Book Review
The Last Secret Agent by Pippa Latour
Memoir | WWII | Non-Fiction
From 1941 to 1944, four hundred and seventy SOE agents were sent to France to participate in clandestine work such as sabotage, espionage, and reconnaissance. Approximately forty of those agents were female, one of whom was Pippa Latour. Having kept her WWII work a secret for decades, this memoir explores the untold story of Pippa’s time as an undercover agent.
The Last Secret Agent explores Pippa’s life from birth through to the end of the Second World War, and what a life she led!. Pippa had quite a unique upbringing, and her early years were full of change and loss. Many of the skills she learned, including climbing and learning Morse Code, prepared her for what was to come later. While I was expecting a war memoir, I found myself thoroughly captivated by the entirety of Pippa’s unusual but fascinating life.
This book was co-written by journalist Jude Dobson, and I really appreciated the writing style. The book felt well-researched without losing Pippa’s voice and the memories that she had of specific events. I loved that she wasn’t afraid to tell her version of events, correcting facts or information that she’d read online or in other agents’ accounts. While it’s clear that there were some lapses in her memory (she hadn’t spoken of these events for decades), she freely admits those, and any gaps were filled in with research by Dobson.
I love memoirs, particularly of women breaking boundaries and living ordinary lives in extraordinary ways, and Pippa is a great example of an inspirational woman who stepped up and did what needed to be done. Her account is one of courage and honesty, highlighting the work she accomplished while honouring her fellow female SOE agents who didn’t make it home.
If you enjoy memoirs about incredible lives lived, this is definitely one to add to your shelf.
Recommended for:
WWII memoirs and accounts of inspiration women
This post contains affiliate links; as an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Advance copy of the book provided courtesy of the publisher, St Martin’s Press. All opinions expressed are my own.
About the book:
(From the publisher): From a unique and singular voice comes the incredible true story of the last surviving undercover British female operative in WW2. Pippa Latour parachuted into occupied France in 1944 to conduct sabotage and subversion behind enemy lines. Selling soap to German soldiers and hiding codes on a piece of ribbon, she sent back crucial information about troop positions in the lead up to D-Day, and continued her work until Paris was liberated. From her childhood as an orphan in South Africa to her years as an undercover agent, Pippa’s story is that of a woman determined to honor her principles and risk her life to fight against the greatest evil of the 20th century.
The Last Secret Agent is a posthumously published memoir, co-written with journalist Jude Dobson. Pippa was decorated highly for her actions, including being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire and receiving the Légion d’Honneur in France. For years, Pippa kept her involvement in the war effort secret from everyone, including her family, but for the first time, her story can now be told in full.