The Last Secret Agent: The Extraordinary Story of a WW2 Spy in Her Own Words is a captivating and deeply moving memoir of Pippa Latour’s life as one of the rare female Special Operations Executive agents during World War II. Her courage and resilience shine in every chapter as she recounts her perilous missions in occupied France, where she risked her life to gather and transmit vital intelligence to aid the Allied war effort.

What sets this book apart is its unvarnished honesty. Pippa doesn’t shy away from admitting her mistakes, which only adds to the authenticity of her story. Her account is equal parts gripping and humbling, a raw depiction of the sacrifices made and the constant danger faced. From close calls with the Gestapo to acts of humanity amidst the chaos of war, her narrative captures the full spectrum of her wartime experiences.

Equally fascinating is the revelation that Pippa kept her wartime heroics a secret for decades, only sharing her story at the age of 101. This lends a reflective depth to the memoir, as if we are sitting with her, hearing the wisdom of a life lived with extraordinary purpose.

My only slight critique is that at times, the pacing lags in detailing her pre-war years, but this is a minor quibble in an otherwise remarkable book.

A must-read for history enthusiasts, *The Last Secret Agent* is an unforgettable tribute to the unsung heroines of the war. I closed the book feeling inspired and profoundly grateful for the bravery of women like Pippa Latour.

4.5 stars rounded up

Unforgettable story which presented by a great narrator. I enjoyed the story with this wonderful intonation and perfect pace. I was totally into this audiobook at the beginning. A book that you should not miss if you would love to know more about ww2.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for my copy.

The Last Secret Agent tells the story of world war 2 veteran Pippa Latour in her own voice. She takes us through her early life and childhood, up to the end of the war. It is a detail rich description with both the emotions and facts of war from someone who served as a spy.


Books like this is so important. We get a glimpse of the life of a spy in a warzone, while it's also helping to fill the gap on women's history. It tells a lot about what "normal" days looked like during the war, the methods that were used to share information, and the peoplw who fought in the resistance. A very fascinating read, with a great narrator that I felt conveyed her voice in a respectful manner.

This was an absolutely fantastic audiobook, both in terms of the narrative and the narration. I was captivated from start to finish and Pippa Latour‘s life story is one which I feel everyone should read. The narration is clear with good intonation, I really enjoyed listening to it and found it easy to follow and focus on the narrative. I can’t recommend this enough!

Orphaned at a young age, Pippa Latour was raised by various , aunts and uncles in Southern Africa, ending up in France as a teen and moving to England at start of WW2. After joining the Women's Auxiliary Air Force in 1941, she was trained as a secret agent and dropped into Normandy in Spring 1944, where she was instrumental in passing on information in the lead up to D-Day.
This was an extremely interesting history of a truly remarkable woman. The story is put forward in a very straightforward manner. Pippa was very clear at beginning of the book that she wanted the truth about her life to be told. I was initially sceptical about how "true" a memoir could be 80 years after the events, but the story is told in a very pragmatic way and feels authentic throughout.
The narrator Jilly Bond was very good and really breathed life into the story. She was also very English and this did irk me a bit as I didn't think Pippa would have talked like that, I could be wrong of course but trying to work out what accent Pippa would have had distracted me quite a bit. There was also a couple times things were repeated (although in fairness I did listen to book quite quickly, if I'd been reading it , the repetition may have been welcome) .
It would have also been nice to know a bit more about Pippa's life after France , but I guess it was Pippa's choice to end the memoir there.
I have given book 4 stars , I really enjoyed this book and hope as many people as possible share Pippa's story.

This is the most amazing story of a remarkable woman. From her childhood in Africa, to in her early 20s, being parachuted into France as a covert radio operator, and being one of the last secret agents to make it out alive after the liberation, this is truly an awe inspiring story. Using wireless sets hidden around the French countryside, Pippa, code name Genevieve sent hundreds of messages with information on the German troops, and precise locations for the allies to bomb. She had many close calls where she was in danger of being caught but her quick thinking and being able to pass as 14 and act appropriately helped her on many occasions.
She died in New Zealand aged 102 with her past kept mostly secret until her sons happened upon an article about Pippa Latour and asked if it was her, she was by then in her 80s
I wish this book was required reading in schools so everyone could learn about her heroism and bravery, and she may never be forgotten.

#TheLastSecretAgent. #NetGalley

This is a truly astonishing account. It will move and amaze in equal measure and it feels like a privilege to have gained even limited insight into the reality of war. We hear so much about the role of men in wars but relate little about the women involved. Pippa Latour was exceptional in every way. In her early upbringing overseas, she suffered a number of personal tragedies. Clearly gifted with a talent for language, it’s difficult to remember she was so young. She was still within her Kate teenage years when she became involved with SOE and her account is truly remarkable.

Few of us have much idea about the role of the SOE. Secretive and subversive, their actions were dangerous and life threatening daily. Thanks to their bravery and subterfuge, numerous plans by the Germans were thwarted or delayed. Pippa Latour recounts events in a very understated way. I was moved to tears a couple of times and this is an important historical document as well as one of the best autobiographies I’ve ever read. I’ve been privileged to both read and listen to the audio version, very ably narrated by Jilly Bond. Her enthusiasm in narration matches many of the events and I listened to it in a couple of sittings.

Pippa Latour’s remarkable memoir is very powerful.

Parachuting into occupied France in World War 2 as a Special Operations Executive agent, risking her life to covertly radio information back to the British. Many didn’t make it back.

The story is recounted honestly, without glamorising or over-dramatising. It serves as an important historical account as well as being a fascinating and very entertaining story. There’s an old age reflective wisdom to it, I felt complete trust in Pippa Latour as a storyteller.

Pippa Latour also makes sure her fallen comrades are remembered.

The audiobook narration is excellent with convincing French pronunciation of names and places.

Very highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and Octopus Audio