3.5 stars
This is the first book in a new series by Julia Kelly, whose previous novels have focused on historical fiction, also set in England. However, this is more of a cozy mystery. And, like all new series, this book spends a good amount of time laying the groundwork for future books and outlining the backstory of the main characters.

Evelyn Redfern, who loves reading mysteries, takes a job in the typing pool in the underground tunnels of Churchill's cabinet war rooms in 1940 during WWII. She was actually hired to be a secret inside observer and report back to Mr. Fletcher, who is an old friend of her father's and a part of the Intelligence community.

Within days of starting her new job, Evelyne, finds the body of one of her coworkers who has been murdered. What seemed odd to me was that Evelyne, who was a new hire, joined forces with David Pool who is trying to ferret out a mole in the government who is leaking secrets to the Germans. Together they make lists of suspects, motives and alibis. They share important information when they hardly know each other, question suspects together and attempt code breaking. Before long, everyone is confiding in Evelyne, the amateur sleuth, and revealing their hidden secrets.

I don't mean to suggest that I disliked this book. I thought that it was very well written and the characters were likable, but at times I found some of the elements of the story to be implausible and the suspense to be lukewarm. Fans of light mysteries may appreciate this novel more than I did.

If all it took to be a detective and solve a murder was a love of mystery books, many of my Goodreads friends would now be very successful private investigators.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

There is a mole in Churchill’s War Rooms….can a young typist help find the spy?

In 1940 Evelyne Redfield is doing her part in the war, working a rather dull job in a munitions factory in London. She shares a room in a boarding house with her best friend from school, the beautiful Moira, and enjoys nothing more than to escape into the British mystery novels of Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh and of course Agatha Christie. Evelyne’s life has not been ordinary; her father, a dashing if feckless adventurer and aristocrat, and mother, a beautiful and flamboyant Parisienne, were constantly in the society pages. Their nasty divorce was further fodder for the press, as was Evelyne’s mother’s death just a few short years later. Evelyne was dubbed “The Parisian Orphan”, not terribly accurate as her father is still very much alive (but not too far off the mark as he has no interest in having her a part of his life). Her paternal aunt has seen to her education, installing her first in a British boarding school (where Moira befriended her) and then university, but Evelyne misses the warmth and unconditional love of her mother. While out one night with Moira, Evelyne has a chance encounter with a gentleman named Mr. Fletcher whom she remembers as an acquaintance of her parents. He invites her to interview for an unnamed position that he assures her would be more in line with her intelligence than her current job. She in intrigued, and shows up at the appointed time and place for a very odd interview, and finds herself placed as a typist in Prime Minister Churchill’s War Rooms. Mr. Fletcher wants her to report back to him periodically on her observations of the goings on, which she agrees to do. Within the first few days on the job, she finds another of the typists dead, stabbed in the throat with a knife. The investigators charged with looking into the death do not strike her as particularly good at their job, so Evelyne decides to follow the example of her fictional detective heroes and do some snooping herself. She attracts the attention of David Poole, who is attached to the Ministry of Information (and prefers American noir to British cozies, thank you very much), and overcomes his initial reluctance to pool their resources. There have been leaks of highly classified information that seem to have come from someone in the CWR, and David has been tasked with finding the mole. Is the murder of the typist connected to the information leaks? In a workplace as secure and controlled as the CWR, this is in many ways a locked room sort of mystery, but the suspect list is large….it could be anyone, in a position high or low, who works there. Sorting through the lies and misdirections, Evelyne and David must somehow find out just what has been going on even as bombs start falling on London.
A Traitor in Whitehall is the first in what is planned to be a series of Parisian Orphan novels by author Julia Kelly. In Evelyne, the reader has a smart and, dare I say plucky, heroine. The circumstances of her upbringing have left Evelyne an unusual young woman for her time; she is from a “good family”, but her own reputation will forever be tarnished by the actions of her bon vivant parents. As such, she has carved out her own life on her own terms, and is not afraid to take chances. She has been fortunate to have the support of her friend Moira, who herself is not interested in the traditional path of a young woman of quality, and of her staid aunt (who may have a few secrets of her own buried in the past). It’s not clear exactly where her father is or what he is up to in the world, which might pop up in a future storyline. And then there are the mysterious Mr. Fletcher and David Poole….who are these two men, and how might they figure in Evelyne’s future? An intriguing start to a new series, with a group of interesting characters against the backdrop of London in the throes of Blitzkreig. I very much enjoyed the story, and found it a quick but satisfying tale. Readers of Susan Elia MacNeal’s Maggie Hope novels will certainly find this story to their liking, as might readers of Cara Black and Jacqueline Winspear. Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books/St Martin’s Press for allowing me access to an advanced reader’s copy of A Traitor in Whitehall….I look forward to Evelyne’s further exploits!

A very interesting whodunit! Set during a fascinating time in history, a great back story with family history, a work place with secrets overlapping secrets and a murder to boot! Evelyne is selected to work for Churchill's war office in the underground bunkers as a typist but is also recruited to pass along information to a secret government agency on her days off the try and help break up a spy ring that's passing along information to the Nazis. It was in her first days on the job that she discovers one of her co-workers murdered! She loves reading detective novels and puts her nose to the case. As she is doing so, someone else in the bunker is doing the same so they team up to work together and uncover a nest of secrets, lies, espionage and deceit! They also, in the end, solve the crimes! Loved it! Very clean read, no language or compromising situations, A nice, historical mystery.

Julia Kelly is one of my go-to historical fiction authors so I jumped at the chance to read this. And let me tell you this did not disappoint.

The setting is WWll London during The Blitz and I loved that it features a strong female heroine. 🇬🇧🕵🏻‍♀️

Evelyn Redfern is a newly recruited British spy that teams up with minister aide, David Poole, to solve a problematic murder mystery that involves finding a traitor inside Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s underground war rooms.

It has all the feels of a cozy mystery.. there’s intrigue along with slowly dialed up tension + red herrings.. and follows the quite interesting background of our feisty Agatha Christie-esqe sleuth.🔎 This was slow at the beginning introducing/setting up Evelyn’s character.. but no need to worry as it soon picks up and how.

I recommend A TRAITOR IN WHITEHALL if you’re interested in starting a brand new series that is entertaining + fun with a great historical mystery to solve. This is the first book in what will be a new series for Julia Kelly. ♥️📚 4.5 stars — Pub. 10/3/23

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary arc. Opinions are my own.

I truly enjoyed this. It was well researched and well written. The characters came alive and so did the time period. Evelyn is feisty, clever, and resilient. There a few moments that felt like fantasy (how easily David Poole accepts her as an equal…his pushback is weak), but I’m still here for it.

A cozy with heart.

I hope this is the beginning of a series. The characters are well-rounded and sometimes funny, the plot twists just right, and the ending satisfying.

I am an avid reader of historical mysteries, but just may have reached my saturation point for WW2 spy dramas. Julia Kelly’s novel prompted me to check to see if I had already read this book: it just felt too familiar. The plot, the characters, the crime., and the setting.

I am reader who usually likes familiarity:I prefer a series with 50 titles to a one-off novel. But, this was different. Nothing about it felt fresh or interesting. And, the heroine was just a few grey cells too sharp to be credible. I have a weakness for strong-willed, even pert, heroines, but I didnt relate to Ms. kelly’s character at all.

Julia Kelly's new series starring Evie Redfern has a lot in common with Susan Elia MacNeal's Maggie Hope.

Both are toiling away in secretary jobs in Winston Churchill's orbit when mysteries come their way.. Both have famous parents who left their daughter's support to their aunts.

Both have interesting, supportive friends. Both are independent women but they're not immune to the charms of a handsome man.

Let's hope Kelly's new series grows into the intriguing body of work MacNeal's has.

A Traitor in Whitehall, by Julia Kelly, is a story of murder and treason during the days of WWII before the Americans entered the war. Evelyne is recruited to take a job doing secretarial work in Mr. Churchill’s underground office/bunker…and report what she sees to the official that got her the position. Evelyne loves to read mysteries and when she unexpectedly discovers a body there’s no way she can resist doing her own investigation. Ms. Kelly’s written a fine story filled with so many suspects, false stories, hidden agendas and an unexpected accomplice, a Mr. David Poole. This is a page turner that also gives readers a glimpse into the horrors of war. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

Being a history geek, I’ve always regretted not putting more importance on visiting the Churchill War Rooms whenever I’ve been in London. As a result, I eagerly read books with this setting. One day I’ll get there, in the meantime, Julia Kelly’s Traitor at Whitehall, is a fantastic armchair journey to a bucket list experience as well as a great mystery to solve!

“The cabinet war rooms had security protocols, shift patterns, air raid and ground invasion warnings. Working there was like being dropped into a foreign land without a dictionary.”

This is Kelly’s first historical murder (cozy) mystery and it’s amazing! It features a plucky heroine and is the first in a brand-new series featuring Evelyne Redfern. Unbeknownst to her colleagues, Evelyne is there at the request of Mr. Fletcher who has placed her there to uncover a mole. When one of her colleagues is murdered on Evelyne’s first shift, she teams up with one of the Minister’s Aides, David Poole, to investigate both the murder and the mole.

The first third of the book introduces readers to Evelyne’s background giving them insight into her nickname. The second third focuses mainly on her time employed in the typing pool at Prime Minister Churchill’s secret underground bunker and gives readers an understanding of life underground as well as the colleagues (suspects) she works alongside. The final third focuses on wrapping up the investigation and setting up for the sequel.

I loved (1) Evelyne’s need to have a book with her at all times, (2) her sense of humour/wit (3) the Agatha Christie-esque whodunit style (4) and the perfect blend of history and mystery. I enjoyed the setting and learning about Evelyne’s experience. I was intrigued learning about the possible risk of sunburn underground and I see a lot of myself in Evelyne.

While not my favourite Kelly novel, I still loved this cozy mystery and would recommend it to others.

I was gifted this copy by St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

This was a quick, light read set in London at the beginning of the Blitz. A murder mystery in the tradition of the great British detective fiction writers. I enjoyed Evelyne's dry wit in response to dealing with the same patriarchal stereotypes at work that we still face. This definitely felt like the first of new historical mystery series and if it is, I hope Aunt Amelia makes another appearance. I'll bet she has a fascinating past. If there is a next book with Evelyne as a super secret agent for Churchill, I'm all in.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read the ARC. The review is my own.

A quick and fun read with a number of red herrings makes this first title a good introduction of what I hope will be a new series in the cozy mystery/historical mystery genre. While A little outrageous at times the dialogue was quick pace: and entertaining.

Evelyn Redfern became known at The Parisian Orphan after her adventurer father and her Parisian mother were caught in a custody nettle that ended when her mother died. After school and university, Evelyn joined the civil service and became a typist in Winston Churchill’s underground war center at the behest of one of her father’s friends, Mr. Fletcher, with the ulterior purpose of finding a mole. However, her first shift in the typist pool she discovers the dead body of one of her colleagues and, since she’s an ardent fan of detective novels, she sets out to find the killer. She and David Poole, another person assigned to stop the mole, team up and set out to solve the mystery of the murder and the mole.
Lots of little twists and turns provide interest and keep the plot moving.
Recommended for readers of light mystery. The book sounded a bit Agatha Christie. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the beginning of a series as Evelyn begins her career in the investigative unit.

Having just been to the UK last year and learning about the Churchill war rooms, this one felt like the historical site came to life while I was reading.
It’s Julia Kelly’s first dip into mystery but I would say it reads like Nita Prose’s The Maid did, a cozy mystery. It’s being marketed as an Agatha Christie feel and I agree with that wholeheartedly as the reader watches as the MC finds a dead body and we work to understand who and why it happened.

The HF mystery is a slow one, which lends to the cozy feel of it, but readers who like to dip their toes into this genre, should pick it up.

Not my favourite JK novel but still a goodie. And it’s not a long one! 3.75 stars rolled to 4

I’ve read a lot of WWII fiction and have reached a point where I always say I’m done. And then a book pops up on my radar that seems to have a new perspective that intrigues me. Set in 1940 Britain and within Winston Churchill’s hallowed halls, a murder mystery evolves. Evelyn, although new to her role and environment takes on the task to solve it.

I enjoyed getting to know Evelyn. What a smart and independent character she is with a background she does hide. There were times I found her a little over the top regarding her quest to solve the mystery but it did propel the story forward.

I didn’t feel like this broke anything new in the genre of historical cozy mysteries but I was entertained. As this appears to be the first in a new series, I will likely meet up again with Evelyn and David.

Thank you Netgalley and Minotaur Books for my DRC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have enjoyed a number of Julia Kelly books so I was thrilled when this one landed on my netgalley shelf. Unlike her other books, Kelly uses this one to dive into her love of mystery.

Evelyne Redfern's family history is filled with story and scandal. The stories of her mother and father's tumultuous relationship - in a time where that didn't happen - will forever stain her reputation. Would it be too much to ask to work and be known for who she is? Here she is, it seems, having her wish. She spends her days in wartime London working in a munitions factory, doing her part, and in the evening ready cozy mystery novels.

Until, it seems, her notoriety works for her advantage. An old friend of her father's spots her and selects her to work as a secretary (with a secret agenda) in the underground war rooms of Prime Minister Churchill. When one of the girls is murdered, she is plunged into mystery, intrigue and betrayal not that dissimilar from the mysteries she loves.

Along with David Poole, she uses all the Agatha christie-esque sleuthing skills she has to uncover the traitor in Whitehall.

And it was Christie-esque. Obviously inspired by works of that era and genre, this was a cozy historical mystery that kept me turning pages. It had Kelly's typical attention to historical detail with a beautiful layer of mystery and intrigue. The ending left me hoping that this will end up with a sequel, at least, as I'd love to see what becomes of our heroine and her trusty partner in crime, or at least partner in solving it.

An enjoyable mystery set in England it kept me on my toes and I look forward to more books by this author.

Julia Kelly has written a number of historical fiction titles that I have enjoyed. With A Traitor in Whitehall, she adds a murder mystery into the mix. The result was an absorbing read.
Readers learn early on that protagonist, Evelyne, has a backstory through her parents' relationship . She moves forward from this into managing her own life. When she is tapped by a friend of her father's to work in Whitehall, both in a position there, and also with an eye to reporting to an outside source, little does she anticipate all that will happen.
One of the women who works in the typing pool has been found murdered. Why? Who did it? Readers will try to figure this out even as Evelyne works with David, supposedly a Minister's aide, on the case. There are many suspects.
In addition to the well conceived plot, I also enjoyed the setting in Churchill's War Rooms. Readers are given a genuine feel for what it would have been like to work in this deep underground setting during the war years.
One thing that I struggled with a bit, however, was keeping all of the women who worked with Evelyne straight. I went back a number of times to remember something about each of them.
This minor quibble aside, this was a book that I very much liked. I hope that Ms. Kelly will add another and make this a series.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur for this title. All opinions are my own.

You know a book is good when you wish that it was the start of a series. After following Evelyn Redfern and David Poole through a fascinating investigation, I want more!

A Traitor in Whitehall follows Evelyn Redfern as she joins the typist pool in an underground bunker that serves government officials during World War 2. The man who hired her wants her to keep her eyes open for a suspected leak, but when she discovers a colleague dead, she decides to investigate murder and look for a mole. Along the way, she discovers that another person working in the warren of tunnels, the aforementioned David Poole, is doing the same and they team up.

The first quarter of the book gives insight into Evelyn's childhood, during which she was at the center of a custody battle that was widely reported and resulted in her nickname, The Parisian Orphan. She's estranged from her eccentric, globe-hopping aristocrat father and her mother died in a Paris hotel room when Evelyn was a child. An Aunt and a friend made in school are her most stable relationships outside of the bunker. By the mid-point of the book, the scores of people inside the bunker are laid out and the suspect list is quite long. The pace speeds up in the second half of the book as Evelyn and David explore leads and narrow down the suspects. This all coincides with The Blitz.

There is a lot going on in this book, but the writing is clear and unencumbered. It's not difficult to keep track of the large cast, though some members of the typing pool blend together at first. Evelyn is smart, but believably so. You don't have to suspend disbelief, as she encounters some of the typical obstacles that you'd expect a working woman to face in the time.

There are some seeds planted for this to be a series. Evelyn's Aunt seems to have a back story to explore and Evelyn's father lurks as a mysterious figure. David's background is mostly unknown. Evelyn definitely has a future in sleuthing and I hope we get to go along for the ride!

I love a historical mystery with a strong female lead and this book, a Traitor in Whitehall, did not disappoint. I really hope that it becomes a long-running series because the ending certainly implies there will be more adventures for Evelyne Redfern and I will definitely be reading them.

Quick synopsis: Evelyne Redfern is a 22-year-old living in London, UK during WWII. She's recruited to work in Prime Minister Winston Churchill's Cabinet War Rooms by an old friend of her father to report back on anything unusual that takes place in the bunker below the London streets. Soon after she starts working in the typing pool, Evelyne finds one of her colleagues murdered. Given how strict access to the War Rooms are, Evelyne knows the suspect pool is limited and begins to investigate, joining forces with David Poole, who works for one of the ministers and is trying to identify who is passing along top secret information to the enemies. Over the following days, Evelyne and David interview colleagues and piece together evidence, all while she tries to do her job as well as spend time with her roommate and friends when she's not in the bunker.

I love how detailed the book is; this is not a casual read and definitely requires attention to keep track of evidence the clues, and the suspects. Even amidst all these details that lead us to the killer (and the red herrings that try to lead us astray), we get to know Evelyne and what her life is like amidst war. We meet her friends, we learn about her background and why many people recognize her name, about the stress she experiences of not knowing if her friends are alive or dead after London is bombed by the Nazis.

Evelyne is a sympathetic character. She's been through some difficult times in her life, and is determined to make her own way in the world, despite having a father who is presumed to be wealthy. She is strong and independent, smart and curious. She is also a bit impulsive and doesn't always think through plans, relying on her gut and instincts to get her out of a bind.

The mystery itself is well done. As the story progresses, I was able to slowly start to pick out the clues that were important and those that we could disregard. As I got closer to the end, the tension definitely started to pick up and it was a delightful tension, with the knowledge that of course the mystery will be solved and Evelyne will be safe, but how we would get there remained to be seen.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes a historical mystery. Fans of Susan Elia Macneal would likely enjoy this book.