book cover of The Grand Illusion
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The Grand Illusion

(2024)
(The first book in the Daphne Devine series)
A novel by

 
 
Historical fiction inspired by the War Office response to the Nazi obsession with the occult

Step forward Daphne Devine - you are about to change the course of the war

‘A breathtaking historical thriller.’Erin Kelly,author of The Skeleton Key

'Vivid and thoroughly entertaining... More, please.' Guardian, best crime and thrillers

June 1940. As World War Two rages, Daphne Devine remains in London, performing each night as assistant to stage magician Jonty Trevelyan, aka the Grand Mystique.

Then the secret service call.

For, aware of Hitler’s belief in the occult, the war office has set up a hidden cohort to exploit this quirk in the enemy’s chain of command.

Daphne and Jonty find themselves far from the glitz and glamour of the theatre, deep inside the lower levels of Wormwood Scrubs prison. Here, they join secret ranks of occultists, surrealists, and other eccentrics co-opted to the war effort. There is one goal: to avert invasion on British shores.

Soon Daphne realises she must risk everything if there is any chance of saving her country

'Quirky, clever and compelling.' Anna Mazzola, author of The Clockwork Girl

'A rattling good read.'Barbara Nadel, author of Belshazzar's Daughter


Genre: Historical Mystery

Praise for this book

"Gripping, strange, unusual. Beautiful writing and a brilliant heroine. I loved it." - Sophia Bennett

"A blend of glamour, stagecraft and espionage...had me gripped from the first page. I screamed aloud at one point! Impossible not to fall in love with the characters. Loved it." - Rachael Blok

"Gorgeously written thriller, evocative and atmospheric with a fabulous heroine at its heart." - Emma Haughton

"An intriguing novel, laced with insight and humour, and Daphne is a heroine who would shine in any age." - Olivia Isaac-Henry

"A ripping wartime tale of plucky Brits fighting the Nazis with distraction, deception and darkness. Thrilling, inventive and fabulously entertaining. I loved it." - Paddy Magrane

"Complex characters and a gripping plot, set in a fascinating period of history!" - Roz Watkins


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