Flirting with Danger: The Mysterious Life of Marguerite Harrison, Socialite Spy
Janet Wallach’s meticulously researched biography chronicles the awe-inspiring life of Marguerite Elton Baker Harrison (1879-1967). Left penniless at age 37 after marriage, the birth of a son, and her husband’s death, the Baltimore-born daughter of a wealthy shipping magnate is hired by the Baltimore Sun as a society reporter. Unfulfilled by the mundane work and motivated by patriotic duty, Harrison is accepted by the Military Intelligence Division (MID) of the U.S. War Department, becoming America’s first female foreign agent. In 1918, under the guise of an Associated Press correspondent, she arrives in Berlin, assigned to assess the WWI Armistice impact and relay covert messages to MID. She then ventures undercover to Moscow. While reporting on Bolshevik activities, Harrison is captured by the Cheka, the secret police, and spends ten months in the infamous Lubyanka prison. As her only escape alternative, she becomes a double agent, further ensnared in dangerous deceit. Harrison’s release is negotiated by the American Relief Administration, and she returns to New York. But her boundless curiosity, intelligence, and fierce desire to explore the unknown lead to additional espionage exploits in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
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. Her vivid commentary discloses how Harrison survives and thrives through charm and cunning, exceptional communication skills, and a phenomenal ability to adapt. Wallach also evidences Harrison’s remarkable capacity to emotionally detach yet remain compassionate, a trait enabling the fearless journalist and filmmaker to foreshadow major global shifts, providing warnings that are often ignored. Juxtaposing glittering sketches of elite circles with gritty depictions of deprivation and hardship, the award-winning author’s vast, international experience and repertoire of history, geography, and culture offer rare, perceptive insights into a lesser-known yet fascinating woman and accomplished 20th-century nonconformist.
