Queen of Spies

November 30, 2015
Irish novelist Hayes (The First Secret) turns to nonfiction as he studies the life of Daphne Park, the first woman to join the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), producing a narrative that can be read three ways. The first is the tale an 11-year-old girl who leaves her mud shack in Africa to travel to Great Britain for her education, subsequently rising through the intelligence service to become a baroness and a member of the House of Lords. The second concerns the adventures of a Cold War–era British intelligence agent playing deadly cat and mouse games with the KGB, and serving in Moscow during the Hungarian Revolt of 1956 and in Hanoi during the Vietnam War. The third covers an exceptionally intelligent and strong-willed woman who forces one of the most male-dominated government bureaucracies to recognize her and promote her based on her competence. Park faced immense cultural and institutional obstacles, overcoming many of the challenges that talented professional women still face today. Hayes is open about his own speculations, given the still-classified nature of much of this material, but he successfully conveys the inspiring nature of Park’s personal story and achievements, offering an informative account of the Cold War and the workings of the supersecret SIS.

Starred review from October 1, 2015
Intelligence researcher Hayes opens the door on the fascinating life of one of England's greatest spies, Daphne Park (1921-2010). Unlocking that door is an achievement in itself. The author was able to interview her subject after her retirement from the British Secret Intelligence Service after receiving a life peerage to add to her Order of the British Empire award. Of course, given that her life's work was espionage, the story she told was sparse. Hayes uncovered further information from retired colleagues from Oxford, the British government, SIS, the CIA, and even the KGB. Raised in Tanganyika (now Tanzania) by British parents, she was sent to England for school at age 11 and ended up at Somerville College, Oxford. She left Oxford in 1943 and joined the Special Operations Executive, eventually working with Operation Jedburgh paratroopers until the end of the war. Park had to be patient and extremely persistent in her work, but she succeeded in getting a place in the SIS. She served in Moscow, Congo, Zambia, and Hanoi, as well as three months in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on an unknown operation. She eventually rose to the most senior operational rank in SIS. That list of her assignments is misleadingly simple, as she was always in the right place at the right time: Moscow during the Suez crisis; Leopoldville for the post-colonial face-off in Africa and the murder of Patrice Lumumba; Lusaka for the Rhodesian declaration of independence. Hayes had access to the recent history of England's secret service, and she uses it to great effect. This is an excellent biography of a remarkable woman who easily built relationships to safeguard foreign policy objectives. She was forthright and obdurate, and she had an infectious sense of humor. Most importantly, she personified the qualities required: loyalty, respect, tradition, and absolute secrecy. As exciting as any good spy thriller]but it's all true.

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Starred review from November 15, 2015

This work by Hayes (Break-Out!) peels backs Britain's espionage world in order to show the fortitude of a woman who ascended its ranks. The author treats the subject, Daphne Margaret Sybil Desiree Park, Baroness Park of Monmouth (1921-2010), with detailed care. He covers her entire life, from her girlhood on the African plains to her role as Chief of Western Hemisphere Operations for the Secret Intelligence Service. Through personal interviews, documents, and other secondary sources, Hayes vividly describe Park's character, revealing a woman who succeeded with wit, charm, and intellect. Also fascinating is how Park's lifespan seemingly parallels the UK's trajectory during the 20th century. Together with Ben Macintyre's A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal and Gordon Corera's The Art of Betrayal: The Secret History of MI6: Life and Death in the British Secret Service, readers can obtain considerable knowledge about Britain's art of espionage. VERDICT Highly recommended for those who appreciate unique biographies, those searching for examples of real-life heroines, and Cold War enthusiasts.--Jacob Sherman, John Peace Lib., Univ. of Texas at San Antonio

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