The Spy Wore Silk

by: Andrea Pickens

Published by: Warner Books

Reviewed by Kathy Johnson

As soon as the reader steps into the novel, they must be willing to accept an unusual situation. The story opens during the Napoleonic war. Mrs. Merlin’s Academy for Select Young Ladies—a school has been formed for girls taken out of the London slums. Within a few short years while living in isolated and spartan conditions, these young women are taught everything from reading, languages, courtly manners, riding, yoga, Indian fakir, using their womanly wiles, proficiency in playing a pinafore, and fighting in every conceivable manner. Their education in such a short time is astounding. They are being prepared to become ultimate spies for the British government. They will go from the slums of London and this kind of present life, to being totally prepared to step into the high society of the day without a hint of ever having experienced this face-to-face before.

This new series begins when Sienna receives her first assignment. She is chosen to unmask a traitor to the country. Kirtland, a disgraced ex-army officer and prime suspect, is the only man within his book club to recognize the oddity of Sienna’s ability to enter their all-male club—and of her proposal to gain one of them as her protector through a series of challenging competitions.

Rare manuscripts are being used to send Napoleon highly sensitive information. The cost of such manuscripts and the difficulty in acquiring them limits the field of those who might be responsible. The first place to look is the gentleman’s club that specializes in researching, discussing and acquiring old manuscripts, The Gilded Page Club—the very club Sienna has infiltrated.

Now the chase begins. Who is the real enemy and how can they be uncovered? Will flirting lead to something more? Will love, trust, and hope be placed in the wrong hands? The ultimate outcome will not only affect Sienna and Kirtland, but also the country.

My issue with the book is with the theme of illiterate young women learning ALL the different disciplines in a few short years—and then be sent out to be spies. If you can suspend the lack of reality, you might enjoy this book more than I did.

Armchair Interviews says: The motto of Mrs. Merlin’s Academy for Select Young Ladies is also a synopsis of the story: Discipline, Duty, and Desire.

Author’s Web site: http://www.AndreaPickensOnline.com