This one was a like, not a love. I think I was expecting it to be more of a thriller based off the synopsis but it was definitely more of a historical cozy mystery. So adjust your expectations going in. I really enjoyed main character Evelyne Redfern and the setting of Churchill's cabinet war rooms. The mystery plot was intriguing at first but then the writing felt like it got rather repetitive and my interest slowly dwindled. Overall, it was a quick read and I liked it, but I don't know if I liked it enough to want to keep reading more of the series. But I will say that the ending wrapped up nicely preparing for a book #2.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me a digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

A Traitor in Whitehall (Evelyne Redfern #1) by Julia Kelly is the story of Evelyne Redfern, who is working and minding her business, when a friend of her father’s and her whole world changes. She finds herself deep in Winston Churchill’s cabinet war room. Her role should be as a secretary but that doesn’t last very long. A young woman is murdered and she finds herself looking into her murder. What she finds is shocking and soon she finds a cohort named David Poole. The two find themselves investigating the murder and haphazardly into other crimes right in their own offices. This is such a fun, interesting story. I enjoyed the characters and the writing. Evelyne is smart and witty and I can’t wait to read book 2. I want to thank Netgalley, the author & St Martin’s Press/ Minotaur Books for my copy for an honest review. It was my pleasure to read and review this story. This was a 4 star read for me. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Sending a HUGE THANK YOU to the publishers of A Traitor in Whitehall because I absolutely loved this book. Once I picked it up I was hooked and speed through it in a matter of hours. I really loved the main character and I am so glad it is going to be a series.

Set in WW2 London, our main character Evelyn is a secretary in Churchill's offices and she is tasked with finding information but while she is at it she stumbles across a murder like in her favorite books! She is both brave and funny and I can't wait to read more about her!

4 stars.

I really enjoyed this book! Murder mystery set against the backdrop of London in the early days of WWII inside the government. Good twists and turns with intriguing characters.

Evie Redfern, avid reader of British murder mysteries, works in a factory doing her part for the war, when a chance encounter has her being recruited to keep tabs on the going-ons of people within the government departments via a typing pool. When one of her new coworkers murdered, Evie jumps into investigation mode to help catch the killer before she’s next.

Fun read and once I got started, I didn’t want to put it down!

I’ve been a fan of this author for a while now. This was another enjoyable read. I thought the main character was smart and strong and that was good to see. I’m looking forward to future installments of this series..

I typically don't read historical fiction mysteries because I'm not big on the whole detective aspect, but this one was exceeded my expectations. I think the WWII aspect helped me here because I enjoy reading from that time period. It definitely ended up being a cozy mystery and I can see Evelyne and David's relationship blossoming in the next book in the series.

This was a great historical fiction and I loved it and the plot! Thanks for the ability to read it! I love the cover and anything WWII!

This is the first in a new series by Julia Kelley. It is set in the past during WW2 and is a mystery story. I loved the combination! The story is told in the voice of Evelyne Redfern - an independent and curious woman. Her sidekick is David Poole - and futire love interest? I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Excellent on audio, and a fun book from beginning to end. The interrogations/questioning felt a little long at times, but overall it was an enjoyable read! Thank you for the opportunity to read and review!

Historical fiction with an added mystery? Sign me up! Julia is a master storyteller and I was so invested in the characters. A fantastic read.

Thank you @minotaur_books for this gifted ARC!

I really enjoy reading historical fiction, it’s my second favorite genre. So of course when I saw this I knew I wanted to read it. Historical fiction? ✔️ WW2? ✔️ A mystery? ✔️

Evelyne Redfern is a huge bookworm, lover of the mystery genre. Her dream is to end up in a mystery novel herself and that’s pretty much what happens.

Set in an underground intelligence facility during WW2, all of these people are working for Winston Churchill to help filter and spread information about the war efforts. When one of them ends up murdered, fingers start pointing of who could be culprit.

I really liked the pacing of this one and the plot kept me interested. I think David definitely has the feels for Evelyne. My only complaint would be there wasn’t much to be said about her father. There was a lot of internal monologue about the issues and other people would make comments about it. But there was no resolution with the main character and that storyline. Maybe in the sequel?

Just wrapped up this fantastic read set in 1940s England, and let me tell you, it's a gem! The author expertly weaves together elements of mystery, historical intrigue, and a hint of romance that kept me hooked from start to finish.

Evelyne Redfern, also known as "The Parisian Orphan," finds herself thrust into the heart of wartime London while working at a munitions factory. When she catches the eye of Mr. Fletcher, an old friend of her father, her life takes a dramatic turn as she's introduced to the inner workings of Winston Churchill's cabinet war rooms. But things take a dark turn when a colleague is murdered, throwing Evelyne into the role of amateur sleuth.

As she delves deeper into the investigation, she crosses paths with David Poole, a minister's aide with his own agenda. Despite their initial clashes, they reluctantly team up to uncover a mole selling government secrets to Britain's enemies. Evelyne's sharp wit and determination shine as she navigates the dangerous waters of espionage and murder, all while battling her growing attraction to David.

The pacing is spot-on, keeping the suspense building with each turn of the page. The characters are richly drawn, each with their own secrets and motivations that add layers to the story. And the historical backdrop of wartime England adds an extra dimension of authenticity to the narrative.

Overall, I couldn't get enough of this book and eagerly anticipate more installments in the series. It's a must-read for fans of historical fiction and mystery alike!

A Traitor in Whitehall by Julia Kelly is the first book in the series. This story has everything in it for a mystery--a bit of possible chemistry between the main characters, troubling back stories we learn about little by little in each book, and a great mystery, and set during WWII. I loved the chemistry between our main characters Evelyn and David. I look forward to continuing this series!

Overall stars - 5
Overall, A Traitor in Whitehall is a captivating and entertaining historical mystery that will appeal to fans of the genre and the period. The book has a compelling plot, a charming heroine, a swoon-worthy hero, and a vivid setting. The book also sets up the stage for the next book in the series, Betrayal at Blackthorn Park, which promises more adventures and mysteries for Evelyne and David. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, mystery, romance, and humor. I give this book 5 stars

In this mystery, you get a glimpse into a WWII job that needed to remain hidden. Evelyne Redfern is the main character and she does much of the deducing. Briefly, I thought she had too much authority for the time period, but I got past that. Evelyne had been 0n her own for much of her life and mysteries interested her. You will keep turning pages quickly. I received an arc from Net Galley and I am leaving a review voluntarily.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Traitor in Whitehall
By: Julia Kelly
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pub Date: 10/3/23

Historical fiction is one of the best genres but throw a little detective novel in the mix and you’ve got A Traitor in Whitehall.
It’s 1940… England is at war. London is being bombed by the Germans every night. Evelyne Redfern is renting a room in London with her best friend Mora. When she bumps into one of her fathers friends Mr. Fletcher. He gives her a job. She’s going to be working in Churchill's bunker in the typing pool. He sends her in to make observations and report back but as she settles in one of the other girls is murdered.
David Poole is there trying to find out how top secret information is being spilled to the Germans. Evelyne ends up teaming up with David Po to try to find out how the girl was murdered and who the mole is.
It was absolutely everything I wanted in the perfect mix of genres. I’m hoping that there will be more to come and it becomes a series!!

A Traitor in Whitehall by Julia Kelly is an intriguing World War 2 novel. This book starts out really strong and leaves you with so many unanswered questions that you will keep reading. The author has amazing storytelling skills. This book will keep you turning pages. Readers of historical fiction will definitely enjoy this book. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

t’s 1940 and Evelyne is plucked from a droning job in a munitions factory and selected to work as a typist in Churchill’s War Room which is located underground. She was chosen by a friend of her estranged father and her mission is to keep her eyes open as it is suspected that some funny business is going on in this most secret of locations.

Evelyne is on the job less than a week when she discovers the body of a co-worker who has been murdered. A curious and intelligent woman, she decides to investigate. This puts her in the direct path of a minister’s aide David Poole and she must agree to work with David who is investigating a suspected mole in the War Room.

This was a delightful surprise and I'm so happy to see that this is #1, so hopefully that means more are coming our way. I most definitely would read more of this historical mystery. It was easy to get in to and easy to follow. You get caught up in the characters and the plot and the mystery of who dunnit. I only took the one star off because our female lead is a typist in Whitehall (Winston Churchill's Cabinet building) and yet she insinuates herself into an investigation of murder and espionage and is given free reign to do so and ask questions and no one bats and eye and they answer to her. I don't think that's very realistic for the time frame when this takes place, but what do I know? It doesn't change the fact that I really enjoyed this.

The start to a new series, "A Traitor in Whitehall" follows Evelyne Redfern (a.k.a. The Parisian Orphan) as she starts a new job in the secretive world of Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s cabinet war rooms. There are lies, secrets, murder and the potential for romance here. Mystery book lover Evelyne finds herself an amateur sleuth in real life alongside the also mysterious and handsome David Poole.

This book is great start to a new series. The self contained story in "A Traitor in Whitehall" is very interesting and has some nice twists. The ending leaves enough for the reader to want the next installment.

This was a quick, fun historical mystery.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and Netgalley for an advanced readers copy of this book for my honest review.