Book Review of
Ace, Marvel, Spy

Lynn's Review

Ace, Marvel, Spy Jenni L. Walsh is a WWII historical fiction book about tennis star Alice Marvel.

Ace, Marvel, Spy is part WWII history, part sports fiction, and part spy book. It is a fascinating mix of history, sports, and spies. 

This book was on my list of books to read in 2025, so when asked if I wanted a free copy to review, I said yes. I could not wait to read it. 

This book focuses on Alice Marvel, a tennis star and a WWII spy. Alice’s career comes to a halt with the outbreak of the war, but she uses her tennis games as a cover to become a spy for the U.S. 

This book focuses on tennis, but you do not have to love tennis to enjoy this book. I know nothing about tennis and am not a big sports fan, but I loved this book. I learned so much about tennis, especially during the 1930s and 1940s, reading this book. 

This book is great for those who love historical fiction, but it would also be an excellent read for sports fans. 

I highly recommend reading the author’s notes at the end of the book. Don’t skip them. After I finished this book, I wished it had more about Alice and what she did as a spy, but the author’s notes explained why there was not more on that part of Alice’s life.