Ida, Merry, Gwyn……you have my heart forever. The marketing of this book sells it as a somewhat typical WWII spy romp and while yes technically that is what it is, it’s also SO much more. I don't think it's the “unputdownable” or “seductive” thriller that it's marketed as, but rather a warm and heartfelt story of love and perseverance. It's intense yet charming, morbid yet cosy, pessimistic yet hopeful - it does everything, and somehow it does it all effortlessly. While the work of female intelligence officers is a real and overlooked aspect of WWII history, I don't know how historically accurate the exact plot of this book is….but frankly I don't really care! I loved being swept up in the exploits of these wonderful characters and I'd have happily followed them on a mission to the moon tbh. The ending features one heck of a gut punch that I initially struggled to accept because it comes completely out of nowhere and kinda ruins the ending, but after sitting with it for a while I realised that yeah, that's a perfect encapsulation of what war does. Of course I wasn't meant to “like” the ending, it sucks! And the fact I had such a visceral reaction is a testament to the quality of the writing that led up to it. This is a slept-on banger and I'm SO glad I read it.

Intelligence is a brilliant book about the military intelligence passed and intercepted during war. It looks at the people who intercept it and what they choose to do with it, rightly or wrongly.It's also a story of friendship, philosophy, and the power of a single person. A great read for fans of historical fiction or those wanting to venture behind the curtains in the war rooms of WWII.