A thrilling novel of love, loyalty, and espionage, based on the incredible true story of Elizabeth Bentley, a Cold War double agent spying for the Russians and the United States, from USA Today bestselling author Stephanie Marie Thornton.
We chat with author Stephanie Marie Thornton about her latest release A Most Clever Girl, along with book recommendations, writing, and more.
Hi, Stephanie! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I live in Alaska with my husband, daughter, and three rescue cats. By day, I’m a high school history teacher and by night I write novels about history’s forgotten women.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I’ve been writing for more than a decade. I started by writing Daughter of the Gods about Pharaoh Hatshepsut—her mummy had just been discovered and I couldn’t get her story out of my head!
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White, Memoirs of a Geisa by Arthur Golden, and The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray.
Your new novel, A Most Clever Girl, is out September 14th 2021! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Spies, intrigue, Cold War, danger, romance.
What can readers expect?
A Most Clever Girl reimagines the real-life story of Elizabeth Bentley, a Cold War double agent spying for the Russians and the United States. There’s thrills, near-misses, and even a dash of romance!
Where did the inspiration for A Most Clever Girl come from?
I came across a reference to Elizabeth Bentley while researching Cold War spies and was intrigued by this woman whose story is virtually unknown today. What was interesting to me was that everyone knows about Joseph McCarthy, but his accusations regarding communists infiltrating the U.S. government were based on hot air. Elizabeth Bentley—whose many testimonies were secretly confirmed by the FBI via Project VENONA—was vilified and then forgotten due to the fact that no one could corroborate her accusations and because she was seen as a hysterical, menopausal woman. Project VENONA was declassified in 1995 and now we know the truth of Bentley’s story, which I felt needed to be told.
Can you tell us about any challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
Elizabeth Bentley is an intriguing protagonist who made a lot of terrible choices in her life. One of my greatest challenges came in figuring out why she made those decisions, but I got the feeling that some of those early choices—like becoming a Communist and then joining the CPUSA underground to spy—were made because she really did want to do something meaningful during a very difficult time in American history. At first, that meant spying on America to root out fascists and later, she aimed to expose Communist spies in American government.
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I really enjoyed writing Elizabeth’s interactions with her handler, Jacob Golos. I would make a terrible spy—danger and the fear of discovery isn’t really in my wheelhouse—but it was great fun live vicariously through both of these spy characters.
What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?
The best isn’t strictly writing advice, but Winston Churchill’s “Never, never, never give up” always sticks in my mind and really helped me get through the agent querying process with my first novel. The worst is to write what you know—a writer can channel what they know, but I’ve never been a spy, First Lady, or Egyptian pharaoh. Yet, I’ve written books about all of them!
What’s next for you?
I’m currently writing a mother-daughter story that spans both the French Revolution and the Regency period. It’s been quite a change from the Cold War, but I’m loving it!
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
Absolutely! I just finished The Guncle by Stephen Rowley—my entire family loved listening to the audiobook on road trips this summer. That book has all the feels!
You can find Stephanie on Facebook and Instagram, and also at her website.
