Absolutely devoured this brilliant WWII-era thriller from Julia Kelly. Great thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advanced reader copy. Evelyn Redfern, a working aristocrat, gets plucked from her ordinary job and asked to do undercover work for a friend of her parents, who does shadow government work for the British during the war. A few days into her assignment, a coworker of Evelyne's is brutally murdered. She teams up with another coworker to get to the bottom of things. The character of Evelyne was a gem--spunky pluck, independent, not afraid to speak her mind and smart as a whip. Really enjoyed the relationship between Evelyne and David Poole, her fellow sleuth. I'm THRILLED this is set to be a series, can't wait for the next one! Highly recommend.

Very reminiscent of the Maggie Hope Mystery series by Susan Elia Macneal (who interestingly enough wrote a review/blurb for the cover). The similarities are striking - the character starting as a typist then joining the SOE - and it was definitely something in the back of my mind.

The characters were interesting and the mystery well crafted enough to keep me engaged in finding out who did what. I definitely read this one quickly. I can see how there would be comparisons to an Agatha Christie type mystery style. Set in WWII, I loved the strong FMC - with her focus on being equal partners in investigation and pushing the boundaries of what women were “expected” to do.

You can tell that the setting and context were well researched - incorporating references to what happened to London during the Blitz, as well as the different roles that women played in WWII. I'm excited that this is planned to be a series - the ending absolutely sets up another story, and I’ll definitely read them!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC to read and review!

Cozy mystery set in London during WWII. The main character is an intelligent, perceptive, and witty young woman who gets a job as a typist in Churchill's Cabinet War Rooms. She finds another typist murdered and can't resist looking into it.

I liked the main characters and the historical setting. The plot was also good and kept me guessing. This is the first in a series and I'd be happy to read more.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

I absolutely loved this book! It was the perfect blend of history, mystery and suspense. The writing is excellent and very easy to fall into the story. I am very excited for hopefully more to come with these two!

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Ah, a good old fashioned murder mystery, set in Churchill’s London during WWII will keep you on your toes and guessing until the end. Well written with plucky characters and subplots that keep driving the main, this is a definite read for you mystery fans out there!

This book started out as many WWII books do…..a girl joins the war effort. What is different is right as this girl starts her new job, she is locked in a room with a dead woman. Evelyn’s tries to keep calm and also starts investigating the murder, while being in that locked room.

As a reader, we get to spend days going through day to day life with Evelyn, as she helps with the investigation. I did love this!! It was almost like a cozy WWII mystery, with intrigue splashed through the text.

While this isn’t my favorite Julia Kelly book, I would say it is second.

US pub date: 10/3/23
Genre: mystery, WWII historical fiction
Quick summary: In 1940, Evelyne finds herself working in the Churchill War Rooms as a secretary. But her duties change quickly when a fellow secretary is murdered, and Evelyne finds herself tasked with finding the culprit (secretly, of course).

I love historical fiction and spy novels, so combining the two here was right up my alley. The mystery helped the book feel a little lighter - sometimes historical fiction can be so heavy!

I actually visited the Churchill War Rooms in April, and it was cool to read a story that brought them to life. Evelyne was a fun protagonist (she's also obsessed with detective novels), and I enjoyed seeing her work and flirt with fellow spy David. I thought I had everything figured out, but the ending surprised me! This is the first in the planned Parisian Orphan series (title based on Evelyne's childhood nickname), and I'm excited to read the next book!

Thank you to Minotaur Books for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis
Evelyne Redfern, trying to hide from her infamous childhood, goes undercover to assist Winston Churchill in uncovering a killer hiding within his own cabinet war room.

My Overall Thoughts
"A Traitor in Whitehall" is an intriguing novel set in World War II England in Winston Churchill’s cabinet war room. The acuity of the historical setting adds depth and richness to the story, immersing the reader in the tension and uncertainty of the era.

What I Didn't Love
While the novel captivated me with its historical setting, I felt that the character development fell short. The protagonist lacked the depth and complexity I had hoped for, leaving me craving a deeper connection with her. She had such an interesting story, but I felt I was missing a deeper inner monologue.

Potentially Offensive Content
adult situations

What I Loved
Despite the limited character development, the author excelled in creating a vivid and authentic portrayal of Churchill's war room during World War II. The attention to detail and well-researched setting brought the story to life, making it easy to envision the events unfolding in this pivotal historical period.

I Would Recommend This Book To
Cozy mystery lovers, especially those who love a good period novel, will enjoy this read.

This is the second book I have read by Julia Kelly. The first book I read by this author was The Last Garden In England. I was very interested to read this book and see what the author would do with a mystery genre novel since the previous novel I read did have a bit of a mystery element, but was not specifically of that genre and had a different feel as it was purely a historical fiction novel.

A Traitor In Whitehall is set in London, England during World War II.

I really enjoyed the setting of the novel and the characters, especially Evelyn and her love of books and reading (specifically those detective mysteries).

I appreciated how the author highlighted the fact that Evelyne Redfern faced the issue of equality in her work among the men, especially when helping with the investigation.

Julia Kelly is so amazing at writing the setting of the novel and making the reader feel like they are right there with the protagonist of the book.

I look forward to reading more books featuring Evelyn Redfern and hopefully David Poole as well and to meeting any new characters the author introduces to the reader in this series.

Thank you Netgalley and Minotaur Books for a chance to read A traitor in Whitehall by Julia Kelly. I have enjoyed the author's books since The last garden in England. This was just as good, and is the start of a mystery series. Set in England during WWII, it has a strong female lead (Evelyne Redfern), she goes from working at a munitions factory to a secretary in the cabinet war rooms of Winston Churchill.
I enjoyed A traitor in Whitehall, although time is spent on background information. This is definitely for those interested in historical mystery series. Looking forward to the next book!

I enjoyed this historical fiction murder mystery. Set during world war 2 in London. Evie becomes a spy in Winston Churchill’s war rooms and a murder of one of Evie’s colleagues takes place. Evie is tasked to solve the crime with Mr Poole. They encounter many red herrings, and twist and turns. This was a delightful read. Thank you NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I always enjoy Julia Kelly's conversational writing style and A Traitor In Whitehall is no exception! I don't normally read series books - there are few which keep me interested enough beyond the first book to entice me to read the next books. But I am looking forward to Julia's next installment in this new historical fiction mystery series!

A Traitor in Whitehall is a WWII historical fiction story featuring a young woman named Evelyne Redfern. Evelyne who is famously known as the Paris Orphan is recruited by Mr Fletcher to take a typist’s position in Churchill’s underground bunker. She’s tasked to look for suspicious activities within the typing pool because classified information has been leaking to the Germans. Within Evelyne’s first week she is sent to the Sunlamp room where she discovers the body of fellow typist Jean who has been stabbed to death. As the investigation gets underway it becomes very evident that Jean was not well liked but did anyone really hate her enough to kill her? The internal investigations seem to be going nowhere so together with mysterious Mr Poole, Evelyne sets to solving not only the motive for Jean’s murder but who is leaking classified information to the enemy. A quick read with a spunky young woman at its center. This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In this beginning to a new historical mystery series, Evelyne Redfern's life changes when she begins working in the Prime Minister's war rooms and gets caught up in a murder investigation.

I love a good historical mystery but I really don't read them that often. Books like this really make me want to change that though because I really enjoyed this one. It was just a fun and atmospheric read. I really enjoyed the historical details, the setting, and the mystery itself. This book was just one of those enjoyable reads that sucked me in. I took my time with it, lost between the pages, trying to figure out the why's and who's behind the mystery. It's a bit of a slow burn but you should know by now that I don't mind that at all. And I didn't see the ending coming although I guessed part of who was behind it (but definitely not why). Overall, a fun and solid read that has me excited to continue on with the next book when it releases.

Readers who enjoy historical mysteries or mysteries in general should pick this book up. Four stars and an author for me to read more of!

Disclosure - I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher. Honest thoughts are my own.

"Sometimes we tell stories about ourselves that suit us best."

3.5 stars rounded up! What a cute little mystery! This was a fast, easy read. One that kept me glued to the page as the MC learned detail after detail and chased down another clue! I've rounded my stars up because this book is a lot of dialogue and interviewing and it was done so well, it felt natural and easy.

The mystery was shocking at first and then just an adventure to solve. I loved the twists, that we were there for every clue and every detail they tracked down. I liked the way the MC thought, her suspicions were easy to follow and I felt myself nodding along as she changed all the clues down. There were a lot of secrets so I found the ending satisfying. I especially loved the last chapter. I think I'll end up hunting down book 2 to keep this easy series going. This one was just so much fun to read!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

A Traitor in Whitehall is book #1 in Julia Kelly’s The Parisian Orphan Series. Evelyne Redfern is known in the press as the Parisian Orphan after a scandalous divorce and child custody battle between her famous father, Sir Reginald Redfern, and his French wife. Now in 1940, Evelyne adores detective fiction, preferring to stay in to read mysteries. Her boring job at a munitions factory is mysteriously ended when Sir Redfern’s friend recommends her for the typing pool in Prime Minister Churchill’s underground cabinet war rooms, CWR. Sent for a sunlamp treatment, Evelyne finds herself locked in a dark room with the dead body of Jean, from the typing pool. Thus begins the search for answers to who killed Jean and why? The investigation leads to a complex puzzle with many intricate pieces.
Julia Kelly introduces readers to the host of characters in the typing pool, as Evelyne Redfern assists a minister’s aide, David Poole, in the investigation of the suspects. Evelyne is putting all her intelligence, discernment, and “book experience” to excellent use! Julia Kelly creates anticipation with wailing sirens, suspense in situations where sensitive information is leaked, and suspicion of characters through revealing body language and actions. From the Royal Marine guards to the gossip in the canteen, Kelly connects the dots as Evelyne and David attempt to find a murderer and a mole in Churchill’s CWR. Through thoughtful endearing asides Evelyne’s personality and determination are revealed. The bomb shelter scene, David and Evelyne sitting shoulder to shoulder, reading from her book sinks readers into reality for the London citizens. From the murder to the investigation to the realization of how the many pieces fit together, A Traitor in Whitehall is a stellar start to The Parisian Orphan Series.

I thought this was an interesting WWII tale without being all military and heart breaking. I enjoyed the banter between Evelyn and Mr. Poole. I did have to resort to pencil and paper to try to keep the cast of characters sorted along with their alibi's. Still didn't have it figured out though.

Thank you to Minotaur books and NetGalley for the gifted eARC of this title!

Julia Kelly is one of my favorite historical fictions authors, and her latest release does not disappoint! I loved that this title was a little different than her others and had a little mystery- detective action. Her books always have relatable characters that you get attached to from the beginning. I highly recommend!

It's 1940 and Evelyn Redfern is working at a munitions factory and is sharing rooms with several woman. She runs into one of her fathers friends and he offers her another job filled with intrigue. She gets a secretary job but one of the girls is murdered. Aha, a murder mystery and Evelyn wants to find who did it. Yet, if that is not enough, she finds out that there is a traitor at Whitehall. So, who’s been selling England’s secrets and who will be the next person to be killed?

This 1940s mystery takes place in London. I loved Evelyn’s cheeky humor and her obsession with reading detective novels. There were several references to mystery books, authors, and characters woven throughout the story that added a fun element to the reading. I wanted to look them all up and add them to my TBR list! Most of all I liked how Evelyn and David worked together to solve the mystery. They were a good match. I can’t wait to read the next book!

I also highly recommend the audiobook narrated by Marisa Calvin! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Marisa has a great voice to listen to. She uses different voices for the characters and is very animated.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for the ARC and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review!