A Life in Secrets: Vera Atkins and the Lost Agents of SOE
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'It is a testament to Helm's detective skills that she has marshalled evidence to refute the various suppositions about Atkins, presenting a truth more surprising and more compelling than the numerous fictions constructed about this dedicated, if flawed, intelligence officer' WATERSTONE'S BOOKS QUARTERLY
M R D Foot, THE SPECTATOR
‘A formidably able book . . . lucidly written, and a solid contribution to twentieth-century history’
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
27 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
There is so much to say about this book. It seems there have been several conspiricies put forward about Vera Atkins, yet this author has dispelled them with excellent research of her own. Vera Atkins was a major player in the SOE (Special Oerative Executives) F (France) section and undertook her own search to find out what had become of her agents. Her boss Buckmaster made some highly damaging decisions, that condemned the lives of many agents, ignoring key information and clues and giving the Germans information that endangered the lives of his agents. Atkins fought against the War office and government to discover the fate of her own people and for the recognition of the women agents who fought as FANY to be recognised as military with the same rights. This book follows the training of the agents, then Veras lone search through the chaotic Allied occupied German and also to the Russian zone. The fate of the female agents was harrowing, all the more so for how the author feeds us the information, in the same way as Vera found it.
There is no doubt that Vera was a phenomenally brave and strong woman but she was always seen as cold. This book deals with much of that and of Veras secret past. Vera's life was surrounded and shrouded in secrets for almost all of it with good reason and the author reminds us of the social and political world and domestic views then which seriously affected Veras life. Even her own family knew virtually nothing about her past and her war work. Vera was awarded for her work but also blamed for it too. Whilst she went out of her way to trace her agents, she also blocked information that could have greatly helped others in the search for their own loved ones.
Many media reviews for this have called it as reading like a thriller. I understand how they mean it, but these were real people horrifically tortured and mistreated at the concentration camps. I don't find that a 'thriller' book. Vera was a strong, powerful woman focused on her work and to ensure the best for her agents in their memory. The book is a difficult read because of the topic and because I can't quite decide how I feel about the woman personally although she did great work in terrible circumstances and I have a huge respect for her. The author Sarah Helm has done a phenomenal job on a contraversial subject (SOE) and on a highly contraversial woman without bias. Full marks for a truely excellent book.
There is no doubt that Vera was a phenomenally brave and strong woman but she was always seen as cold. This book deals with much of that and of Veras secret past. Vera's life was surrounded and shrouded in secrets for almost all of it with good reason and the author reminds us of the social and political world and domestic views then which seriously affected Veras life. Even her own family knew virtually nothing about her past and her war work. Vera was awarded for her work but also blamed for it too. Whilst she went out of her way to trace her agents, she also blocked information that could have greatly helped others in the search for their own loved ones.
Many media reviews for this have called it as reading like a thriller. I understand how they mean it, but these were real people horrifically tortured and mistreated at the concentration camps. I don't find that a 'thriller' book. Vera was a strong, powerful woman focused on her work and to ensure the best for her agents in their memory. The book is a difficult read because of the topic and because I can't quite decide how I feel about the woman personally although she did great work in terrible circumstances and I have a huge respect for her. The author Sarah Helm has done a phenomenal job on a contraversial subject (SOE) and on a highly contraversial woman without bias. Full marks for a truely excellent book.
59 of 60 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A Life In Secrets is by far the best book ive read this year...and the most chilling. I couldnt put it down .These lost SOE agents especially the female operatives, my godness , I am haunted by their photos. The author has masterfully written how Vera Atkins ,after the war found out what had happened to the missing agents .. Each being murdered in a most barbaric way by the Nazis. But dying with great courage that takes your breath away.
This great book should become a classic. I salute those patriots who served their country well.Awesome
This great book should become a classic. I salute those patriots who served their country well.Awesome
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
My grandfather was Bill Rogers, described in the book as the doyen of the expatriate British community in Bucharest, and I knew Vera very well for 40 years up until her death. I found the book fascinating, particularly on Vera's early life which had been a bit of a mystery to me, but I had to take a lot with a pinch of salt. I tend to agree with reviewer S. Ricks that the author was excessively harsh on Vera and judged her out of context. The Vera I knew had a mind like a steel trap that could pick up any inconsistencies immediately and woe betide anyone who tried to get the better of her. However, she was also an extremely warm and loyal person, as well as vulnerable in certain ways, although it is true that she didn't suffer fools gladly. As S. Ricks states, she was from another era when they believed they had a duty to do whatever they could to protect their way of life from totalitarianism. Of course, Vera felt terrible sending young agents to France and she gave them time to reconsider after explaining to them that there was a strong possibility they would never come back. It was made easy for them to pull out without anyone else ever knowing. On the other hand, we have to take into account that the supply of potential recruits was extremely limited after De Gaulle prevented the British from recruiting French nationals. She talked of her agents often in later years and clearly felt deeply for them as human beings, as well as having a heavy sense of responsibility for those who failed to return which was why she insisted on being allowed to trace them and worked with War Crimes after the war. She once showed me a photograph of the defendants at the war crimes trial sitting like school boys with their headphones on. She remembered in detail what each was accused of what their sentences were but had felt no satisfaction in their punishment. Her task had been purely to find out happened to her agents.
I respect Ms Helm for the detailed research she has done. However, I feel that the book failed to portray Vera accurately as a human being and the reconstruction of her persona in the book is frequently unrecognisable to those who knew her (the unfounded insinuations about her sexuality and alleged racism are particularly uncalled for). This is not surprising, since Ms Helm only met her once. Whether rightly or wrongly Vera was adamant that she would not pen an autobiography. (I used to work in publishing and tried hard in the 80s to persuade her to change her mind without success.) She did, however, give a high degree of access to authors she took to but Ms Helm was clearly not one of them and the book unfortunately reflects this.
I respect Ms Helm for the detailed research she has done. However, I feel that the book failed to portray Vera accurately as a human being and the reconstruction of her persona in the book is frequently unrecognisable to those who knew her (the unfounded insinuations about her sexuality and alleged racism are particularly uncalled for). This is not surprising, since Ms Helm only met her once. Whether rightly or wrongly Vera was adamant that she would not pen an autobiography. (I used to work in publishing and tried hard in the 80s to persuade her to change her mind without success.) She did, however, give a high degree of access to authors she took to but Ms Helm was clearly not one of them and the book unfortunately reflects this.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A Life in Secrets: Vera Atkins & the Lost Agents of SOE
This is a good solid account of the women agents of the secret war. I took a while to get my mind into the book, but enjoyed it, and I realised that these women were immensely... Read more
Published 6 days ago by Mrs. V. M. Downs
Gripping story
Excellent book about Special Operations and the women involved. I must say it has spoiled my ever wanting to read or see a fictional story/film on this subject but the truth is... Read more
Published 10 days ago by pencilcase
A book every teenager should be made to read
My interest in the book lies in the fact that I trained as a Wireless Operator in the RAF in the 1960's. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Michael Scott
Fanastic read, well researched and inspiring
I just can't praise this book enough. I have spent the last few days glued to its pages. It is a fantastic read. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Helen, Beverley
facinating story of SOE
Had seen obituaries in papers of last of SOE agents both male and female and wanted to know more about SOE. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Drumfern
Their Story should be taught in schools `Lest we forget!'
What reading this book has shown me is that just as the Germans believed the Enigma Codes could not be broken, the British believed that the SOE French department could not be... Read more
Published 3 months ago by T. R. Wantling
Couldn't Put It Down!!! A Must Read for Anyone!
WOW! What can I say? I have just finished reading this book and I am overwhelmed by the amazing Sarah Helm and the information she has put together for an outstanding biography. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Meg
Very good research indeed
Sarah Helm must have spent months, even years, and extensive travels in her research for this book. I have read many books about the resistence during the second WW, but this is a... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Paul Lindstrom
Excellent service, first class condition
This book arrived in perfect condition and very quickly, within three days. I am thoroughly enjoying reading this book and would highly recomment both the book and Amazon to... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Cath
Wish they'd make this into a film!
I 'read' this on CD, with the intention of listening as I was working. I found I kept sitting down to listen, as I was so involved in it. Read more
Published 8 months ago by finny lul
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