Death in a Blackout is the first Billie Harkness historical mystery by Jessica Ellicott. Released 3rd May 2022 by Severn House, it's 256 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format out 27th Dec 2022. 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 well written mystery set mostly in the North of England during the early days of 1940 as WW2 is really heating up. Protagonist Wilhelmina, Billie, has moved because of the devastating loss of her mother and her father's capture as a prisoner of the war. She joins the police service as a WPC and is soon involved in untangling the death of a young woman in Hull. 

The author is adept at writing the time period believably and the settings and dialogue are immersive and nuanced. The fictional parts are written around a framework of real historical events and the mystery itself is well constructed and engineered. There are some rough spots between point A where Billie is introduced as the strong-willed but relatively poor daughter of a local church rector to point B where she's managed to establish herself in Hull and acquire a position as a WPC in the local forces. Despite the rough start, the story is absorbing and the characters well rendered.

Four stars. Although not at all derivative, fans of Keith Finney's Lipton St. Faith series will likely enjoy this series as well.

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

Wilhelmina Harkness, with both her vicar father and brother off doing their part for the war effort, wants to do something as well. Her mother is very against Wilhelmina taking on a role other that helping minister to those left behind. Ut's 1940 and England is under a lot of stress from constant bombings. A family tragedy leaves Wilhelmina temporarily homeless. Enter Hull, England and cousin Lydia. Thank goodness for Lydia's quick work of turning Wilhelmina into Billie. I was able to truly enjoy Billie's entry into the police force (only one of two women thus far) and how she helps uncover the answer to a dead body found after an air raid.

I enjoyed the setting of this book, Kingston on Hull in WWII. Its fun to read a wartime book *not* set in London, and to get a sense of the effects of rationing, the Blitz, and blackout requirements in a smaller urban setting. The main characters are Peter, a constable, and Wilhelmina, a rector's daughter newly arrived on a visit to her cousin. Although the characters are not as fully formed as they might be, this is a promising start to a new series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

‘Death In A Blackout’ by Jessica Ellicott is the story of Billie Harkness, a vicar’s daughter from the quiet and sleepy village of Barton St. Giles, who finds herself catapulted into the middle of a murder mystery during World War Two. When tragedy strikes in her own life, Billie flees north to Hull and the kind offer of hospitality from a distant cousin. But Hull is at the forefront of the bombings and before long Billie finds death all around her. When she enlists in the new Women’s Constabulary, she feels compiled to investigate a death that she is sure was murder. The local police do not agree. Billie must find a way to the truth, while keeping under the radar. Female police officers are not exactly popular with everyone and some will do anything to discredit them.

I love mystery novels set in the Second World War. Jessica Ellicott has managed to capture the flavour of the time and the historical detail is well done. Through Billie’s eyes we see the different lives lead by those in the countryside and the coastal cities. We also get to see the different lives led by those of little means, and the rich who think they can carry on as before. But it becomes apparent that life is changing for everyone.

Billie is a resilient and strong woman, but until she is faced with a dead body and a mystery she doesn’t realise it. I liked seeing her change. This was a good story and I am glad to see that the author plans more in this series.

I was given this ARC to review.

All must do their bit!

1940 and the War has been raging. The British are feeling it. There’s a clear call to arms for all. Wilhelmina (Billie) Harkness, the local Vicar’s daughter, wants to volunteer for whichever branch of the auxiliary services that would have her. This puts her at odds with her recently widowed and very conservative mother. A harsh confrontation between the two has BIllie regretting that estrangement. Unfortunately her mother dies before their differences can be resolved.
Billie moves to live with an unknown cousin in Hull. Enroute she’s caught in an air raid, and after the all clear is given, finds the body of young woman in a cafe. The young woman, Audrey, Billie noted previously when she stopped at the establishment for a cup of tea. A Special Constable, Peter Upton is there. An interesting man Peter.
Billie catches the eye of WCP Crane, the woman in charge of employing a new extension of the police force—Woman Police Constables. Billie’s offered a position and she accepts.
The fascinating part is the way the story line has timely interjections from Billie’s past. Billie answers letters from various friends and foes in the village. We begin to see that the Vicar’s daughter has inculcated some of the habits, the niceties, of the Vicar’s wife. Often this is no bad thing, assisting sometimes with Billie’s new role. Ironic even!
Billie, along with Peter Upton is searching for those who might have has something to do with Audrey’s death. But then there’s the mystery of the local priest’s stolen bicycle and a couple of other odd occurrences that are thrown into the meld.
I’m really liking this new series set in the shipbuilding town of Hull at such a time.

A Severn House ARC via NetGalley

Enjoyable murder/mystery set in Hull during WW2. Wilhelmina, a vicar's daughter, goes to stay with her aunt after her mother dies in the blackout. Arriving in Hull she is plunged straight into the chaos and fear of a bombing raid. Deciding she must do her bit, Wilhelmina joins the local police force as a WPC and soon finds herself investigating the death of a young woman. This is an engaging and enjoyable story with well-written characters and a multilayered storyline with several different aspects to consider.

This was an interesting start to a new series. Wilhelmina ( Billie) was a brave, resourceful and determined character. She was well suited to her job as one of the first women police constables. Peter Harkness also worked as a special police constable and their first meeting was contentious to say the least. However, as they worked together, their respect for each other grew. There was the prejudice from some regarding women constables, and a murderer to uncover. As this was wartime, the devastation it caused was explained. This kept me guessing until the end and and had some surprise elements to it. I will read more in this series. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

EXCERPT: When the rumors about women on the force had started to fly about, he had understood that they would be relegated to desk duties such as filing and typing. Perhaps they would be allowed to occasionally operate the switchboard when the police messenger boys were on their tea break. Everyone had assumed that the sort of woman who would be appointed to such a role would be an entirely benign, accommodating and compliant person who faded in the background, much like a desk lamp or filing cabinet. She would be the sort of woman who would cheerfully make pots of tea and offer round plates of biscuits when the troops seemed to be flagging.

She would certainly not be the type who boldly confronted one with wild imaginings in the midst of a crisis. How on earth did a newcomer from some backwater in Wiltshire end up as only one of two women on the constabulary of an important port city like Hull?

ABOUT 'DEATH IN A BLACKOUT': The first in a brand-new WWII historical mystery series introduces WPC Billie Harkness - a female police officer who risks her life to protect the home front in the British coastal city of Hull. 1940. Britain is at war. Rector's daughter Wilhelmina Harkness longs to do her duty for her country, but when her strict mother forbids her to enlist, their bitter argument has devasting consequences. Unable to stay in the village she loves, Wilhelmina - reinventing herself as Billie - spends everything she has on a one-way ticket up north. Hull is a distant, dangerous city, but Billie is determined to leave her painful memories behind and start afresh, whatever the cost. The last thing Billie expects on her first evening in Hull, however, is to be caught in the city's first air raid - or to stumble across the body of a young woman, suspiciously untouched by debris. If the air raid didn't kill the glamorous stranger, what did? Billie is determined to get justice, and her persistence earns her an invitation to the newly formed Women's Police Constabulary. But as the case unfolds, putting her at odds with both high-ranking members of the force as well as the victim's powerful family, Billie begins to wonder if she can trust her new friends and colleagues . . . or if someone amongst them is working for the enemy.

MY THOUGHTS: Although I have taken quite a liking to cosy mysteries in recent times, I found Death in a Blackout just a little too 'vanilla', too bland. The plot allows for far more potential than is delivered, and the characters are all rather one dimensional. I would have liked to have had more of an insight into Billie's personality, whereas the author barely scratches the surface. We know that she is brave, fleet of foot, and has a sharp and enquiring mind. But there is nothing 'personal' revealed about her, nothing to endear her to us. She needs more fleshing out, as does part-time Constable Peter Upton. The most personal thing we know about him is his mum makes good scones. However as this is a new series, perhaps the characters will develop as it progresses.

Although this novel is 'inspired by the extraordinary bravery, stalwartness and community spirit of the people of Hull, the second most bombed city in England in WWII', this spirit doesn't come across and I didn't find enough of interest in Death in a Blackout to entice me to continue with the series.

⭐⭐.5

#DeathinaBlackout #NetGalley

I: @jessicaellicottauthor @severnhouseimprint

T: #JessicaEllicott @severnhouse

#cosymystery #historicalfiction #murdermystery #WWII

THE AUTHOR: Jessica Ellicott loves fountain pens, Mini Coopers, and throwing parties. She lives in northern New England where she obsessively knits wool socks and enthusiastically speaks Portuguese with a shocking disregard for the rules of grammar.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Severn House via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Death in a Blackout by Jessica Ellicott for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

This is the start of a new historical mystery series and I was attracted by the name of the author, Jessica Ellicott, as I love other series she writes.
I expected something a bit lighter but I enjoyed it as the historical background is vivid, the characters fleshed out and interesting, the solid mystery kept me guessing.
Can't wait to read the next story.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is an interesting start to a new WWII mystery told from two points of view: Billie, a rector's daughter turned constable and Peter, a volunteer male constable. At first, they clash, but quickly learn to work with each other. I love how Billie is so observant and fearless and how Peter is methodical but willing to take a chance to solve crimes. I also didn't realize that someone like Peter as an essential dock warden couldn't join the military so also volunteered as a constable. This is a story that focuses on the character as much as the mysteries. It's interesting to see Billie as only the second woman constable in the town and also how access to town was limited. I also love that there is more than one mystery to solve. I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. This is a good mystery series that kept me guessing until the end. I look forward to the next mystery in this series.

Wilhelmina Harkness is the 22-year-old daughter of a rector in a small town in Wiltshire, England. It is 1940 and her chaplain father is a POW and her brother Frederick is missing in Europe. At the invitation of a cousin she has not met she moves to the port city of Hull in Yorkshire. Her cousin Lily works at the library and asks Wilhelmina to work there, However, Wilhelmina and her cousin are separated during an air raid bombing and she finds a body in a tea shop. It is here that she meets dock inspector and wartime constable Peter Upton. She thinks the death of the woman is not from the bombing but done before and he just wants her out of a burning building although he does notice there is no debris around the body. Wilhelmina finds herself working as the second Woman Police Constable in Hull under Avis Crane and faces some hostility to her position and not just from her male colleagues. As she dives into the position, she is partnered with Constable Upton part of her time, and they reach an understanding and appreciation of each other's talents. Wilhelmina has reason to suspect several people of spying, murder, and/or spreading Nazi propaganda. The author is good at presenting wartime Great Britain and the lead characters are appealing. I hope there is a book two. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

It's 1940 and there's a German bombing on one of Billie's first nights in Hull, where she's moved after the death of her mother- and she finds the body of a woman a cafe. She's living with her cousin Lydia (great character) and she's gotten a job as a Constable. Special Constable Peter Upton is supposed to be her trainer and partner but the two of them don't get along at first, Billie's determined to find out what happened to the woman, who was killed by the bomb. There'a a slightly convoluted path to the answer which meanders through a stolen bike, art students, and other things. There are delightful atmospherics. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good start to a new series.

3.75 stars

Well-done series debut featuring a brand new wartime women's police constable in WWII England. Billie Harkness left her small town home after her minister father and brother went off to war, and her mother died in a shocking accident. Billie ends up staying with her strong and independent-minded cousin with considerably more freedom than she had growing up in a parsonage. She almost immediately lands a job as one of the first female constables, with mixed reception by the public and the male police force.

But Billie, although young, is exceptionally level-headed. And a lifetime of watching her parents minister to her father's flock has made her compassionate and imperturbable. She witnesses a mystery and discovers a body before she is even hired. Is it murder or a bombing raid fatality? The wartime setting is well-drawn and interesting.

Billie is an admirable protagonist and I look forward to further adventures. She has a lot of poise for such a young woman, and handles herself well during the investigation. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

After a tragedy at home, Billie Harkness finds herself needing a new start, so she accepts an invitation from a distant cousin to visit the northern coastal town of Hull. She arrives just before Hull experiences its first air raid in 1940. In the devastation that follows, Billie finds a dead young woman inside a building. Surprisingly, no debris is around her body. In her new job in the newly formed Women’s Police Constabulary, she starts a quiet investigation. Can she figure out what really happened?
This series debut is much like a TV show’s pilot. We get a lot of set up near the beginning. It helps us get to know Billie better, but it does mean it’s a while before the mystery truly gets going. Although we do get some threads of the mystery thanks to Peter Upton, the other third person view point character. Both of these leads are strong, and I enjoyed getting to know them. Once the mystery gets going, it is great with plenty of twists and an ending that caught me off guard. Those familiar with Jessica Ellicott’s other series will note the more serious tone, which is appropriate given the time and place this one is set. I loved how the story brought the history of the era to live; the plot wouldn’t have worked in any other time. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what danger Billie uncovers next.

June 1940. Circumstances have lead Rector's daughter Wilhelmina Harkness to leave her home in the village of Barton St Giles, Wiltshire and stay with her cousin Lydia in Kingston upon Hull. Events leads to her becoming the second WPC in the area, resulting in her investigating the death of a female during an air raid, helped by Special Constable Peter Upton. Is everything as simple as it first seems.
An entertaining, well-plotted and well-written historical murder mystery. A good start to this new series with its likeable and varied characters.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for this Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review “Death in a Blackout.” All opinions and comments are my own.

A Rector’s daughter wants to do her part in the WWII war effort as “Death in a Blackout” begins, and she finds a most intriguing way; she becomes a WPC -- Woman Police Constable -- in this, the first in a new series by Jessica Ellicott.

Travelling to Kingston-Upon-Hill, Wilhelmina Harkness – soon to be using her nickname, Billie, meets an amazing cousin, quite the feminist for the day. This persona comes in handy, as readers will see. Billie explores the city a bit, gets offered a job at the library, thinks she’s settling in, sees a glamorous woman at a café. This becomes important later. There’s an air raid, and that’s when the author has Billie “meeting” our other character, (part-time) Constable Peter Upton, when she finds a dead body. It’s the woman from the café. They clash immediately (of course) as the café goes up on flames. Billie’s pretty sure the woman was murdered, but there won’t be much chance of proving it now. Or is there....

Then the chance to be a WPC comes up, and Billie takes it. It’s made clear that situations where woman and children are involved are going to be the primary focus of her duties, but hey, since when will that stop WPC Harkness from trying to solve a murder.

Peter’s working on a case involving a stolen bicycle, and far be it from me to tell you how this all ties together. And how Audrey, the dead girl, was involved, with a bunch of art students. And how everyone seems to have a heck of a lot of secrets, there being a war on and all. Someone else is murdered, and events take quite the turn. We find out why Audrey was in the café after hours. And how appearances can be deceiving, and oh so fatal.

The plotting in “Death in a Blackout” was the standout of the book. However, I didn’t really get a sense of either main character. Right out the gate they were very bland to me. Perhaps because the author also writes the Beryl and Edwina series, who are very active and fully-developed characters, I’m comparing Billie Harkness and Peter Upton to them, which perhaps I shouldn’t. Perhaps they’re meant to develop in future books. One can only hope.

Outside of London, the port city of Hull, England was the most heavily bombed by the Germans. Vicar's daughter Billie Harkness has just arrived in town as the first of many bombs begin to descend. In short order Billie's is hired by the local constabulary as one of the first women in the force. Thanks to her newly-minted WPC position, she is uniquely situated to weigh in on and eventually solve the murder of a local girl. Jessica Elliott's spunky sleuth Billie offers a fascinating vantage point for the reader to experience chaotic, wartime Hull. In future installments one hopes to learn less about Billie's male colleague Peter and more about what makes Billie tick. Thank you to Severn House for this enjoyable read.

"Death in a Blackout" is a mystery set in 1940 in England. It's more of a historical as the first two-thirds of the story didn't focus on the mystery. At that point, newly-sworn-in police constable Wilhelmina and her partner actively asked questions, followed up on leads, and put things together. Historical details provided a distinct sense of time and place, but they were so heavily added that they slowed the pacing. For example, Wilhelmina was supposed to ask questions while a woman did her mending, but instead she watched a sock get mended (in detail) then thought about how people were now encouraged to mend things and why. This could have been cut without changing the story.

The characters were likable but I got little sense of their personalities. We're told a bit about them, but their thoughts and speech patterns were similar and rather monotone. Wilhelmina was extremely observant, focused to the point of not noticing danger, and devoted to justice, but we're never told why she's like this. While the mystery was complex enough that the solution wasn't obvious, this feeling that the characters were stilted and had no real, personality- and motive-forming past beyond the beginning of the book dropped my enjoyment of the story.

There was no sex. There were a couple uses of bad language. Overall, I might recommend this to fans of historical novels that contain a mystery.

“Death in a Blackout” is the first in a new series featuring WPC Billie Harkness.

The year is 1940, WW11 is raging, and Great Britain is suffering regular bombing raids. This was something that Billie Harkness hadn’t encountered in her home village of Barton St Giles in Wiltshire. However, after the sudden death of her mother, she decides to take up an invitation to stay with her cousin Lydia in Kingston upon Hull in the North of England.

Hull became a prime target for bombing due to it being an industrial centre and a strategic port, which meant that Billie experienced war on the home front for the very first time.

After only a few days in her new home, Billie is hired as only the second female Constable in Hull.
She’s assigned to work with Special Constable Peter Upton, but after a bad start, they have to learn to work as a team. One case that Billie is determined to solve is that of a young woman named Audrey, who Billie discovered in a bombed out cafe - Audrey’s injuries didn’t appear to be the result of an air raid!

Well written historical fiction, with Billie and Peter making interesting and relatable protagonists. Billie had previously led a very sheltered life in Wiltshire, but she has all the makings of an excellent WPC, and is determined to change the minds of those who believe that women have no place in the police force. “Death in a Blackout” is a promising start to this new series.

A Suspicious Death…
The first in the WPC Billie Harkness series of historical mysteries finds Billie protecting the home front of Hull in a 1940’s Britain. Billie has a painful past and has set out to practically reinvent herself. When she is caught in an air raid she stumbles across the body of a woman and realises that this death is way more suspicious than it first appears. Billie sets out for justice. A well written and immersive mystery with a credible cast and a solid sense of time and place. A promising start to a new series.