She Landed by Moonlight cover art

She Landed by Moonlight

The Story of Secret Agent Pearl Witherington

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She Landed by Moonlight

By: Carole Seymour-Jones
Narrated by: Catherine Harvey
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About this listen

On the night of the 22 September, 1943, Pearl Witherington, a 29-year-old British secretary and Special Operations Executive (SOE) agent, was parachuted into Occupied France.

Pearl had a dual mission: to fight for her beloved France and to find her lost love who had been taken prisoner. Her wartime record is unique. She became a legendary guerrilla leader training 3,800 Resistance fighters. Probably the greatest female organiser of armed maquisards in France, Pearl lit the fires of resistance in Central France so that Churchill’s famous order to ‘set Europe ablaze’, which had brought SOE into being, finally came to pass.

©2014 Carole Seymour-Jones (P)2014 Oakhill Publishing Military Military & War Women World World War II War France Imperialism Winston Churchill Prisoners of War

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Critic reviews

"The truth is that Sebastian Faulk's novel...stands on its own, but so does She Landed by Moonlight, the long-awaited biography that Agent Pearl deserves." (The Times)
"Dialogue is recreated, scenes are set and we are given a character's thoughts, feelings and reactions. Pearl's story is so well-documented and her exploits so extraordinary." (Independent Book of the Week)
"Quietly moving... Carol Seymour-Jones has done an excellent job in bringing Witherington's courage, commitment and ability to light, sensibly focusing on her war years when she lived to her full potential." (Spectator)
"It took until 2004 - four years before her death - for her own country to belatedly present her with a CBE. As this biography makes clear, the brave and wholly admirable Pearl Witherington deserved much, much better." (Sunday Times)
"Carole Seymour-Jones does full justice to a truly remarkable and little-known woman." (Country Life)
"This biography successfully establishes her in the pantheon of the very bravest and best, up there with such legendary figures as Violette Szabo, Andree Borrel, Madeline Damerment and Nancy Wake." Sebastian Faulks, (Mail on Sunday)
"Thoroughly researched and perceptive" (The Lady)
"A gripping tale. A story of narrow escapes, lost and betrayed comrades and incessant danger." (Literary Review)
All stars
Most relevant  
What an exceptional person Pearl was! You can’t draw any other conclusion having listened to her story.

The events in pre-liberation France bear testament to the courage of the Resistance (whatever their political hue), the duplicity of the collaborators and the sheer evil of most Germans. There are stories of bravery in this book that will stir the soul and horrors that will make you shudder.

The narration lets this exceptional book down badly, though. Important acronyms like “SIS” (aka MI6) are mispronounced as the word “Siss” and the narrator lapses into ‘Allo ‘Allo French & German when recounting verbatim passages. This is cringeworthy.
Don’t let that put you off, though. This is a story that deserves to be heard.

Superb story let down by poor narration

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I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It succeeded in generating a growing disappointment in the treatment of the women who undertook active military service, parachuting into occupied territory, evading the enemy and engaging in guerrilla action, leading from the front. Thankfully their stories are now emerging and they are able to stake their claim to a justified seat at the top table amongst the other heroes who freed Europe from the ravages of war.

A very touching story, beautifully narrated.

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These brave people should never be forgotten.
Great story, well researched, brilliantly narrated, it felt like you were there.
so moving.

Outstanding

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I’m interested in people’s stories, and the SOE in particular. Having read about the exploits of , Yeo Thomas, and Roger Landes, I was keen to hear about Pearl Witherington. After a slow start the book finally gets down to her exploits. Personally I found the writing a bit Mills and Boonish, but if you can stick with it, and get past the author’s embellishments, you’re left with a tale of courage and heroism.

Courage and determination

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I downloaded this audio book thinking it would be a novel based on the true story of Pearl Witherington however, the book is actually a chronological account of her life, interspersed with diary entries from a myriad of key players during the Second World War. That being said, although it was more of a history lesson, it was truly a breathtaking account of not just Pearl, but other agents lives as they worked in the field during WW2. These incredibly brave individuals gave so much for the freedoms we completely take for granted today. Their unwavering courage in some of most difficult and downright dangerous circumstances should never ever be forgotten. Thank God they were there.

If you’re interested in this period of history and the SOE then this book is and absolute must. Factual, informative and beautifully narrated, it really is a brilliant listen.

Spoiler alert!
I had no idea about British agents treatment post war. General De Gaulle in particular should be bloody ashamed. I was also appalled at the treatment of female agents when it came to recognition of their bravery with honours and awards. Unbelievably they couldn’t be given the same recognition as their male counterparts simply because they were women despite going above and beyond what many men of the time achieved. Truly an eye opener!

Not what I expected but well worth a listen

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Sometimes the necessary recounting of multiple names together with their corresponding’titles’ both military and otherwise, led to a kind of brain fatigue, resulting in ‘switching off’ from time to time. Not sure how differently this could have been handled though. Otherwise a good account of SOE and its many agents and activities. Thank you.

Pearl and her colleagues’ courage.

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If you thought you knew about what happened during the occupation of France. Then unless you've listened or read this book think again.

what a story, what a women. Why she did not receive a Milatary Medal is a travesty and all in power should be ashamed

The narrator is fantastic as is the story. A few places the memoirs are a little factual or textbook.
but it is so good that the facts are in print and not forgotten

unbelievable account

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This story would have been told so much better as a story rather than as a repeated account of what people said or wrote. It has made a potentially exciting tale very dry and dull.

Interesting story but…

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