EJ Thorpe (47), a local resident from Swartland’s coastal town Yzerfontein just published his second book, Spies and Heroes as part of a trilogy.
Thorpe started writing in 2023, followed by the publication of his first book, From Coalminer to General in November 2024. According to Thorpe who started writing on a full time basis, his latest book has been a journey, one rooted not only in historical research and imagination, but also in the quiet, powerful stories passed down through his family.
Growing up, Thorpe listened to tales told in fragments—stories of courage, of sorrow, of friendships forged in war, and of the quiet strength that held families together. Some were shared around dinner tables, others hinted at in old photographs, medals, or letters carefully tucked away. “These stories became part of me, shaping how I saw history—not as distant battles or faceless soldiers, but as deeply personal moments that defined the people I came from,”
Spies and Heroes is a tribute to that legacy, he adds. While the characters are fictional, many are inspired by real figures in his family. Men and women who lived through the turbulence of the Second World War. Their voices echo through the pages: in the defiance of Colonel Bert Marx, the brilliance of Una Thorne, the quiet strength of Jamie Thorne, and the larger-than-life presence of Major Edward Stewart. In them, he hopes readers will see not just characters, but reflections of the countless individuals who stood for something greater than themselves.
He explains, “This is not just a story about war, it’s a story about identity, sacrifice, love, and what it means to endure. It is about the spies in the shadows, and the heroes in plain sight.”
As World War II rages across continents, the fates of soldiers, spies, and families intertwine in a battle not only for victory—but for honor, love, and legacy.
Colonel Beurt Marx, a
German officer turned Allied spy, walks a treacherous line inside the heart of the Reich. Una Thorne, a brilliant MI6 cryptographer and daughter of a British general, risks everything behind enemy lines. Together, they ignite a powerful resistance—and a love that defies the war surrounding them.
From the skies above Britain to the trenches of North Africa, from the resistance networks of Berlin to the final liberation of Europe, Spies and Heroes follows the Thorne brothers—Henry, the fearless RAF ace, and Jamie, the battle-hardened colonel—as they confront the brutal cost of war.
Torn between duty and heartache, sacrifice, and survival, their journeys will define a generation.
From Coalminer to General and the digital version of Spies and Heroes are available on Amazon. The printed publication will be available soon.
