Suddenly a Spy

Lynn Manuel, a writer of mystery novels for young adults, is the author
of Return to Cranberry Farm.

In wartime London, a Canadian sailor returning to his ship in the East
India dockyards is asked to protect a young lady by walking her home.
Peter Coll finds himself spending the night in an air-raid shelter with
Pam Buie and her neighbor Mr. Gardner. When Pam and Mr. Gardner
disappear the next morning, Peter goes under cover to find them. He soon
discovers that their disappearance is part of a sinister plot by the
German army to eliminate Winston Churchill himself.

In this immensely readable novel, Sutherland uses his own experiences
in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II to provide realistic
detail and a gripping immediacy to the story. The character of Peter is
very likable and real. He is amazed by the Londoner’s seeming calm in
the midst of an air raid and he feels guilty that the people at home are
annoyed by the inconvenience of war when, compared to the heavily
rationed Londoners, they are actually living in luxury. This story moves
along at such a rapid pace that the young-adult reader will want to
finish it in one sitting. Well-crafted and entertaining!