Julia Kelly introduces us to a wonderful new amateur sleuth with her new historical mystery!
A Traitor in Whitehall is the first book in the Parisian Orphan historical mystery series by bestselling author Julia Kelly, and I loved it!
Evelyn Redfern became known as the "Parisian Orphan" as a child due to her high society parent's scandalous divorce. She has been living in London and doing her part for the war effort when she is recruited by one of her father's old friends to enter Winston Churchill's underground war rooms as a typist/spy to help ferret out a traitor. But, she quickly stumbles upon a dead body and ends up the unlikely sleuthing partner of David Poole, and the two end up looking for a murderer and a mole.
I enjoy a good historical mystery, and this one grabbed me from the prologue and kept me engaged until the end. It had great energy, fascinating historical detail, and a red-herring-filled mystery that delivered a dash of espionage among its twists. As it's the first in a new series, there is some world-building, and the book is very atmospheric and well-researched but still well-paced and engaging.
Evelyn is multi-dimensional, an intelligent, witty, and book-loving FMC, carrying a book wherever she goes! But even the minor characters are vividly depicted. Evelyn's banter with David over their respective taste in crime fiction (British vs. American detective novels) was fun, and lots of great literary references are sprinkled throughout.
This is an intriguing start to the series and an entertaining read.
Mystery fans and historical fiction lovers who enjoy a whodunnit will definitely want to check this out!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press Minotaur Books for the opportunity to review this ARC.
My steep was a delicious herbal that I love for Fall. Spicy Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rooibos tea from Plum Deluxe.
www.plumdeluxe.com
PUBLISHER'S SYNOPSIS:
1940, England: Evelyne Redfern, known as "The Parisian Orphan" as a child, is working on the line at a munitions factory in wartime London. When Mr. Fletcher, one of her father's old friends, spots Evelyne on a night out, Evelyne finds herself plunged into the world of Prime Minister Winston Churchill's cabinet war rooms.
However, shortly after she settles into her new role as a secretary, one of the girls at work is murdered, and Evelyne must use all of her amateur sleuthing expertise to find the killer. But doing so puts her right in the path of David Poole, a cagey minister's aide who seems determined to thwart her investigations. That is, until Evelyne finds out David's real mission is to root out a mole selling government secrets to Britain's enemies, and the pair begrudgingly team up.
With her quick wit, sharp eyes, and determination, will Evelyne be able to find out who's been selling England's secrets and catch a killer, all while battling her growing attraction to David?
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