Julia Kelley pens another exciting installment of the Parisian Orphan historical mysteries!
I enjoyed the first book in this series, A Traitor In Whitehall, and was excited to read this latest installment, which did not disappoint! Immersive and intriguing!
Former typist Evelyne has completed rigorous training after being recruited for spy work to help England win WWII. Her first assignment should have been straightforward, only a day. However, it becomes a much more complex and dangerous situation, and David Poole has been assigned as her handler.
Set in the early 1940s, the world-building in this is fantastic. The level of historical detail drops you into time and place, from the dialogue to the clothing to the wartime concessions and the era's technology. Kelly clearly does a lot of research, and not only does it set the stage, but it also heightens the sense of urgency and high stakes of the investigation.
Evelyne is a strong, capable FMC. She wants to do an excellent job on her first official assignment, which sometimes leads to moments of overconfidence, but she also shows her determination and bravery. I appreciated that we also see conflicting emotions in Evelyne as she grapples with living a double life. It's not easy for her to keep so many secrets from her best friend, Moira, yet Evelyne knows her actions are for the greater good. There is also a hint of romance in her chemistry with David despite the two maintaining their professionalism.
The mystery is very well-plotted, complex, and engaging. This is not an easy one to guess, and the red herrings are very well done. The ending has me looking forward to book three!
Marisa Calin does a fantastic job narrating the audiobook. There are several characters, and she makes them easy to differentiate. She adds to the suspense and intrigue and makes the story come alive.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for the gifted book and audiobook!
My steep was Earl Grey Intense by Kusmi Tea—a black tea with bergamot and lemon.
PUBLISHER'S SYNOPSIS:
With mystery, intrigue, and the hints of romance international bestselling author Julia Kelly is known for, Evelyne Redfern returns in Betrayal at Blackthorn Park.
Freshly graduated from a rigorous training program in all things spy craft, former typist Evelyne Redfern is eager for her first assignment as a field agent helping Britain win the war. However, when she learns her first task is performing a simple security test at Blackthorn Park, a requisitioned manor house in the sleepy Sussex countryside, she can’t help her initial disappointment. Making matters worse, her handler is to be David Poole, a fellow agent who manages to be both strait-laced and dashing in annoyingly equal measure. However, Evelyne soon realizes that Blackthorn Park is more than meets the eye, and an upcoming visit from Winston Churchill means that security at the secret weapons research and development facility is of the utmost importance.
When Evelyne discovers Blackthorn Park’s chief engineer dead in his office, her simple assignment becomes more complicated. Evelyne must use all of her—and David’s—detection skills to root out who is responsible and uncover layers of deception that could change the course of the war.
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