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Undercover Agent

How one of SOE's youngest agents helped defeat the Nazis

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Undercover Agent

By: Mark Seaman
Narrated by: Peter Noble
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About this listen

Tony Brooks was unique. He was barely out of school when recruited in 1941 by the Special Operations Executive (SOE), the wartime secret service established by Churchill to 'set Europe ablaze'. After extensive training he was parachuted into France in July 1942 - being among the first (and youngest) British agents sent to support the nascent French Resistance.

Brooks' success was primarily due to his exceptional qualities as a secret agent, although he was aided by large and frequent slices of luck. Among much else, he survived brushes with a British traitor and a notorious double agent, the Gestapo's capture of his wireless operator and subsequent attempts to trap Brooks, brief incarceration in a Spanish concentration camp, injuries resulting from a parachute jump into France and even capture and interrogation by the Gestapo - although his cover story held and he was released.

In an age when we so often take our heroes from the worlds of sport, film, television, music, fashion or just 'celebrity', it is perhaps salutary to be reminded of a young man who ended the war in command of a disparate force of some 10,000 armed resistance fighters and decorated with two of this country's highest awards for gallantry, the DSO and MC. At the time, he was just 23 years old.

This remarkable, detailed and intimate account of a clandestine agent's dangerous wartime career combines the historian's expert eye with the narrative colour of remembered events. As a study in courage, it has few, if any, equals.

©2020 Mark Seaman (P)2020 Bonnier Books UK
Military World War II France War Funny Winston Churchill
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What listeners say about Undercover Agent

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A story that deserves to be told.

I really enjoyed this book, the story of an unsung hero who has never got the recognition that he deserved. A real unsung hero who was barely out of school before he took the war to the nazis.

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"excellent, pity we had to wait so long to hear it

excellent book an good narration shame we had to wait so long for the story to be told.
He was a very brave young man as were so many of the SOE's recruits...

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Excellent story

Great story but the French excerpts and accents were unnecessary. A very enjoyable and informative read.

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Now going to buy the book!

This is an excellent record of a remarkable man, a hero amongst so many, who deserves to have his name and story become as familiar as other agents’ did. In order to absorb the details better will now order the book for future reference. The author is well aware of the privilege of being invited by Tony B to write his story but clearly this was an honour well-deserved as Mr. Seaman researched thoroughly and wove together the story expertly, doing justice to this particular Undercover Agent and his comrades. So delighted and grateful this book has been written.

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2 people found this helpful

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Excellent

Great story about a British Agent in France during the occupation in the the Second World War.
Though this does not read as a novel the series of events factually recounted is still gripping and I found myself unable to stop listening.

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Inspiring and heroic story of a true patriotic legend

A truly inspiring story, accurately told and expertly narrated. Should you wish to understand more about clandestine operations in France in WWII, there is no better place to start. Tony Brooks is a patriotic legend and deserves greater recognition for his work. Hopefully this book will go some way to achieving that for him.

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Engaging story and narration

If you like stories about WWll heroes I highly recommend this audio book about Tony Brooks narrated superbly by Peter Noble.

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Excellent account of a true hero of WW2

This book genuinely held my attention. It tells a gripping story full of twists and developments. And un like some accounts of Resistance in WW2 doesn't pretend that participants were aristocrats; this Reseau (network) was full of trade unionists who had already known & trusted each other due to T. U. work before 1940. I listened to it first when it was free of charge, and intend to buy it.
BTW this is the 2nd time I have reviewed the book here; the one I wrote last year seems to have been deleted. Possibly for technical reasons? i.e. bc it was no longer in Audible's <Plus Catalogue>, it may have been deleted from my 'Library', and one can only review a book if one has read it....

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The fight of one man and his survival.

A very compelling story of one individual in war torn Europe. Many gloss over the story of agents and spies as being less exciting than the battle. As you listen to "Undercover Agent" you start to understand just how important these brave people were in helping to slow down the efforts of the enemy in so many ways. Great performance from Peter Noble and a great story.

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definitely one the better books

definitely one of the better books about SOE it's gives great detail about Tony brooks life in SOE and he's circuit in France. it's not outlandish it's believable and but still keeps you interested. you definitely lean alot from this one.

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