This is a gripping historical mystery. Set on the home front in Seattle during World War II and featuring a serial killer targeting Riveters, it's also a personal story as Nora and her family navigate life during her doctor husband's deployment and their worries, fears, and life. I found the mystery to be captivating, with a wide array of suspects, and with a lot of social issues undertaken as part of the story.

This WWII thriller set in Seattle kept me turning the pages quickly - I had to find out the mystery.
The story takes place within a month and involves a typical family in 1943 where the father (Pete), is off in North Africa serving as a medic on the front. The mother, Nora, has taken a job as a riveter at the Boeing plant, while their 2 children - Chris and Jane deal with typical teenage issues.
It was unusual to read about the misogyny that Jane (and the other women) faced on the job while they were trying to add to the war effort. Not all of the men accepted them at the plant. The author dealt with issues of racism by describing the Japanese couple who lived in an apartment above Nora's garage, until they were forced to leave to go to an internment camp in the desert. In addition, he brought in homophobia regarding men who were gay, and were not permitted to join the armed services, so thy too worked at the plant. Add to this, Jane's brother, who was drafted but did not want to remain in the Navy for various reasons, and who tried to coerce Nora into helping him with a scheme to be released.
The crux of the story centered around a series of murders of women who worked at the plant, several of whom were friends of Nora. these women were brutally murdered by strangulation, and their bodies often marked with lipstick drawn exaggerated smiles, and an apron nearby. It was theorized that the perp was a male who felt threatened by the women wartime workers.
This was a great mystery thriller, with a tight plot and a believable twist. The author certainly brought some elements that were common during the war including gas and food rationing/coupons, blackout curtains, the role of women etc.
I received an ARC from Kensington Books and NetGalley and the opinions expressed are my own.

Stunning and suspenseful. I loved the era of the story with WWII in the background.
Many thanks to Kensington and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a little different historical fiction book than I typically read. Yes, it was focused during WWII, but it was also a thriller … something Kevin O’Brien does so well. This one also takes place in the US so you are introduced to the way women stepped in at the Boeing plant to work while the men are out fighting for our freedom. It was interesting to see the way the men who were still stateside and working at the plant treated the women. They were demeaned and their work not valued. Despite the fact that they are pretty much single parents … working a full-time job, raising children, taking care of everything related to the home, etc. Then we factor in the murder mystery and the intrigue is on. The relationships that develop between the characters are entertaining. And Nora, the main character, impressed me. She would not hide away and wait to see how things played out. She was willing to take a stand and try to figure out who was committing these crimes … even if it is her own son. Great twists and turns and this book will have you flipping through the pages quickly.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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An unusual, dark, twisty and gripping historical thriller that kept me reading and surprised with each twists.
There's a lot of red herrings, there's a very strong FMC and tightly knitted and fast paced plot.
I liked the accuracy of the historical background and the solid plot.
I can't wait to read other stories by this author.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

In Seattle 1943, Nora is a mother of two teenagers with a doctor husband that is serving overseas in World War II. She has decided to help supplement their income and the war effort by getting a job as a riveter at the Boeing B-17 plant. As she makes new friends, she is horrified when one of her new friends is found strangled. She seems to be a part of a disturbing pattern of women war workers that are being murdered. Nora starts to suspect that the murderer may be someone close to her. Will she be able to figure out who the murderer is before it is too late?

I couldn’t stop reading The Enemy at Home. It was a gripping historical thriller novel. I’ll admit I did get annoyed at first thinking that the killer was very obvious from the beginning of the novel, but luckily it was a red herring. There were many red herrings and it kept me guessing on who the real murderer was. I really wanted to know how this was going to end up and I loved how all of the pieces fell together completely at the end. The book brought up a lot of interesting topics: racism, sexism, and homophobia that aren’t standard in World War II fiction. It was an interesting look at the time period. I enjoyed learning about the home front experience on the west coast.

This was my first book by Kevin O’Brien and I need to check out more by him. I really loved how it was a mystery thriller set during a fascinating period of history.

The Enemy at Home
Written by Kevin O’Brien
Publisher Kensington Books
Release Date August 22, 2023

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Set in 1943 In Seattle we meet wife and mother Nora Kinney, her husband and Dr. Pete, and their children Chris and Jane. This takes place during WW2 where at one time the family lived in the Capital Hill neighborhood until the war changed their lives. Pete joins the military and is swept away to Africa and so Nora wields a riveting gun working at a Boeing plant. Soon after her start, men were unhappy that the women were procuring what they perceived as their jobs. Misogyny and racism were running rampant throughout the plants. As time went on things started becoming missing. Things that obviously belonged to women. Soon, women working in the plants started turning up dead. Obviously due to the fact that men thought women belonged in the kitchen and not performing men’s work. Unfortunately during this time, Nora is dealing with an unruly son at the same time but when one of the victim’s turns out to be her friend, the situation changes drastically. Nora fits the profile of the killers victims.
The killer leaves his calling card by using pantyhose to strangle his victims, placing an apron on them and taking lipstick and drawing a smile on their face. When he is done he hangs a pair of pants outside to show that he has been there. Nora has started asking questions. She does not seem to be worried that she is placing her family in jeopardy. That is until she realizes that the last few victims were guests in her home AND that she has all of the items that the killer is using missing from her home. There are a few clues that seem to be right in front of her. Is Nora able to find the killer before he kills again? Is the killer someone that she knows?
She places a tenant, Joe, in a room above the garage and it seems like he is a hit with everyone. Yet there is still suspicions in regards to whom the killer is as they could be several people. As the ending draws near there are several suspects that have caught Nora’s attention but only one does she feel a strong connection to.. Is the killer who she thinks it is?
I love how the author ties everything together by weaving the story lines together. The characters are so well developed, flawed and adroit that it took me by surprise and I just could not put the book down. The suspenseful drama that explodes when you turn each page opens you to another twist on what feels like a roller coaster ride. There were a couple of chapters that were filled with a ton of information about Nora and her family that may not have necessarily been important and caused the story to drag on a bit but overall, I enjoyed ever about it.

5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author and publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest

Combining two of my favourite genres, mystery and historical fiction, author Kevin O'Brien has a winner with The Enemy At Home.
Set in 1943 Seattle during WWII Nora Kinney's husband is stationed in North Africa. In order to contribute to the cause Nora finds a job at the Boeing B-17 plant. She worries she is neglecting her teenage children by being away from home when tragedy occurs. One of Nora's co-workers is found murdered. That is just the beginning to a horrifying series of events involving women being murdered in the exact same manner.
Nora feels a connection to the killer and fears for the safety of herself and her family.
The scenes of suspense had my heart racing and the chilling atmosphere was the perfect setting.
A page-turning, captivating read!

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Books for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

A historical thriller set in Seattle during World War II. Nora Kinney begins working as a riveter to help earn money to support her family as well as to help the war effort. While she needs the job, she's worried she's not able to focus her attention on her two teenage children, Chris and Jane. Chris has been secretive and sneaking out of the house at night and lying to Nora about where he's been. Meanwhile, women working at the Boeing plant are being murdered and the police aren't doing anything to catch the killer. Nora is worried that Chris might somehow be involved and she takes it upon herself to investigate and see if she can determine a pattern. Overall, a suspenseful mystery featuring a main character who is trying to discover the truth but also wants to protect her family. The book also focuses on the struggles of the war, including the discrimination and hardships people faced.

Experiencing in detail the life of someone far different from ourselves is one reason we read books. In The Enemy at Home, Kevin O’Brien allows the reader to live through several months at the beginning of World War II in Seattle and the life of a middle-class woman.

Nora Kinney is solo-parenting two children while her husband serves as a doctor in Africa. The well-researched period details provide a realistic environment in her home while she negotiates gas and food rationing, blackout curtains, and other fairly well-known wartime situations. Then Nora leaves her panty hose and aprons behind to step outside, working as a riveter at the Boeing Airline plant.

Thus, O’Brien puts her amid the social forces she was apparently only superficially aware of : misogyny and homophobia, specifically, at the plant where, surprising to me, angry workplace microagressions show the men’s fear of women taking a traditionally male occupation. Also in the workforce are a group of closeted homosexuals who are acutely afraid of their sexuality being discovered.

In addition, Nora and her husband had rented their garage apartment to a Japanese couple, which prompted public disapproval and racist vandalism. Ultimately, they are forcibly “relocated.” Her brother, so obsessed with avoiding the service that he constructs several evasion schemes, lived there for a while before being drafted. Draft dodgers or potential ones are rarely featured in WWII dramas; this and the afore-mentioned discriminations and oppressions make this novel stand out from others. Adding them into the mix of other plot lines and descriptions works well, I think, as reminders of the true attitude and behavior of some of the “army at home.”

The thriller/mystery aspect drives the storyline, of course. A female riveter at Nora’s plant is freakisly murdered, with little blood or gore, and there follows other identical killings of female workers. Nora becomes the amateur sleuth who gathers evidence and information, considering a half-dozen possible perpetrators, although she is not the one who finally puts the pieces together. Ironically, that person is a man.

Accordingly, The Enemy at Home has a twisty serial murder plot, female protagonist, period details with cultural honesty conveyed without a grim, depressing funk. It succeeds in addressing the expectations of readers of WWII thrillers.

I received an advance copy of this novel from Kensington Publishers and Between the Chapters. This is an honest review.

Set in Seattle during WW II, The Enemy At Home by Kevin O'Brien is a spellbinding story about love, loss, women's role shifts during war, perseverance and hope.

Nora's doctor husband Pete is away serving in North Africa. Though financially comfortable, Nora contributes to the war effort by becoming a riveter in a Boeing factory. Some don't appreciate that women including herself are "stealing" jobs from men and her life isn't easy. She proves her mettle but has other struggles as well. Suspense and murder enter the scene adding yet more fear into already precarious circumstances. Anti-Japanese sentiments are rife and there is family drama in Nora's home.

Though the story is gripping my favourite aspect is the writing itself which is gorgeous, thoughtful and evocative. I really like the insight into human nature and slices of life during one of the most horrendous times in world history. Not only did people endure ostracization, humiliation, blackouts, food rations and extreme poverty but also constant anxiety about survival.

My sincere thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this riveting novel.

This book wasn't entirely for me, but I didn't hate it. I enjoy thrillers, and I enjoy historical fiction, but I don't always love the two meshed together like this book.

The book is set during WWII and has a Rosie the Riveter vibe. Fear takes over when a serial killer begins hunting the women back home during the war.

The main character, Nora, begins investigating the murders and ends up putting herself and her family in danger as she quickly finds herself in over her head.

I will say that the book is very twisty, and I did not guess the killer.

I think personally, although I enjoy historical fiction, I struggle a little bit to follow it. I had a tough time following the time period along with the story, but I think it is a me problem, not anything wrong with the book itself.

Thank you to Kensington books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Loved the suspense. Loved the premise. Loved the characters. What a great story with so much history interspersed with the thriller aspects of the story.

I'm a WWII history reader and until this book, really hadn't thought about the issues 'at home' with women stepping out of the house and into the workforce. We all know the story of women pilots, women working in shipyards, women working in other defense support roles. Now this story points out the difficulties women had in the Boeing plant in Seattle.

Nora, wants to do more to support the war effort. Her physician husband in overseas and she needs to feel like she's contributing more. She takes a job in the Boeing plant as a riveter. Angst for possibly not taking proper care of her two children begins to prey on her. But there is a sinister element afoot. Women working in the plant are being murdered in a ritualistic style. Is it because they are doing a mans job? Is it a sadistic person preying on these women?

This was a difficult one for me to figure out...and I was in the dark until the end of the book! Bravo Mr. O'Brien. A 'couldn't put it down' read for me. 5 stars!

Thanks to Kensington and Net Galley for an ARC of this fascinating book. The review is my own.

NYT Bestselling author Kevin O'Brien masterfully blends historical fiction and gripping suspense thriller in his latest—THE ENEMY AT HOME. Set in WWII-era Seattle, a serial killer targets women while men are off fighting at war—when dangers at home are as fearful as the battlefield.

From a month in time the author takes us from day one to the month end. It is 1943 in Seattle. We meet wife and mother, Nora Kinney (Pete-husband doctor), and children—son (Chris, 17) and daughter (Jane, 12). Before this time, she was living in her comfortable Capitol Hill neighborhood. The war has changed everything.

Her husband, Pete, the doctor, feels he must join the ranks to help servicemen in Africa. Nora also participates in the war effort by helping with scrap metal drives. They also need more income, so she takes a job at the Boeing B-17 plant in Seattle, part of the assembly line, using a riveting gun.

What Nora did not expect was what she encountered at the plant—Racism, misogyny, and homophobia. Some men were angry at the women taking men's jobs; however, someone had to do the jobs while the men were away.

Then the unthinkable occurs. Someone is targeting women riveters (later called the "Rosie the Riveters" murders). A serial killer is on the loose. A man has been attacking women who work in factories. One of them is Nora's friend.

The perp strangles them with a pair of pantyhose, dresses them in an apron, and draws a smile on his target's face. Then leaves a pair of pants hanging outside the home.

Her gay friend was also caught up in the killing, also a friend of the victim. Soon three people are murdered that had dinner at her house. She later finds that her hose, lipstick, and aprons are missing. What is going on?

In the meantime, her son Chis is acting strange, bullied at school, and gone from the house at odd hours, and she finds some incriminating evidence. Then more killings. It appears the serial killer is threatened by women doing important wartime work. Could he be right there among them?

Then her younger brother Ray visits and stays in their garage apartment. He is unhappy with his sister since he wants her to help him with a scheme to concoct an injury so he can get out of service duty.

After he leaves, she puts an ad out for a tenant for the garage apartment. They all like Joe, but is Joe who he says he is? Who can Nora trust?

With many suspects and red herrings, Nora faces the enemy, leading to a jaw-dropping conclusion— when her home is no longer a haven but a battlefield.

It has been a while since I have read a Kevin O'Brien novel, and I was delighted to read THE ENEMY AT HOME. The author skillfully explores high-charged topics and injustices with compassion and sensitivity.

Engrossing and timely! A fabulous whodunit mystery with a vivid historical flair and well-developed characters. You will enjoy Nora's character as she is caught between right and wrong while keeping things secret where you have Japanese-American citizens threatened, closeted gay communities, racism, and misogyny—all the while, these brave women in the workplace in a man's world trying to keep their family safe with sacrifices and restrictions.

I enjoyed reading about the challenges of the courageous women during WWII, with stressful events worrying about their loved ones away at war while juggling home life, solo, parenting, blackout rules, rationing, and re-joining the workforce with even more struggles.

If you enjoy suspense thrillers and historical fiction, you have the best of both worlds in THE ENEMY AT HOME! Beautiful front cover. Ideal for book clubs and further discussion—a reading group guide is included.

AUDIOBOOK: I read the e-book and listened to the audiobook narrated by a favorite, Hillary Huber, for an engaging performance for all voices. Highly recommend!

Thanks to Kensington Books and Tantor Audio for an ARC and ALC via NetGalley for an honest review.

Blog Review Posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Aug 22, 2023
My Rating: 5 Stars
Aug 2023 Must-Read Books

The Enemy at Home, by author Kevin O’Brien, marks his trade paperback debut with this historical serial killer thriller set in the Pacific Northwest (Seattle) during WWII! This shift from his previous contemporary suspense novels allows us to expand his readership to historical fiction and upmarket WWII-era fiction readers. Unlike much of the WWII historical fiction being published right now, The Enemy at Home doesn’t take place in Europe or revolve around espionage or other wartime machinations.

It takes place in Seattle, where the impact of WWII is felt through the absence of men, women’s entrance into the workforce with “Rosie the Riveter” factory jobs, and the presence of Japanese internment camps. The primary character in this story is 37-year-old Nora Kinney whose husband, Pete Kinney, a physician, joined the military to help out in the war effort. At the Boeing B-17 plant, Nora learns to wield a heavy riveting gun amid the deafening noise of the assembly line—a real-life counterpart to “Rosie the Riveter” in the recruitment posters.

Yet while the country desperately needs their help, not everyone is happy about “all these women” taking over men’s jobs. Nora worries that she is neglecting her children, Chris (17) and Jane (12) especially her withdrawn teenage son who has been carrying not only a lot of baggage, but some eye popping secrets as well. But amid this turmoil, a sinister tragedy occurs: One of Nora’s coworkers is found strangled in her apartment, dressed in an apron, with a lipstick smile smeared on her face.

She will not be the first nor the last as the serial killer seems to be sending a message to the women in the workforce providing vital resources that will eventually help the US win World War II that they belong at home, not in the workplace. As more women are killed, Nora also takes on the task of investigating the murders and she finds herself in over her head, putting both herself and her loved ones in danger. Nora's life twists in ways she never knew possible when she rents out an apartment to a man named Joe, and her brother returns after being hurt in the Pacific.

*Thoughts* I know I have said this before, and I say this again, but I love taking notes while I am reading. I make a list of characters, as well as places, and follow them to uncover who may or may not be involved in the serial killings. I figured out who it was about half way in the story. Nora has so much baggage on her shoulders in this story. She has to deal with a missing husband, she has to deal with ration cards, and she has to deal with Chris who seems eager to push all of Nora's buttons by doing really idiotic, and yes, brave things behind her back.

This story hits on several key subjects, but the one that most concerns me is the treatment of Japanese-American citizens who lost their Constitutional rights because of a President who saw them as an enemy. Those who had sheltered them in the past with jobs and places to live were the targets of that anger. Pete's wife and two children were part of that targeting. If you know anything about History, you know that the US has also done similar things under then President Wilson. Politicians love to say that we can't move forward without understanding our future, but today people in schools want to ignore the past, or rewrite it in ways that make no sense.

Nora is the wife of a doctor and mother of two children who has her world turned upside down during World War Two. Her husband feels strongly that he must serve his country and join the war effort as a doctor to care for servicemen. With income drastically reduced Nora feels she has no choice but to enter the workforce to help the country along with family needs. Life is no longer normal. Nora meets and makes a few friends at work. Her teen son is acting strangely. A woman is murdered. Things just don't feel right. Then the danger hits very close to home.
I received this advanced reader's copy by Kevin O'Brien from the publisher and NetGalley. It is my first time reading an O'Brien book. This is my unsolicited opinion. It's an intense read. The atmosphere of the book is reflective of the times with prejudice of American Japanese citizens, women working outside of the home and homophobia. There is sporadic crass language. I found the tidbits that illustrated life at the time to be very interesting. Historical life with black out curtains, ration cards, collecting items that could be reused in production of military needs, etc. The story has a realistic feel to it. The building paranoia and fear with a potential serial killer in the area and a mother's ability to catch lies keeps the tension rolling.
This is an interesting look into what life may have been like for the women who found themselves in the workforce to help keep the U.S. going during the war. "Rosie the riveter" through different eyes so to speak. It made me think. Although altered, life went on, the mundane to the sensational. (I did figure out who the serial killer is but it was a great challenge.)

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington for access to this arc.


CW/TW – racial, lgbtqia+, and ethnic slurs are used by some minor characters. Japanese internment camps are mentioned. One minor character commits suicide. One character is bullied.

Yes to more WWII novels set in the US homefront. I’ve read a few but I’d love to see more. One thing I need to mention right off the bat is the abundance of exposition at the beginning. Also the fact that sometimes it’s awkwardly shoved right in the middle of the action in a scene. For instance, Nora will be standing beside the tail of a B-17 with a riveting gun in her hand, listening to an asshole yelling at her and then she’ll drift off into thought for a few pages before the action picks up again. Once a lot of background information was covered, there was less of this but it sucked the intensity out of a few scenes at the beginning.

Nora is a hardworking wife and mother trying to keep her family and house going while also doing her part. The extra money certainly helps as now that Pete is in the Army Medical Corp, they don’t have his former (much higher) monthly pay anymore. She, along with most of the other women doing war work, still face misogyny both in the plants and everywhere else. Her family has also been targeted for their former Japanese-American tenants and because her son helps the German Jewish refugee who lives up the street.

It doesn’t take Nora long to connect the murders taking place near her even if the police aren’t saying anything. At the same time, she begins doubting much of what her son is telling her when she catches him sneaking into their house at all hours. Brother Ray manages to get some information out of Chris but tells Nora that he knows Chris is not telling some big secret that is weighing on him. There are lots of men at the plants who resent the fact that women are working there now and the wounded son of one of Nora’s work friends worries his mother by being out all night. Plenty of suspects are there but there are few answers as to what they’re doing. I think all these red herrings are handled well, having damning circumstantial evidence yet also plausible deniability.

The scenes of the murders are frightening. I want to yell at the victims to run, scream, or do something. Don’t just deny what you hear or the fear you feel. And yet how many times do we all do just that? Women especially don’t want to make a fuss. I figured out one twist in the plot but watching everything come together is still chilling as well as satisfying. At one point though, I wondered if part of a scene was an homage to the “don’t go down to the basement” moments in horror movies. I’m still processing the outcome and what certain characters chose to do. Yeah …. it does make sense but it’s a heavy load to bear.

Now for some warnings. Note the CW/TW at the top. There are some LGBTQ+ characters who have to clue Nora in about the things they do daily to fit in and avoid harassment. An African American character is called a slur and Nora gets dirty looks for laughing with him as they work. Nora also does some nice things for some Japanese Americans as well as advises some others to do something that horrified me. So fair warning people. B

I'm not a big thriller reader but I won this from the publisher so I had to read it. This one is a different take on the WWII novels. This one takes place in America with things going on while the men are in the war. First of all, people would have a blue star displayed on their house if someone in the family was away at war. Big flag to criminals. Also, the blackouts. No one could have any lights showing after 11:00 so everything was very dark outside. Another great thing for criminals. You have women home alone without their men. Women are joining the workforce and many men are not happy about it. Someone is killing women who work in the factories. Nora's husband is away fighting the war and she has two kids at home. She too has joined the workforce to make some extra money. She knows about the murders and her 17 year old son is acting very strange, but is he a killer? Nora is trying to piece things together but the police are not going to listen to a woman. I liked that there were multiple suspects so I wasn't sure who did it. I enjoyed it and I enjoyed how it all ended. The thing about thrillers is that you do not want to put them down and this one was no exception. I had to know how it will all play out.

loved this historicl fiction/mystery. i was hooked from the first page.i felt like i was apart of the story.now i want to read more from Kevin O'Brien..

thanks kensington books and netgalley. all thoughts are my own and arent influenced by anyone else

As a huge fan of Kevin O'Brien, should be a must-read for me. As someone who dislikes historical fiction, I didn't just grab it up like I normally would though. Well, I finally did and while I didn't enjoy it quite as much as most of his other books, it was definitely an interesting story. Nora's husband is a medic off at war. Nora and other women have to take over the jobs previously held by men. Riveting, for example. Nora becomes a riveter for Boeing. Someone is not happy about women taking over and they start dying. I thought the killer was extremely obvious and the story could have been shortened, but overall, I did enjoy it. The author did a great job of painting a picture of the wartimes and general attitudes and struggles of people going through that in my mind. It's also pretty cool that he branched out and came up with something different from his usual fare. Can't wait for his next one!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Kevin O'Brien and Kensington Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
I will publish my review to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Instagram and other retail and social media sites upon publication.