4 more than a typist stars

With action in Churchill’s cabinet war room bunkers deep under London streets, this historical fiction mystery definitely kept my interest. Evelyne Redfern is recruited to root out a traitor while serving as a typist. How are British secrets getting out? And why has it escalated to murder? Evelyne is using her sleuthing skills, just like in the detective novels she likes to read.

David Poole is investigating the leak, and soon they team up. What is David’s exact role, though? Should Evelyne trust him? Will Evelyne’s past catch up to all of them? As the bombs fall on London, the tension ratchets up.

I really enjoyed meeting these characters, and I’m excited to see that this looks like the beginning of a series. This is my second book by this author, and I appreciate her authentic writing style and lack of grisly details. I’m ready for the next installment and learning more about Evelyne’s past and brewing romance.

A Traitor in Whitehall is part mystery mystery, part historical fiction. The story takes place in one of my favorite places in London, the Churchill War Rooms. There is a murder, a mole, and our heroine Evelyne sets out to catch the killer. A page turner and a unique take on WWII - this is a fast paced and fun read and I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

Julia Kelly introduces us to Evelyne Redfern, a want-to-be detective who finds herself in the middle of a murder, blackmail, and treason. Evelyne comes from a well-known family in wartime England, and has the much disliked nickname of "the Parisian Orphan" due to her mother's scandalous death in Paris when Evelyne was very young. Evelyne is approached by an old friend of her father's to take a job in the typing pool in Churchill's Cabinet War Room (CWR); however the catch is that she must report back to him of what things were going on within the CWR. Evelyne becomes a part of the investigation with the mysterious (and alluring) David Poole, one of the cabinet's ministers. Following is a drawn-out investigation of the corruption within, and the team of Evelyne and David find some very surprising goings-on at the CWR leading ultimately to the disclosure of the guilty. Evelyne and David make a great investigative team and their personal relationship and character make them great together in other ways! As the books finalizes - it appears that there will be a future to the team of Evelyn and David. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press - MInotaur Books, for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #NetGalley #ATraitorinWhitehall

First book in a new WWII series The Parisian Orphan sets up the groundwork for a new investigative team. Evelyne Redfern is offered a typist job in Churchills secret war room by an enigmatic old family friend. Almost instantly she becomes involved in murder and espionage. Teamed with the handsome David Poole she must find who is ferrying secrets to Germany and willing to murder to continue. Evelyne seems to have a real knack for this work and possibly an attraction to her new partner. Cozy mystery/historical fiction, more to come in this series. Thank you Netgalley and St Martins publishing.

A supposedly chance encounter allows Evelyne Redfern to leave her job in a munitions factory for one as a typist in Churchill’s Cabinet War Room. Mr. Fletcher had known Evelyne as a child. She was well educated and spoke French fluently, courtesy of her late mother. Now he would like her to use the position at CWR to observe her fellow workers and report back to him. Someone is leaking information to the Germans and he would like her impressions. Within a week she discovers the body of one of the other typists. Locked in a room with the body, she is rescued by David Poole. Investigators ignore her observations of the scene. Poole, however, is investigating the mole and is willing to listen. Investigators are ready to write it off as a crime of passion. As a typist, the victim had access to top secret information, Her death and the search for the mole must somehow be connected.

Evelyne is a fan of British mysteries. When she is ignored, her fist inclination is to investigate on her own. With women relegated to secretarial work, she demands that Poole treat her as an equal when he requests her help. Julia Kelly has created a strong character who knows her own abilities but working for the CWR she is wary of those around her, including Poole. Kelly’s description of the working conditions and the atmosphere in the underground headquarters at the beginning of the Blitz give you a good idea of what those workers faced. Evelyne and Poole work well together and Kelly’s closing scenes suggest that we can look forward to seeing them again. I look forward to seeing what she has in store for Evelyne and Poole in the future. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Books - Minotaur for providing this book for my review.

A Traitor in Whitehall by Julia Kelly is a captivating historical novel filled with a compelling main character, a solid plot, and a delightful cast of characters. While the murder mystery could have been more gripping, the engaging relationships and the overall charm of the story more than make up for it. If you enjoy historical fiction with a touch of mystery and strong character dynamics, this book is a must-read. I definitely recommend it and can't wait to read the next book in the Parisian Orphan series.

I really enjoyed this story about the inner workings going on in Churchill's bunkers during WWII. Having visited there, it was easy to visualize the inner workings and empathize with those working underground during the bombings of London. Kelly writes an intriguing story of a possible traitor or traitors and of the sacrifices that civilians made in the service to their country. Evelyne Redfern, was working at a munitions factory until she ran into a friend of her parents who sent her to work in Churchill's War Rooms as a typist and ask that she keep her eyes open for odd things going on. And then there was a murder. Evelyne, a lover of cozy mysteries, discovers the body and decides to investigate. But she is thwarted but David Poole, an aide to the minister who was secretly working on finding a mole. However, I found it incredible how during the murder investigation that David Poole, would embrace Evelyne to help him in the investigation and share their efforts. As they closely worked together, Evelyne and David also fought their attraction for each other.That being said, I enjoyed the intrigue and kept track of the suspects and clues. Lots of red herrings and twists and turns. This is an interesting read about espionage but also a bit of a cozy mystery too. I think that we could possibly see Evelyn / David again in future stories. Many thanks to #netgalley #atraitorinwhitehall #juliakelly #minotaurbooks for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you to St. Martins Press, Minotaur and NetGalley for my complimentary eARC and to MacMillan Audio for my complimentary audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed A Traitor in Whitehall. It’s an engaging mystery with all the twists and turns of an Agatha Christie novel. But the humor ! Oh my goodness, I chuckled throughout the story. WWII is a favorite time period of mine, and to have a women lead in a murder investigation made it that much more enjoyable. Evelyne and David make a great team and I look to forward many more books.

Marisa Calin did a fantastic job with the narration of the story. I enjoyed her accents and different voices for all the characters.

A Traitor in Whitehall follows Evelyn as she gets a new job typing for the ministry during WW2. Unbeknowest to her other coworkers Evelyn is put into place to find the mole in the operation. Secerts are being traded to the ememy and Evelyn must do everything in her power to stop it.The girls that she works with warn her to stay away from Jean, another employee that no one can stand. Evelyn is found locked in a room with the dead body of Jean and now has to discover not only the mole, but the murderer. Evelyn is teamed up with Mr. David Poole to help both of the crimes. Twists and turns in this fast-paced historical mystery.

WWII Cozy Mystery

It’s 1940, Evelyn Redfern, known and the Parisian Orphan, is doing her part for the war effort working in a munitions plant. The work is boring, so when Mr. Fletcher, one of her father’s friends, recruits her to work in Winston Churchill’s war rooms she jumps at the chance. Fletcher coaches her to look for a suspected leak, but when one of the other secretaries is found dead she transfers her attention to solving the mystery.

In her investigation she’s helped by a reluctant colleague, David Poole. At first he seems determined to keep her from investigating, but when she discovers that he is also looking for the suspected leak, they team up.

Since this is the first book in a new mystery series, it’s reasonable that the first quarter of the book gives Evelyn’s background. In the next section of the book, the mystery heats up and we’re introduced to the myriad characters working in the tunnels of the war room. At this point, I found the number of characters a bit overwhelming. However, as the story progresses the characters fit into place and it’s easy to figure our what’s happening. I was pleasantly surprised by the twist at the end.

I loved Evelyn’s character. She determined and spunky, but with a clever mind and quick repartee. The amusing dialogue kept the story moving. David is a good foil for Evelyn. At first, he’s very standoffish and tells people she’s just taking notes for him, as their relationship develops he becomes more accepting of her help.

This is a great cozy mystery with well researched background on the Churchill war rooms. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thanks to the published and Net Galley for this review copy.

This is a good whodunit book. Set in England in WWII, a group of people worked underground on government business when someone is found dead. It has to be someone approved to be underground and the newest typist is determined to find out who the killer is. It is a good closed door, amenture detective story.

Evelyne Redfern is known as the Parisian Orphan in the newspapers because of her parents. She loves to read British Mystery Novels. She is working in an ammunition factory when she happens to meet an old family friend. He offers her a business card and then offers her a job working with Winston Churchills war room as a typist and to find a mole. Someone is leaking secret information to the Germans. In her first days working in the CWR she finds a dead body. She must find the killer and the traitor.

The historical setting with a mystery was fantastic. I was hooked from the first page and I loved following the clues with Evelyne and David. I'm glad to see that this is a series. I will definitely be checking out the rest.

Having read several WWII era historical fiction books by Julia Kelly, I was excited to read her new book, A TRAITOR IN WHITE HALL. This is the first book in the PARISIAN ORPHAN series. I really enjoyed the first 25% of the book as we are introduced to Evelyne Redfern who was raised in Paris by her mother (who passed away) and has grown up barely knowing her father. When the war started, we find her living in London with her roommate, Moira (loved this character). Evelyne is helping the war effort by working in a munitions factory. The author does a great job of having Evelyne run into a friend of her father’s and getting her to take a job in the typing pool in Churchill’s War Room. (This is a place I have wanted to see, but I did not have time during my trip to London). Right away there is a murder of someone in the typing pool and Evelyne starts investigating (think Agatha Christie). She teams up with Mr.Poole. At this point the book slows down for me. There are just too many characters to try to keep track of ……I had to stop and figure out who was who many times. Once I reached the last fourth of the book, I enjoyed the unraveling of the mystery. I will definitely try Kelly’s next book in this series! My thanks to St.Martin’s Minotaur and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

Important things you need to know about the book:

A Traitor in Whitehall is the first book in the Parisian Orphan series. Since it is the first book in the series, you don’t have previous books to read. You can dive into this without worrying about previous storylines or characters appearing and throwing the main storylines off.

A Traitor in Whitehall was a medium-paced book for me. There were some areas (mainly towards the end) where the pacing did speed up. But it was consistently medium-paced throughout the book. There was some lag in the middle of the book (during Evelyne and David’s investigation). It didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book.

There are trigger warnings in A Traitor in Whitehall. If any of these trigger you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

Bullying: While Evelyne didn’t experience Jean’s bullying tactics, the other women in the typing pool did. Jean caused one woman to quit her job because she threatened to expose her secrets—several other women experienced blackmail by Jean.
Death: Besides the obvious (Evelyne finding Jean’s body), the book details the questionable death of Evelyne’s mother.
Divorce: Evelyne remembers her parents’ contentious divorce and custody battle over her. It had made the papers, and the newspapers painted her mother badly.
Murder: Evelyne and David are investigating Jean’s murder. Evelyne suspects that her mother was murdered.
Sexism: Evelyne experiences era-appropriate sexism.
War: A Traitor in Whitehall takes place in World War II. Evelyne experiences drills, blackouts, rations, and bombing throughout the book.
Sexual Content: There is no on-page sexual content in A Traitor in Whitehall. It is alluded that Jean is having affairs with some ministers and their staff.

Language: There is no graphic language in A Traitor in Whitehall.

Setting: A Traitor in Whitehall is set in World War II in London, England.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Evelyne Redfern is working in a munitions factory in World War II-era London. A chance meeting with a childhood friend of her absent father, Evelyne finds her working as a secretary in a top-secret location for Winston Churchhill’s war department. Soon after her arrival, Evelyne stumbles upon the body of one of the secretaries (Jean). That starts Evelyne’s investigation into Jean’s murder and puts her in the path of the mysterious David Poole. When David reveals that he is undercover investigating a possible mole and that Jean could be a link, Evelyne and he team up. Can they discover who the mole is? Can they figure out who killed Jean? And lastly, can they connect the mole and Jean?

Main Characters

Evelyne Redfern: I liked Evelyne. She was bright, loved reading mysteries (Agatha Christie was her favorite), and didn’t miss a thing. She was also straightforward to talk to, which was helpful when she and David were interrogating people. Evelyne used her real-life contacts and what she learned from the mysteries she loved to read to figure out parts of Jean’s murder that otherwise would have gone missing. I also enjoyed that Evelyne liked looking at David (he was good-looking) and wasn’t ashamed about it. She did have faults, though. She tended to go off alone (surprising David at the gambling hall was one) and pushed boundaries (Charlotte and Patricia’s stories come to mind).

David Poole: I initially didn’t know what to make of him. He was very mysterious and was often abrupt with Evelyne. But the more he appeared in the book, the more I liked him. He let Evelyne take the lead in Jean’s murder investigation. I liked how he low-key put people in their place so they would answer her questions. I also liked how David asked for and listened to her input about the mole. He was always there, backing her up, and was instrumental in helping catch Jean’s murderer and the mole. I also liked how the author slyly brought him into Mr. Fletcher’s work.

Secondary characters: There were numerous secondary characters mentioned throughout the book. Each character added their nuance and depth to the storyline. The characters that stood out the most to me were: Mr. Fletcher, Mrs. White, Moira, Irene, Patricia, Aunt Amelia, Mr. Pearson, Inspectors Maxwell and Plaice, Caroline, Mr. Faylen, and Charlotte.

My review:

I enjoyed reading A Traitor in Whitehall. I have a weakness for World War II-era books, and when I read the blurb for this one, I knew I wanted to read it. I am glad I did because this book was a good read.

The storyline centering around Jean’s murder and Evelyne’s investigation was well written. I couldn’t figure out who the murderer was. The author had so many red herrings that I thought it was someone other than who it was. I was shocked at who was revealed and the motive behind the person killing Jean.

The storyline centering around the mole was interesting. Later in the book, it is introduced and intertwined with Jean’s murder. I did figure out half of this storyline reasonably early. But I was surprised at who else was involved. Again, it took me by surprise.

Both storylines merge at the end of the book. I won’t talk about what happened, but I will say this: the murderer and the mole are the same person. There is someone else involved, too.

As I stated above, the mystery/thriller angle was well written. The author kept me on my toes for the entire book. It isn’t very often that I can’t figure out who the killer is.

I may be imagining this, but I saw a possible romance between Evelyne and David. Their chemistry was beautiful in the book, and I can’t wait to see how they work together in upcoming books.

The end of A Traitor in Whitehall was great. I liked how the author united and solved Jean’s murder and who the mole was. But it was after that mystery was solved that I loved it. I can’t wait to see Evelyne and David work together again!!!

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Julia Kelly for allowing me to read and review this ARC of A Traitor in Whitehall. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Known as “the Parisian Orphan” because of her background story, Evelyne is basically alone except for her best friend, Moira, who is also her boarding house roommate. Evelyne is a big fan of mystery novels so she readily accepts a request by an investigative team to join the typing pool in an underground bunker at Whitehall to secretly observe her coworkers to help determine how war secrets are being leaked to the Germans. When Evelyne finds a much disliked fellow member of the typing pool murdered at work, she is determined to solve both mysteries so manages to put herself in a position as assistant to the chief investigator, David Poole. But Evelyne’s spunk has her striking out on her own, sometimes helped by Moira and manages to put herself in a position as David’s equal partner in solving the murder as well as finding the mole.
This book was definitely not what I expected as I am familiar with the author’s previous historical fiction novels and started this book under my own misassumption about the genre. Unfortunately, I am not a fan of cozy murder mysteries so find it difficult to read and review them. I am certain that Ms. Kelly is a great writer and developing a cozy mystery series set in the mid 1900s is creative and sure to be popular with fans of historical fiction as well as cozy mysteries. This book has all the essential elements for the genre - a strong outspoken female character who takes charge, an interesting sidekick in Moira and a handsome associate and possible romantic interest. Unfortunately, the book was boring for me and I am basing my review on my lack of engagement and reading pleasure but I will definitely recommend it for lovers of cozy mystery series.
#NetGalley #St.Martin’sPressMinotaurBooks

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?

Thank you netgalley for my arc

Period details FTW. I was reading along thinking how little I actually knew about life in WWII when the main character finds a body in a place I had no vaguest awareness of the need for or existence of: A sun treatment room.

A what now? Sun-treatment? What on Earth is that?

It was about that time that my interest and pleasure in the read sharpened to the point of reading past my bedtime. I'm a mystery fan anyway, being a big believer in ma'at and the scales of justice needing to be balanced. The victim of the murder wasn't a lovely person, as is customary in series mysteries set in the Halls of Power. It was a lovely grace note, the first of several, that the victim was discovered in the sun-treatment room. This afforded the author a perfect opening to reveal this very interesting, perfectly sensible detail's existence. It gives the story an extra gloss of period authenticity, as does Evelyne's Agatha Christie-reading habit. The author's an experienced historical novelist and it shows in these sorts of unexpected moments that firmly root the story in time without becoming stodged up like a research paper gone metastatic.

Evelyne, our main character, is an oddball in the world where she's been plonked because nothing in her background suggests she's a prospect for Greater Things...an unwanted daughter placed in a boarding school by her always-absent father after her mother's death when Evelyne was thirteen, she's been given few solid opportunities to develop her intellect beyond the ordinary. As is typical for series mysteries, as fans of the genre know, she's got the most important character trait of a sleuth: Ungovernable curiosity, starting from when her Maman (a French lady, who raised her daughter mostly in France) supposedly committed suicide. Luckily her absent rich-bastard father's friend circle includes powerful people who need that precise characteristic in a woman of presentable lineage (if always stained by the loucheness of her foreignness), adequate education, fluency in French, and unexceptionable looks.

Evelyne's sudden arrival in the bunkers...referred to by the acronym "CWR" or "Cabinet War Rooms"...of busy workers surrounding the Prime Minister isn't cause for anyone to take much notice, exactly as the Powers That Be need it to be. She blends into the scenery. As her job is to ferret out a traitor who's already established in those hallowed halls, everything's proceeding acording to plan.

Until someone's murdered. (There's a reason I'm being coy about who's been murdered. If you know too soon, there's no way you won't know who the titular traitor is.) The murder makes everything higher stakes and involves Evelyne with the inevitable love interest, David. Another facet of the series mystery is the de rigueur presence of a love interest or interests. David's clearly being positioned for this. This is, for me, the least interesting facet of the story. How would David, a senior aide established in the hierarchy, even think to team up with Evelyne, a mere girl and of known-but-stained ancestry? In 1940s Britain? That high in the Government (even if it's not quite the way we're led to believe)? Hmm, said my inner skeptic. Most especially I find the borning relationship between them Doomed because David prefers American thrillers to Evelyne's beloved Mrs. Christie. This is a less bridgeable gap than between a reader and a mundane.

While the usual first-mystery flaws are present, eg too much information comes too easily into Evelyne's grasp for her position in the hierarchy and people "grit" and "roar" things far too often, the author is clearly a skilled storyteller. The TV adaptation unspooled before my eyes, in six-part ITV period-mystery glory. It's the kind of book one reads with keen pleasure in its strengths, and forgives its lapses readily. At least this picky one did.

If you're in the market for historical mysteries, this one will scratch the itch. Nothing too deep, nothing too fluffy, just the right level of interesting background and emotional investment possibilities. Bring the sequel!

Evelyne has been asked by a family friend to apply for a job in one of Churchill’s war rooms. Not long after she gets settled into her new role, she discovers a dead body. This opens up a whole different set of sleuthing skills for Evelyne. Because not only does she have to find a murderer, she must discover a traitor to England as well.

Evelyne is a great character. She is tough and she sure doesn’t take kindly to certain policemen. They rub her the wrong way when they assume, because she is a woman, she will just faint at the sight of a dead body…and does she prove them wrong! Evelyne runs rings around these cops!

Now, this is not my favorite Julia Kelly novel. I seemed to have lost interest in the middle. But it sure ended strong! Julia Kelly is one of my go to historical fiction writers. Plus…she is a KNITTER! Y’all definitely need to add her to your list.

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The narrator, Marisa Calin, is new to me. I don’t think I have ever listened to her before (shocker!). But, she did a great job with all the suspense and she was perfect as Evelyne…and even Churchill!

Need an Agatha Christie-like mystery…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I received a complimentary electronic copy of this historical novel, set in 1940 London, from Netgalley, author Julia Kelly, and publisher St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read A Traitor in Whitehall of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am pleased to recommend Julia Kelly to friends and family. She writes a good tale, bringing to life for us the dangers of life in a country at war. And the most essential impetus of spirit created by family and friends in such circumstances.
pub date October 3, 2023

I thoroughly enjoyed A Traitor in Whitehall, Julia Kelly's first mystery. Historical mysteries are my favorite, so I am happy that a favorite author ventured into the genre. Well-researched and expertly plotted, this book is set against the atmospheric backdrop of London at the beginning of the Blitz.

This first book in the series lays the foundation- giving a peek into the heroine's past, without revealing all of her secrets. Readers will enjoy Evelyn's adventure, as she accepts a mysterious assignment and then finds herself unexpectedly confronted with murder and espionage. I found the mystery entertaining and plausible. The author drops a couple of hints in the conclusion, expertly foreshadowing coming adventures for Evelyn that will have readers eagerly anticipating the next book in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher thorough Netgalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.