I have never been able to put down a Julia Kelly book. She is truly a gifted storyteller who knows the time period that fits her well. The second book in the series did not disappoint. Highly recommend.

Betrayal at Blackthorn Park was a cozy mystery set in WWII England. The story was engaging, and the mystery kept me on my toes. There were some great plot twists I didn't see coming and lot's of laugh out loud moments between Evelyne and David. I hadn't realized this was a second book of a series, but it did not matter that I hadn't read book 1. There were some references to the previous book, but it didn't take away from my understanding at all. I really enjoyed this, and will read the first book (and any future books) for sure!

I didn’t quite remember EXACTLY what happened in the previous book, but was easy to follow along once I started. Definitely a cozy mystery with this one and a joy to read throughout. Loving the main character and her sassiness, not putting up with ANY bull crap. I attempted to listen to the audiobook at first, but found myself becoming lost with the narrator’s accent - so can’t say I really recommend audio version. Steady writing pace, found myself gliding right through and I didn’t quite predict the whodunnit mystery.

Looking for a cozy read, with building romance (friends turning into potential lovers) *no spice* and historical fiction, this is perfect for you. I’ll likely continue with this series :)

I'm a big fan of Julia Kelly's historical fiction generally, but the Evelyne Redfern series has so far been my favourite of her works. These books are fast-paced, entertaining, full of mystery and red herrings, led by the intelligent, clever, and cool-headed Evelyne and her delightful partner, David Poole. While this book is the second in the series, it's possible to read it as a standalone (though reading the first book does greatly help in filling in blanks and enriching certain character relationships). There is a third book already set to publish later this year, and I know I'll be picking it up immediately.

I love historical fiction books and especially those that are set during WWII. This was a little different focus for me in the way it featured Evelyne as the main character. She was selected to be a spy and investigator. That would never have happened for a woman during that period of time. There are a lot of twists and turns that will keep you invested in the story. Evelyne is a strong and determined woman, intelligent, and possessing an abundance of resilience. She is an amazing character and you will admire her tenacity and dedication. The hint of romance with David is not off putting and will have you looking forward to future adventures they may have together.

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

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Fiction
Historical
Historical Fiction
Historical Mystery
Mystery
WWII

This is my first Julia Kelly book but her attention to detail, and historical accuracy, made Betrayal at Blackthorn Park a great place to start. Set during WWII, the main character, Evelyne Redfern, is a brand new, just-finished-her-training, agent for Great Britain. Eager to jump into her first case, she winds up stumbling onto a dead body. Her handler for the operation she was sent to investigate, is David Poole, the man she solved a mystery with in the first book, A Traitor in Whitehall. He is a veteran agent, and is a little insulted to be taken from the field and put in charge of being Evelyne's handler. When the home office decides they work better as a team, their investigation takes off.

Step-by-step, Kelly walks readers through the thought processes of the investigators. Evelyne finds intrigue around nearly every corner, and as she and David bounce clues off each other, they begin to piece together a plot far different from what they were originally sent to investigate.

I enjoyed listening to this through the Libby app. The narrator's pacing was stellar, and kept the story flowing. Readers who enjoy the mysteries of Agatha Christie and her Hercule Poirot character, will enjoy Kelly's Evelyne Redfern. No clue is too small for either of these investigators, and even though she's new, Evelyne sees the twists and turns better than most others, I look forward to reading both A Traitor in Whitehall, and book 3, A Dark and Deadly Journey, coming out later in 2025.

Julia Kelly’s Betrayal at Blackthorn Park is a delightful blend of espionage, mystery, and just the right spark of romance, set against the backdrop of World War II. The Whispers of War author infuses her signature charm and attention to historical detail, in this, the second in the Evelyne Redfern series, I found myself wishing I had read the first book (A Traitor at Whitehall) beforehand! Still, Betrayal at Blackthorn Park stands strong on its own and more than piqued my interest- I definitely won’t be missing the next installment.

This time, Evelyne is a freshly minted field agent diving into the shadowy world of British intelligence. Evelyne is such a sharp-witted character that you can’t help but want to know her more from the very beginning. Evelyne, once a wartime typist, is eager to prove herself. When her first assignment turns out to be a routine security test at a quiet country manor, she’s understandably underwhelmed. That is, until a body turns up and everything changes. Suddenly, her mission at Blackthorn Park- a seemingly sleepy estate with a not-so-sleepy role in Britain’s secret weapons program- becomes deadly serious. With the help (and occasional frustration) of the dashing and maddeningly proper Agent David Poole, Evelyne must untangle a web of lies before a murderer strikes again and before secrets that could sway the war fall into the wrong hands.

If you love historical fiction with a dash of intrigue and a more-than-capable heroine you’ll root for from page one, Evelyne Redfern’s latest adventure is well worth the read.

The character of Evelyn Redfern is such an epic addition to the lady sleuth group. I absolutely loved how the character grew in this book from book 1. The mystery itself was such a good time. I was on the edge of my seat!

I found this to be very interesting but a bit too much historical fiction for my personal reading taste! I love the way the subject was written, but it needed more in the plot for me personally.

Another great Historical Fiction from Julia Kelly. Mystery and Romance is her thing and mine. Loved this novel and Julia's writing.

Synopsis:
Freshly graduated from a rigorous training program in all things spy craft, former typist Evelyne Redfern is eager for her first assignment as a field agent helping Britain win the war. However, when she learns her first task is performing a simple security test at Blackthorn Park, a requisitioned manor house in the sleepy Sussex countryside, she can’t help her initial disappointment. Making matters worse, her handler is to be David Poole, a fellow agent who manages to be both strait-laced and dashing in annoyingly equal measure. However, Evelyne soon realizes that Blackthorn Park is more than meets the eye, and an upcoming visit from Winston Churchill means that security at the secret weapons research and development facility is of the utmost importance.

Thoughts:
This was an amazing, fast paced historical fiction set around World War II. I loved the main character, Evelyne, and seeing as she takes on her first assignment! Also I didn’t know that this was the second book in a series. But that didn’t stop me from enjoying this book! I highly recommend it if you enjoy historical fiction!

Fans of historical mysteries like the Maggie Hope series and Maisie Dobbs must get your hands on this series, you will not be disappointed. Start with book one (A Traitor in Whitehall) and I highly recommend these on audio, as the narrator is great. Here readers find Evelyne ready for her mission as a spy and while at first it doesn’t seem like much of a mission to Evelyne, she and David soon find themselves working together to solve a murder that has big ties back to the war work. Such likable characters–Evelyne is strong and smart and also has a lovely sense of humor. The plot is tightly woven and wonderfully researched. There’s also a great hook at the end that has me ready for book three. This is a great series!

Though World War 2 British spies are involved, I was pleasantly surprised that it's more of a standard mystery, albeit with spies involved.

Fast-paced, interesting location and premise. An absolutely enjoyable mystery.

I note that I didn't read the first book in the series before this second book but still followed along just fine (though I picked up a copy of book one right after I finished this one).

I'd highly recommend this to someone who wants to read a different kind of mystery set during World War 2.

I am totally in love with any Julia Kelly books. This second instalment of the new series is mysterious and intriguing. Keep her going!!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin for my advance readers copy!

The second installment with Evelyne Redfearn was as enjoyable as the first! I really enjoyed the genre mix of mystery and historical fiction. It feels as though this could read as a stand alone, yet the character development strengthened further in this second novel.

Intriguing and would recommend!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Betrayal at Blackthorn Park
By: Julia Kelly
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Published: 10/1/24
Julia Kelly has quickly become one of my favorite historical writers and this one didn’t disappoint!
This is the second book in the Evelyn Redfern mystery series. It picks up with Evelyne returning from training and David Poole being promoted to handler instead of agent. Evelyne is sent to investigate a theft at Blackthorn Park a secret weapons plant in Sussex. With David acting has her handler, she believes she will only be gone over night, that quickly changes when a gunshot is heard and a dead body found. It will take Evelyne and David, coming back in to the field to solve this one.
The working relationship that’s developing between the main characters is spot on and always leaving me wanting the next book right away!
This one could be read as a stand alone but the first book really introduces the characters.
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I was excited to grab this one after reading the first book in this series. Julia never disappoints. Evelyne is a great spy character. She may be young and a bit naive, but she’s super observant and puts pieces together in ways others can’t. A murder is definitely more than she expected when she took the assignment at Blackthorn Park, but she’s determined to find the answers that her bosses are looking for.

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for my copies of this book.

Evelyne Redfern is back, and this time, she has to figure out what is really going on at Blackthorn Park, a secret area where the English are building weapons for WWII. I flew through this book. I loved the suspense, Evie working with David, and the way the story played out. So many suspects were possible, and in the end, it really made sense. I also love that Evie is part of a secret network of agents and the details that go into each novel. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite mystery series, and I love that it's set during WWII.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Betrayal at Blackthorn Park by Julia Kelly!

I enjoyed this! But there's a good chance I should have re read the first book in the series before starting this one, I was lost for a while and it took a bit to catch back up to what was going on in the story. In the end, Julia Kelly is such a talented Historical Fiction Author, and this was a really good, intriguing, un-put-downable read!

Great for readers of Historical Fiction who want to look at things through a new lens.