One of the most remarkable stories to come out of World War II, this fascinating account of a secret British—but American-based—spy network will surprise many readers. The surprise is not that such a unit existed but who the members were.

Coordinated by William Stephenson (a.k.a. Intrepid), the group, dubbed "The Baker Street Irregulars", included Ian Fleming, David Ogilvy, Ivar Bryce, Noel Coward and Roald Dahl. The mission of this group of individuals was to use propaganda, forgery, seduction and any other illicit means necessary to weaken the U.S. isolationist sentiment and manipulate the country's entrance into the war on England's behalf.

A key figure in the Irregulars was Dahl, who managed to ingratiate himself with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. As a regular visitor to the White House and Hyde Park, Dahl became a back-channel conduit of secret information between Churchill and President Franklin Roosevelt.

The author relates the skullduggery of Dahl and the other Irregulars in this narrative that is filled with provocative anecdotes and newly released details about how this group of unlikely spies went about their business. Conant also follows her eclectic cast of characters into the postwar years and traces their subsequent careers and personal lives.

As interesting as any fictional spy novel, The Irregulars is a captivating read that casts a new light on the relations between the U.S. and Great Britain during the period leading up to America's actual declaration of war in 1941 and then the actual war years.