The Secret Agent Books

I wanted to get a little more background on the life of a Secret Service Agent. I found this book filled with interesting tidbits of information. It was an easy read that I found entertaining, as well. His recounts of what it was like working around the Reagan administration, the Pope's US visit, etc. kept me interested for several hours worth of reading. It personalized some of the details that the public often may not realize.

This book is well written with just enough detail to keep you in every scene. It hooked me from page 1 and kept me interested all along.

If you have any interest in the presidency of Ronald Reagan or the Secret Service, I highly recommend this book. The tone is very matter-of-fact, but what comes through is what an honorable person Joseph Petro is. He lost out on a possible N.F.L career when he was drafted for the Viet Nam War, but our country, and especially its elected officials during the time of his service, gained a great deal.

A very engaging book.

I found this book extremely enlightening as to what life as an Agent in the USSS will be like. Petro does a wonderful job at writing about what he is allowed to disclose yet still keeping the reader engaged. If you are interested in the USSS, you should read this book during your application process since little is know about the Service.

This book was very enjoyable and a easy read! Joe must have been a very good agent, (I forgive him about the Mrs. Quail incident) He is someone I would like to meet. This book is a GREAT find for anyone into politics, The White House and the Secret Service.

I'm in the process of reading 2 of Barbara Jennings books.
Am finding her to be highly thorough and knowledgeable.
Every bit of info is useable. Let you know later if I
make lots of money putting her techniques to use.
Many thanks, Gerri

This is an important book for anyone starting a home staging business. I started a home staging business before I read this book. However, upon reading it I realized how much I did not know and decided to go through decorate-redecorate.com for home staging certification. The book is detailed, current and full of relevant pointers, tips and information on the art and business of home staging. Anytime Barbara Jennings publishes a book on this topic I will read it (after reading this book I bought two of her other books: Decor Secrets Revealed & Where there's a Wall there's a Way). Jennings is clearly a consummate authority on the subject.

I ordered the book based on another review about it. I was pleased with the information contained in it, however, I will say that it is written like she is speaking to you and feels at time to be unorganized as to topic. With the subtitle leading you to believe you can be up and running in 7 days, there really is not a Seven Day plan as such, but you need to extract what is needed from each chapter. I also found a few of the things she suggested in staging to be a bit odd, ie: cleaning out gutters. Although I realize this would be necessary in selling a home, I do not feel this should be the job of a Home Stager. There is a lot of marketing information and some good ideas as to how to market the business, which I did find helpful. Most books like this on this topic generally tout the products of the author and this is no exception to that. However, unlike another well-known home stager-author they are not mentioned on every page. I would recommend this to anyone wanting to start this business, but I also feel that if you have no design background, this book will not help in that. My suggestion is to read all you can on the subject, take what works for you, then build your business.

I recently bought 2 books on Staging, since I'm currently wondering wether to pursue it as a new career. Right off the bat, this book is very inspiring in it's voice and the writer's accomplishments. I'm barely into it, but it's already gotten me back to feeling excited about the possibilities. As opposed to the other staging book i'm about to review, and ended up returning.

The layout is like reading a term paper, but it's kind of nice reading on such a big format for a change. No color pictures to speak of, but if you're buying this, you're not looking for color ideas. Just tell me what the biz is all about, and what i could expect from giving it a go, is all i'm looking for.

I'm really enjoying the way that it's written as if the author is talking to you. It's much more entertaining, and it makes me feel like she's there for any questions, which she says she is!

So based on the 30+ pages or so i've read, this book is a definite for those looking for some insight into this growing business.

I loved this book- it is very thorough and contained everything I needed AND more that I haven't even gotten to read yet- I am still implementing ideas from what I have read! Barbara is not trying to impress people with her credentials, she is trying to help them with her experience! If you are considering staging for a living- get this book!

I don't buy any of it, not for a minute. But, this is a much more enjoyable read than several of the so-called "thrillers" I've read recently. Just suspend your disbelief, dive right in, and be swept away!

Aline, Countess of Romanos has written a spectacular book. I had to keep reminding myself that I was reading an autobiography and not a work of fiction. Aline is an agent for the OSS during World War II. She blends into Spanish high society and manages to complete her mission and introduce the reader to the thrills and chills of being an undercover agent. She also gives us a glimpse of Spanish Aristocracy, bull fighting and the inner workings of a nineteen year olds dilemma of befriending people who may be targets of her investigation. I have read all of her books but like this one the best. It is full of action, drama, and even a touch of romance. I have recommended it to all of my friends.

I have purchased 4 books by Aline Romanos. I absolutely love them. The fact that there is truth behind the story and that she really was an upper-class lady as well as a spy excites me. I find myself wishing I lived an adventurous life. She has a talent when it comes to recreating her life and exploits. I could not put it down!

Written like a fiction novel, this factual, first-person account of a young woman spy during World War II is absolutely enthralling. You'll get a first-hand look into what it's like to be recruited and trained as a spy, then go on your first assignment, mingling with the highest Spanish society while secretly risking your life to uncover essential Axis secrets. The characters in the novel are rich and compelling, and you never know what's going to happen next to the protagonist/ingenue Aline.

I read this book in the '80s and have remembered it ever since. I finally found it again and reread it. It's just as fascinating now as it was then.

The only drawback: If you read at night, you won't get much sleep because this book is nearly impossible to put down.

The most respected historian in the field of espionage, Nigel West, studied all of Aline's spy books marketed as nonfiction and concluded "...all four of Aline's books should be regarded as fiction, and nothing more..." Read "Counterfeit Spies, Chapter 3, by Nigel West, 1998.

This is a great, straightforward reference. It covers everything any person needs to know about dining etiquette without any useless "filler" material. The audio format is great and the speaker is one of the best I have listen to.

After a few months as a first year associate at my law firm, one of my former law school classmates told me that their firm had sent its new associates to an etiquette class. I decided that it might be a good idea for me to brush up on my etiquette skills as well, so I purchased this CD and also the Food Scholar Wine Basics CD. I recommend both for new professionals to prepare them for any "dining" situation they may encounter in their first jobs. These situations frequently fall into the "you don't know what you don't know" category of student knowledge.

I, for one, had very little experience in more formal dining situations upon graduating from school. This CD was just what I needed to get myself up-to-speed. It is well-organized and well-presented, covering a number of very specific situations that convey the elements of common sense and consideration that underlie all etiquette.

The author thankfully avoids spending time on how to arrange the seating at a state dinner. What he offers is practical, usable advice on the types of real social interactions that occur in all kinds of business. A very useful CD and well worth the price. Definitely five stars.

I will be graduating from college this year and have started to interview for jobs. I have a decent GPA, am in the career placement office every week for advice, and have spent hours polishing my resume. I thought that I had all my bases covered. Then I started actually interviewing for jobs. I have already had three interviews that included meals and two "mixers" with drinks and appetizers. It was a little overwhelming. I could tell there was an order to things I did not completely understand. A friend recommended this Dining Etiquette CD, so I ordered it. I had yet another meal during an interview after listening to it. It made a big difference. Knowing what to do at every turn during the meal was a confidence booster and I am sure it helped me appear more polished and professional. I HIGHLY recommend it, Two Thumbs Up.

A good etiquette book should sit on every professional's bookshelf alongside "how to win friends" and "7 habits." I purchased this book along with Essential Etiquette Fundamentals, Vol. 2: Wine Selection & Etiquette and The Etiquette Edge: The Unspoken Rules for Business Success to cover all the bases. These books do an excellent job covering the important etiquette skills often overlooked in today's environment. Although often underappreciated, exhibiting proper etiquette signals to others (especially your boss and clients) that you are well educated, care about detail, and have respect for others. I highly recommend these books for anyone new to the business world or for those of us who may need to brush up on the basics.

The last book on CD my wife and I bought was terrible: mens' voices for female characters, etc. And what's the alternative on the radio? Pop music or Howard Stern? I spend twenty percent of my waking life in my car. I might as well spend it wisely. The Food Scholar is easy listening and presented in a way that makes the information easy to learn and remember.

This is my first ever James Bond novel, I can't remember if I saw the movie. This is a thinking person's spy story with few gimmicks but great finesse and ingenuity. Fleming fascinated millions with his suave 007 personality and his missions against villains who were larger than life and twice as nasty.
The pace is slow, a good armchair read with a briar pipe in hand. An entire new generation will find the foreshadowing deep and miss the absence of the now classic action adventure. But Fleming's astute writing style will continue to attack new fans who enjoy a good story well told.
Nash Black, author of TRAVELERS and SINS OF THE FATHERS.

James Bond is still hunting for Blofeld. After a year Bond thinks he is useless, and wants to quit. In Italy he saves a girl who was trying to kill herself. This leads to a relationship, and Bond learns that she is the daughter of a high ranking Italian gangster.

He has info on Blofeld. He is in Switzerland running a finishing school type or organisation, after having undergone plastic surgery. It is really a brainwashing organisation to get women to basically be terrorist weapon carriers.

Bond infiltrates Blofeld's organisation, gets out of there, and here Tracy helps him out.

He asks her to marry him, and she agrees.

Bond, with some of Tracy's dads' men, assaults Blofeld's organisation, but the supervillain gets away again, and has a nasty surprise waiting at Bond's wedding.

This is definitely one of the better Bonds since, like CASINO ROYALE and FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, the more formulaic elements are so well integrated in the story.

What I loved about FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE was that the obligatory romance was the actual scheme of SMERSH to ensnare and kill 007. The characters were well-drawn and Bond doesn't come off as such an indestructible superman. His heart is broken in CASINO ROYALE, confused in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE and then shattered in ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE. (It's also very cool that we learn that Bond annually visits the grave of Vesper Lynd as well as still checks into Casino Royale as well).

We meet Ernst Stavro Blofeld again, not because of some grandiose world-conquering plot, but because he wants the respect and nobility of a title. The College of Arms angle of the story should be the dullest part of the story but Fleming actually makes it interesting by revealing the desire of everyone--except James Bond--to be "somebody."

The biological warfare passages may seem dated but I like revisiting the 007 books while keeping them in context: they must have been fantastic reads in the 1950s and 1960s. These books really anticipated the very modern threat of what Fleming referred to as "the man with the suitcase"...which contains an atomic device. Blofeld's plot in this book to attack England through its livestock with a virus is certainly something to think about in this day of Mad Cow and Bird Flu epidemics.

Although I'm only quibbling, I wished there had been more development between Bond and Tracy, the only woman to ever become Mrs. James Bond. After reading the novel, I felt as if I saw more of her in the movie! (The movie version of OHMSS is also one of the best).

I recently started reading all of the Bond novels and overall have enjoyed them a lot. While Flemings writing style is consistently solid the plots and characters differ greatly. On Her Majesty's Secret Service (number 11 in the series) shares with Casino Royale the title of My Favorite Bond Novel.

The plot is interesting and not *too* far-fetched (for a bond book - some are very cheesy), the characters are very likable and Fleming really nails the mood of "European decadence". This book, like Casino Royale and a few others metes out a healthy serving of bond's classic vices laced with action.

If you like less-than-serious action novels, then I would highly recommend this. Perfect for a long flight or drive

Among the titles of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels, I'd have to say that On Her Majesty's Secret Service is my least favorite, with neither the brevity of a Dr. No or Goldfinger nor the plot descriptive nature of The Man with the Golden Gun or From Russia with Love. Even if I dislike the title, however, this is one of Fleming's best Bond books.

The story opens around a year after the events of Thunderball (the intervening book, The Spy Who Loved Me, is not even mentioned). The villain in that book, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, the mastermind behind SPECTRE, has been in hiding and James Bond is trying to seek him out. It is a more-or-less futile assignment and Bond is disillusioned enough to consider quitting. Before submitting his resignation letter, however, he takes a break at a casino. During this mini-vacation, he performs a chivalrous act to save a beautiful countess from embarrassment; she in turns, rewards him in her own special way.

This countess, familiarly named Tracy, is also the daughter of a genial but ruthless mob boss who Bond winds up (pardon the pun) bonding with. The boss, Marc-Ange, realizes that his daughter is troubled (in fact, suicidal), but that Bond may be able to help her by marrying her. Bond is not willing to do that, but is willing to see her again after she gets treatment. In the meanwhile, Marc-Ange gives Bond a lead on Blofeld.

Blofeld has holed himself up in the Swiss Alps, where extradition is nearly impossible. Bond goes undercover, hoping to lure Blofeld into Germany where he can be arrested. While there, he stumbles upon a strange plot that seems to involve young women seeking treatment for allergies. What Blofeld's scheme is goes beyond Bond's expertise, but the superspy will have more immediate problems as his cover is threatened.

Eventually, Tracy gets back into the mix, which adds another level to the story. Bond versus Blofeld is good, but at long last, Bond meets a woman who he can truly love. Since the first Bond book, Casino Royale, when Bond found himself betrayed by a lover, he has never been willing to truly risk emotional attachment. This time he does, and this adds an extra depth to this particular novel.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service is the middle part of what I think of as the Blofeld Trilogy, which started with Thunderball and concludes with You Only Live Twice, so it may not be the best Bond book to start with. For Bond fans, however, this book is a treat and one of the very best that Fleming wrote.

You want to talk about traveling, eating, praying and loving.....the bio of Sir Richard Francis Burton is the real deal on Eat Pray Love. This Englishman who lived during 1821-1890 traveled through out India, made the pilgrimage to Mecca,(incognito) explored parts of Africa, in search of the Nile's source, lived as consul in Damascus, Brazil and Italy. He had to learn many different languages and dialects (29), study several religions, cultures, eat the food, wear the clothes, screw the women, etc. and become one of them (depending on which country he was in as a spy) or else he'd be killed. Facing death by starvation, thirst, exhaustion, countless diseases, temporary blindness, attacks from native barbarians during his treks across lands, where in some cases no white man had ever been, he kept careful notes of all he witnessed to be published upon his return. As if that weren't enough, he went on to translate the Kama Sutra and Arabian Nights, before this amazing man died of the ripe old age of 69.

THIS IS a well researched.well written biography of a life that is truly inspiring.

This is a book that may look intimidating with its 600+ pages, but unlike some other reviewers, I did not find a single dull moment. Edward Rice has done a truly masterful job in carrying us through the whole life of this extraordinary man.

Burton had energy and talent enough for any six normal people - perhaps more. Even in his declining years, weak and wracked by sickness, he still traveled, traveled compulsively, though in these latter days the travels did not, as always previously, produce books full of information on the places and people and societies he visited. He was now focused on the translations for which he is (among other things) famous. Yet still, when the old lion was required to return from England to his "official" consular job in Trieste, Rice notes that "Noise, fatigue, hours spent in changing trains or boarding or disembarking from steamboats did not deter Burton. Geneva, Venice, Naples, Brindisi, Malta, Tunis, Algiers, the Riviera, the Alps, with a dozen stops in between, were visited and complained about."

It's hard to give the flavor of this amazing biography - amazing life! Soaking up languages as if by osmosis, dressing and passing for any of a dozen Eastern races and sharing their ways, visiting their secret holy places - hey, what a movie or TV series, would knock spots off Tomb Raiders etc...

The pleasure is increased by Rice's occasional laconic throwaway lines: "The Maratha princes...were patrons of the great god Siva and practiced forms of phallic worship, engaged in by male and female devotees alike in very wild and primitive rites." That's all we get on that. (But then, perhaps it's all we need.)

Rice describes Doughty, another famous writer on the Middle East, as writing "a rich and tortured prose that still wins him admiration but few readers."

Many mind-jolting incidents: on Burton's wife Isabel's difficulties in South America, preaching to the black slaves: "Her only convert was a black dwarf named Chico, who betrayed her faith in him by roasting her favorite cat alive over the kitchen fire." But Chico continued in her service - no others available!

He has an eye for other people's good quotes: Burton's predecessor at Trieste had been handed the post of consul with Lord Derby's comment, "Here is six hundred a year for doing nothing, and you are just the man to do it."

I believe it would help us all to better understand the current Middle East to read this account of the sources it sprang from, 150 years ago. No, they are not like us (Westerners) and never have been. We even see the first mention of the Wahhabis, "a much-feared set of fundamentalists who were noted for their violence and puritanical beliefs..."

The writing is so accomplished that I regret having to raise one correction: in the Royal Navy you don't travel "in the H.M.S Antelope" for instance. You travel "in HMS Antelope - no "the" (and usually no periods in HMS). Doesn't make sense, anyway, when you recall that HMS stands for His (or Her) Majesty's Ship. Contrariwise, "the" is OK with "SS Oldiron" - "the steam ship Oldiron."

But that doesn't reduce the five stars!

A mostly gripping account of an absolutely fascinating life. Rice tells in great detail the travels and troubles of Burton as he searches for the source of the Nile, penetrates the forbidden cities of Mecca and Medina, brings the Kama Sutra to the west, translates the Arabian Nights, and joins a snake cult in India, and that is just a small sampling of the accomplishments and endeavors of Burton, a man who was constantly exploring himself and his world and transforming both in the process.

Rice tells the story with such attention to detail you feel like you are traveling right beside Burton, and when he doesn't know certain facts about a specific incident, he will tell you that he is conjecturing, and how he came to the conclusions he did. The net effect is that you feel like you can trust what Rice has written as being authentic and accurate.

The book is kind of slow during the earlier chapters, but stay with it and you will be rewarded with one of the most fascinating accounts you have ever read. I read it more than 5 years ago and still recommend the book and find and give away stray copies to friends. GO OUT OF YOUR WAY TO GET THIS BOOK ! !

This was by far the best biography of the illustrious Richard Burton I have read. The level of scholarship displayed by the author is impressive and does justice to a man whose gifts made him one of the most impressive characters from history. I highly recommend this book as well as those written by Burton himself.

Three young kids--Julian, his little brother Huey, and best friend Gloria, look through the Most-Wanted posters at the post office. They decide they'd like to investigate crimes and criminals. Later, in a parking lot, they see a dog locked in a hot car. A passerby says, "That's a crime!" and they know their calling has begun. Afterwards, they rescue a lost toddler from playing too near a water fountain. This story is too funny because the kids are so innocent: they go to a bar to look for crime, and are spotted by someone who knows their dad. Oh, boy, are they in trouble now! Next, a young man working in a fast food shop matches the description on a Most Wanted poster. They go to the police chief, who in turn, asks them for help in identifying this possible criminal, who turns out to be the chief's son! This delightful story is well-written, realistic and interesting, and depicts characters still in the wonderful freshness of youth. A beginning chapter book for hungry early readers, Diane Allison's illustrations help depict the African-American neighborhood, such as a scene in the park under the MLK statue.

Julian, Secret Agent was written by Ann Cameron. The main characters are Julian, Huey, and Gloria. They are all in the city. They are trying to find a criminal! I liked the book. You should read it!

I enjoyed reading this book because the illustrations are funny. The funny parts made me laugh so hard my stomach ached. I will tell a friend to read this book if they want a good laugh.

I enjoyed this book because it was very exciting. The author used vocabulary that was easy for me to understand. The illustrations were very detailed and matched the text. I recommend reading this book.

The story Julian Secret Agent is one of my favorite books because I love books with a little mystery. I can look at the silly illustration in this story and laugh for days. We are finishing our unit on realistic fiction books and this book was a pleasure to read.

This an outstanding book on two levels. First, it is a very detailed account of the life of a Cuban spy who worked for the cause of the "Revolution" for twenty years. The author's life covers his time in Cuba, Argentina, Nicaragua, Colombia, Panama, Mexico and Angola. This book shows just the kind of things that the Cuban government has been up to since the 1960s. On a second level, this book is outstanding in that it clearly demonstrates the failure of the "Revolution"--and this told from the point of view of a former true believer. The author has done a valuable service by writing this book and telling his story. Those with an interest in Cuba and Latin America will find this book to be well worth your time.

This is a window into the illegal world which the Cuban's communist secret service operates in, narrated by an Argentinian with ties to high levels of the secret apparatus of Castro's government inside and outside of the island.

This apparatus justifies, stimulates and supports criminals acts committed around the world to collect funds. These illegal acts are generally committed by and for the benefit of two groups. The first are committed by members of their own communist Cuban government to collect funds for government departments and projects, The second group is constituted by Latin Americans sympathizers of Cuban's communist government; they commit criminals acts that range from bank robberies to hostage taking to finance their armed fights.These criminals acts are supported economically and logistically by the communist government of Cuba in their pursuit to export and duplicate the Cuban model across Latin America.

this book is very informative on how castro orders his underlings to embark on illegal activities,but lets them know if you get caught your on your own.a prime example is the execution of ochoa,de la guardia and the other two.i wont give it away,but if you know a little about the revolution this book will pretty much fill in the holes that surrounded that tragedy.good job jorge!

An insider's fascinating and engrossing look at the machinations of Fidel Castro's Communist regime. In what amounts to a stimulating autobiography of an Argentinian who grew up in Castro's Revolution, Masetti weaves his life's story by revealing astonishing facts concerning Cuba's aggressive attempts at undermining both the US and Latin America. The son of an Argentinian revolutionary who supported Fidel's guerilla movement, Masetti describes his loyal commitment to Castro's worldview, only to be dissilutioned by the brutal betrayal of his father-in-law. Readers will learn of Cuba's support for anti-US terrorist organizations and their attacks on US soil. You'll also learn how Fidel Castro successfully supported/advised triumphant Marxist groups. Yet, the most powerful message is left for last, as Masetti undergoes a painful awakening to Castro's brutality, coupled with a deeply moving self-examination about his blind support for an inhumane system.

This is a great read. An eye-opener that peels back the thick layer of lies that protects Fidel Castro and his broken Revolution. Important information for Cuba watchers, and an exciting, intriguing real life story for those who want to be entertained - a superb mix.

In The Pirate's Den: My Life As A Secret Agent For Castro is the autobiography of Jorge Masetti, a man who worked as a secret agent for Fidel Castro for twenty years. Bringing the reader a uniquely personal and informative viewpoint from inside the war rooms of the Cuban revolution, In the Pirate's Den is filled with accounts of international intrigue, drug smuggling, counterfeiting U.S. dollars, and international missions for Cuban Intelligence that often extended into war zones. An often dramatic, sometimes horrifying, and always keenly insightful testimony, In The Pirate's Den is unusual, revealing, and highly recommended reading.

This was Deighton's second book, before he became vaguely hackish and joined the Ludlum/Forsythe "hefty Cold War thriller" gang. Here he has style to burn, definitely influenced by Chandler but not at all a pastiche or pale imitation. His sentences are crisp and always un-cliched; his attitude, as filtered through his nameless British protagonist, is cynical and put-upon and tough as a blackjack. You're more than welcome to picture Michael Caine embodying the anti-hero, as he did in the effective (though a bit uneven) film.

on the second reading I found it quite annoying that Deighton is constantly playing some strange game:

1. Colonel Stok is at least 65 years old (the action takes place in 1963 and he participated in the Russian revolution in 1917 as an adult). It is a big stretch to believe that there are some colonels that are that old but it is impossible to believe that he will wear a corporal uniform to hide his position or that he was a captain in 1945. His name is intentionally mangled and his last name is anything but Russian.

2. Jewish girl is thinking about how special is it to visit her mother on Christmas.

3. French are eager to execute a Communist FTP member for war-time assassination of a collaborator. The whole thing seems quite ridiculous in addition to that in 1963 Commies were one of the biggest political parties in France and would be able to protect some of their own on this matter.

4. The whole 15 years long extremely dangerous affair was going to net just a few millions?????

I will read anything by Len Deighton and did so this past summer.7 books in all.
This was one of the best and I am still thinking about it months later.
His sense of style and turn of phrase includeds all the elements that make a fine writer.

This was the second Len Deighton I read and words escape me as to how I felt about it. The suspense started on the first page and carried through the entire book, with virtually no lapses in the storyline. The characters were extremely interesting and well developed...I could almost picture them as real people in post-war Berlin. I rank this book alongside "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold" and the Smiley trilogy, both by John LeCarre. I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a good read.

An oldie but goldie in the cold war spy double double-crossing genre. This has an original 1964 publication date. It came after Spy Story. Some characters recurr in The Ipcress File where the proragonist (nameless in this) is called Palmer. The Spy Who Came in From the Cold had already been written (and we'd had Graham Greene).
I remembered it for the ingenious plotting. Re-reading it I'm struck by the quality of the prose. Later Len Deightons don't contain such fancy writing. He loves describing the shabby and dingy:
"I looked around at Grenade's office: the brown-stained wainscotting, the plaster walls discolored in patches near the ceiling and the old-fashioned metal radiators under which a rash of cream-colored pimples proclaimed the haste of a clumsy painter."

Just an alert to readers--this novel is NOT written by the creator of Harriet the Spy. Louise Fitzhugh died many years ago. Buyer beware.

Harriet's observations about the world around her are insightful, and spawn great conversations with my eight year old. My daughter, however, is a bit disappointed that there are no real mysteries in this book. It is mostly, as she puts it, a book about a girl rudely paying attention to everyone else's business. The author creates a good balance though; the reader is well aware that Harriet is being inappropriate, but can still empathize with Harriet's feelings. I love that Harriet the Spy's adventures are clean fun, yet still entertaining and interesting.

Harriet M. Welsch was recently torn apart when ole Golly left! Now she found out Ole Golly is coming back but is sad and innocent! No longer with Mr. waldenstein. Ole Golly sneaks across to Harriet's neighbors the Feigenbeins to see Dr. F. a Psychiatrist. Sprot has a girlfriend and is growing some facial hair! HArriet meets a stange girl living with the feignbeins - Rosa Rita Savage. Harriet works up a plan and the story ends with one exciting ending! They whole book is so good although they did change Harriet a bit which makes me a little upset but it does not change things too much. They also forgot her regular spy route and put a lot of Mental Health and Psychiatry into the book, other than that I could NOT PUT IT DOWN!!! Worth reading! Oh and just to let you know Harriet's parents leave for 3 months!

I loved the scenes in the zoo, all around NYC -- Harriet is an ideal friend, because she is up for anything! I read this without stopping...Could not put it down!

Spying is a solitary activity. No one knows that better than twelve-year-old Harriet M. Welsch. Harriet has been spying on people and taking notes since she could write. Egged on by her old caretaker, Ole Golly, she has filled dozens and dozens of notebooks over the years; and has no plans to stop her spy route anytime soon. In fact, lately she has begun to add new people to her spy route; one of those people being Annie Smith. New to the neighborhood, Annie is living with her aunt and uncle, the Drs. Feigenbaum, and she has more secrets than Harriet can even believe. For one, Annie Smith is not just Annie Smith. She is also Yolanda Montezuma, Rosarita Sauvage, Zoe Carpaccio, and, as of late, Cassandra D'Amore. And two, Sport, one of Harriet's best friends since forever, has fallen head over heels in love with Yolanda Montezuma, the victim of seeing her wearing a particularly dashing pair of green shoes the first day they met. Harriet quickly becomes obsessed with Annie, and the fact that she was booted out of Sport's school, and enrolled in the Gregory School, alongside Harriet. She also can't get Annie's penchant for creating various characters and names for herself, and decides that learning all of Annie's secrets is her new mission. Unfortunately, Annie isn't very interested in revealing secrets about herself. So Harriet decides to go where no spy has ever gone before. She takes Annie on as a partner, and together they begin spying on various people throughout the neighborhood. It is Harriet's hope that with all of this spying, Annie will begin revealing some secrets of her own. So is not the case. While Harriet loves the fact that she has a new friend, she can't help but wonder why Annie is so determined to keep so many secrets from her. While Harriet is stewing over this new predicament, she begins to realize that Annie has been untruthful regarding where she goes on weekends, and who, exactly, she has been meeting up with. Harriet knows that it's wrong to spy on friends, but she can't deny her curiosity. So, she begins to follow Annie when she leaves the house for secret outings and trysts with two older men. Unfortunately, Sport's crush; Janie's obsession with a pop star who is way out of her league; the constant kissing between Fabio and Naima - two people on her spy route; Annie's reports of being in love with an older man; and Ole Golly's sudden departure after meeting and marrying George Waldenstein; Harriet finds herself obsessed with love and crushes. She can't seem to figure out why they happen. And why, suddenly, every girl in her grade has become possessed with finding a boyfriend, and proclaiming their love to one another. Of course, she also can't quite put her finger on why, exactly, she hasn't been bitten by the crush bug. In a way, Harriet feels left out of the loop. But, at the same time, she's glad to still have her sanity. Too bad she can't say the same for Annie.

I fell in love with Louise Fitzhugh's HARRIET THE SPY over a decade ago, and I still haven't forgotten the wonderful character she created, who managed to lead me on a wild goose chase of years on my own spy route. THE LONG SECRET brought Harriet back in full-force with a new, and completely unexpected sidekick. However, after that, Harriet seemed to have disappeared from sight. Now, however, she has been revived by Maya Gold in the form of HARRIET THE SPY, DOUBLE AGENT. I never thought that someone could pick up where Fitzhugh had left off, but I was wrong. Gold manages to breathe life into Harriet M. Welsch once more, giving readers the opportunity to re-embrace the illustrious spy one more. While characters such as Beth Ellen Hansen, Janie Gibbs, and even the wonder-chef, Sport, are not nearly as prevalent as they were in Fitzhugh's additions to the series; Gold has introduced a new character in the form of Annie Smith - aka Rosarita Sauvage, Yolanda Montezuma, Cassandra D'Amore, and Zoe Carpaccio. Annie is an interesting, and extremely dimensional character, who brings quirkiness to a new level. While she is full of secrets, it's quite obvious that Annie creates different personalities to help her cope with the turmoil in her life, and her family. Each of these characters seems to embody a whole new person who garners their own likes and dislikes. Luckily, the one we see most with Harriet is just plain Annie Smith. Annie is kind, quirky, defensive, quiet, loud, and all-around interesting. It's hard to resist her personality; and the turmoil that results between her and Harriet on a fairly frequent basis brings quite a bit to the story. Harriet, of course, is her usual curious self, who poses many questions to the various adults in her life, that even make the reader think. Her interactions with Cook, and a handful of people on her spy route are humorous and thought-provoking; while the sparsely placed letters from Ole Golly that appear throughout the story give die-hard HARRIET THE SPY fans the chance to see what, exactly, Ole Golly has been up to as of late. An irresistible tale that stays true to the original.

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer