I, Spy: A Bletchley Park Mystery
by Rhian Tracey, illustrated by David Dean
Interest age: 9 to 11
Reading age: 9+
Published by Piccadilly Press, 2023
About this book
It is 1939 and Robyn lives with her parents in a cottage on the Bletchley Park estate, where her dad works as a driver. When war is declared, Bletchley Park becomes a hive of covert activity and Robyn is pulled out of school to assist Mr Samuels with his homing pigeons. She loves working with the birds and is amazed to learn that they are trained to carry secret messages home to Britain from allies in France.
Meanwhile, Robyn becomes increasingly suspicious of a sinister visitor to the estate, whom she nicknames the Heron. Together with her friends Mary and Ned, she determines to find out what he’s up to, but Bletchley is good at keeping secrets, and uncovering the truth proves to be a dangerous challenge.
This thrilling mystery adventure is packed full of covert codes, secret passageways and an abundance of intrigue. The book also provides a fascinating insight into the pivotal contribution made to the war effort by a multitude of covert workers at Bletchley Park, many of whom were women. The tale was inspired by the author’s great aunt, who worked as a code breaker at Bletchley Park during the second world war.
About the illustrator
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