A Life in Secrets cover art

A Life in Secrets

Vera Atkins and the Missing Agents of WWII

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A Life in Secrets

By: Sarah Helm
Narrated by: Nicola Barber
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About this listen

From an award-winning journalist comes this real-life cloak-and-dagger tale of Vera Atkins, one of Britain’s premiere secret agents during World War II.

As the head of the French Section of the British Special Operations Executive, Vera Atkins recruited, trained, and mentored special operatives whose job was to organize and arm the resistance in Nazi-occupied France. After the war, Atkins courageously committed herself to a dangerous search for 12 of her most cherished women spies who had gone missing in action. Drawing on previously unavailable sources, Sarah Helm chronicles Atkins’s extraordinary life and her singular journey through the chaos of post-war Europe.

Brimming with intrigue, heroics, honor, and the horrors of war, A Life in Secrets is the story of a grand, elusive woman and a tour de force of investigative journalism.

©2008 Sarah Helm (P)2018 Random House Audio
Freedom & Security Historical Military Presidents & Heads of State Women World War II Espionage France War Holocaust

Critic Reviews

“Brilliant...One can only admire the way that Helm put together all the pieces of the puzzle.” (The Washington Post)

“Fascinating...Compelling...Gripping...A stupendous job of reporting.” (The New York Times)

“Helm's account is a chilling reminder of the ghastliness of WWII.” (Entertainment Weekly)

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What an amazing story

so well written and just when I thought it was wrapping up a whole new path opened up I loved the writing of the horror that was the sww.
one small thing that started to get to me was the narrator is unaware of the correct use of first ie. 1st 2nd 3rd or 4th at the Olympics you would not finish in one and get a gold medal. that's my hill to die on and it won't bother most people and it's no reason why you wouldn't love the brilliant spy tail.

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Extraordinary

Sarah Helm. What an incredible researcher. The story of how she found answers is as compelling as the story of Vera. The readers performance was a delight

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