Transcription

Transcription by Kate Atkinson is the story of Juliet Armstrong who at 18 finds herself working in an office at MI5. She is then transferred to work with Perry Gibbons and Godfrey Toby who had set up surveillance on a network of Fascist sympathisers regularly reporting their findings to Toby. It was Juliet's role to transcribe the taped sessions as well as carry out other secretarial tasks. Or so she thought. Before long Juliet was also involved in undercover work.

The story reveals sections of Juliet's experiences in time frames - mainly 1940 and 1950 but also 1981. After the war Juliet's role with the MI5 is finished or, as she later discovers, maybe not as she becomes involved with the Flamingo. This is plot about espionage and counter-espionage. As Juliet discovers, who can you trust and what really is freedom?

For those wanting to do their own research, the author includes the list of her sources used when writing the novel.