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Her secret service shortlisted for polly corrigan prize
19 March 2026 Her Secret Service has been shortlisted for the prestigious Polly Corrigan Book Prize. Sponsored by the King's Centre for Intelligence Studies at King's College London, the award recognises outstanding work in intelligence and security written by/or about women. Having my work acknowledged is a tremendous honour, and I'm certain the women of Britain's secret intelligence services, whose stories are told in my debut book, would be secretly delighted as well!


invited speaker - st.hugh's college oxford
14 March 2026 I was delighted to join the alumnae of St. Hugh's College, Oxford, for their annual lunch and deliver a lecture about "The Secret World of Women in Intelligence: Station X and MI6" . The former Alumni Association President Veronica Lowe focused on the lived experiences of St Hugh's alumnae at Bletchley Park, before I shed light on one of the most secretive environments of the war, MI6, and their presence at the wartime codebreaking station.


special event in sidmouth
12 March 2026 Authors rarely get the opportunity to give a talk in the home town of their book's protagonist, but in a full circle moment, I had the privilege of speaking to a full house (plus those in an overfill room) in Sidmouth about their now known local legend, Kathleen Pettigrew. The MI6 super ‘secretary’ was the first woman I started researching for my debut book Her Secret Service . I picked up her trail in the delightful coastal Devonshire town where she had spent


Foyles Bookshop Waterloo Station
10 March 2026 Her Secret Service spotlighted in the window of Foyles Bookshop at Waterloo Station in London. I nipped in before my train and signed a few copies, in green ink of course!


Bletchley Park international women's Day Symposium
8 March 2026 I was delighted to be invited to speak at Bletchley Park's 'Women Who Write' symposium celebrating International Women's Day. Women such as the 'real' Miss Moneypenny, Kathleen Pettigrew, a trailblazing woman in MI6's history, worked on the first floor of the mansion at the start of the war. MI6 women at Bletchley Park have not always received the recognition they deserve, in part due to the secrecy surrounding their work. I worked hard to ensure Kathleen's story


Invited Speaker - Cambridge Intelligence Seminar
27 February 2026 It was an honour to speak at the Cambridge Intelligence Seminar about how I rescued the silenced voices of women to produce a groundbreaking account of their contributions to the history of the intelligence services. Many thanks to Professor Christopher Andrew and Dr Dan Larsen for the invitation.


Public lecture at Nottingham university
25 February 2026 Students, academic staff and members of the public were treated to a talk on the remarkable women of British Intelligence. This was followed by a panel discussion exploring some of the themes of the book in relation to the modern workplace. Many thanks to Professor Abigail Hunt and Dr. Sudeshna Bhattacharya (Director for Work, Employment and Organisation Research Group) for organising the event, and all those involved in making such a memorable event. The boo


Article in The House Magazine
12 January 2026. Check out the latest issue of parliament's The House magazine where I explore in a four page article why it took so long to appoint a woman as the head of MI6. You can read it online free of charge HERE Physical copies of the magazine are distributed to all members of parliament, peers and sections of Westminster, as well as subscribers (subscribe HERE ). Enjoy!


paperback publication day for her secret service
8 January 2026 Her Secret Service is out now in paperback. I will let you in on a secret. You may find an extra chapter in the form of a Postscript at the end of the paperback. I won't ruin the surprise, but here's a clue: 'what was once deemed lost can indeed sometimes be found'. You can purchase a copy HERE Happy reading!


Sunday Times Paperback of the week
4 January 2026 The new year has got off to a great start. Her Secret Service was reviewed in the Sunday Times as one of their 'Paperbacks of the Week'. The paperback is out in the world on Thursday 8 January. You can pre-order HERE


bletchley park podcast
24 October 2025 On the one year anniversary of Her Secret Service being published, episode 184 of the Bletchley Park podcast has been released. I joined Dr David Kenyon, Research Historian at Bletchley Park, and Erica Munro, Head of Content and podcast host, to discuss the little known SIS (MI6) presence at Bletchley Park during the war, which included Miss Kathleen Pettigrew, the MI6 secretary who inspired Ian Fleming's Miss Moneypenny character. You can listen on Apple Po


shipston bookfest
28 September 2025 Shipston Bookfest is an exciting new book festival in the north Cotswolds. I had the honour of appearing alongside the wonderful Mandy Robotham , a former journalist and midwife, who has penned several historical novels, including her latest bestseller Mrs Spy . Those in attendance at St. Edmund's Church, were treated to an exploration of the female spy in history and in fiction.


bbc history extra podcast
25 September 2025 I spoke with Rachel Dinning from The History Extra podcast (produced by the team behind the BBC History Magazine ) ,...


invited conference speaker, Newnham college, Cambridge
18 September 2025 I was delighted to accept an invitation to speak at the one day conference 'Codebreakers and Groundbreakers: Women's...


In conversation with dermot turing at bletchley park
6 September 2025 I was delighted to support the launch of Dermot Turing's new book, Misread Signals: How History Overlooked Women...


List Magazine article features her secret service
1 August 2025 Her Secret Service featured in List Magazine. The article, "Hotel Review: Raffles London at The OWO, London", has been...


Buxton international festival
16 July 2025 Buxton International Festival is recognised nationally and internationally as one of the UK's leading arts festivals that...


The National Archives selects her secret service as key summer reading
18 June 2025 Inspired by their current exhibition, MI5: Official Secrets , The National Archives (Kew, London) has drawn up a summer...


expert media commentary on appointment of Blaise Metreweli as head of MI6
16 June 2025 Following the news that Blaise Metreweli has been appointed the next head of MI6, I was called upon to provide expert...


York Festival of ideas
7 June 2025 York Festival of Ideas is one of the biggest book festivals in the country and nearly all the events are free! The 2025...
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