots to discuss and research.
I have never read Syd Moore before, but would definitely read her again.

I enjoyed the story and especially enjoyed the main character. Overall it just took a while for the momentum to gather and I felt a bit lost at first. About 100 pages in I was more hooked and invested in the story.

It was going to take a lot for me to forgive this not being the next Rosie Strange book but then I discovered it’s about her grandparents and their adventures during The War so hope floats eternal. Young Daphne Devine is taking to the stage each night as a glamorous assistant to magician Jonty Trevelyan who is talent scouted by a secret department of the War Office who are recruiting occultists, surrealist and any eccentric willing to risk all for their country and avert German Invasion. So nothing major. Overall I did enjoy this book but it’s told in third person narrative which so I didn’t particularly get a huge sense who Daphne was. There’s a lot of operational exposition and if you’ve read the Rosie Strange books you know future events so I didn’t feel fully invested in Daphne. It is fun and entertaining and gives a different slant to events of World War II.

This book is absorbing and the dazzling Daphne Devine is brave, resourceful and exciting, you'll love her!

The writing is very good, the topic well researched and the pace thrilling. Syd Moore has created a splendid read that I couldn't put down.

Daphne is a magicians assistant to Jonty, the 'Great Mystique', and has been performing every night in London as the war rages on, that is until she receives a call from the Secret Service, pulling her into a dangerous and daring plan to exploit Hitler's belief in the occult.

What an absolute cracker of a book! I loved The Grand Illusion. A wonderful mix of theatrical magic, espionage, illusion and a new heroine Daphne Devine who I will defiant to read more about. Thank you to Oneworld and Netgally for letting me read this. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I believe this is the first in a new series, I certainly hope so. It is June 1940 and the German Forces have blitzed through Europe and are at the French beaches. Dunkirk has been and gone and Britain knows they are next in line. In London Daphne Devine is working as an assistant to magician Jonty Trevelyan, aka The Grande Mystique. Really well written with a spellbinding plot - pun intended!

Briefly, Daphne and Jonty find themselves, alongside a strange group of people all professing unusual gifts, summoned to a mysterious room under Wormwood Scrubs prison where they learn of a plan to thwart Hitler by using the forces of occultism. The British know the German High Command strongly believe in the occult and plan to use it against them. So Daphne finds herself on a strange and dangerous mission in Southern England. In the process she learns a lot about herself and her capabilities.

I loved how easily an illusion can appear to be something darker. The historical aspects of this were fascinating, clearly well researched and it was great how fact was interwoven with fiction to make a compelling read. Daphne is a great character, full of get up and go, courageous and determined and I’m looking forward to reading more about her. A very entertaining read.

Daphne, the magician's assistant to Jonty, the Great Mystique, finds herself performing every night amidst the backdrop of war. However, her routine is interrupted when she receives a call from the war office, drawing her into a daring plan to exploit Hitler's suspected beliefs regarding the occult.

The novel weaves together intelligent storylines that straddle the line between reality and fantasy, offering a captivating read that is both thought-provoking and engaging. With its blend of intrigue and historical elements, this is a novel that will keep readers hooked from start to finish. A truly satisfying read that offers just the right balance of believability and imagination.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

Historical fiction inspired by the war office response to the Nazi obsession with the occult.

Daphne Devine is an assistant to stage magician Jonty Trevelyan, aka The Grand Mystique, working and living in London. It’s June 1940 and World War Two is in full swing but the last thing Daphne expected was for the Secret Service to call for her and Jonty’s assistance.
A hidden department has been set up with the sole purpose of exploiting the knowledge that Hitler has a belief in the occult, hoping to turn this into an advantage.

This was such a good read with an intriguing story. Slightly slower paced but still choked full of interesting characters and a compelling story. I personally found some of the occult and science side of the illusion a little bit confusing, and I did find myself wondering exactly where the story telling was leading, but the narrative kept me reading and my curiosity high.
Daphne is a strong, sassy, independent female who takes no s*** from anyone and finds herself in very dangerous situations.

I look forward to continuing this series and seeing how it develops.

Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley.

Generally, I enjoy this genre and I started off enjoying The Grand Illusion too. From prologue through chapter 4 it had me wanting more as the book had me hooked. Then I fell off the hook and my enthusiasm plunged from 5 Star to 3 because, for me, the plot had lost its edge.

There is so much out there to read that I shall not be looking for book 2.

I would like to start this review by saying thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced reader copy of The Grand Illusion.

I love all of Syd’s books and this will be added to my collection upon its release.

The characters are interesting and Daphne is a brilliant strong female character.

The plot is well written and a lot of research has been done to bring us this book which is evident when reading because it gives us in my opinion one of the best insights into World War ll

I have always loved Syd’s writing style, I am always kept interested. I felt like I travelled back to the war while reading this. The writing itself was steadily paced throughout the book and was very descriptive and informative

I am looking forward to the next instalment

I love Syd Moore's writing and I have read all of her novels. This new book is the first of what I hope will be a series featuring the wonderful Daphne Devine. What an amazing strong female character. I genuinely had no idea that the UK government even had an occult section during WW2 or that the Nazi's were obsessed with it. Superb descriptions of the scenery, people and events, which is a hallmark of Syd's writing. I have met the author on a couple of occasions. Not only is she super interesting to listen to about the subjects that inspire her writing, but she also describes how much research she does for each of her novels. You know with a Syd Moore that every fact has been thoroughly researched and double checked for it's authenticity. I'm looking forward to finding out what Daphne's next adventures will be.

What an amazing book. Daphne Devine certainly lives up to her name, I just loved her. The plot is exciting and fast paced. This would make a great movie. We need more Daphne Devine in our lives.

I’m a sucker for a wartime themed story and one that’s shrouded in magic and espionage? Massive yes please, you have ticked my boxes.

And as I continued reading, they continued ticking my list - interesting characters, a compelling story and a great narrative. At times I did wonder where the story was going and what it was trying to achieve as I was a bit confused with the joining of the occult with the precise science of illusion but it still absolutely held me and I was hooked.

It had vibes of ‘The War Machine’ a non fiction book (that read like fiction) on illusionists and magicians during the war which deepened my interest seeing it in a fictional capacity as the main premise itself is just so interesting. You wouldn’t have thought illusionist tricks could have legitimately been used during wartime but it was, and it worked and it certainly makes for a great story. I need more!

It’s set foundations to be a great series and I can’t wait to see where it will go and how it’ll develop. After the ending, I’m intrigued.

The way one looks is just a happy accident, or an unhappy one. How one performs –well, that is a different matter."

June 1940.
Daphne Devine is a stage assistant to the Grand Mystique, aka Jonty Travelyn. They perform their show every night as World War Two rages on around them until the secret service call.

There is now only one goal to avert the invasion of Britain. Daphine Devine must risk everything to save her country.

Daphine Devines character was just devine! This was a great read based around World War Two and occultism with a great mix of characters.I will be looking to pick up more books by Syd Moore.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers @oneworldpublications for the digital copy.

Holy moley this book smashed it out of the park and into the stratosphere! Utterly brilliant!

Ok, now I have the initial reaction out of the way, the book review. The writing is on point, the topic well researched and the pace scorching! Syd Moore has created an outstandingly good read that I utterly devoured!

Oh Daphne Devine, you are a one and an ideal heroine! Embodying the type of spirit that won the war

Daphne is a magicians assistant to Jonty, the Great Mystique, and she performs every night as the war rages on, that is until she receives a call from the war office, pulling her into a daring plan to exploit Hitlers suspected beliefs regarding the occult
The storylines are intelligent yet just unbelievable enough to be believable. A really good novel to get your teeth into!

Thank you to Netgalley, Oneworld Publications, Magpie ad the author Syd More for this screamingly good adventure arc! My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

A wonderful tale of the second World War and occultism. I particularly liked how the characters are described from the beginning, highly recommended.