CLARA VINE

Full Name:	Clara Vine
Nationality:	British
Organization:	British Intelligence
Occupation	Agent

Creator:	Jane Thynne
Time Span:	2013 - 2016

ABOUT THE SERIES

       Clara Vine is an agent with British Intelligence.
       She did not plan to be an agent and she definitely did not receive any actual training in the cloak and dagger business. She is an actress, just starting out, and looking for opportunities to improve her craft and show her talent. A party In London would let her know of opportunities in Germany for someone of her background, being of Anglo-German ancestry. After some consideration, she heads east to Berlin.
       It would be while in that capital that she would be introduced to the up-and-coming in society which in 1933 were the members of the Nazi party having just won a good number of seats in the government. It would also be the time that she meets Leo Quinn, an agent with British Intelligence who is sharp enough to recognize an opportunity when he sees it. Once convinced by Quinn to help her native country keep up with what was transpiring in Germany, Vine will find herself with two careers, acting and spying.
       In the beginning she will find life challenging and exciting but not really, truly dangerous, at least in her mind. As time progresses and the extremes the Nazi leadership will go to become far too obvious, she, being a very smart person, will know that one slip will get her kicked out of the country or worse, become a guest of the ultra-frightening Gestapo. And when the hostilities actually break out, staying and spying become extremely important and extremely deadly. But leaving and heading home where it would be safer is not really an option to Vine when the people she needs to monitor start looking to her for information, giving up far more in the process.

BOOKS

Number of Books:	5
First Appearance:	2013
Last Appearance:	2016


1			Black Roses Written by Jane Thynne Copyright: 2013 Newly arrived in Berlin, Clara Vine is excited by the new job at Ufa Studios. In a short time she is introduced to a group of women connected to the powerful Nazi party and one woman, Magda Goebbels, asks her to help in a very dangerous endeavor. At the same time, the attractive Leo Quinn of British Intelligence is after her to work for him.

2			Woman In The Shadows aka The Winter Garden Written by Jane Thynne Copyright: 2014 The year is 1937. Clara Vine's movie career in Germany is getting on quite well as is her ability at social functions to gather vital intel to pass to the British. When a young female friend, being groomed to be a "perfect Nazi bride" is murdered, the job get personal for Vine and a lot more dangerous.

3			The Scent of Secrets aka A War of Flowers Written by Jane Thynne Copyright: 2014 In 1938, Clara Vine is in Paris shooting a new film when British Intelligence makes a startling request: she is asked to get close to the mysterious and reclusive Eva Braun, secret girl friend of the Fuhrer.

4			The Pursuit of Pearls aka Faith And Beauty Written by Jane Thynne Copyright: 2015 The War is just starting and tension in Berlin is strong. Though Clara Vine's movie career is in full swing now and she is the talk of the town, that fame brings added danger when she works her real job of espionage. A costume designer on her set is found murdered in the nearby forest, blamed on a madman. Vine thinks there is a different motive.

5			Solitaire Written by Jane Thynne Copyright: 2016 In 1940 in Berlin, being an Anglo-German actress with Germany at war with England, Clara Vine's life is becoming unpleasant. It is made stranger when Joseph Goebbels approaches her for a different role than actress. He wants her to become a spy for Germany.

MY COMMENTS

When I first heard of this series I immediately thought it was a historical romance series set in the 30's. Not really! Oh, some, yes but then most good books have romance in them because that is part of life but no reader of romance novels would ever put something quite so gritty. These are even a bit too dark and intense for a romantic suspense. And for spy fiction fans, that is great news.
Ms. Thynne is a dynamite writer and the atmosphere of Germany in the 30's comes across as extremely authentic. I did not live there then so I could be completely wrong but these adventures are so good and feel so real, I do not care. I also know that I would have never wanted to live through it. Reading about it from the safety of my armchair is enough.

GRADE

My Grade: B+

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