This story begins in 1942 during WWII. Evelyn Bishop, the heiress to an aeronautics fortune, has told her family that she working as a translator in London. The reality is that she has joined the British Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and is operating in France in an attempt to find her brother who has been captured by the Germans and is being held in a Nazi labor camp. Her “boss” is Nick Gallagher and the closeness of their working relationship has also brought them close personally. Fast forward to 1948. Both Evelyn and Nick are living in Los Angeles and working as private investigators. Evelyn is investigating a cheating husband who is murdered and Nick is a witness -and although she is romantically involved with a long-time friend, their dramatic relationship is rekindled. As they investigate, they uncover much more than could have ever been expected. Now, they must use both the mental and physical skills from the war to get to the bottom of a conspiracy that goes back to the war.

First, I requested this book because it was classified as historical fiction. While it certainly has connections to WWII, it is basically a mystery. The story rotates back and forth between the war years and 1948, slowly but surely uncovering a plot line that the author keeps under wraps for much of the book. There is plenty of tension, plot twists, and action, but there is also plenty of relationship stuff that I didn’t bargain for. It was not a bad read but not great either.

I am reviewing this novel as an audiobook, and, as always, the narrator is critical to enjoying the “read.” Carrie Coello’s narration was very good. My thanks to HighBridge Audio and NetGalley for the ARC of the book.

3.5⭐️s. A light and easy read, it tied in a few small WW2 spy moments into a post-WW2 PI/murder mystery and conspiracy. I liked the sarcastic and bantering dialogue and the consistent flow of the book. It wasn’t too slow and didn’t get boring, and I mostly like Nick and Evelyn as characters.

Some of the plot felt a little too coincidental, easy, or unrealistic though. And I get so tired of romances gone wrong because of jumped-to conclusions and a lack of any questions.

I’m not sure who wrote the blurb but they were really overly ambitious. It is not what I would call it emotionally rich - more basic level romance in an action book. Totally ok for the genre but not if you create that expectation. The comparisons to some other books felt far short, as they weren’t even the same settings as some of them, let alone depth. Taken as itself on its own 2 feet, it would have felt like a better book than to line it up against those.

Overall though, it was easy and uncomplicated and kept my attention and I do like it.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

This was a great read and I love that Evelyn was a take-no-prisoners type of woman and spy. She was not going to be told what to do or how to act or just take orders. My favorite part of this book is that she got her happy ending! This was my 1st book by Shanna Steinberg but will not be my last! I can't wait to read her next book!

#UnderthePaperMoon
#NetGalley

I was so engrossed by the story I listened to Shauna Steinberg's "Under the Paper Moon" in two sittings. I absolutely loved this espionage mystery thriller with it's interesting characters. The narrator did a marvelous job bringing the characters to life. I highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC audiobook for an honest review.

This was a new author to me and I really enjoyed it! The audiobook felt like an old-time detective/spy war movie only the visual was with your ears alone. Two WWII spies who not only worked together but were in love...until the war ended as did the relationship. Years later, rich girl Evelyn tries to adjust to civilian life by being a PI. Her ex-Nick suddenly crosses her path as well as their wartime pasts.

While this was kind of a predictable storyline and the characters fit into a generalized mold of this type of genre, it was still a lot of fun to see everything unfold. The narrator did an awesome job of keeping me invested in the story until the very end.

4 stars

After her time as a spy during the war, Evelyn is now back home in CA and a private Investigator. While investigating a murder of a suspected cheating husband she was following, things from her time during the war start to unravel. Evelyn is left with questions she’s not wiling to ignore.

This book had a bit of a slow start for me and I debated tabling it for a later time. I’m glad I stuck with it as I did enjoy it in the end. I loved Evelyns spunk and her take no crap attitude. There is a lot going on during this story and at times I was racking my brain trying to remember who certain characters were. It also stalled a bit in the middle for me but finished strong. All in all I enjoyed this one and like the female detective role for the main character.

After WWII, as after any way, many who served in the field or even as undercover operators found it difficult to resume civilian life. Evelyn Bishop served in the OSS as a spy throughout the war, not that her father was aware of that fact. Her father, Logan Bishop, owns an aeronautics company back in California. Evelyn's brother, Matthew, is a POW and Evelyn desperately hopes she can find him.

Flipping back and forth between the war and the aftermath, Steinberg tells us how the how the war affected what comes after. Evelyn has difficulty settling into the expected role of a woman in the 1940s. Instead of marrying her childhood sweetheart and starting a family, she opens her own detective agency to track down cheating husbands. During the war, she had partnered with Nick Gallagher and they were close until the end of the war when she felt he betrayed her.

When one of her suspected cheating husbands turns up dead, Nick is back on the scene and the two of them end up working together. Getting deeper into the investigation, the two realize the murder was a result of wartime happenings. Events with which Evelyn's father is deeply entwined. Evelyn is forced to confront issues involving her family and fortune as well as adjusting her own life to include her desires and society's expectations.

Narrated by the versatile Carrie Coello, character voices are brought alive.

Recommended for those who enjoy WWII stories and light romance.

Note: I received an advance copy from NetGalley.

Wow! Not sure where to even start with this one!

As I’m reading the synopsis on Goodreads, I realized there were SO MANY intricate plot lines in this one…that I actually forgot a few!

This once again goes back to the 1940’s… Told via dual timelines, Evie (Evelyn) and Nick are the two main characters.

During war times they were working together for the OSS. While Evie’s Dad thought she was doing translation work, she was actually undercover and breaching enemy lines to gain intel…and fight! And, in my eyes, she’s like Wonder Woman….during the war!
And Nick is her handsome, steady sidekick!
They’ve experienced so much together through both the good and bad times…that they thought they’d always be together…but just then, the unthinkable happens…and they are separated.

Fast forward to the late 1940’s and Evie is working as a PI. She has just nabbed a case where the wife thinks her husband is cheating on her. As she’s investigating, the ‘cheater’ is killed…right in front of her!
And who’s his chauffeur?? Nick!! 😮😮😮

Needless to say, an entire HUGE CAN OF WORMS has been opened, and they end up working together to try to figure out what on earth is going on??!!

Without giving anything much away, I will share that this is just the BEGINNING of the book! So much more going on from here! Absolutely ACTION PACKED and full of mouth-hanging-open surprises!

Loved this one! And from what I’ve read, this is a debut book, so hopefully many more to come!!

#UnderThePaperMoon by #ShainaSteinberg and narrated beautifully by #CarrieCoello.

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #HighbridgeAudio for an ARC of the audiobook which is due for release on 4/23/24…one week away!

4 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for me, rounded up to 5!

⭐️. Historical fiction at its best!
⭐️. Love that continues through time, despite the will to try to stop it!
⭐️. FMC who can kick butt big time!!
⭐️. Family, friends, love… vs. war, trying times, treason…
💫. Good over evil in the end… We can only hope… 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

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I loved this book. While I did find most of the plot predictable, there was one bit I found surprising in the best way. This is a really well-written story of love, loss, and what lengths people will go to for the ones they care about. Sometimes it feels like a Chandler novel, at others a bit like Nancy Drew, and I love that mix.

The main characters are likable and relatable, and the side characters are too. Everyone cares so deeply about everything you learn about them, and it helps you enter into the mindset they had to have to do things during WWII.

While the story does deal with the PTSD of returning wartime heroes, that is not the main story this book is telling and sections on this are brief. I do feel it needs a slight TW, so I mention it, but most of these scenes are framed to show that losing a loved one has affected the character more than the war itself.

Excellent read, highly recommend.

If you are looking for a light read or listen with hints of superhero universes and film noir, this book could be for you!

While this book is marketed to readers of Jacqueline Winspear and Kate Quinn, it is far less grounded in reality than I find those authors works to be.

WWII has ended and left Evelyn and Nick, former OSS agents and former lovers , adrift without their former mission-driven lives. They have both returned to LA to become private detectives. Their paths cross while on the job, and they reluctantly begin to unravel a wartime mystery together.

The twists and double-crosses of the story are somewhat predictable and the villains are a little mustache-twirling. The climax broke any sort of tenuous relationship the story had with real life and physics. That said, it is a fun read. Spy-turned-PI Evelyn seems to be an LA born and bred version of Agent Peggy Carter of Marvel fame, down to her motivation to join the war effort. Nick, her former lover and commanding officer, is a stereotypical Noir detective, complete with an office in shambles and a weak spot for femme fatales. Their wartime relationship told via flashbacks that had me questioning how they could be elite field operatives whilst also being seemingly crippled by their worry for each other during missions.

The audiobook narration is well done.

HighBridge Audio for provided this audiobook for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to RB Media and NetGalley for the ARC of Under the Paper Moon by Shaina Steinberg.

First, I listened the audiobook version, and the narrator Carrie Coello was fantastic. She made me feel like I was listening to movie audio with her portrayal of the main character, Evelyn. The story as a whole, on the other hand, was not my favorite.

To call this book historical fiction and to compare it to others such as The Rose Code and The Lost Letter would be completely inaccurate. There is actually not much mention of the actual war in this book at all. It is set almost entirely in post war Los Angeles, where the characters are paying the price for their contributions to the Nazi's. The best thing I can compare this book to, is a 1950's spy movie. All the twists and turns, but completely predictable. It had all of the big hitters: murder, mystery, a love triangle, lies, cheating, you name it!

I would recommend this book to others who are interested in a historical crime suspense type of book, especially ones who enjoy a happy ending.

Audiobook Title: Under the Paper Moon
Author: Shaina Steinberg
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery,
Format: 🎧
Audiobook Narrator: Carrie Coello
Publisher: High Bridge Audio
Pub Date was: April 23, 2024
Star Rating: 3.4 Stars
Pages: 304

Story alternates between WWII war early 1940’s and 1948 after the war 1948; featuring Evelyn Bishop and Nick Gallagher who were spies together during WWII working on over 40 missions.
Now reunite in 1948 Los Angeles. Evelyn works as a private investigator and once reunited with Nick they are working on current case. As they uncover the true nature of her case— it seems the war has followed them home as there are countless secret that are trying to be kept secret.
Additional Evelyn’s soldier bother Matthew who died in the war has always haunted her and is still searching for answers.

The Blurb got my attention as it mentioned The Thin Man’s Nick and Nora Charles as well as authors Ashley Weaver and Kate Quinn. So I was looking forward to this adventure, however I soon found it wasn’t meeting my expectations.

The narrator Carrie Coello was great in performing the characters and she kept me interested. Glad I hung in there as I like the ending.
I just may find the music “It is only a Paper Moon “and get my husband to dance around the living room.

Want to thank NetGalley and High Bridge Audio/Kensington for granting me this audio Galley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for April 23, 2024.

I just finished the audiobook version of Under the Paper Moon by Shaina Steinberg. I love historical fiction and this was a little different than the typical book I would choose. I thought this was a great crime/suspense/spy post WW2 type of novel. I am used to more character development from any historical fiction early on in the book but I was pleasantly surprised that about 3/4 of the way through, I couldn’t stop listening. I wasn’t drawn to any specific character but the twist at the end made for a great story. The narration for this audiobook was great, perfect for the time period. I am the type of person that likes to go into a story and not know too much about the story line, so I am going to leave it at that! It was a 3 ⭐️ read for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and High Bridge Audio for the audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Evelyn is back home in Los Angeles after serving in the OSS during WWII and working as a PI. She may even marry her childhood sweetheart, but then she runs into Nick, whom she worked with during the war while on a case. Why is Nick here? What does that mean? The case unravels with twists and turns, including Evelyn’s father and family business.

The audiobook was fantastic, and Carrie Coello was a great narrator.

Thank you, NetGalley and HighBridge Audio, for an AuduoARC.

Under the Paper Moon by Shaina Steinberg and narrated by Carrie Coello is placed firmly in the middle of WWII, the war is still raging and Evelyn Bishop is supposed to be working in London as a translator, however, despite being the only heiress to a huge aeronautics fortune, she has lied to her father and is in fact working as a spy

After the war, Evelyn is still seeking the thrill of the chase and as such is working as a PI. Our FMC is a woman who defies every single convention she is expected to adhere to and instead of settling for the safe option of marrying and settling down with her childhood sweetheart, she continues to work and this cases her to cross paths with Nick, her paramore during the war and certainly a bad choice for her to hook up with

Read in stunning fashion by Carrie Coello, the story was well paced and was authentic to the era it is based in. This is a compelling story and very well researched and written

Thank you to Netgalley, Highbridge Audio, the author Shaina Steinberg and narrator Carrie Coellon for this great ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

Thank you to NetGalley and High Bridge Audio for the audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have been going between 3 and 4 stars. It really for me is a 3.5⭐️ bit in this case I am going to round up which I don’t typically do. I am doing so as others that like this genre will probably like it better than I did.

It is a decent Film Noir-esque spy story. The description makes it seem like historical fiction but it is not really. More like historical crime suspense which is not my go-to.

It has a strong female protagonist, the tropes of film noir murder & spies and sprinkled with a little WWII history.

The dialogue between characters at times got frustrating which was distraction. It wasn’t realistic at all and the over use of “ he said” “she said” was maddening.

I didn’t really enjoy the narrator when she tried to do any voice but the main 3rd person narration so I am going to recommend the physical book and. It the audiobook.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read agree

I really enjoyed this book, and I loved the narrator. The suspense really kept me hooked, and I couldn't stop listening. The story got a little cliche at times, but not enough to become less enjoyable. I will definitely recommend this book to friends and family who enjoy history, and mysteries.

I really like this book, and I loved the narrator, she is amazing. The ending had a few convenient flaws like what happened to the airplane after the two passengers jumped. Other than that I really enjoyed this book. it has such a film noir feel to it, which I appreciated.