The Grand Illusion

(Hardback)

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Description

From Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Boys from Brazil to Captain America, the Nazis obsession with the supernatural and occult is legendary. The British response to it is, however, less known. Section W is a series inspired by some of the more obscure aspects of War Office activity. June 1940. As Hitler prepares to invade Britain,a secret office hidden away in Whitehall is catapulted into a frenzy of activity and expansion. Knowing Hitlers commitment and belief in the occult,Section W is set up to exploit this weakness in the enemys chain of command. New recruit Daphne Lawrence, an Essex-born, sparky twenty-two-year-old assistant to The Grand Mystique, aka Jonty Trevelyan, finds herself called upon to manipulate the Germans with magical trickery as she is propelled into a series of counter espionage missions.

Reviews

'Gripping, strange, unusual. Beautiful writing and a brilliant heroine. I loved it.' Sophia Bennett, author of The Look

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

'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, author of Under the Ice

'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, author of Disorder

'Complex characters and a gripping plot, set in a fascinating period of history!'Roz Watkins, author of theDI Meg Dalton series

'Gorgeously written thriller, evocative and atmospheric with a fabulous heroine at its heart.' Emma Haughton, author of The Dark

'A wonderful tale of the second World War and occultism.' Netgalley, 5*review

'Brilliant! Anoutstandingly good read that I utterly devoured!' Netgalley, 5* review

'An intriguing new slant on the usual Second World War deprivation tales excitingand believable. A rare treat.' Historical Novel Review

Author Bio

Syd Moore is best known for her Essex Witch Museum Mysteries (Strange Magic, Strange Sight, Strange Fascination and Strange Tombs). The series was shortlisted for the Good Reader Holmes and Watson Award in 2018. She was shortlisted for the CWA Short Story Dagger in 2019 and 2020. Her debut screenplay, Witch West, which she developed from an original idea, has been optioned by Hidden Door Productions and will go into production in 2021. Syd founded the Essex Girls' Liberation Front and successfully got the term Essex girl removed from the Oxford dictionary in 2020. Syd is also the author of The Drowning Pool and Witch Hunt. She lives in Essex.