Weekly Reader: The Berlin Escape (An Aubrey Endeavors Spy Thriller Book 1) by Warren Court; Badass Female Lead In Thrilling pre-WWII Spy Thriller

 

Weekly Reader: The Berlin Escape (An Aubrey Endeavors Spy Thriller Book 1) by Warren Court; Badass Female Lead In Thrilling pre-WWII Spy Thriller

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers:. Warren Court's Aubrey Endeavors is sort of like what would happen if the unconfirmed historical rumors about Amelia Earhart actually being a spy for the United States were true. The first book in the series, The Berlin Escape involves a gutsy female pilot who after her aviator career becomes stalled, accepts a position to work as a spy in Nazi Germany right after Hitler assumed power and years before the United States got officially involved.

Even though Aubrey Endeavors is a fictional character, she would fit right in with the Female Spies of Kit Sergeant's book series. She has the same bravado, courage, feminism, and adventurous spirits that her real life counterparts did in similar situations. 

Aubrey is trying to make her mark as an aviator. This is the time of women like Earhart, Anne Morrow  Lindbergh, and Bessie Coleman so the sky's literally the limit for these brave and talented women. Aubrey is quite an accomplished pilot well known for the flying circuits and competitions including one in Poland in which she tried to sneak out a refugee trying to escape. It doesn't end well and before he dies, the man tells Aubrey to pass messages to people named "Lazarus" and Lydia." This assignment nearly cost her life and a flying competition which made short work of her Sopwith Camel severely injured Aubrey and nearly ended her flying days permanently.

That is until her "Uncle" Arthur (her father's war ally and best friend and whom Aubrey has a slight weird crush on) gives her a very tempting offer to work for the U.S. government. When another offer involving her advertising soap from the back of a truck falls through, Aubrey decides to take Arthur up on the offer of working as a spy. 

Before her assignment Aubrey has to go to Paris to get some espionage training from Hewlett Purnsley, an MI6 handler who is not happy to train this young greenhorn. Aubrey gets a crash course on memorizing details, sticking to her cover Identity, and escaping from perilous training.

Aubrey's assignment is to go to Germany as herself. (She is well known in Europe as an aviator so there is no need to assume a disguise. In fact her reputation might open doors.) Her cover story is that she is writing a series of articles on German planes for an American flight magazine so she has to take copious notes at the air shows. She also has to meet and accept information from a fellow spy, whom no one in Arthur's camp knows what they look like. While in Germany, she captures the attention of Count Helmut Von Villiez, a wealthy nobleman and wanders off the assignment path to see if she can locate Lazarus and Lydia.

The Berlin Escape is reminiscent of those old WWII spy movies or a James Bond installment rather than any real tale of spying and espionage, in comparison to say Sergeant's Female Spies books. While all are historical fiction, Sergeant's are more based on reality than Aubrey's adventures. Of course Sergeant's books are based on real people and Court's is complete fiction. Oh, both series are filled with suspense, moments where the characters are surrounded by enemies, and real consequences if they are caught (and some are). The protagonists are very strong willed, courageous, and dedicated to their missions. However the reality and the fantasy of espionage are very present within these books. 

Sergeant's protagonists have varying degrees of action. Some are caught in tense moments where they have to escape or strive to get to know their target um horizontally. But the majority of the actions consists of these women observing and paying attention to details. They have to attend balls, listen in on conversations, serve in other people's houses, keep their eyes out for battle plans, bite their tongues as soldiers board inside their homes, listen for gossip that could be important, and trade letters back and forth in secure locations. Sometimes being a spy largely consists of being aware of one's surroundings and taking copious notes rather than any thrilling chases and escapes with gun play.

The Aubrey Endeavors series has more of the romantic thrills. It is no less a good series than Sergeant's but definitely filled with the romance and excitement of espionage novels and films. Aubrey's early experiences give her an idea of what she is up against. Rescuing the refugee during the air show puts her in definite danger and fills her with guilt so that she is determined to make things right including taking time during her assignment to locate Lazarus and Lydia.

Even her training from Hewlett shows definite hints of what is to come. At one point he disappears leaving her to find a way to escape from a crowded French restaurant without making much of an impression and keeping a clear head as she does this. 

Of course the training and early assignments are nothing compared to what she is faced against. From the second that she arrives in Berlin, she is caught up in one suspenseful encounter after another. Some of it involves her status as a newbie to the spy game. 

There are moments where Aubrey is right in the middle of Nazi Central and has to find clever ways to follow her assignment and get out quickly. She misses her contact and has to re encounter them at a party attended by none other than Hermann Goering. 

She also makes mistakes as she trusts the wrong people and reveals more than she should. Likewise, her wrongful suspicions towards other characters causes her to withdraw valuable information and nearly puts her and the whole mission in jeopardy. 

There is even a point where she is imprisoned and severely beaten partly because of her errors in judgement. Much of her errors can be chalked up to her being new to the game. Still her stubbornness and perseverance comes through as she is able to face every challenge and treat it as a learning experience.

Thankfully, an escape calls for her to resort to her greatest love: aviation as she flies her way out of trouble.

The Berlin Escape is certainly a trial by fire crash course in espionage. If Aubrey survives this, she could be well on her way to becoming a legend in the spy game.