Alice Éclair Spy Extraordinaire: A Spoonful of Spying

 

Alice is back and this time she is working with Claude, a fellow spy, and they are on the hunt for an unknown enemy agent who is intent on stealing plans for a new plane called The Daedalus, which will be able to fly further than any other plane on one tank of fuel. The plans are top secret for fear of them falling into the wrong hands but agents are going missing and action needs to be taken.  It is believed that something will happen at the World Fair due to take place in Paris, so Alice and her unsuspecting mother are given prime spot in the Tastes of the World Pavilion for their pâtisserie Vive Comme L'Éclair.  From there, Alice will be perfectly positioned to look out for enemy spies.  But who exactly are these spies?  How will Alice spot them?  And will she be able to do so before it's too late?

I have a serious weakness for books set in Paris and savoured A Recipe For Trouble whilst visiting Paris in August.  I adored the book, delighted in Alice as a character and was left with a desperate desire to know what she would get up to next, so I was absolutely thrilled when A Spoonful of Spying was waiting for me when I got home on Friday.  It immediately jumped to the top of my reading pile, and on Saturday morning, I made myself a mug of hot chocolate (well I was off to Paris!), curled up and dived in.

From the very beginning, I was transported back to Paris on board a bateau mouche where we find Alice and Claude in the thick of things.  Alice is just as I remembered her: independent, determined, head-strong, full of the most wonderful cake creations and somebody who doesn't always get things right (I love that about her).  Her desire to bake the most delectable creations is woven into the plot throughout and the descriptions of her creations will leave you drooling and hungry in equal measure!  

I loved the World Fair setting which allowed Alice to combine her love of baking with her spy mission.  Combine that with the glamour of Parisian catwalks awash with oceans of delicate fabrics and beading turned into dresses to die for, and you have the perfect setting for an adventure.  Alice is quickly on the case and the plot will have you gripped - it certainly kept me guessing until the end!

I have to mention the fact that this book is full of wonderful female characters, not just Alice, and the messages about not underestimating people just because of their age or gender are brilliantly highlighted.  The idea that you can be anything you want to be shines in this book, whether it's a teenage spy, a genius baker, a female engineer or a model who doesn't quite fit in with the expectations of the other models.  I absolutely adored these messages and I know readers will be heartened by them as well.

I gobbled A Spoonful of Spying up in one sitting and it was utterly delicious!  I know that it will fly off the shelves on the 12th January when it's published and will be the perfect antidote for those post-Christmas blues.  Right now, my copy has been safely placed in my bag for school tomorrow as I know it has been highly anticipated - it won't take long for it to be whisked away in the morning!

I'm aware that Alice will be back in October 2023 for her third mission ... I just don't know how I'm going to wait that long for more of this deliciously addictive series!