There have been so many WWII set novels in recent years. I am not sure when a saturation point will be reached but it hasn’t arrived yet. Even among many WWII novels though, this one stood out for me. There are a few reasons for this.

First, the story is based in the U.S. It is set in Louisiana. I don’t know of any other WWII books with this setting. Second, I found the characters intriguing. Protagonist, Justine, is the daughter of two physicists and the goddaughter of a third one. She works in a war plant. What is being produced there and why is carbon involved? Who wants to sabotage this workplace?

That popular term, plucky, applies to Justine but she has more going for her thn just that; in addition she is bright and has unique talents for a woman in her time. She is a welder who is called upon to make emergency repairs to the factory’s equipment. Why is it always breaking down? Someone has died because of one of the industrial incidents.

The story is filled with characters both good and bad. Justine has quite a sexist boss. She has good friends including a fellow worker and boarding house resident. Justine herself is multifaceted and I enjoyed spending time with her.

This book pays tribute (literally in the book’s introduction) to the many women scientists whose contributions have impacted us. The novel has been carefully researched by the author.

I recommend this title to those who enjoy historical fiction and mysteries. I hope that there will be further additions to this series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

I generally love historical fiction and as a woman in science myself, I was hoping this would be just the book for me. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be. There are definitely some pacing issues with this book - it was VERY slow to get going - by 50% of the way through it felt like nothing much had really happened.

While some of the writing was nice, with sections that were beautifully descriptive, other parts were less well written. There was a lot of telling in this book, and not much showing. A lot of the back story is told via dialogue between two characters - I think this could have been explored in some other way to create more of a connection with the reader.

There are also some issues with the flow of the story. A section about the secondary character is placed in the middle of two chapters of the primary character that take place during the same scene which makes for a quite jarring change back and forth.

Overall, the concept of this book held promise, however, the execution did not quite work in this case

Oh this was such a great book! I enjoyed the suspense and action, in addition to the the female friendship bonds Justine developed. This is a well written and paced book. It was very interesting and I found the technical descriptions fascinating. This one will stick with me for a while.

The Physicists’ Daughter is a well written historical fiction, at times a bit to analytical, but then comes back and grabs your attention to keep you reading. Taking place in a factory in New Orleans during WWII, where people are making part but not really sure what they are for. All the people know is that they are aiding the war effort. Things start to happen within the factory that draw suspicion as to whether there is a german collaborator within the workers that is sabotaging things.

This is the first time I’ve read Mary Anna Evans, and it will not be the last.

Thank you to #netgalley and #poisonedpenpress for allowing me the opportunity to read the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

The novel, #ThePhysicistsDaughter started with a Scientist wanna-be’s periodic table turned Nancy Drew in the historical age! Despite some slow and boring parts, too scientific, the chain of reaction become intense and page-turner. Some parts are predictable yet the book bounced back well.

Thank you @sourcebooks and @maryannaevans for this ebook in exchange for my honest review. A great read!!!

This was a strong, well written book about a part of the war effort that doesn't always get a lot of attention! I am a sucker for historical fiction and this one was lovely. I loved all the twists and turns, and how in the factory, no one knows what they're doing. By that, I mean that no one knows what they're building their small part to be a bigger part of. I enjoyed getting to know the cast of characters, and really enjoyed Justine as a character. Book smart, full of passion and grit, more interested in doing the right thing than catching a man. She was amazing. Well done!

This is a Historical Suspense Fiction book that takes place during WWII in the USA. This whole book is about what is going on in a factory that is making things for the war, and it is a super secret no one working in the factory even knows what they are making. I really loved getting to know the characters in this book, and I also loved trying to figure out what was going on. This book will keep you guessing and had a ton of suspense built up throughout this book. I enjoyed the historical parts of this book, and I think the historical parts were really well done. I listened to the audiobook for this book, and I found the narrator to be ok. I was kindly provided an e-copy and e-audiobook of this book by the publisher (Poisoned Pen Press) or author (Mary Anna Evans) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

The Physicist’s Daughter feels like a very scientific mystery. The narrative is very analytical, detailed, and thorough. This approach is very much a double-edged sword.

On the plus side, I loved Justine’s character. The WWII setting felt very authentic, as did the plot. There was a level of intrigue brought about by Justine being watched by spies, which the writer told us about via point of view shifts. The operative word in that sentence is ‘told’. There’s a huge amount of telling in this story. Enough that it felt as though every action was rationalized by every character. (Yes, we were in every important character’s head at one point or another).

Even though I eventually found the writing style to be too scientific, I give the author kudos for her portrayal of women’s roles at home during this fascinating time period.

FTC Full Disclosure: A review copy of this book was provided by its publisher.

The story opens in New Orleans in 1945. Justine, the daughter of two physicists, is doing the best she can to aid the war effort by working in a factory that makes boats, amongst other things. But she senses something is wrong and she plans to find out what it is. She soon learns her efforts to discover the truth come with danger.
I found this to be a fascinating story that is populated with a variety of interesting characters. Even though they are well depicted, some are not who they seem to be. Adding depth to the story, the narrative is packed with science, sabotage, mystery and twists and turns. Well plotted and fast moving, the story races towards the conclusion. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Justine Byrne’s days are filled with factory work within the Carbon Division of Higgins Industries. She helps in the building of machines to be used in the war with Germany. Justine has the added skill of knowing how to weld, a skill taught to her by her father. On more than one occasion she has been asked to fix things that keep breaking with no clear cause. Jusitne begins to wonder if someone is intentionally causing these breaks, if someone is trying to undermine the war effort. Worried that someone is committing espionage, Jusine searches out, and finds, clues that start her on a mystery; a mystery that could have deadly consequences. It doesn't help that two men are trying to win her attention and her affection.

I really enjoyed this novel. Justine is such an amazing, well-rounded character. She is tough, intelligent and caring, and I love that she has such a vast knowledge of math and science. I liked the other characters as well; there are so many strong women in The Physicists’ Daughter. The story itself is well written and I loved the mystery within the pages. I absolutely flew through this novel, wanting to know who Fritz and Mudcat were and if Justine was going to uncover the truth in time.

I highly recommend The Physicists’ Daughter to any reader who enjoys historical fiction novels.

I’m going to shout through the rooftops recommending this book to EVERYONE!!

Honestly, I wanted to read this book because of the NOLA setting. Since, my family was one of the first to settle in this great state…I honestly judge books more harshly when set here…especially, when actual places aren’t fictionalized by the author.

This book had everything I want in my reading. A well thought out plot, that bends and turns so much that had me guessing until the very end. A captivating cast of characters. Plus, for bonus points showing just how wise an 8th grade educated woman from the bayou could be smarter than most people assume!

This is one genre bending spy thriller/mystery/historical fiction/romance you can not miss!

With The Physicists’ Daughter, Mary Anna Evans has moved into historical fiction and WWII era suspense with the story of Justine Byrne, the titular character. Her parents were both physicists, as is her beloved godmother, Gloria. Justine was raised at their sides, learned so much that they knew, not a typical upbringing for a girl of her time. But then her parents died in a car accident and her dream of college died with them. Now, it’s 1944, she is 21 and working in a large factory for the war effort.

Justine is a fish out of water in, and outside of, her job. She doesn’t know how to make friends. She’s lonely. She would like a job using more of the skills she has…her father taught her welding along with the math and sciences. And then she begins to fear there might be a saboteur at the factory when small problems pop up.

As in her Faye Longchampe novels, Evans makes great use of the setting in this book, letting the ambience of New Orleans settle over the activity. The heat, humidity, storms, water settings all add to the oppressive atmosphere at times. Justine is an interesting character who develops quite a lot over the course of the novel. There is also some mystery involved in identities in the story and confusion for Justine…and the reader. Keep going!

Recommended

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I love learning new things as I enjoy a good novel and this book gave me some insights into science and even welding that I didn’t have before. The story is interesting and strangely credible. I liked the characters and found it to be well written and engaging.

While I love math, sometimes science was beyond me. I didn't let that stop me from picking up this book and enjoying the heck out of it! Justine is a formidable character with her intellect and past experiences. She was raised well by her physicist parents and godmother. She has a keen curiosity and doesn't stop when confronted with a puzzle. However, her parents were killed in an automobile accident and she has been on her own for a few years now. Since it is the WWII era, she is working in a factory on an assembly line but is able to do some welding when the machines break down. What she discovers is that it isn't normal wear and tear but someone is trying to sabotage the plant.

Justine has never been one to make a lot of friends, but she befriends another woman at the plant, Georgette, who happens to also live in the same rooming house. Georgette may be from the bayou and not gotten past the eighth grade, but she has a thirst for knowledge and laps up the algebra homework Justine assigns her and reads science books until she understands the basics. Georgette helps Justine with normal interactions with others which can be a bit awkward for Justine.

There is also Justine's godmother, Gloria, who is an intellect in her own respect but she sees conspiracies all around her. She won't leave her house in fear that someone will come in and bug it and spy on her. But she has a heart of gold and helps Justine however she can in her quest for what the plant is manufacturing and what it could mean for the war efforts.

There are two mysterious characters, Fitz and Mudcat. What we know about them is that they are both trying to recruit Justine to work for their governments...but what governments do they represent? Are they good or bad guys? We know that one of them is from Germany so we have to assume he is trying to recruit her for his benefit and not her own. We are even told that he has convinced someone else in her department to assist him in gaining information and knowledge about what the plant is producing. We don't know who this person is until near the end and I never would have suspected this character. As the truth unfolds it surprised me because it was not what I was suspecting and a few incidents led me down another path which was a dead end.

This was quite an enjoyable book from the math and science, social interactions, secrecy, and even perhaps a little paranoia kept the story moving forward and interesting. There are even some potential romantic situations and I loved the scenes in the dance club and could picture the club in my mind.

I am thrilled that there is going to be a follow-up book considering how it ended and can't wait to read that one when it debuts.

We give this book 5 paws up.

New Orleans: Sept. 1944
Justine Byrne’s job at a defense plant is monotonous, but she’s willing to work long hours on an assembly line to do her part in defeating the enemy. Her physicist parents taught her so many things, both academic and practical, that she wants to employ, but the men get the important jobs. She is pleased when she is allowed to use her welding skills to repair a part that keeps breaking, but begins to suspect someone in the plant is deliberately damaging them. She knows something vastly important, even world-changing, is being assembled at the plant; if there are saboteurs in the plant, she intends to find and stop them.
Wartime New Orleans is a hotbed of spies. Justine is shadowed by two men with very different agendas, each wanting to exploit her particular talents. One is bent on destruction, the other is equally intent on stopping him – maybe. The espionage scene in New Orleans is murky and dangerous.
The Physicist’s Daughter is Ms. Evans’ first historical novel, and it is a blockbuster. The protagonist is smart, strong, self-assured, able to hold her own in a time when men held most of the power. The other characters are three-dimensional, coming to life on the page. New Orleans is depicted in all her beauty and ugliness, from the mansions in the Garden District to the dismal slums and the dangerous docks. Highly recommended.

The Physicists’ Daughter is a World War II spy thriller. With the majority of men fighting overseas, there are more than a few Rosie the Riveters. Justine Byrne is just one of the many women working at a factory producing mysterious widgets made of carbon. No one knows what they are for except they are important to the war effort.

Because she is so good at welding, she’s been called upon to fix equipment that keeps breaking down. She suspects sabotage. In fact, she is certain of it, but who could be the saboteur. She probably hopes it could be the handsy and disgusting floor supervisor, but there are other suspects, too, including a couple of men who seem to be seeking her out, romancing her.

Meanwhile, her home life is filled with sorrow. Her parents died in a recent car accident, one reason she is working instead of attending university. Her godmother seems sunk into paranoia and poverty is knocking at the door. Both of her parents were physicists even though her mother gave up her work to raise her, that apostrophe placement in the title is important and deliberate.



I liked The Physicists’ Daughter even though I thought it was unlikely that she would be as impoverished as she seemed to be. The American Association of Univesity Professors began in 1915. It seems unlikely her father would have had no life insurance and there must have been some equity in a house they lived in her entire life. It seemed strange that she would fall so hard in social and economic class. But then, if she didn’t, there would not have been a welder at hand who understood physics and that was important to finding the spy/saboteur. I also think the story would have been stronger without the chapters from the villain’s point of view. But then, that is a personal dislike of mine in nearly every mystery. I don’t want to read their point of view ever, so I confess my bias. Otherwise, the mystery was fair, the characters complex and interesting, and the writing was descriptive and full of the kind of detail that creates a sense of place. We were in that factory and would recognize it if we ever come across it again.

The Physicists’ Daughter will be released June 7th. I received an e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley.

The Physicists’ Daughter at Poisoned Pen Press | Sourcebooks
Mary Anna Evans author site

My goodness what a read.
I feel like i needed some time to recover from this thrilling read and the writing so easy to follow and get absorbed into because you're giddy to know who dun it and who's behind it and why
I'm really not a fan of thriller reads but this book is making me rethink my decision and pick up more books.
So if you love historical fiction with a dash of thrill. Then this is the book for you

THE PHYSICISTS' DAUGHTER
By Mary Anna Evans

In 1944 New Orleans Justine Byrne is proud to be doing her part working in the secret Carbon Division of Higgins' Michaud plant. Although she's merely putting unknown pieces together, she's able to use her welding skills to fix the assembly line which keeps breaking. With the breaks happening far too often Justine is certain there's a saboteur. Is it someone who has a grudge against Higgins? Or is there a traitor in their midst working for the Nazis? With her scientific background and inquisitive mind Justine is determined to figure out what they're actually making in the Carbon Division thereby deducing who wants it stopped. Meanwhile, her abilities have attracted the attention of at least two others. Are they possible suitors or spies?

You're going to wish you paid more attention in science class! I love the scientific detail, especially as it combines with historical fact, even if at times I was shaking my head like Georgette. I really appreciate the portrayal of smart, competent, capable women found here. Justine's methodical problem solving combined with Georgette's loyal street savvy were a delight to see. I also like that although most of the story was told from Justine's point of view, we also got to see the points of view of two spies.

Engaging characters and a compelling mystery had me hooked. As the story progressed so did the drama and thrills including a pulse pounding climax. I questioned so many things including Gloria's mental state and the identity of the spies. Questions that kept me glued to the pages.

Sabotage, espionage, and lots of science combine to make THE PHYSICISTS' DAUGHTER an enthralling novel filled with cunning characters, growing friendships, and cloak an dagger adventure.

New Orleans, 1944: Justine Byrne is more than capable of handling her welding job in a factory during WWII. But as equipment is sabotaged, she finds herself in the position of ferreting out who among her co-workers may be the culprit. Well written with strong characters.

The Physicists’ Daughter is a WW2 era romance/espionage/mystery by Mary Anna Evans. Released 7th June 2022 by Poisoned Pen Press, it's 352 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a competently written historical romance and slice-of-life story set in Louisiana around the daily lives of some of the women who have taken jobs which were traditionally given to men in the defense industry. There are several disparate plot threads, including some espionage and skullduggery. The mystery parts of the plot are generally secondary to the romance and historical fiction parts but there's an engaging and ongoing development through the characters which kept me interested and reading to the end.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 10 hours and 39 minutes and is capably narrated by Kimberly Wetherell. The narrator has a clear and pleasantly warm voice which is easy to listen to. Many of the characters have very distinct regional accents, including Polish and Lousiana/bayou. The narrator gave a good attempt, but was not always entirely successful. The non-accented narration was fine and enjoyable. Sound and production quality were high throughout the recording.

Four stars. Recommended mostly for fans of women's historical fiction and wartime romance, not so much for mystery or espionage fans.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.