User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
The Prisoner in the Castle by Susan Elia MacNeal is a 2018 Bantam publication.
A classic ‘locked room’ mystery in a house full of spies!!
I will confess this installment in the Maggie Hope series was not at all what I was expecting. However, I found it was a nice change of pace after enduring some gut-wrenching emotional punches in the last few chapters of the series.
If you like golden age or ‘locked room’ mysteries, Ala Agatha Christie’s
‘And Then There Were None’, you will love this one.
The story begins with Maggie being exiled to Scotland because SOE believes she is a liability, due to the bombshell military secrets she discovered. She is secluded away in an old Scottish castle along with other agents, who find themselves exiled as well, for various reasons. But, one by one, her fellow ‘guests’ are being murdered and Maggie is stumped, unsure who to trust, because, of course, they are all suspects.
The traumas and consequences of the war are not forgotten, but Maggie is not on an official assignment in this installment. But trouble followed her anyway. She's barely arrived when the first murder occurs. Meanwhile, Maggie’s friends and allies back home are beginning to suspect she may be in trouble. But, will they arrive in time and can they convince the SOE to release her?
Once it became clear that this book would be a bit of a departure from what I’ve come to expect, I was a little puzzled. I had expected some diabolical plot, but never imagined anything like this!!
But, it is hard not to be drawn in by the new spin on Christie’s classic. Before long, I caught myself playing along with the guessing game. Who would be the next victim? Who was the killer and what was the motive? A good old -fashioned mystery is always fun, but what about Maggie’s role as a spy? What does this story have to do with the war or Maggie’s mission? Well… let’s just say there is
A LOT going on at Scarra Isle.
MacNeal did a magnificent job of creating taut, edge of your seat suspense, starting with the location, and adding in a spectacular storm, and of course keeping the residents trapped, without any means of escape, with a deranged killer. Suspicion and paranoia reach the appropriate level of hysteria, building and building to the ultimate crescendo. This is not an exact copy of Christie’s novel, just to be clear. It has a fresh twist and is unique to this series, and not just some random intermission.
Yet, this installment is a bit unconventional, and unless you just want to enjoy a fresh twist on a classic golden age mystery, I wouldn’t recommend this one as a stand-alone. However, if you are a fan of this series, be ready to see Maggie’s detecting skills put the test in a way she never imaged.
Maggie will have more trials to face in the upcoming installment, if nothing else, but I think perhaps her dangerous knowledge that everyone thought would endanger war strategies, was blown out of proportion, and isn’t so dangerous anymore. A new assignment will most likely await her- and I’ll be there cheering her on!!
4 stars
Rating: really liked it
This gave me “clue” vibes… you know… it was the maid.. in the library… with the candlestick. 🥸 Honestly, this was an okay “who done it” story. I think I would have appreciated it more, had I read the previous books. So, I’d recommend starting this with book 1… not 8 😜
Rating: really liked it
The Prisoner in the Castle is the eighth and latest installment in the Maggie Hope series and author Susan Elia MacNeal has given us a compelling, captivating and cerebral tale.
World War II British secret agent, Maggie Hope, finds herself banished to the remote Scottish island, Scarra, with other SOE agents. MacNeal’s attention to detail in her description of the remote island and the castle that Maggie and the others inhabit is superb and fascinating. She gives the reader a real feel of what each one of the spies is feeling on the island.
What sets this book apart from the previous books is MacNeals use of the plot from Agatha Christie’s classic novel, “And Then There Were None”, as a way of eliminating characters one by one.
Maggie finds herself in a race against time to save herself and others on the remote island from a murderer.
Maggie must use all the skills and tools in her arsenal to outsmart a treacherous individual out to due harm to others as well as potentially changing the course of the war.
While there are references to past stories and characters, Prisoner in the Castle, is enjoyable and certainly entertaining as a stand-alone book, though you may find yourself enticed to go back and read the previous books in the series.
The Prisoner in the Castle will leave you anxious for the next Maggie Hope adventure.
I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley. My review of the book is unbiased. #netgalley #theprisonerinthecastle
Rating: really liked it
I wouldn’t normally jump into a series on book 8. But a friend of mine has enjoyed this series and I got a chance to review this book through netgalley, so jump I did.
I was expecting more of a spy novel, but this is really a cozy mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie. Maggie Hope is back from a spy mission and has been sent to a remote Scottish island, a sort of cooling off, almost prison type place for spies with issues. And then one, by one, the dead bodies start piling up. But despite how quickly the deaths kept coming, I didn’t feel any tension. This one just didn’t draw me in. And what happens tends to be predictable. Yes, there are a few twists I didn’t see coming. But nothing mind boggling. And I had correctly guessed who was picking everyone off, if not the reason.
A secondary storyline obviously dates back to the prior book. It adds some tension but i did feel at a bit of a loss not having the history. This is an ok book but I won’t be rushing to read the prior books.
My thanks to netgalley and Bantam for an advance copy of this book.
Rating: really liked it
4.5 stars
The Prisoner in the Castle is the 8th Maggie Hope mystery and is an excellent addition to the series. In a departure from her earlier novels, MacNeal utilizes Agatha Christie’s classic And Then There Were None strategy of eliminating characters one by one while the remaining individuals race to determine who the murderer is. As the book opens, Maggie and various other SOE agents are being held prisoner on the Isle of Scarra off the coast of Scotland; each agent has some knowledge or issue that the SOE believes impacts that person’s ability to serve during the war so they are all sentenced to spend the rest of World War 2 on this remote island.
MacNeal provides fabulous detail regarding both the Scottish setting and the garish castle in which they are all trapped. The Scottish legends are fascinating and add depth and character to the tale. The use of Christie’s plot device was clever and effective for this tale. I was so curious to see who would die next which made reading the book a ton of fun. I always love Maggie Hope’s adventures, and The Prisoner in the Castle is a highly enjoyable read.
Rating: really liked it
The Prisioner in the Castle is the eighth and latest installment in the Maggie Hope series and author Susan Elia MacNeal has given us a compelling, captivating and cerebral tale.
World War II British secret agent, Maggie Hope, finds herself banished to the remote Scottish island, Scarra, with other SOE agents. MacNeal’s attention to detail in her description of the remote island and the castle that Maggie and the others inhabit is superb and fascinating. She gives the reader a real feel of what each one of the spies is feeling on the island.
What sets this book apart from the previous books is MacNeals use of the plot from Agatha Christie’s classic novel, “And Then There Were None”, as a way of eliminating characters one by one.
Maggie finds herself in a race against time to save herself and others on the remote island from a murderer.
Maggie must use all the skills and tools in her arsenal to outsmart a treacherous individual out to due harm to others as well as potentially changing the course of the war.
While there are references to past stories and characters, Prisioner in the Castle, is enjoyable and certainly entertaining as a stand-alone book, though you may find yourself enticed to go back and read the previous books in the series.
The Prisioner in the Castle will leave you anxious for the next Maggie Hope adventure.
I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley. My review of the book is unbiased. #netgalley #theprisionerinthecastle
Rating: really liked it
Maggie is a brave, educated, strong young woman who I have come to love through the series. The ending of The Paris Spy was an unexpected cliffhanger and I was eagerly waiting for this installment, but unfortunately this was a disappointment.
Nothing really happens on the Island of Scarra where all these agents are isolated and imprisoned. They start getting killed off one by one but and I thought Maggie would get an opportunity to investigate and find the killer, but that’s not what happened. Whatever she learned, she just stumbled upon by accident. I hoped atleast the story arc of the German Spy would be interesting, but it turned out to be quite anticlimactic. None of my favorite characters seemed to have much to do here.
I would still probably continue this series because Maggie is a wonderful character but this book was definitely forgettable.
Rating: really liked it
I’ve been anxiously awaiting news of Maggie Hope, WWII secret agent for the British, after we were left hanging in THE PARIS SPY. Thankfully, the newest chapter in this beloved series by Susan Elia MacNeal is as thrilling as thrilling can be!
In an ever so polished nod to the Grand Dame of Mystery, this harrowing tale finds Maggie confined to a remote Scottish Island with other agents who are knocked off ... one by one ... in some quite spectacular ways.
And oh my is our favorite spy in a jam! A top secret British agency holds her hostage. Communication is prohibited, while gale force winds prevent escape. Who can Maggie trust? Will she survive? Will she ever earn her freedom? Grab a great big goblet of wine for company, as you won’t be able to let THE PRISONER go until the shocking end. Cheers!
A tip of the tam to one of my fave authors, to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and to NetGalley for the advance copy. Opinions are fully mine.
#ThePrisonerInTheCastle #NetGalley
Rating: really liked it
The eighth story in this series owes a big tip of the hat to Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. Set during WWII, Maggie Hope, is a secret agent for the British. She's just back from a dangerous mission when she is reassigned for special training on a very remote island in Scotland. Only when she arrives she discovers it's a cooling off place for agents that the government has deemed are too dangerous to use on missions or mix with the general public.
There are quite a few agents (8-10) who are basically in prison even though they are living in a castle. There is no contact with the outside world-no mail, letters, newspapers. Their families are told they are on special assignment so no one is looking for them.
Then they start getting murdered one after another. Then the commander is killed, the boat drivers who make supply runs once a month and an attack is made on one of the servants. With no access to help, the trained killers must defend themselves against one of themselves who is intent on killing them.
I just loved the story. I liked the remote Scottish castle, the quirky characters and the clever homage to Christie. It's the first one of the series I have read and I plan to go back and read the others. I hope they are as good as this one.
Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
Rating: really liked it
Ugh, nothing happened in this book. The main character wasn't integral to the plot at all, she was merely the vehicle through which we watched the story. She didn't find the bad guy, she didn't do a good job protecting her fellows, and she didn't [spoiler alert] even take down the bad guy on her own: he met his demise accidentally while she was trying to escape. This character is a strong, educated, brave woman when she's the leading lady; this book wasn't about her at all.
I keep reading these books because the first few were so good and I keep hoping a new installment will be a pleasant surprise. I really need to stop.
Rating: really liked it
KEEPS YOU THRILLINGLY CAPTIVE!
I’ve been anxiously awaiting news of Maggie Hope, WWII secret agent for the British, after we were left hanging in THE PARIS SPY. Thankfully, this eighth book in the beloved series by Susan Elia MacNeal is as thrilling as thrilling can be!
At the end of THE PARIS SPY, Maggie is arrested for refusing to assume a role that could lead to her fellow agents’ deaths. Our favorite spy is imperiled by the very guys who are supposed to be good!
Now, in an ever so polished nod to the Grand Dame of Mystery, Agatha Christie herself, we find Maggie confined to a remote Scottish Island with other errant agents — each secretive, each skilled in deadly warfare — who are knocked off one by one in quite spectacular ways.
My oh my is our heroine in a jam! The clandestine agency holding her hostage bans communication with the outside world, while gale force winds and an unforgiving terrain prevent escape. Who can Maggie trust? Will she survive? Will she ever earn her freedom? Grab a great big goblet of wine for company, as you won’t be able to release THE PRISONER ‘til the shocking end. Cheers!
What makes the Maggie Hope series so compelling are its vivacious protagonist, so real you can see the gleam of her red hair through the Scottish gloom, the thrilling backstory of WWII and the SOE spies who gave all to defeat the Nazis, and the lavish research by the author that adds eloquent authenticity.
A tip of the tam to one of my fave authors, to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and to NetGalley for the advance copy. Opinions are fully mine.
#ThePrisonerInTheCastle #NetGalley
Rating: really liked it
This is the latest in a series, so if you haven't read the others you should start with the first. I love the the Maggie Hope mysteries, about a woman who is a soy for Britain during World War 2 who also gets caught up in murder mysteries. Here, Maggie is detained on a remote Scottish island because she knows too much when other prisoners start being killed. Maggie has to rely on her wits and skills to find the killer before becoming his or her next victim. Really well researched and written and super suspenseful!
Rating: really liked it
THE PRISONER IN THE CASTLE
The Prisoner in the Castle is a very enjoyable murder mystery set on the island Scarra off the Western coast of Scotland. British SOE agents, each fully trained to kill, are being kept there against their will for the duration of WWII due to a variety of secretive reasons. They start to die mysteriously one by one and tensions heighten with suspicions of one another.
They are held in Killoch Castle, medieval in design and decorated with way too many taxidermic prizes. And they are stranded due to a severe storm, radio communication with the mainland spotty at best. Several surprisingly eerie events occur throughout, and twists and turns kept me guessing all the way to the end.
This book is the 8th in the Maggie Hope Mystery Series. It is the first of the series that I have read and it fully works as a stand alone novel. Because it was so pleasantly paced and enjoyable I plan on reading the earlier books in the series as well.
I thank Netgalley, Susan Elia MacNeal, Bantam and Random House for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.
I very much recommend it.
Rating: really liked it
shoutout to this book for having a trans flag on the cover
Rating: really liked it
Maggie Hope has been to a small island off the coast of Scotland which the SOE calls their "cooler". Basically any of their agents who have information that would be of benefit to the Germans, where the SOE isn't convinced of their ability to keep those secrets, are sent here.
There is a large castle on the island and all the SOE agents spend their days hunting, fishing, drinking and... well...spending quality time together ;)
The problem is, that the agents start being killed. One by one. And so begins a Maggie Hope style And Then There Were None. The comparisons can't be ignored, especially at one point when Maggie states "and then there were five". The author isn't trying to replicate the Christie book, it more pays homage to it and recognises that as the basis for the mystery. But there is much more going on in this book as we have Maggie's friends trying to find her, a potential German spy on the island, and of course, the question of what will happen to Maggie even if she does manage to find the killer or escape.
So different from all of the other books in the series, and we still are left hanging from some of the threads left in book 7, but it is a great read and tough to put down. Now to wait (another 2 years?) for book 9.
