Historical fiction with an added mystery? Sign me up! Julia is a master storyteller and I was so invested in the characters. A fantastic read.

Thank you @minotaur_books for this gifted ARC!

I really enjoy reading historical fiction, it’s my second favorite genre. So of course when I saw this I knew I wanted to read it. Historical fiction? ✔️ WW2? ✔️ A mystery? ✔️

Evelyne Redfern is a huge bookworm, lover of the mystery genre. Her dream is to end up in a mystery novel herself and that’s pretty much what happens.

Set in an underground intelligence facility during WW2, all of these people are working for Winston Churchill to help filter and spread information about the war efforts. When one of them ends up murdered, fingers start pointing of who could be culprit.

I really liked the pacing of this one and the plot kept me interested. I think David definitely has the feels for Evelyne. My only complaint would be there wasn’t much to be said about her father. There was a lot of internal monologue about the issues and other people would make comments about it. But there was no resolution with the main character and that storyline. Maybe in the sequel?

Just wrapped up this fantastic read set in 1940s England, and let me tell you, it's a gem! The author expertly weaves together elements of mystery, historical intrigue, and a hint of romance that kept me hooked from start to finish.

Evelyne Redfern, also known as "The Parisian Orphan," finds herself thrust into the heart of wartime London while working at a munitions factory. When she catches the eye of Mr. Fletcher, an old friend of her father, her life takes a dramatic turn as she's introduced to the inner workings of Winston Churchill's cabinet war rooms. But things take a dark turn when a colleague is murdered, throwing Evelyne into the role of amateur sleuth.

As she delves deeper into the investigation, she crosses paths with David Poole, a minister's aide with his own agenda. Despite their initial clashes, they reluctantly team up to uncover a mole selling government secrets to Britain's enemies. Evelyne's sharp wit and determination shine as she navigates the dangerous waters of espionage and murder, all while battling her growing attraction to David.

The pacing is spot-on, keeping the suspense building with each turn of the page. The characters are richly drawn, each with their own secrets and motivations that add layers to the story. And the historical backdrop of wartime England adds an extra dimension of authenticity to the narrative.

Overall, I couldn't get enough of this book and eagerly anticipate more installments in the series. It's a must-read for fans of historical fiction and mystery alike!

A Traitor in Whitehall by Julia Kelly is the first book in the series. This story has everything in it for a mystery--a bit of possible chemistry between the main characters, troubling back stories we learn about little by little in each book, and a great mystery, and set during WWII. I loved the chemistry between our main characters Evelyn and David. I look forward to continuing this series!

Overall stars - 5
Overall, A Traitor in Whitehall is a captivating and entertaining historical mystery that will appeal to fans of the genre and the period. The book has a compelling plot, a charming heroine, a swoon-worthy hero, and a vivid setting. The book also sets up the stage for the next book in the series, Betrayal at Blackthorn Park, which promises more adventures and mysteries for Evelyne and David. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, mystery, romance, and humor. I give this book 5 stars

In this mystery, you get a glimpse into a WWII job that needed to remain hidden. Evelyne Redfern is the main character and she does much of the deducing. Briefly, I thought she had too much authority for the time period, but I got past that. Evelyne had been 0n her own for much of her life and mysteries interested her. You will keep turning pages quickly. I received an arc from Net Galley and I am leaving a review voluntarily.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Traitor in Whitehall
By: Julia Kelly
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pub Date: 10/3/23

Historical fiction is one of the best genres but throw a little detective novel in the mix and you’ve got A Traitor in Whitehall.
It’s 1940… England is at war. London is being bombed by the Germans every night. Evelyne Redfern is renting a room in London with her best friend Mora. When she bumps into one of her fathers friends Mr. Fletcher. He gives her a job. She’s going to be working in Churchill's bunker in the typing pool. He sends her in to make observations and report back but as she settles in one of the other girls is murdered.
David Poole is there trying to find out how top secret information is being spilled to the Germans. Evelyne ends up teaming up with David Po to try to find out how the girl was murdered and who the mole is.
It was absolutely everything I wanted in the perfect mix of genres. I’m hoping that there will be more to come and it becomes a series!!

A Traitor in Whitehall by Julia Kelly is an intriguing World War 2 novel. This book starts out really strong and leaves you with so many unanswered questions that you will keep reading. The author has amazing storytelling skills. This book will keep you turning pages. Readers of historical fiction will definitely enjoy this book. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

t’s 1940 and Evelyne is plucked from a droning job in a munitions factory and selected to work as a typist in Churchill’s War Room which is located underground. She was chosen by a friend of her estranged father and her mission is to keep her eyes open as it is suspected that some funny business is going on in this most secret of locations.

Evelyne is on the job less than a week when she discovers the body of a co-worker who has been murdered. A curious and intelligent woman, she decides to investigate. This puts her in the direct path of a minister’s aide David Poole and she must agree to work with David who is investigating a suspected mole in the War Room.

This was a delightful surprise and I'm so happy to see that this is #1, so hopefully that means more are coming our way. I most definitely would read more of this historical mystery. It was easy to get in to and easy to follow. You get caught up in the characters and the plot and the mystery of who dunnit. I only took the one star off because our female lead is a typist in Whitehall (Winston Churchill's Cabinet building) and yet she insinuates herself into an investigation of murder and espionage and is given free reign to do so and ask questions and no one bats and eye and they answer to her. I don't think that's very realistic for the time frame when this takes place, but what do I know? It doesn't change the fact that I really enjoyed this.

The start to a new series, "A Traitor in Whitehall" follows Evelyne Redfern (a.k.a. The Parisian Orphan) as she starts a new job in the secretive world of Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s cabinet war rooms. There are lies, secrets, murder and the potential for romance here. Mystery book lover Evelyne finds herself an amateur sleuth in real life alongside the also mysterious and handsome David Poole.

This book is great start to a new series. The self contained story in "A Traitor in Whitehall" is very interesting and has some nice twists. The ending leaves enough for the reader to want the next installment.

This was a quick, fun historical mystery.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and Netgalley for an advanced readers copy of this book for my honest review.

This was a really great whodunnit set in the 40's. The writing was descriptive and pulled you into the story. I hope there will be more with these characters.

First in a new series, a Traitor in Whitehall sends us to Churchill's underground war cabinet where sensitive information is being leaked and there's been a murder.

Evelyne steps in and secretly investigates. Evelyne is a bright young woman amateur detective. She's no stranger to the limelight, having two outre parents, now both dead, who have graced both English and French papers for scandal. She's not bowed by the attention but moves onward, trying to pave her own path.

The mystery is deeper than what we normally see, and Evelyne must keep her wits about her to solve the crimes.

Can't wait for the next book!

I have been provided with a review copy of A Traitor in Whitehall from NetGalley for an impartial review. I just loved getting to enter this world. I just loved getting to meet these characters and see what they are currently getting themselves into. This book was just a really fun read. I just lost myself in this great story and I didn’t want to put it down. I can’t wait to see what happens next from this author.

A Traitor in Whitehall apparently is Book #1 in a series - Parisian Orphan - and having read Book #1, I'm on board with queuing up for Book #2 - which is a title only for now: Betrayal at Blackthorn Park.

Our heroine, Evelyne Redfern, is possessed of a very straight up, no-nonsense and mature-for-her-age presence. She had a mother whose fond memories, usually referenced in French, was the preferred parent, although she died in Evelyne's childhood. Her papa seems to be a persona non grata, not present in her Book #1 life, but with enough mentions that I suspect/hope a future book will feature him. I enjoy those kind of hints in a series. . . dropping in people who we'll hear about later.

Set in the beginning of WWII, London, Evelyne loves detective novels and reading - so we bond right off! She starts out applying for a typing pool job, and because of her perceived potential is boosted into something quite like a Bletchley situation, and that's all you get from me. . .a great read, with all the voices in my head adopting English accents. Very cozy on a January night reading past midnight. . .

*A sincere thank you to Julia Kelly, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and independently review.* #ATraitorinWhitehall #NetGalley

Former factory worker Evelyne Redfern is given a job in Whitehall after a chance meeting with one of her father's old friends, Mr. Fletcher. Very soon after starting her new job as secretary, she comes across a fellow employee, Jean, very dead.

Evelyne loves reading mysteries, particularly by Agatha Christie, and decides to figure out who killed the young woman, especially after the lead MP assigned to the case turn out to be a chauvinistic dunderhead. Evelyne quickly ends up butting heads with David Poole, a somewhat secretive minister's aide, before she discovers he's there to ferret out a mole in Whitehall. Evelyne convinces David that they should work together, as it seems that the woman's murder is tied to the leaks of sensitive information. The two make a good team, as Evelyne is good at gaining people's trust, and can also elicit more details from female employees than David can. The MPs meanwhile, are irked that Evelyne is asking questions of her fellow employees, but quickly find that Evelyne's and David's researches are yielding genuine results, as well as narrowing the suspect pool to a few likelies.

Evelyne proves to be a fast analytical thinker, and it was such a relief that David was not only not overprotective, but quick to see Evelyne's intelligence and insight. The story proved to be a good mix of espionage and murder mystery with suspense, good character moments and dialogue, and an intriguing setup for a series, which I plan to read.

Thank you to Netgalley and to St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

It’s 1940 in England, and everyone is doing their part for the war effort. Evelyne Redfern, known as “The Parisian Orphan” as a child, is no exception and works on the line at a munitions plant. Then she meets Mr. Fletcher, a friend of her father’s, and soon finds herself working in Churchill’s war cabinet rooms at Whitehall in the typing pool.

There’s a lot of security and secrecy, and when one of Evelyne’s co-workers is murdered, Evelyne begins to ask questions and investigate. Before long, she’s working with David Poole, a cabinet minister’s aide. He’s trying to discover who the mole is who is selling secrets to the enemy. David and Evelyne end up working together as their cases overlap.

Evelyne is a modern, smart, outspoken character and she’s every bit the match for David, demanding to be an equal partner in their enquiries. The supporting cast is also well developed and multi-faceted.

Julia Kelly’s research is impeccable and she makes you feel like you’re right there with Evelyne and David in 1940s London during the blitz and doing their best in the war effort. Her style draws you in and keeps you reading and trying to solve the two mysteries along with Evelyne. It’s a engaging read with history, mystery, suspense and a hint of attraction between the two main characters.

I love historical cozy mystery, this is a great example of a good start of a series.
IN 1940, Evelyne, know as "the Parisian Orphan" get a new job working in Winston Churchill's Carbine War Room (CWR) underground typing pool. Shortly after she start the job, a girl at work was murdered. Who is the Killer? Why? What is behind the killing ? Can she believe David Poole ? Is there a mole in CWR?
I loved almost everything in this book, great written, great storyline and characters, The mystery is not too complicated but good enough to make you wonder. And a background mystery is catch my eyes.
I can see this series get the potential of as good as "Maisie Dobbs series" .
Highly recommend this book. can't wait for the second book.

4 stars.

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!