Customer Reviews

Cast No Shadow: The Life of the American Spy Who Changed the Course of World War II

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Having been weaned on old B&W WWII espionage and romance behind the lines movies, I thought the reality would pall by comparison. How wrong I was! This fascinating look into the life of an unsung heroine of WWII is better than most fictions about the era. It includes lots of juicy details, such as speculating whether Arthur Pack was indeed the father of Betty's first child, Antony, who was fostered out and raised in England by another family, and only visited by his globe-trotting mother a couple of times during his childhood. Such tid bits, along with analysis of Betty's personality and why she was so promiscuous, make this an entertaining and stimulating read. There is no question that Betty Thorpe Pack was capable of being both seductive and abrasive by turns. What emerges is a picture of a thoroughly human individual who used her strengths and failings to aid in her country's defense. An overlooked story in the history of women.

Since this woman was a second cousin once removed, I will abstain from a personal evaluation. However, I loaned it to two female friends to read. One complained that there was too much sex, the other complained that there was too much history. You just can't please everybody!