tennis

In our house, we love tennis, so I was excited to hear about this book, which highlights a female tennis player who was also a spy! Here’s the scoop:

ACE, MARVEL, SPY!

By Jenni Walsh

Harper Muse; On-Sale January 14, 2024

Prepare to be transported to the most thrilling moments of Alice Marble’s legendary tennis career, where you’ll relive iconic matches and witness her relentless pursuit of justice, equality, and love. Through captivating snapshots from her rise to fame, ACE, MARVEL, SPY! brings to life her journey on and off the court, highlighting the battles she fought for a fairer world and the passion that drove her every move.Alice’s major tennis accomplishments include:

Winning over 18 championships across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles
Speaking out against the gender wage gap in tennis
Leading the U.S. Wightman Cup team to victory in 1933 and 1937-1939
Advocating for Althea Gibson to cross the color line
Being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1964
Coaching Billie Jean King

Perhaps most interestingly, under the guise of playing tennis in Switzerland in 1945, Alice served as an Allied spy to uncover a Nazi gold and money laundering ring. You can read more about Alice’s mission here.With a hint of romance, history, and tennis, ACE, MARVEL SPY has it all, and it is the perfect companion for the upcoming Australian Open!

Trailblazer, superstar, activist, and spy: Alice Marble is a true American icon.

Alice strives to have it all.

At seventeen, Alice Marble has no formal tennis skills and no coach. What she does have is an ability to hit the ball as hard as she can and a strong desire to prove herself. With steadfast determination and one sacrifice after another, Alice plays her heart out on the courts of the rich and famous, at national tournaments, and—the greatest of them all—at Wimbledon, rising to be one of the top-ranked players in the world.

But then her world falls apart.

With the outbreak of war with Germany, Alice’s tennis career and life come to a screeching halt, and for the first time, she is forced to confront who she is without tennis. As she seeks to understand her new place in the world and how she can aid in the war efforts, a telegram arrives with devastating news from overseas. Heartbroken and lost, she feels like she can only watch as the war wreaks havoc in every area of her life.

Until an unexpected invitation arrives.

Alice is given the chance to fight back when the US Army sends her a request: Under the guise of playing in tennis exhibition games in Switzerland, she would be a spy for them. Alice aches for nothing more than to avenge what the war has taken from her and to prove herself against this new opponent. But what awaits her might be her greatest challenge yet.

From her start as a promising athlete with worn-out shoes to her status as a glamorous international star, Alice Marble’s determination to control her own life and destiny fuels a story of achievement, discipline, loss, and love.

Jenni L. Walsh’s Ace, Marvel, Spy brilliantly showcases the life of Alice Marble, a real-life tennis sensation known for her extraordinary talent and indomitable spirit. This fast-paced and action-packed historical novel spans multiple international settings and is enhanced by discussion questions that prompt readers to reflect on Alice’s challenges and triumphs, making it an ideal choice for book clubs.

Advance Praise for ACE, MARVEL, SPY:

“Jenni L. Walsh captures the thrill of being on the court in a vivid and detailed portrayal of Alice Marble’s rise to sporting greatness, as well as her struggles to fulfill her dreams both on and off the court. ACE, MARVEL, SPY is a smashing success!”

—Billie Jean King, sports icon and equality champion

Check it out!