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We’ve had women as spies for many years now, and they’ve been very effective with their jobs; some might even be too good.
Cheryl J. Corriveau, author of The Tangled Web, has written a great story with awesome characters for readers to enjoy. The Tangled Web by Cheryl Corriveau centers around themes of mystery, double-crossing, and romance, all rolled up in one book. Readers will surely be glued to every page as they slowly, but certainly, get to the bottom of things.
The main character, Julia, is pretty badass, with her outwitting the CIA, the mafia, and other powerful organizations. Organizations that are doing their best to keep themselves secret. With that said, join us as we look at some of the top spy females in the world of fiction!
1. John le Carré’s The Little Drummer Girl (1983)
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Charlie, the sole female lead in Le Carré’s works, is an actor and activist from Britain who has experienced abusive relationships. They’re sometimes seen as the ideal target and enlisted her to go covert with a potential Palestinian bomber.
2. Lauren Wilkinson’s American Spy (2019)
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The all-white boys’ club hinders Marie Mitchell’s career as a black FBI officer in the 1960s until she is assigned a task to woo and destabilize Burkina Faso’s revolutionary president. Lauren Wilkinson explores race, gender, and belonging in a way that pierces the forgotten tales of the Cold War.
3. Hellen MacInnes’ While We Still Live (1944)
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When the Nazis invade, Englishwoman Sheila Matthews is in Poland visiting friends. Refusing to give up on her beliefs or her loved ones, she plays a risky game as a double agent planted by the Polish underground among the SS.
If you’ve been looking for a spy writer, Helen MacInnes is the choice. Poetic yet unapologetically honest, anti-tyrannical, and brimming with information gleaned from her travels across Europe with her spy husband before the Second World War.
You can read another book about women as spies: The Tangled Web by Cheryl Corriveau. It’s a book that will compel, intrigue, and get readers to look deeper into the mystery hidden beneath the surface. Plus, you get to see one of the best female spies in fiction.
4. Rosalie Knecht’s Who is Vera Kelly? (2018)
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In this obsessive Cold War thriller, Knecht explores the similarities between the secretive life of a spy. A spy who happens to be a closeted queer woman who resides in places ranging from the US suburbs to subversive Greenwich Village and student revolutionaries in Buenos Aires. From the first page, the open and honest voice captures your attention and doesn’t let go.
5. Elizabeth Bowen’s The Heat of the Day (1948)
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Stella finds herself torn between Harrison, a counterespionage operative who believes Robert is a traitor, and her lover, Robert, a spy. Stella is forced to turn a traitor or spy for herself, fighting the state or her own feelings. Her struggle is a brilliant examination of allegiance and reality. Bowen’s experiences in wartime London and possibly her position with the Ministry of Information are referenced in The Heat of the Day, effectively conveying life’s unstable nature during the Blitz.
6. Kate Atkinson’s Transcription (2018)
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In transcription, Juliet Armstrong—who was enlisted as a spy in 1940—follows her journey from MI6 to the BBC. She deconstructs Britain’s institutions and national identity during the Second World War and the Cold War. Kate Atkinson uses a deft and clever utilization of a perspective to play with the assumptions we have about the genre.
7. Ian Fleming’s Moonraker (1955)
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8. Natasha Walter’s A Quiet Life (2016)
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Laura Last’s yearning for liberation from patriarchy resulted in communist sympathies during the years 1939–1953 throughout the US and England. This forces Laura to lead a double life at the center of the establishment as the other half of a married espionage couple. Natasha Walter masterfully captures the perilous power of a person socialized as a “wind-up doll.”
Women as Spies Are Very Epic, and These Stories Prove It
In the world of espionage, James Bond isn’t the only one who can dominate the big screens and novels. Femme fatales can comfortably fill in the role and shine on their own!
Grab a copy of The Tangled Web by Cheryl Corriveau and enjoy an amazing tale of secrets and mystery in the seedy underworld.
If you’re curious about who Cheryl J. Corriveau is, click here to visit the “Author’s Page” section and get to know Cheryl a bit better!
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