Mother daughter traitor by Susan Elia MacNeal is a WWII novel of which I’ve read so many, but this is a new story in a new location. The book starts in New York and then lands in Los Angeles in 1940. Veronica Grace, a very promising national award winning journalism major has just graduated from college and intended to take a job with a prominent magazine, Mademoiselle. But when Betsy Blackwell, the legendary editor in chief of the magazine learned of Veronica’s affair, she invoked the moral clause in Veronica’s contract and then withdrew the offer of a job. Veronica’s affair with a prominent man led to getting blackballed from any real journalistic jobs in New York. Max Applebaum’s wife was the daughter of one of the titans of New York City publishing. She was faced with a tough decision and she chose to move to LA, along with her widowed mother. Veronica made the move without having prearranged employment. Her mother was also a beautiful blond and the daughter of German immigrants. They were not left with much of an estate from Veronica’s deceased father, so the women both needed to find employment.

With the war already starting in Europe, there was much talk about world affairs, and it was established early in the novel that there were many German agents throughout the U.S. who were looking for ways to support Germany and Hitler in the war effort. As the daughter of immigrants, both Veronica’s mother, Violet “Vi,” looked German, spoke German, and lived in a German community in New York City. It was Vi’s brother that offered them one of his houses in Santa Monica.

Despite their connection to the German community, Veronica and Vi were not friends of Hitler. Rather, they were quite upset about the anti-democratic events that they knew were happening. Some of Veronica’s undergraduate writings were specifically anti-Nazi pieces. Meanwhile, the FBI agents in LA were tracking pro-Nazi events there, and early in the book, one of their agents was murdered when his true purpose was discovered by the Nazi sympathizers.

With that setup, this is a story about Veronica and Vi stumbling into a group of Germans in LA, some of whom were active in the pro-Nazi movement. Being desperate to find work, Veronica volunteered her typing skills to a German businessman who she only later discovered was the source of hateful anti-Jew propaganda. She needed the work but was ready to quit the job because of the content this organization was putting forward. However, Veronica and Vi were then encouraged by the FBI to continue to be infiltrators and informants. That’s what the story was about as the protagonist and their mother began to move in the Nazi circles where they gathered information to pass along to the FBI. While being fully aware of the danger they were in if discovered, they chose to continue this work. When they passed along some data that led to the interruption of planned pro-Nazi activities, the leaders became suspicious that there was a mole in their midst and suddenly Veronica and Vi became suspects of being the moles.

I thought the novel offered a new look at terrorism at home, and considering the civil unrest that was the goal of the Nazis, much of this sounded similar to some of the anti-democratic news reports that are currently occurring in the U.S.

This is an eye opening read! So much attention is given to the action overseas during WWII. But what was happening on American soil? Yes, Nazis were alive and well, planning a take over of America if possible. Even the famed Charles Lindbergh promoted Hitler’s ideology.
American spies and law enforcement did work to keep us safe.
This story is a fascinating tale of a mother and daughter, living in Southern California, who helped expose the Nazi plans in the West Coast. There is a little language throughout the book.

“Mother Daughter Traitor Spy” is a historical fiction book by Susan Elia MacNeal. This book is a fictionalized account of a mother-daughter spy team pre-America’s entry into WWII regarding the rise of Nazism in the US.

If I could give Ms. MacNeal a rating just on her use of historical information, I’d give her five stars. She lists her sources in the back of this book - and includes a who is based upon who description again at the end of the book. I found these two bits of information to be excellent sources of information.

The Pros:

The detail depth - I found the information about both the Nazi group(s) in the US and the undercover aspects fascinating. Things tied together nicely and coherently. It was obvious that Ms. MacNeal had done her work.

The humor - the nuggets of humor dropped into asides, especially between Jonah and Victoria, I found amusing. The conversations between those two characters felt real and their humor played well off of each other - even when it wasn’t intended.

The overall idea - I liked the idea of this book. Between the horror of the mother-daughter team at what they accidentally stumbled into, the frustration with the local police (and FBI) regarding what was going on, and even how Vi and Victoria infiltrated into the Nazi group … even if it was based upon what really happened, it was still extremely interesting.

The Cons:

This book just didn’t hold my attention - I think it was the writing style, but I found myself skimming a lot of this book. I found myself disinterested and the pacing was an issue. I also found some of the situations amazingly questionable - regarding how quickly the investigative group accepted them.

The names - While Violet and Victoria are not similar names, at times I had issues keeping them apart. It’s minor, but since the original women had names not beginning with the same letter, I wish that Ms. MacNeal had followed suit in that regard.

All in all, I would say that if learning more about Nazism in the US right before the US entered WWII is of interest to you, this book may be of interest to you.

I am a fan of Susan Elia MacNeal's Maggie Hope series. I have come to expect outstanding research, great stories and well-developed characters from this author. Mother Daughter Traitor Spy met these expectation and much more. The author presents a story based on a real-life mother-daughter duo who went undercover to spy on American Nazi activities in 1940s Los Angeles. And while there is little personal information on the real life duo, the author has realistically fleshed out her fictional representation of them. Likewise, she has changed names of other real persons who were part of the events yet used the researched facts to fully develop her fictional version of them.

I hesitate to reveal more of the story because each reader should have the opportunity to experience the jaw-dropping tale first hand. I could not put this book down. I wanted to know how much fact and how much fiction Susan Elia MacNeal mixed together. Her notes at the end of the book answered my curiosity and left me stunned. Also her list of research sources is lengthy and a great asset for anyone who wants to further pursue the true story. Truth is indeed stranger than fiction as this stand alone novel proves. Well done Ms MacNeal!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for the uncorrected ebook.

I have mixed feelings about this one, it was well researched and interesting, a part of US history that isn' t talked about much and is happening now as well. The main characters though felt so naive. I would have liked more character development. a the conflicts of working undercover and being so involved with these people , having sympathy for them as well as disgust and the danger involved, were explored but it needed more emphasis. It is based on real life people, a mother and daughter in the beginnings of WWll

Wow, what a blockbuster of a novel, with the storyline based in historical, nefarious German-American Bund and Nazi-supportive activities on the West Coast in 1940-41.! Although I greatly enjoyed two of the author’s Maggie Hope series novels, Mother Daughter Traitor Spy was in a class apart, a spectacularly exciting read, and I couldn’t wait for each next chapter.

Veronica Grace, recent Hunter College graduate, and her mother Vi, a German-American naval widow, relocate from Brooklyn to the West Coast (Santa Monica) near Vi’s oncologist brother Walter.—after Veronica loses a planned job at Mademoiselle magazine. There the two ladies become involved in the German-American community and by chance, Veronica is employed by high school teacher and Texan Army veteran Donald McDonnell, who runs a small publishing company, is an isolationist, and a Nazi sympathizer involved in Deutsche Haus activities. From him Veronica first hears how the Bund “might do something” if FDR is elected. Vi, on the other hand, becomes involved with German-American wives through her fine embroidery which soon becomes in great demand. She also soon is on the periphery of Nazi activity.

Mother and daughter are appalled at what they are learning and seek out first the police and then FBI, neither of which are very interested or politically able to investigate. At the time, we learn, Hoover’s FBI is singularly focussed on the communist threat. But then through Vi’s late husband’s friend and Naval Intelligence Commander, the two women become intelligence informants and the true rollercoaster narrative begins. It is immersive, engaging, exciting and frightening.

I loved the historical notes the author penned, explaining the historical basis for the major characters, America First movements, isolationism, the Bund, and antisemitic activities. We studied American history in school, certainly, but never did I hear of sabotage planned against US military installations on the West Coast, extensive Bund/Nazi activity there, nor that Charles Lindbergh was so strongly opposed to US involvement in the War and would rather see the US enter on the side of Hitler than England.

This was a fine read, one of the best I’ve ever read, informative, and illuminates a relatively unknown aspect of WWII. My thanks to #NetGalley and #Random House Publishing Group for an advance copy.

This is a great addition from one of my favorite authors. It is a standalone novel about a mother and daughter (Violet and Veronica) who go under cover in L.A. in the early 1940s to infiltrate a Nazi organization and uncover their plans. And it's based on real people and real events. It kept me engaged throughout and I was definitely entertained. This is not the awesomeness that is the Maggie Hope series, but it definitely holds its own. As always, it is very well researched and you actually feel really engaged in the story, as if it were happening now, so there's some extra magic happening there.

I'm a huge fan of the author and was excited to read an advanced copy of this book. I am also a sucker for a WWII novel. Veronica Grace is a graduate of Hunter College in New York and is all set to take a job at Mademoiselle Magazine when an affair she has been having leads to her and her mother's sudden relocation from New York to Los Angeles. Looking for a job, she is referred to a man who needs some typing done and is shocked to find this is a Nazi group operating in California on the brink of the US entrance into the War. She contacts the police and the FBI, but they are more interested in rounding up Communists and have no interest in Nazi activities. But she does make contact with a Jewish group who knows all too well the dangers of this group. She and her mother agree to go undercover and help bring the activities to light. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in drama, historical fiction, and a captivating story.

Mother, Daughter, Traitor, Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal This is a historical fictional espionage novel about a mother and daughter who are caught up in assisting some Jewish investigators gather information on the American/German Nazis and sympathizers in Los Angelis area in 1940. At this time, the FBI were focused on the communist influence and not on the non-interventionalist- American First which included Charles Lindberg. This is an excellent read and I had to continue to remind myself that although a story it is based upon fact! A second point that struck me and Ms. MacNeal includes it as an important part of the story line is that many of these Nazi sympathizers seem like nice people until someone pricks them about Jews, Asians or African Americans. So often the gatherings that are described in this book sound like one step further than I hope the MAGA folk feel today. Ms. MacNeal is a very professional writer who knows how to write a compelling story based upon the success of her 10 book and counting story of Maggie Hope and WW II spying in Britain. I have not yet read any of these books but I may now. This book is far better than an “airport pickup book for a long flight”. I would hope perhaps it might be turned into a streaming movie. The time, location and the story are burned into my mind but it would be a joy to see what a talented director, cast and cinemaphotographer might do.

Thanks to Bantam and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love historical fiction, especially when its on a topic that I do not know a lot about. I have read so many WWII historical fiction novels and do not tire of them. So I was excited when I had the opportunity to read a WWII novel about Nazis in the US during the war and spys that brought them down.

Unfortunately, I side with the minority on this one. There were several parts that were just too far fetched and unbelievable despite being based upon true events. Blacks were not allowed to attend college until the 1950s. There was no character development for the Jewish Lawyer who magically had a network of spies after he immigrated from Germany.

I did like Veronica and Vi as a mother daughter duo, who were willing to put everything at risk. However, I felt like this story moved a little slow, and was unrealistic at times as to how quickly they were brought in, and how long they were able to continue spying without being caught.

This one just did not come together for me.

A well-written and thoroughly researched story about a mother-daughter spy team during WWII. It’s 1940, and Vi and Veronica Grace are looking for a new start in Los Angeles. When Veronica takes a typing job to keep them financially afloat, she is horrified to find that her employer is peddling in disgusting Nazi propaganda. Unable to keep this information to themselves, the women reach out to any authority that will listen – the police, the FBI, and finally Navy intelligence.

All of this set up (and there is a lot of it) is how the women come to the attention of an anti-Nazi spymaster. The women’s blond hair and blue eyes make them perfectly suited to infiltrate local German organizations and gather intel. Once the women start going undercover, the action and danger picks up the pace, leading to a perilous climax.

While this compelling novel is historical fiction, it is based on the real-life experiences of Grace and Sylvia Comfort. The organizations and many of the events depicted are based on things that actually happened. I had no idea that Nazi sympathizers were so prevalent in America – what an eye opener! The parallels between the 1940s and today’s political climate are both fascinating and terrifying, and the author makes sure you can’t miss them.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Not quite sure what to say about this one...I’m sure many readers will love it, with the setting and details of time period. Those were the elements that drew me in for sure. I’ll preface this review by remarking I’m not a huge fan of Ms. MacNeal’s Maggie Hope series, and would not have requested this book had I not been solicited. In doing so. That being said, I did finish the book in a day, found it quite a light read, and was glad to note it did contain a great deal of history I wasn’t familiar with. This story has a very solid body of research supporting it, and I give the author much credit for that. In fact, there was so much history just itching to come out, I’d say the background facts practically wrote their own story. What I can’t offer is a huge amount of praise for the author’s construct of characters - why name the mother/ daughter dou Vi and Veronica? They could have been named any combination that didn’t begin with the same letter, causing the reader to constantly double check character identities. And while I appreciate how complicated it is to create compelling, original characters, I like mine with a bit more complexity and less cliche than what was offered in this text. There were so many times during the reading of this book when I found my eyes glazing over as character after character tossed out platitudes, political screeds and sermons in place of actual believable dialogue. While there were some authentic and even humorous lines, the majority of the character’s interchanges struck me as inauthentic and wooden. Or again, to belabor a point, cliched. The story arc was also an area I’d liked to have seen move faster and further than it did. At some points, the plot just dragged; so much of the same old, same old, but then it came to a walloping conclusion that felt very predictable, yet disappointing all at the same time. I’d actually have appreciated the author put on her “creative writing” hat at this point and given me, the reader, something more than a dangling question mark regarding what happened to Veronica after this one particular episode of her life ended. I read in the author’s notes that there wasn’t much known about the real-life woman Veronica’s character was based on, but that doesn’t mean Ms MacNeal couldn't have projected or extrapolated something more for her than what she’s offered here. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mother Daughter Traitor Spy by Susan Elia McNeal was a great read. I have read many books by this author and I’ve always liked them.

This book is set in California during the 1940s when there were many German spies just looking for the opportunity to harm the United States. The German Bund and other German-oriented organizations had members who were behind Hitler’s regime and who wanted to usher in fascism in the United States.

Veronica Grace has graduated from journalism college and is looking forward to joining a prestigious magazine. Due to an indiscretion on her part, she loses the job before she even starts. She knows that she will never get another job in New York and she and her mother Vi decide to join Vi’s brother in California.

Unknowingly the two women become acquainted with German Nazis who try to recruit the women into their deadly operations. Although Veronica and Vi are hesitant to join these groups and try to let the authorities know of their existence, they are contacted by Los Angeles’ anti-German group. At first, the danger prevents them from going undercover for this group, however, they decide that it is their duty as American citizens to do what they can to protect their country.

This novel was very entertaining and I was on the edge of my seat while reading it. The inherent dangers in the spy game made the reading tense. I was surprised to find that this novel was inspired by actual events and characters who foiled many Nazi plots to harm the United States. I would highly recommend this book because it gives insight into what transpired in the U.s. before and during the war.

The novel tracks pretty closely to the real-life mother/daughter duo that lived in LA in 1940 and spied on a group of American Nazis who were organizing various meetings and propaganda efforts before we officially entered WWII. The two infiltrated the group, taking notes and names and eventually providing the details to the FBI. What is interesting about this story is how many parallels we have with present-day America, and the power of disinformation and hate to polarize and energize the general public. The mother/daughter duo -- who have German heritage -- have various adventures as they try to keep up appearances and convince the Nazis that they are genuine sympathizers, even though they want nothing to do with them.

I know Susan Elie MacNeal has written the very successful Maggie Hope series, but I hadn’t actually read any of her books until now. After reading this, I don’t know why I haven’t picked them up yet!

This stand alone is based on real life people and follows a mother and daughter, Vi and Veronica, in the months prior to Pearl Harbor and the US entrance into WWII. When Veronica, a journalist based in New York, ends up jobless she and her mother relocate to Los Angeles. She applies for a job at a newsletter which seems innocent enough, but it turns out that means working for the American Nazi leader. She previously reported on a Nazi rally back in New York, so she knows right away what she stumbled into. When she goes to the FBI with this information, she ends up turning spy for them. Her mother joins Veronica in the espionage world soon too, after meeting a group of women for tea and discovering they’re wives of high ranking Nazis in the US.

I loved the idea of mother and daughter spies, especially since they were ordinary women, intelligent but not these seasoned spies who we’re highly trained. There was tension that kept me on the edge of my seat but there was also reason for celebration when they made progress. I did find it a bit unrealistic that they weren’t discovered to be spies in some situations and I would have liked more focus on Vi, but otherwise this was a fantastic read.

The research that was clearly put into this novel is incredible, with great writing that lets you learn something new about a larger part of history while also showing the reader small details that immerse you in this era. I also don’t know if it was intentional, but I also see more than one parallel to the threat to democracy that were seeing in present day.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my review.
This is the first book I have read by Susan Elia MacNeal and it will not be my last! The time frame of this book is before the United States entered WWII. The setting is California. Vi and Veronica are of German descent and were able to be accepted by the German pro Nazi organizations. Although I knew there was a great deal of anti-Roosevelt, antisemitism and anti-black and anti-mexican feeling in LA I didn't know the German organizations went so far as to have plans to assassinate Roosevelt under the guise of "keep America out of the war". Working with a Jewish group that was aware of the broad scope of Nazi sympathizers Mother and Daughter Vi and Veronica were actually able to infiltrate the German pro Nazi groups and were able to provide essential information that may have changed history.
I will definitely be adding all of Ms. MacNeal books to my TBR list!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for the e-arc.
First let me say I adore the author's Maggie Hope series. Which pains me to say I didn't love this one. I liked it and I would recommend it but it fell short for me. The first half was very slow. Once the spying started, I never got the feeling that the two main characters, Veronica and her mother, were ever in real danger; it was lacking the suspense that you find in the Maggie Hope books. The ending was tied up a little too conveniently. Ms. MacNeal obviously does a ton of research and I appreciated the "behind the scenes" information at the end of the book. All in all, an interesting look into a little-known piece of US history.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this early read!

It is 1940. Veronica Grace has just graduated from college and looking to start a career in journalism. She has a good job lined up at Mademoiselle magazine, but then the affair she is having with a married man comes to light. The job offer is revoked, leaving her and her mother Violet at loose ends. Violet’s brother offers them a place to stay in Los Angeles and they accept. After they arrive, Veronica takes a job as an assistant, but soon realizes that she is working for a Nazi propagandist. She and her mother decide to report them, which leads them to Ari Lewis, local spymaster. Using their German heritage and blond Aryan looks, Ari wants Veronica and Violet to go undercover and infiltrate the Nazi group. They know what they are doing, they just need proof of the bigger and more dangerous plan. This is based on a true story, about a real mother and daughter who worked against Nazi groups in America in the early 1940’s. The author is good about giving the real history (both at the beginning and the end) – they left records of their work, but very little of their private lives, which in part is what MacNeal is trying to imagine here. Sadly, some of the hateful rhetoric can still be heard today, which is a bit disconcerting, but I did enjoy the story of these two brave women. There aren’t enough women spy novels, so this one satisfies. If you like Marie Benedict or Paula McLain, historical fiction about the hidden histories of women, then give this one a try.

I truly enjoyed this fictionalization of the lives of
several real-life spies who went undercover
in American Nazi organizations during the
1940s. Historical fiction at it best.
Thank you very much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the complementary copy

MacNeal has once again written a moving and wrenching historical novel.
When I told my 30 year old daughter the basic story line, she was shocked to think she'd never heard anything about the Nazi activities in the US during the'40s.
This is a brilliantly written book, well researched (following the Hollywood Spy), and disturbingly up to date.
I strongly recommend this to anyone who likes historical fiction and wants to better understand how some developments have happened in America In the past and the not so distant past.