Flirting with Danger

Praise

“A compelling story that pulsates with the energy of a thriller”
—The Wall Street Journal

“Suspense, élan and a generous helping of glamour: Think George Smiley in a mink-trimmed coat.”
—The New York Times Book Review

“Janet Wallach delivers an enthusiastic portrait of a Baltimore socialite who defied expectations.”
—The Washington Post

“Wallach’s in-depth portrayal of Harrison’s complex personality deftly reveals the socialite spy’s intrepid character through a masterly-crafted narrative and detailed anecdotes.”
—Historical Novels Review

“A remarkable tale of intrigue and daring.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Wallach’s expert storytelling, which has the suspense and pacing of a good spy novel, is clearly her own, and it makes for engaging reading.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“It was a life well-lived. Baltimore socialite, journalist, author, intrepid explorer, and filmmaker—and a spy for American military intelligence, Marguerite Harrison broke all the rules for a young woman in the early 20th century. Biographer Janet Wallach has brilliantly rediscovered this fabulous life and spins a colorful tale of a smart, beautiful young woman who was too bored to stay at home. Instead, she runs off to revolutionary Russia, interviews Leon Trotsky in Moscow, befriends John Reed and considers Emma Goldman “a sympathetic soul.” Twice imprisoned by the Bolsheviks, Harrison manages to survive for more wild adventures in the Middle East, the Far East and Mongolia. Wallach’s heroine is a feisty feminist—but her espionage, working under the cover of a journalist, underscores the lost art of human intelligence collection in the modern spy business.”
—Kai Bird, Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer and director of the Leon Levy Center for Biography

“Janet Wallach weaves together the almost unbelievable adventures of a fearless American socialite, Marguerite Harrison, who operated as a spy, reporting to military intelligence during the precarious years between the two World Wars. Scrupulously researched but reading like a page-turning novel, the aptly titled Flirting with Danger takes us from the debutante balls in Baltimore to Harrison’s dangerous exploits in Baghdad, the far East and Moscow, where she is incarcerated in the notorious Lybyanka prison before being released to whatever is next.”
—Eden Collinsworth, author of What the Ermine Saw:  The Extraordinary Journey of Leonardo da Vinci’s Most Mysterious Portrait