It took me a bit to get into this book and I’m not sure I was even fully in it at the end. I’m not sure if it was the writing style or just a matter of me not reading it at the right time.

It took a while to get to the climatic ending and i would have loved to read the next part of Justine’s adventure more I think.

When I read WWII era books, I love it when it showcases women working the jobs men left behind, or how they helped in the war as spies. This book showcases the factory jobs AND spies. I just love reading about the fearless and brave women, stepping up and trying to either help those in need, sabotage the Nazis, or save as many victims as they can . The main character Justine used her intelligence to try and keep others safe and avoiding issues with spies and Nazis.

➠ ʙᴏᴏᴋ: The Physicists’ Daughter by Mary Anna Evans

➠ ᴍʏ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: 3.5/5 sᴛᴀʀs

➠ ɢᴏᴏᴅʀᴇᴀᴅs ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: 3.89/5 sᴛᴀʀs

➠ Pub date: June 7, 2022

➠ 💭 Justine Byrne is the daughter of two physicists who passed away before she finished highschool. She learned physics besides her two parents, German, welding, and math. She was simply brilliant.

Since her parents died, she has been living at this boarding room and working in the carbon department, which is a highly classified section at this plant. A piece of equipment keeps breaking and they keep bringing her in to weld it; however, she seems to believe that there is a saboteur that is causing all of this. She begins to suspect multiple different individuals even those that are trying to seduce her, but she is convinced she will discover who it is.

I love reading stories about women who are the reason the men who fought the wars were able to continue fighting. These jobs were only available to them during this time due to the men off fighting the wars. Also this main character is so badass. She fought like hell to uncover the truth and she doesn’t until she tries to save all of those at the plant. The ending was done so well and I truly didn’t expect it. I was hoping for it, but I didn’t know it would end like this. The beginning of the story was a little iffy for me, but once it picked up, I was hooked.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for providing me a #Netgalley of this book! #gifted

“THE PHYSICIST’S DAUGHTER” BY MARY ANNA EVANS
SEPTEMBER 21, 2022 BY CLAIRE MATTURRO

Author Mary Anna Evans often infuses her popular, award-winning Faye Longchamp archaeological mysteries with science. With her new novel, The Physicist’s Daughter (Poisoned Pen Press, 2022), Evans steps away from that series. She expands her deft use of science-as-plot, all the while dishing up suspense and mystery in a novel peopled with compelling characters in a lush setting. Evans, with her scientific background, combines her knowledge with outstanding writing talents to produce an excellent historical thriller. The Physicist’s Daughter might well be Mary Anna Evans at her best.

Set in New Orleans in the waning days of WWII, The Physicist’s Daughter focuses on three women—Justine Byrne, her friend Georgette Broussard, and Justine’s godmother Gloria Mazur.

Prior to the book’s opening time frame, Justine’s parents were both killed in a suspicious accident. Because she was raised by two physicists, Justine was taught skills, including welding and science, both long deemed to be the domain of men. Yet she never learned to flirt or dance. In scenes leading up to a double date, Georgette teaches her the latest dance steps and how to flirt. But it is the serious Justine that dominates the story. Author Evans has described her as “a little bit Rosie-the-Riveter and a little bit Bletchley Park codebreaker.” In fact, her ability to break a code does play into the plot.

Justine and Georgette both work at Higgins Industries, at the Michaud plant, which was “well known around wartime New Orleans as a place that hired women to do work they usually weren’t allowed to do. Black people too.” Justine understands though, as do the others, that when the men come home from the war, “She, along with a lot of other people working themselves to the bone for an Allied victory, would be back to slinging hash and mopping floors.” In this, the novel reflects an accurate history with sympathy toward women and other victims of the era’s prejudices.

The novel opens with an industrial death at the plant. Justine is suspicious of this so-called accident because, as a welder, she has been called to repair key parts in the assembly of a mysterious product. With her sharp eyes, she puzzles over why the same or similar parts keep breaking. She can’t help but worry these strange ruptures have something to do with the other worker’s death. After contemplating whether poor design or cheap supplies or just the repetitive stresses are causing problems, Justine suspects someone is deliberately tampering with the equipment. If the destruction is intentional, Justine realizes a spy and saboteur might well lurk among her co-workers. The saboteur could be anyone—even her immediate boss, Sonny, the rather odious manager with a chip on his shoulder and an eye for his women employees. Justine cannot know who to trust and what to do with her suspicions—though she knows better than to go to Sonny.

Further complicating matters, Justine is unsure—at least at first—exactly what she is working on. She and Georgette work in the carbon division, a secured compound with limited access where employees operate in relative isolation and are sworn to secrecy. While Justine works within this walled-off area of the plant, the final product is assembled in yet another walled-off area.

Seeking help, Justine visits her beloved godmother Gloria, a former physics professor at a women’s college. Gloria warns Justine to be exceedingly careful. In what could be signs of budding mental illness, Gloria believes she is being spied upon and hints that their lives might well be in danger.

Justine’s danger escalates with the introduction of two mysterious characters, Mudcat and Fritz. Both appear to be agents or spies, who are stalking Justine. Fritz, in particular, develops a sexual obsession with her. As Mudcat and Fritz pursue Justine with recruitment and more in mind, they become powerful and enigmatic forces in the developing plot.

Evans does a bold thing with the voices of two apparent antagonists without revealing which character in the plot they might be. She has expertly used this technique in her Faye Longchamp archaeological mysteries, particularly in Undercurrents. She does it again in The Physicist’s Daughter with a particularly sharp focus and excellent control. Readers learn enough of what’s in the heads of Fritz and Mudcat and their apparent motivations by following these men’s actions through their own eyes—all without knowing precisely who either man really is. To carry this out as successfully as she does displays Evans’ talents at writing.

Though the book is fictional, it relies upon some established history in that the Higgins plant was a real place, and that its owner Andrew Higgins was a real industrialist and inventor. Higgins appears in the book a couple of pivotal times, and Justine observes that “Andrew Higgins had a habit of inventing things that moved Allied troops where they needed to go, even when getting there seemed impossible. This was why the war had exploded his seventy-five-person boatbuilding business into a military contracting outfit that employed twenty thousand souls at plants spread across New Orleans and into the Louisiana.”

Engrossing, diverse characters pull the parts of this intricate novel together in a pleasing and compelling way. The contrasts between the three female leads are profound but power the story line forward. The scenes where Justine and Georgette become friends sharing their meager rations in their boarding house show not only the characters’ personalities but reflect the realities for working women in that era. Evans has always excelled in capturing a character’s essence in a few astute words, such as Mudcast’s observation of Justine: “He had seen her throw her arms around Gloria Mazur like someone who didn’t have to be given permission to love.”

Science, characters, and history might form the strong backbone of this novel, but Evans’ crisp yet often lyrical descriptions add to the richness. For example, she describes New Orleans from a streetcar: “Justine had a soft spot for wrought iron, and long stretches of St. Charles were lined with wrought-iron fences and gates and pergolas. She liked the way the hardness of the iron was softened by tendrils of green ivy and gray shadows of old live oaks. She wouldn’t have minded spending a little extra time on the streetcar, just to look at the iron.”

Discrimination against women in science is an underlying theme. In one particularly telling scene, Evans compares the labs and resources available to Justine’s father, Professor Byrne, who taught at a New Orleans university, to those of Gloria, who taught at a women’s college. “Within minutes, Mudcat was looking at a photo of Gloria Mazur in her lab, which looked sad and empty when compared to Byrne’s forest of modern equipment. No wonder she was forced to play intellectual handmaiden to Byrne.”

Nor does the book shy away from ethical issues involved in making weapons and engaging in war. Yet these matters—the ethics and the discrimination—are so finely woven into the fabric of the plot that there is no sense of preaching in the book.

Mary Anna Evans is a master at her craft and so The Physicist’s Daughter is rich with twists, turns, red herrings, suspense, and danger. The adept use of science and history make this a true stand-out. All in all, an excellent, riveting historical mystery with page-turning/thriller pacing, literary quality writing, lush well-described settings, and compelling, complicated characters.

Mary Anna Evans holds a Bachelor of Science in engineering physics and a Master of Science in chemical engineering, and she is a licensed Professional Engineer. She concedes “All of these things came in quite handy while writing The Physicists’ Daughter.” She is also the author of the Faye Longchamp Archaeological Mysteries, which have received the Oklahoma Book Award, the Benjamin Franklin Award, and a Will Rogers Medallion Awards Gold Medal. Evans also holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from Rutgers University and is an assistant professor specializing in fiction and nonfiction writing at The University of Oklahoma.



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This Historical fiction takes place In the World War II. It's about a sabotage in a factory which makes war products for the army. Among the factory workers, nobody knows what is beeing made there. Someone is trying to slow down the production. Justine, "the physicist daughter's" will try to find who is doing that.
I had difficulties to start this book and I almost put it down. I liked the historical part but not Justine life and universe.
I recommend this book for the historical part regarding the manufacture of a new war material which I do not want to reveal here.

Someone is set to sabotage the war efforts of a New Orleans factory during WWII. Will they get away with it or will they be stopped in time. Good book with a fierce woman in the lead role!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this advanced readers copy.

Thank for this ebook though NetGalley and publishers.

Though it did take me a bit to read this, I thought it was more of a fast-paced read. I did quite enjoyed this historical fiction book too. This took place in New Orleans, during the World War ll era. Justine was a strong heroine and the other characters were just as interesting.



My rating is a 3.5 ⭐️

A smart , engrossing tale of historical fiction. I really liked Justine’s character and this was a different take on spies during WWII.
Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Justine is the orphan daughter of physicists, living in New Orleans in 1944. Working in a war time factory she becomes suspicious of sabotage due to machinery accidents that cause the death of some of the factory workers.

I liked the concept of this book and thought it would suit me very well but unfortunately I had a difficult time with the writing style and struggled to finish this.

The Physicists’ Daughter is a riveting piece of historical fiction featuring a woman in wartime.

Justine Byrne is the brilliant daughter of now-deceased immigrant scientists who finds herself working in a New Orleans factory, riding a bus daily to join hundreds of female colleagues aiding the war effort during World War II. She isn’t sure what her Carbon Division does but puts her unique math and science skills set to work. After a fatal accident, however, she begins to sense something amiss...

...Through Justine, author Mary Anna Evans has given a nod to women of science. Her novel is absorbing and fast-paced; recommended for readers interested in women’s wartime contributions.

For a full review, please visit the book review @
https://www.fyi50plus.com/2022/09/06/this-autumn-fall-in-love-with-a-good-book/

This book had promise but I get bogged down in the reading of it and had to remind myself to pick it up. The time frame and location was interesting but the science stuff made it read slower for me and it seemed like I wasn't getting anywhere in the story. There were a lot of characters to keep track of. Thank you to NetGalley for an e-copy of this book.

I have to say this was a good book but it wasn’t the right time for me to read it. The writing was good, but I found it kinda boring. I listened on audiobook and was easily distracted, especially in the beginning. The female characters were pretty badass, and I appreciated how the parents saw the importance of educating their daughter. I usually love historical fiction, but I think I may have enjoyed this more at a different time.

Justine, a physicists’ daughter who lives in New Orleans, suspects that someone at her factory is a saboteur trying to thwart the war effort. But even she doesn’t know that she is the crosshairs of a spy.

I really thought very hard about my rating for this book – I was torn between three stars and four, because while I really enjoyed the book, I also had some major quibbles with it. Justine is a strong and compelling heroine, clever but unworldly. I also really liked the secondary characters who were all strongly sketched, especially Georgette who, despite having only been educated to the eighth grade, has a real thirst to learn and is never underestimated by the author.

The plot is also a twisty and engaging one. I was pretty certain I had figured out the way the chips would fall only to be astonished by the ending, which is always fun. And I am glad Georgette got her moment in the spotlight!

However, I was very irritated with one major storyline – the spies. More specifically, the romantic fixation that the spies had on Justine. She is certainly a clever young woman, usefully placed in a top secret facility, but it just didn’t make much logical sense to me that not only did both ‘Mudcat’ and ‘Fritz’ identify her as a extremely useful asset, but that they were both attracted to her – and not just physically. It felt as though the author wrote that in more because it was what the plot demanded than because it was what fit there.

A sequel is teased for this book, and I definitely want to read it for the further adventures of Justine and Georgette. But I could do with better romantic prospects.

I love stories with women in STEM and this was no exception. Taking place in New Orleans, WW2 era, Justine comes from a family of scientists and uses her intelligence and deductive reasoning to determine who or what is at the cause of turbulence at her factory job.

Some of the characters were really enjoyable for me as well as the overall story. There were a few slow spots but I enjoyed the different take on this WW2 Historical Fiction novel.

The Physicists' Daughter by Mary Anna Evans is a great historical fiction that has mystery, suspense, and an addictive plot that kept me interested.

I really enjoyed the mystery component and that the main character is not “run of the mill”. The pace, plot, and character cast were interesting and enjoyable.

I would definitely read more from this author in the future.

The historical fiction novel, The Physicists' Daughter, by Mary Anna Evans, is a World War II story chalked full of spies and espionage. The main character Justine is compared to that of Rosie the Riveter. Justine works in a factory building parts for boats to be used in the war effort. She works in a top secret department referred to the Carbon Division in which she is a welder, Justine is especially good at her position and is called upon to fix parts that are mysteriously breaking and damaged. Before long Justine begins to feel as though the German's are at the root of these issues and she has no idea where to turn. Justine is left to wonder, who can and who she cannot trust at every turn. And, for the mysterious boat parts, why are they so secretive? Why would the German's be out to destroy her factory division in particular? Justine is too smart to be tricked into believing these incidents are purely accidental.

This novel is a wonderful journey for the scientifically curious. I particularly enjoyed the terminology and details as related to the spectroscopy and physics of the story. Many may feel it overwhelming, but there is much to be learned. The story and intrigue of the characters is enough to keep one enthused, even if uninterested in the science of physics.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review The Physicists' Daughter. This book was most enjoyable and well written. I highly recommend.

#netgalley #thephysicistsdaughter

This Rosie-the-Riveter style novel brings a different side of women’s contributions to the war effort to the forefront. Evans perfectly captures the contributions of women while also highlighting how under valued they were. This is a must read for WWII fans.
4.5 Stars

Extremely interesting historical fiction. Full of suspense and spies. Well written to keep the book moving.

When Justine Byrne's parents pass away in a car accident, she is forced to leave behind her comfortable life and go to work for a factory building airplanes and boats for use in WWII. Raised by 2 physicists, Justine has always felt more comfortable with books and equations than social situations.  At the Higgins Factory, Justine meets her people; intelligent but uneducated Georgette, handsome and muscular Martin, quiet Charles, and Jerry who is disabled but doesn't let it get him down.
As time goes on, Justine is called on more and more to weld broken parts of the factory (a skill she learned from her father). The more she views these broken pieces, the more she comes to realize that this is not normal wear and tear. She begins to suspect sabotage by foreign spies.
This book didn't do it for me. It had all the pieces, it was just missing something. I think I would have liked it more if there were of the secret codes and less about daily life at the plant. Some characters could have been eliminated (Gloria), and it would not have changed the story at all. The amount of time devoted to the telling of information from the spies point of view was off-putting. It was enough to distract, but not enough to make it feel like part of the story. It felt more like an afterthought. I really enjoyed the ending, I just wish there was more excitement throughout and not so rushed at the end. Overall, I give this book 3 stars.

Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press for providing me ARC for an honest review.

This is a historical fiction novel that takes place in WWII, in the US in the New Orleans area.

Justine has a unique personality and is a bit of an introvert. Her parents were both involved in the study and research of physics and she has learnt a lot from them over the years. Her intention was to go to university and continue her studies but circumstances changed as both her parents died in an accident. The only person that she is left with is their assistant Gloria who was willing to let Justine move in with her and continue her studies. Justine wasn't comfortable having Gloria make these sacrifices for her which is why Justine is working in a factory assembling parts for radios for the military. Occasionally she has been able to help out do some welding as some of the equipment keeps breaking down. Justine is beginning to wonder if there is some sabotage happening at the plant because some of the equipment she welded back together has looked tampered with...

I have found the story to be really interesting and hard to put down. I really enjoy historical fiction, as well there is a bit of mystery to this and suspense. I like that the main character is a bit quirky and eccentric and not your typical protagonist. There are a couple different POVs and a few little twists in the story. I haven't seen a lot of buzz for this book which is too bad because it's really an excellent read.