Title: The Killing Code by Ellie Marney

Genre: Historical, Mystery, Romance

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Review: The opening to The Killing Code was interesting for me as it is a World War 2 historical fiction blended with a murder mystery. I like murder mysteries but historical fiction has always been a hit or miss genre with me personally. We are introduced to two girls initially Katherine and Kathleen, Katherine is a upper class young girl at a boarding school in Arlington House but she has suffered with an illness all her life and knowing she is going to die she tells Kathleen, her nurse and maid, to take her identity and live a life she wouldn’t be able to otherwise and she agrees. After Katherine dies Kathleen becomes her and as she is leaving Arlington House since it is now going to be used for the war effort she is offered a job as a code breaker and takes it. Nine months later she is still there and seems to be a very good code reader as she has broken several codes that month alone. However, I am waiting for the murder mystery element to kick in since that is the element I will enjoy more.

As we approach the 1/4 mark in the novel, the murder element is introduced and not in the way I was expecting. Kit ends up finding Moya because Dottie hasn’t returned home from a local dance and they think she might have just got drunk rather than something bad happening to her. During their search to find Dottie, kit literally stumbles across the body of Libby another girl from their unit who has been brutally murdered. They go through the process of informing the police and giving their statements and it turns out that Dottie was drugged and left feet from where Libby was murdered and she might have even been the intended target since the outfits she and Libby were wearing w ere very similar. After returning to Arlington House Kit learns that one of the black code breakers, Violet DuLac knows she isn’t who she says she is and blackmails her into helping her. Violet’s friend, Dinah was murdered three weeks ago and she believes that the murders are connected and this is strengthened when she confirms that the glasses Kit saw int he bathroom were Libby was killed belonged to her friend meaning there is a serial killer on the loose and the police aren’t looking into it because of Dinah’s race since America is still very segregated at this point in time so they decide to investigate the murders themselves.

As we cross the 1/4 mark in the novel, the girls are now investigating two murders but they do realise they are missing a lot of information that they need to get their hands on to find out the truth behind the killings. Violet is able to get hold of a lot from a friend who works at the hospital where the bodies were taken and they now know that both girls were strangled but stabbed the death, both were raked and both had a Nazi symbol carved onto their body making them think that this man might be American, he might be a serviceman but ultimately he is loyal to the Germans and might even have connections to the Nazi party which makes these murders political in a sense. I didn’t really like the introduction of a potential romance between Moya and Kit since I don’t think it is needed. In some book romances do work well like in A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder but I don’t think it has the right setup here. Kit is also completely unaware of Moya’s attraction to her as she is more focused on the fact that reviews are coming up for their security clearance and her real identity might be discovered so sooner or later she is going to make a run for it but Violet comforts her telling her they will work it out together since both have a lot to lose if this doesn’t work out for them.

As we approach the halfway mark in the novel, there does seem to be much happened. The girls are gathering more information and trying to make contacts,through Moya they end up meeting Raffi who is a reporter working the crime beat to try and get more information on the murders but there doesn’t seem to be anything that they don’t already know. Raffi helps they to see that the killer is targeting parties and he seems to be both rich and connected. This means that they might be attending a local party and they are going to go undercover there but Raffi can on,y get two tickets. It is decided that Moya and Kit will pose as guests while Dottie and Violet will pose as waitstaff to see if they can get more information. They know the killer is male and young which does narrow down who they are looking for but it doesn’t bring anything new to the table. Raffi also informs them about another death of a government girl but this one doesn’t seem to fit the M.O. of the killer so they out a pin in it for now. The relationship between Moya and Kit has become real with them sharing a heated kiss looking for clothes for Kit for the party but I still don’t think it is necessary for the story. I have a feeling that another murder is going to take place soon or one of the girls is going to be targeted at the party as that is the only way I can see the plot moving right now.

As we cross into the second half of the novel, the girls head to the party and begin talking to a few men that could fit their profile for the killer but they don’t seem to be getting anywhere. Then things begin to go south when Kit is introduced to a man who knows the family of the real Katherine and explains that she is dead prompting Kit to flee. Violet is there to help her and give her somewhere to run to as if this comes out Kit isn’t just falsifying documents she is committing treason and could hang for it. However, an air raid siren prevents her from leaving and she has to explain everything to her friends and Moya which wa ps heartbreaking for her. They decide it is best for Kit to leave on her day off since it wouldn’t be unusual and the soldiers won’t be expecting her back until late anyway. However, at the party another murder. Happened right under their noses and they know that the killer is picking up speed and they have to get ahead of him before someone else is killed. With their profile they do have several suspects to look into and Kit begins talking to Raffi about them since she has nothing else to do but panic and makes a connection to the drowned girl that they wrote off. It turns out she was the first victims and it shows the killers timeline which is becoming shorter with each murder.

As we approach the 3/4 mark in the novel, Kit continues with her work as if nothing has happened while investigating the connections between the murders. She knows the killers reset period is becoming shorter now only five days better the killings and they have to get ahead of him if they don’t want anyone else to die. However, Emil who works with them fits the profile completely and was even at the party where the latest victim died and he is my pick for the killer but the girls are overlooking him right now. One night after investigating the first murder and learning the weapon the killer uses Kit is denied entry because of her security clearance and when she is called the next day for her review she knows it is over and that she is going to be hung or go to prison for a long time. However, she makes it through the review because of her fiend and in part Emil who vouched for her along with Moya. Emil is being overly friendly with Kit despite the fact they haven’t really spoken at all during the novel apart from the night Libby died and he was the one who took them to get Dottie form the party and he did say when Moya went it get him that he had only just gone to bed. With less than 20% left in the book I am excited to see who the killer is and how he is caught and I have my money on Emil but Marley could throw a big twist in at the last moment.

As we cross into the final section of the novel, there weren’t any big reveals or twists which made it feel a little disappointing towards the end. While I enjoyed the book overall, there wasn’t anything groundbreaking about the book, in fact, historical murder mysteries and historical queer romances have been done to death and there wasn’t anything about The Killing Code to set it apart. Despite that I did enjoy the story and it did have a satisfying although slightly rushed conclusion that I saw coming from around the 3/4 mark which meant I wasn’t surprised or shocked by the ending. If you really enjoy queer historical murder mysteries then The Killing Code might be for you but there isn’t anything I can other than it was a good book but nothing amazing about it.

Thank you to the publisher for an eARC provided through NetGalley.

CWs: rape (attempted, off-page, implied, discussed in minor detail), murder, war

This was a really interesting novel. The history was so fascinating, and I liked the scenes where the girls were actively working through the codes. The historical setting also made the mystery aspect intriguing and thrilling. The pacing was really good, and things moved along well. The characters were likeable and interesting, and their relationships with each other were well developed.
Kit was a good character. Her relationship with Moya was sweet, and I liked the development of it. Her friendships with Dottie and Violet were also really good. The bond between the characters felt real. I liked Kit and I was hoping for the best for her character the whole time I was reading.
The writing style flowed easily, and I thought the author did a good job of creating anticipation and keeping the mystery interesting.

"The Killing Code" was a tense and suspenseful story set during World War II, just outside Washington, DC, on the grounds of a former finishing school for young women. The tension came from several directions: Kit’s constant fear of being unmasked as an imposter, the stress and urgency of codebreaking and the war itself, and a string of gruesome murders perpetrated against young female government workers in DC. In addition, there is a romantic subplot involving two main characters.

The author obviously did a lot of amazing research in crafting the story. There are even quotes from historical figures involved in codebreaking and cryptography heading the chapters, including one from a distant cousin of mine (Colonel Parker Hitt.) I was particularly intrigued by the colossal about-face in the workforce at the time, with women fulfilling positions men had traditionally held. I had never heard about the all-black codebreaking unit working simultaneously with the white unit but segregated from them the entire time.

The main characters, the core group of women trying to track down the serial killer, come from different backgrounds and circumstances. But I felt the buildup of camaraderie and how they became a family. I liked how they used their knowledge and skills gained at work to profile the murderer and make sense of the information they gathered. They hit some snags along the way in their investigations and relationships, but their perseverance takes them through all roadblocks, much like tackling the Japanese coded messages.

The author doesn’t keep the women restricted to quarters either. I enjoyed that the investigations took them “off campus,” and we got to experience the world of Washington, DC, during 1940s wartime. Social settings, transportation, telephoning, and clothing are all mentioned, and I felt immersed in the place and time. However, with one of the main characters, a young black woman, the attitudes toward race during those days were also fully displayed.

With great characters that I could relate to and root for from the beginning, the immersive 1940s wartime setting, and the engrossing and baffling murder mystery, I was glued to this book to the very end. I recommend THE KILLING CODE to readers who enjoy historical mysteries, especially those set in World War II or including codebreaking.

This was a lot of fun! This was a really interesting murder mystery- I've read very little historical murder mysteries (historicals with murder yes, but not straight up murder mysteries in historical settings). This reminded me of the Sherlock Holmes retelling series that Ellie Marney did, which I really enjoyed, and had the fun and twisty parts of None shall sleep that I liked without the parts of the latter that I really didn't like. Overall I think this was an A+ mystery novel, and I would totally recommend it.

In 1943 Virginia, women are working on the opposite spectrum of the Enigma machine. They are breaking codes. When a group of friends stumbles upon a murder, it draws a 4th into their group. Kit, Dottie, Moya, and Violet want justice for their friends. They want to find out who is killing women because the police aren’t taking this seriously. But they have to work, so their investigation will have to be on the side. Marney skillfully traverses both veins of storyline in The Killing Code.

My only wish is that the cover got a revamp. Of course, that is something the publisher chooses and not the author. But I don’t feel it works well with the story. And really, this is such a small thing compared to how enjoyable the book is.

Kit is keeping secrets, and she cannot let those secrets slip out. But those secrets keep her on edge and wary of being found out. Whether she was working out codes, or details in the murders, she was thorough, and I enjoyed watching her train of thought. I’m a sucker for World War based Historical Fiction, and this story blends romance and mystery, so it’s a fun combination. It was refreshing to read about the friendships and how supportive the girls were of each other. I liked how this worked out and feel readers will really enjoy this one. Thank you, Little Brown Books, for sending this along.

I enjoyed this one! It's a good paced young adult historical fiction mystery! I did figure out who the bad guy was early on but it didn't take away from the building suspense and there were other surprising twists along the way! I loved the code breaking and how the girls broke Codes. A Lot of research went into it and it showed! It's a unique story and definitely entertaining! Tbr and Beyond Tours for sharing this book with me!

This book is like nothing I have ever read before, and I enjoyed every minute of it. This is definitely a genre bender for sure! I will say that I have not read None Shall Sleep even though it has been on my TBR for a long time. After reading this one, I am definitely moving it up on my list. I have read in others reviews that this one is very different from None Shall Sleep but just as good.

Marney takes us back to 1943 and the middle of World War II where we meet four girls working as code breakers at Arlington Hall in Washington, D.C. Kit, Dottie, Moya, and Violet are a delightful and diverse group of characters that I was instantly invested in. There was love and there was friendship in this group of girls that I adored. Something about women supporting each other, believing in each other, and working together in such a beautiful way fills my cup in ways I didn’t even know I needed.

The mix of history, murder mystery, with a splash of romance, was a recipe that works wonders in this story. When you read this one prepare for a very well researched portrayal of World War II codebreakers. This part of the story was absolutely fascinating for me. Just the sheer attention to detail through this book needs applause. Next, add in solving the mystery of a fellow codebreaker that has been murdered. And then sprinkle on the perfect amount of queer romance to round out this genre bender of a book.

A fast, paced story with characters that I loved from the beginning, this is an easy one for me to recommend to anyone.

Pick this one up if you like:
-Genre Benders (think historical fiction mixed with YA murder mystery)
-Well written story line with characters that are easy to love
-Women supporting women
-World War II stories told in a refreshing light
-Twists and turns that I didn’t see coming

I snapped up this historical mystery as soon as I read about WW2 codebreaking in the description. It's a topic I've been interested ever since reading The Rose Code last year.

The story had a fantastic premise (young female codebreakers in WW2 banding together to solve a murder), but it never fully captured my interest. Everything felt just a bit too overt and obvious...the dialogue, the mystery, etc. Overall, it was a miss for me!

Kit has been recruited as a code breaker in order to help the war effort. However, she will soon be involved in another fight as well. A brutal serial killer is putting government girls in danger. Kit has to find the killer and joins other female codebreakers. But she should not forget that she is hiding a dangerous secret which might be discovered during their little investigation….

Did someone say for fans of “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder”? Oh, yes, this was definitely a real delight of a page turner. I loved every second of this book and couldn’t put it down. Strong women solving mysteries and deciphering codes, a great friendship, dangerous secrets and a queer romance? What more do you need?

I even found that the writing style resembled a lot of the writing that existed in the 40s, or at least it felt like that in my opinion. It shows that the author put a lot of effort into this book, and I just appreciate that a lot. “The Killing Code” was an amazing book and I couldn’t get enough of it. I’d love to say more about this novel, but unfortunately, that would be me spoiling the whole thing for you!

This YA historical fiction novel focuses on the lives of 4 girl codebreakers as they work together to stop a serial killer in Virginia in 1943.

Synopsis: Kit Sutherland is no stranger to secrets and codes. When she begins her job as a wartime codebreaker at Arlington Hall in 1943, she finds herself unlocking codes, while keeping the secrets of her past hidden. As she forms long-lasting bonds with her fellow codebreakers, she also finds herself in the midst of a even more dangerous code to break: a serial killer is killing government girls in Virginia. She teams up with 3 other girls to gather clues, build a profile, and find the serial killer before another murder happens. In the midst of it all, her friendships with her fellow codebreakers grow and a love interest with one begins, putting her own secretive past in jeopardy. Can she find the killer and keep the life she loves intact?

I really enjoyed this YA book! It’s very evident that Ellie Marney did her research on codebreaking, and included many quotes from former codebreakers in her book. This book digs into the huge effort of young female codebreakers that played such a major role in World War II, while also addressing racism, gender bias, and discrimination. It also adds in the thriller aspect of hunting down a serial killer, and includes a beginning romance between 2 of the main characters.

Read if you like:
-YA mystery/suspense
-WWII historical fiction
-BIPOC and LGBTQ rep
-dual perspectives
-codebreaking

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this advanced copy!

None Shall Sleep is one of my favorite books! And when I found out Ellie Marney had a new book about a group of girls; Kit, Dottie, Moya, and Violet, during World War II trying to crack the code for the government while playing detective to hunt serial killers on the side, I'm so excited!!

Though I understand none of the code in this book but I was so into it! I like how the girls incorporate the codebreaking rules into how to figure out who the serial killer.

This book also discusses racism, misogynistic, and class discrimination during the time period. The girls are so smart but they were always treated like they weren't equal and didn't belong in the men's world just because they are girls, or because of their skin color, or because they're poor. If you're a combination of all, you're screwed.

"Everybody's got their own troubles. You've got your own troubles--I'm a poor white girl, but I'm still a white girl."

I must say I can see the killer from miles away, but it didn't take out the joy of reading this book. I love how the girls are bonding together. I also didn't know this one has sapphic romance. I like it! But I was hoping Kit and Moya relationship could be done better, it felt too insta-love for me but they're adorable!

PS: I am determined to crack the code that Ellie provided at the end of the book.

This was a stupendous book! I have never read anything about WWII codebreakers, so this was a great jumpstart into my research.

What I loved the most was the friendships of the girls and their way of bouncing off each other and learning even outside of their own race. The idea of codebreakers is so interesting and part of me wanted to see more of that, but I did enjoy the research the author put into it. I have not read her prior work, but I understand this is her first time writing historical fiction and I must say, I am impressed! She made the story feel authentic and put a lot of thought into what it was like to live in the 1940s.

The murder mystery felt real without it being overly romanticized. It added to the tension at Kit's workplace and her nervousness about getting found out who she really is.

Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot. I hope to read more books about clever girls solving murders.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

I didn’t entirely know what to expect with The Killing Code, but I’m a sucker for a well-crafted historical mystery. While I found myself mystified by the Good Girl’s Guide to Murder comp (aside from both being YA mysteries, the flavor is completely different), even taking into account the other book I hadn’t read about codebreaking, once I put aside any preconceived notions, I ended up really enjoying the reading experience.

I’ve read a bit about codebreakers during World War II before, so that wasn’t new to me, but I liked what Marney did with the topic, especially having the characters be involved in high-stakes action on multiple levels, both in the war effort and in the murder mystery that ensues.

I love that Kit has a bit of a dark past she’s running from, which catches up with her over the course of the book. She’s not who she claims she is, and that spiced up the narrative of engaging in espionage.

While not the central plot, I did like the sapphic romance between Kit and Maya as well. I wasn’t aware this book was queer at all upon requesting it, so it was a nice surprise. On a similar note, I like how other issues of diversity are addressed, such as racial tensions and class warfare. Marney is mindful of her twenty-first century audience, while depicting a nuanced portrayal of the past.

Given that it was the main selling point, I was a bit underwhelmed that the identity of the killer was a bit predictable, and that the ending came rather quickly. Granted, the former at least could be chocked up to the fact that I’m not in the target audience for the book. As for the latter, there is a lot going on, necessitating a quick resolution.

I liked this book overall, and would recommend it to fans of YA historical mysteries.

I really need to read more mysteries. This one had me absolutely hooked - I couldn't put it down! I don't want to say too much because I don't want to give anything away, but the plot absolutely kept me guessing. I really appreciated that the twists managed to be surprising while also not coming totally out of the blue. I also loved our main group of characters so much! I know that mysteries and thrillers aren't for everyone, but if this book seems up your alley, I'd definitely recommend it.

CW: violence against women, sexism, murders, racism, some gore, off-page rape, off-page drugging, referenced past alcoholism and domestic violence

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC of The Killing Code!

Read this if you
🎥 are a fan of The Imitation Game
👱🏼‍♀️ enjoy YA
🧮 like math and puzzles
💋 want a little romance in your books

•What it’s about

The Killing Code takes place in the middle of WWII. When Kathleen’s employer, a girl of her own age named Katherine, dies, Katherine asks Kathleen to promise to take her identity and live a life outside of servitude as a maid. Kathleen promises, and then finds herself swept up into the war, breaking Japanese codes with other like minded girls.

But when a murder hits close to home and Kathleen, now Kit, (literally) stumbles upon the body of a dead girl, she and her friends decide to put their minds together and find the killer before he can strike again. They’ll have to think like a criminal to catch him, but who is he and why is he killing?

•My Thoughts

The Killing Code is a fun, young adult read. My favorite part was the quote at the beginning of each chapter. Not only were the quotes from real people during WWII, they also held hints of what the chapter would be about!

While I enjoyed the search for the killer, I wish there had been a little bit more information about code breaking. As someone who despises math, I really had no idea what they were doing, but it sounded intriguing all the same, and I just wanted a little bit more in-depth information about how they broke the codes.

I also enjoyed the other historical references thrown in, like the air raids and blackouts. It felt true to the time period.

I was so excited to receive an ARC of Ellie Marney’s new book after devouring None Shall Sleep last year. I really enjoyed reading a historical fiction book that included queer characters and characters of color, and that shed light on the contributions women made to the war effort.

I do think this book was missing some of the propulsion and depth of character that I enjoyed so much in None Shall Sleep, and while I understand that the subject matter in these books is entirely different, I think these elements could have made the mystery aspect of this book more compelling.

I will continue to eagerly await everything Ellie Marney writes!

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was very different than None Shall Sleep, but I loved it almost as much. I'm not a big fan of historical fiction, but I'll read any of them that involve a murder.

The coding was actually cool in this one. It's not something that interests me a lot, but reading about young girls in the 1940's breaking code during a war almost felt empowering. So many women were just to marry and have kids, but there were many women working on the coding in this book.

The book starts off with the end of the school year at Arlington Hall. Kathleen and Katherine were together. Katherine's family was rich and Kathleen was hired four years earlier as her maid. Katherine was born ill and they knew she wouldn't survive long. The girls ended up getting close. Closer than just friends. Katherine made sure Kathleen learned all the things she learned in school. Kathleen was too smart to be a maid/nurse. When Katherine knew she was going to die, she made up a trunk of stuff for Kathleen. It contained clothes and money, but also her birth certificate, school records, and other paperwork. She wanted Kathleen to use her papers to do something more in life. When Katherine passed away, Kathleen packed up and started to leave the school. The military was taking it over. As she was leaving, she met two girls coming in. Moya and Dottie were going to be working there. Once they realized Kathleen (now going by Kit) liked puzzles, they ask her if she wants a job.

Kit decides to stay, but she knows that she can't act like anything other than someone who grew up with money and formal education. She worried that she would be caught at any moment. But she was good at her job. She and Dottie were roommates and became best friends. Kit found herself attracted to Moya, but tried to keep that hidden. After nine or ten months working, Kit worries when Dottie wasn't home from a party at 1 am. She wakes Moya and they wake a man there with a car. They find Dottie sleeping outside at the place where the party was. She was drugged, but was ok. When Kit went to find a bathroom, she found much more. A body. The girl was raped and brutally murdered. It was someone that Dottie came to the party with.

Back at school, a girl from the kitchen recognized Kit. She promised to keep her secret if she helped her with a friend's murder. She was another government girl. But because she was black, the police were ignoring it. The four girls started to work together to get more information on the murders and realized that they were both from the same man. They use their code rules to create profiles and investigate what they can. They not only want to solve these murders, but also prevent more girls from being killed. The girls become close friends during this time.

I loved this. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because I figured out the murderer very early. It didn't take away from the book though.

I gave this book 4 1/2 stars rounded up to 5 on Goodreads.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my earc.

Warnings for blood, talk of rape, racism/segregation, and keeping sexual identities secret.

This was different. I like everything about this book. I don’t have describe what I was feeling or thoughts I was having. I absolutely love this!

This was an interesting one. Objectively, this is a good and interesting story. It moved quickly, I liked the characters, and it had a fine resolution.

Here's the thing: I only know Ellie Marney from None Shall Sleep, which will undoubtedly be one of the best books I read in 2022. That book undid me, and I expected this to follow suite.

This book is VERY different. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but the similar topics (murder and young adults solving the aforementioned) and the similar covers made me think they'd be similar books. This is very... soft, while NSS is very sharp. Once I got over the sort of tonal whiplash of this book as a follow up it did grow on me, but it never seemed to fully find its footing. It wasn't quite silly enough to pull off "these teens are goofing around AND solving murder!" like a Karen McManus book, and while the romance was sweet and a good slow burn, I think I never got over the surprise of there being a center-stage romance at all — again, because None Shall Sleep was free of any overt romance.

I also read this book on an ebook instead of doing the audio, and I am curious at how the audio will be. NSS used narrators in a way I've never experienced before (in an incredible way — the perpetrator was a different voice actor from the main reader) and I wonder if the formula would be replicated. Because of that experience the reader knew the perpetrator whenever they were on screen; it built suspense, and was amazing. Because I read this book I felt it was more of a traditional mystery, and when I figured out the perpetrator fairly early on I was kind of disappointed at the reveal. But maybe the point was to know — and the audio would have given me that same suspense build up?

Ellie Marney does EXCEL at something few others do: violence in a way that never ever ever feels romanticized or graphic for the sake of being graphic, and I could kiss her feet for that. I rarely read crime/thrillers about violence against women (which is,,,,,pretty much all of them) but Marney is one of the few I trust.

Basically: if I hadn't read NSS this would have been an A- book, so really it's on me. I know that's not entirely fair — authors don't have to live in boxes — but I do maybe wish the covers/titles hadn't been so similar.

I was excited about The Killing Code by Ellie Marney. Mystery? Murder? Codebreaking? A feminist historical fiction novel for teens? This sounded like a perfect book for the teen book club I run.

The writing just came off as boring to me, though. There wasn't anything to draw the reader in. I had hoped that after Kit found a body that it would start to take off. For a second I believed that it had. Unfortunately, the writing went straight back to the previous style. I read a few excerpts to my teens to see if they thought anyone in the teen group would be interested, and they gave a big thumbs down.