Title: The Last Secret Agent: My Life as a Spy Behind Nazi Lines
Author: Pippa Latour
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Release Date: May 13, 2025
After decades of silence, the last surviving World War II British spy reveals the real, untold story of her time as a secret agent in the deadly world of Nazi France.
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.
I'm always drawn to World War II stories, and being able to read this memoir of a true secret agent was quite an experience.
Pippa Latour’s life was unlike most. Raised in South Africa, France, and England, she endured multiple losses as a child and teenager. She became an English spy in France, working against the Nazi regime.
Parachuting into occupied France in 1944 as a Special Operations Executive (SOE) agent, her mission was to sow chaos for the Nazis. She sent intelligence to England, traveling from town to town disguised as a 14-year-old girl selling soaps for her “grandparents” while gathering critical intel and transmitting it back using hidden wireless radios.
What she witnessed and experienced was a living nightmare, with death all around her. She narrowly escaped capture multiple times and was deeply affected by the horrors she saw, yet she stayed focused on her mission and succeeded.
What a brave and incredible woman Pippa was! She kept her role as an SOE agent secret from everyone until her children discovered an article about her online. Only then did she share her story, which she so richly deserved to tell.
Jude Dobson, the narrator of this Memoir, captures Pippa's voice, transporting us to the past she endured.
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Macmillan Audio via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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