The Last Hope

A Maggie Hope Mystery

By: Susan Elia MacNeal

Narrated by: Susan Duerden

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • All will be revealed in this no-holds-barred finale of the Edgar Award–nominated Maggie Hope series as the intrepid spy teams up with fashion designer—and possible double agent—Coco Chanel to bring down the physicist behind Nazi Germany’s nuclear program.

“Intrepid Maggie Hope’s high-stakes mission is fraught with danger and moral questions. . . . A heartfelt story.”—Cara Black, New York Times bestselling author of Three Hours in Paris

Maggie Hope has come a long way since she was Mr. Churchill’s secretary. In the face of tremendous danger, she’s learned espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance. But things are different now that she has so much to lose, including the possibility of a family with John Sterling, the man who’s long held her heart.

British Intelligence has ordered Maggie to assassinate Werner Heisenberg, the physicist who may deliver a world-ending fission bomb for Germany. She’s shaken. An assassination is unlike anything she has ever done. How can the Allies even be sure Nazi Germany has a bomb? Determined to gather more information, Maggie travels to Madrid, where Heisenberg is visiting for a lecture.

At the same time, couturier Coco Chanel, a spy in her own right with ambiguous loyalties, has requested a mysterious meeting with the British ambassador in Madrid—and has requested Maggie join them. As the two play a dangerous game of cat and mouse, Maggie tries to get a better understanding of Heisenberg, but is faced with betrayal and a threat more terrifying than losing her own life.

Maggie desperately wants to find her happily-ever-after, but as the war reaches a fever pitch, the stakes keep rising. Now, more than ever, the choices she makes will reverberate around the globe, touching everyone she loves—with fateful implications for the future of the free world.

Critic reviews

“[A] gripping swan song for the bestselling Maggie Hope series . . . a marvelously high-stakes adventure that sends off the series in style.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“A dynamite ending to a fantastic series . . . It’s sad to see the story end, but this novel, filled with MacNeal’s signature character-centric plot and minute attention to historical details, does so magnificently.”—Library Journal

“Intrepid Maggie Hope’s high-stakes mission is fraught with danger and moral questions. . . . A heartfelt story.”—Cara Black, New York Times bestselling author of Three Hours in Paris

“Susan Elia MacNeal is masterful in her final, thrilling Maggie Hope adventure!”—Lynda Cohen Loigman, bestselling author of The Wartime Sisters

“Susan Elia MacNeal has done it again, bringing us one final heart-stopping and stylish adventure.”—Tara Moss, #1 internationally bestselling author of The War Widow

“An impeccably researched spy thriller with heart, The Last Hope will have readers turning the pages long into the night.”—Brenda Janowitz, author of The Audrey Hepburn Estate

“Rife with intrigue and rich with nuanced historical detail, the finale to MacNeal’s wildly popular Maggie Hope mysteries positively shines.”—Anna Lee Huber, USA Today bestselling author of the Lady Darby mysteries

“A triumphant finale to a magnificent series.”—Tasha Alexander, New York Times bestselling author of A Cold Highland Wind

“Such an explosive finale to a thrilling series!”—Julia Kelly, author of A Traitor in Whitehall

“A thoughtful, brilliant concoction.”—L. A. Chandlar, author of the Art Deco mystery series

“A stirring conclusion to a series that has thrilled readers for eleven superb novels.”—James W. Ziskin, Anthony, Barry, and Macavity award-winning author of the Ellie Stone mysteries

“A stirring and satisfying conclusion to a magnificent series.”—Ashley Weaver, author of the Electra McDonnell series

“A triumphant conclusion to this amazing series . . . Highly recommended!”—Richie Narvaez, author of Holly Hernandez and the Death of Disco

“Series fans will appreciate that it ends with plenty of hope for Maggie’s future.”—Booklist

Very engaging!

Loved this book - kept me interested all the way through- I learned a lot about spy’s and history of WW1.

Love this series

One of my favorite series on WWII spy novels. I really like the reader also.

Not the ending I'd hoped for

Even with the notes at the end, I felt like this was just another mission. So many questions were left hanging. I wish this last book focused on a mission closer to D-Day rather than one which had no real purpose except to show Coco Chanel as a Nazi spy which is already well known. I have enjoy EVERY one of the Maggie Hope books and couldn't wait to see how this final book would wrap up the series. Although the story was as good as all the others, to be the end of the series was disappointing.

The Last Hope

I like the history that was included in the story. When I have characters to relate to it makes the history come alive. I believe this book was written after much study was done.

Leave them wanting more

As always, Susan Elia MacNeal’s Maggie Hope provides history, a bit of romance, and chills/thrills. I loved this book and looked forward to resolutions and hopefully a happy ending. Alas, as in war and life, closure is never easy and so it is with The Last Hope. I was left with questions unanswered and a feeling of uneasiness as the final chapter came to a close. It was almost like MacNeal was setting up the next book while making clear that this was the final story for Maggie Hope. It is always hard for authors and readers at the end a series. I wish the readers had the opportunity to send Maggie off into a clearer future.