1940, England: Evelyne Redfern, known as “The Parisian Orphan” as a child, is working on the line at a munitions factory in wartime London. When Mr. Fletcher, one of her father’s old friends, spots Evelyne on a night out, Evelyne finds herself plunged into the world of Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s cabinet war rooms.

I always look forward to Julia Kelly's new book. For quite a while her new book would be my first read on the new year. This year we had to wait a little longer for a new book. And it was worth the wait.

Kelly went in a slightly different direction with A Traitor in Whitehall as it is her first amateur sleuth murder mystery. I have always found elements of mystery and intrigue in her purely historical fiction (The Last Garden in England is my favorite Kelly novel), but in this book, she invents a murder. I'm pretty sure this is also her first series as everything else I've read by her has been stand-alone stories.

I really liked the characters. Evelyne Redfern and David Poole work well together and are quite likable so I'm pleased they will continue to be paired together in future novels in the series. The other characters we meet are also well-written and feel almost real (I think some personalities were a bit more exaggerated in order to push the story forward). I'm not sure how many of the secondary characters we will see again since I assume we won't have a murder in the PM's cabinet war rooms in every installment.

I don't think this story drew me in as much as her historical fiction. At times, I had to remind myself that Julia Kelly was the author as there seemed to be a change in her writing. Perhaps it is just because of the changed genre. It might also be that it was a bit similar to another WWII amateur sleuth series I read. I can't really point to anything specific to support the feeling. The closest I can come is that the level of historical accuracy and details seemed to be lacking compared to her historical novels. Again, it might be a result of having to make trade offs to move into the crime fiction genre.

Overall, it was still an enjoyable murder mystery and if you haven't given Kelly a chance because you don't read historical fiction, then know that she has writing chops and a knack for creating great characters. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Evelyne and David in future books (but I hope Kelly doesn't give up her purely historical fiction writing).

My review is published at Girl Who Reads Reads - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2023/10/Traitor-in-Whitehall-Julia-Kelly-review%20.html

Great debut mystery for Julia Kelly, love her branching out into this genre and can't wait for more in the series

A TRAITOR IN WHITEHALL by Julia Kelly is set in London during WWII and because much of the action takes place in the below ground Cabinet War Rooms, it is a locked room mystery of sorts. Young Evie Redfern is assigned to the typing pool where she comes across many important papers and wartime facts in her efforts to discover who might be leaking secrets. That all becomes even more real and dangerous when a generally disliked co-worker, Jean Plinkton, is murdered. Finding the local police to be rather inept and believing that the murder and treasonous leaks may be connected, Evie joins another colleague, David Poole, in the hunt. Together, they gradually eliminate suspects while discovering plenty of personal motives (gambling debts, high nursing home charges, clandestine affairs, lesbian tendencies) that could provide a basis for blackmail or bribery. A TRAITOR IN WHITEHALL is reminiscent of the WWII Maggie Hope series by Susan Elia MacNeal who has provided a "blurb" for the front cover of this latest historical fiction mystery. Clearly Kelly's characters have respect and affection for each other – it will be a fun adventure (Booklist describes A TRAITOR IN WHITEHALL as "a cross between a Nancy Drew mystery and an Agatha Christie tale") to see what other crimes these two investigators uncover.

When Evelyne is unexpectedly called to the house of an acquaintance of her father’s she does not know her life is about to change. Evelyne is given an undercover assignment as a typist in Winston Churchill’s cabinet war rooms. When Evelyne discovers a fellow typist murdered she takes it upon herself to find the killer with the reluctant help of minister’s aide David Poole. As the two work together to gather intel they discover everyone has something to hide, from affairs to the selling of government secrets. Will Evelyn and David be able to discover the murderer?

This book had me locked in wanting to learn the next uncovered secret! What a great read!

Evelyne Redfern, a young woman working in a munitions factory in London during WW II, is out for the night on the town when she runs into a friend of her father’s, who asks her to visit him next day in his office. She leaves that visit with a new job in the typing pool, in the underground War Cabinet rooms of Winston Churchill, and a vague mission to search out a possible mole.

On her first day, she meets a disagreeable woman named Jean who seems to be looking for a hold over her. Evelyne immediately disarms her. by sharing her family’s disreputable reputation with the group as a whole. Evelyne was branded the “Parisian Orphan” by the press as a child, when her French mother was divorced by her English father, a well-known member of the nobility. A few days later, when Evelyne is sent for a routine task, she finds Jean’s murdered body in the room. As she turns to shout for help, someone slams the door shut and bolts it from the outside.

The police are useless. Evelyne begins asking questions, never forgetting that she is also keeping her eyes out for a spy. This brings her again and again into contact with David Poole, a handsome minister’s aide who seems to think women have no brains! The interactions between the two of them grow warmer as they begin to mutually respect each other. By dint of some fast thinking and risk taking, they are soon making progress, they think. But each of their leads seems to not be quite enough. Not to mention that it is never the safest thing to track a murderer…

A Traitor in Whitehall is a really enjoyable book. A delightful read!

4.5 stars rounded up!

A Traitor in Whitehall by Julia Kelly is an immersive, clever mystery! It is September, 1940, London England. Evelyne Redfern, known as “The Parisian Orphan” because of her parents’ notoriety, is doing her part working in a factory to support the war effort. Then she is tapped to go undercover as a secretary/spy, looking for a traitor in Churchill’s underground bunker known as the Cabinet War Room. A fellow secretary is found murdered, and Evelyne, an ardent reader of period mystery novels, tasks herself with figuring out the who, when, and why of the circumstances of the woman’s death.
Julia Kelly’s other works feature strong women leads and this is no different. Evie is plucky and curious, intelligent and persistent—the perfect woman for this task. She teams up with a reluctant aide, David Poole, to find the killer and the mole in the cabinet war rooms, and an uneasy partnership morphs into a team with intelligence, humor and an easy camaraderie.
Kelly’s story-telling skills are top-notch, as this is a well-plotted locked-room mystery, reminiscent of the very writers Evie Redfern enjoys.
I have appreciated Ms. Kelly’s research and historical accuracy in previous novels, and here she brings the underground cabinet war rooms and the Blitz to life. This novel is imbued with a great sense of place and the sometimes little-known activities going on behind the scenes in World War II-era England.
This is an excellent, atmospheric mystery, and since it is subtitled Parisian Orphan #1, I can hope that there will be more novels to come featuring Evie Redfern and David Poole!

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

I like the historical context in this book and the interplay between the main characters I fel that this was an engaging and well written book for fans of WWII and historical fiction.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

Loved the premise, loved the mystery, loved the plot and the period – WWII
I volunteered to review this book because I loved the premise and plot as well as the time period. I had read a similar story before which I very much enjoyed so I had high hopes for this book. It was good overall but lacked excitement and romance. This was strictly an espionage mystery with a murder mystery rolled into one.
Evelyne Redfern at 22yo is working in a munitions factory doing a very mundane and dull job albeit necessary for the war effort. One evening she meets one of her father’s friends, Mr. Fletcher who asks her to meet him. She is curious so she goes to his office to find out that she has been offered another mundane job as a typist but on the QT, she is to spy for Mr. Fletcher. As a lover of all English mystery writers, this is a dream come true until she finds a murdered girl. She finagles herself into the job of detective with David Poole with much success. She is very observant, the one trait that will save her life and catch the culprit.
Although I enjoyed the book to some extent, it was not thrilling like it could have been. It also needed a little tension between Evelyne and David periodically. I found the book well-written but extremely slow. I am being generous to give it 4 stars. I would like to have known more about her father. He sounds like a character to follow. I suspect that her mother’s death was not entirely accidental either. So many stories that never got covered. I volunteered to review an ARC of this book through NetGalley.

I enjoyed following Evelyn’s journey and the building of her backstory. The dynamic between Evelyn and David was fun and refreshing to follow for a historical mystery set around this time.

Would recommend to fans of Susan Elia MacNeal’s Maggie Hope Series!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. This is the first in a series.

In 1940 London, Evelyne Redfern is working in a munitions factory when she is recruited by an old family friend, Mr. Fletcher, to work in Churchill's Cabinet War Rooms. Not long after she starts working s a typist, one of the other typists is murdered. Evelyne finds herself drawn into investigating the death and discovers there is more going on at the CWR and teams up with David Poole to investigate the murder and hopefully uncover a mole.

Well written and capturing the feel of wartime London, the novel pulled me in. The characters were engaging, and the plot moved along at a good pace.
I liked Evelyne's strength and resilience. The series has a cozy feel, and I think it is the start of a fun new series.

I recommend checking this one out and look forward to more in this series. Opinions expressed are mine alone.

I received a digital ARC via Netgalley though all thoughts are my own.

I was so excited when I heard about this book and I'm so glad to have been able to read this book as it was just as exciting to read it.

This is the story of a young woman named Evelyne who finds herself going undercover for someone who once knew her Mother and seeks to find out some information on possible moles while WWII is happening and London is having to deal with the threat of bombing, of which there have been several dropped.

When Evelyne stumbles across a woman who has been stabbed, she finds herself trying to figure out what happened which leads her down some dangerous paths and eventually teams up with the mysterious Mr. David Poole who has secrets of his own.

The clock is ticking as Evelyne and David race to hopefully find the killer and stop a mole from leaking sensitive information to the enemy before these people disappear without a trace.

I really enjoyed that Evelyne has to have a book wherever she goes, has some sleuthing skills, and doesn't give up just because there have been some dead ends.

Looking forward to more books with her and I always know I'm going to have a great time with Julia Kelly's books!

Trigger warnings: murder, war, bombings, violence, treason, blackmail, cheating

In wartime London, Evelyne Redfern is unexpectedly drawn into the world of Winston Churchill's cabinet war rooms when her father's friend recognizes her. As she settles into her role as a typist, a coworker is murdered, prompting Evelyne to use her amateur sleuthing skills to get justice. She reluctantly teams up with David Poole, a minister's aide on a mission to uncover a government spy, but their partnership becomes increasingly complicated as they chase spies and a killer in a place where secrets reign supreme.

I’ve never read anything by this author before, but I was intrigued by the blurb. And it did not disappoint. Evelyne was an interesting and believable main character. I was sympathetic to her past. I enjoyed following her investigation and the way she approached the matter.

The plot moved at a good pace and it was difficult to put down. If I had to criticize anything, it would be how easily it was for other characters to confide in her. And just because it is called out in the story didn’t stop me from raising an eyebrow every time it happened.

Overall, this was a fun mystery and I look forward to seeing what happens next to Evelyne. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy historical mysteries, especially those set during World War 2.

When I started listening to this book, it had been long enough since I'd read the synopsis that I couldn't remember many of the details that had attracted me to it. As a lover of Foyle's War and other British wartime mysteries (in books as well as on TV), I was happy to get into it and remember that it's a murder mystery. The war effort is, of course, at the center of things in terms of the plot. There's a good bit of history as well, including the early days of the Blitz and how it affected life in London, and a glimpse into what life was like on the homefront for the women who'd become so important to the workforce while so many men were away fighting the war. I enjoyed this one - there are quite a few characters, which can be confusing in an audiobook but the narrator did a good job of giving them different voices. The mystery was interesting, as was the backstory of the main character, Evelyne.
I also didn't realize that it was actually the first in a planned series, but by the end of the book I was very happy about that aspect, because I found the characters appealing and the writing engaging, and will absolutely be on the lookout for book two.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

I loved this first in a new mystery series by one of my favorite historical fiction writers, Julia Kelly. Evelyne Redfern is recruited to work in the Churchill War Rooms, am underground bunker of offices to provide a safe place for important people during WWII. Evelyne finds a dead body, and becomes involved in solving the case. It’s a great historical setting. Evelyne is dubbed the “Parisian Orphan”, due to her mother’s illustrious past and her father’s fame s a playboy. As a result of an interesting upbringing, she brings a lot of personality into the character. I loved the book and can’t wait until the next one. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

A fantastic beginning to Kelly's Evelyne Redfern series!

Evelyne Redfern takes a position in the Cabinet War Rooms and finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. She teams up with mysterious David Poole, and together they uncover not only the murderer but discover who is behind leaking classified information to the enemy. A fiery heroine, enigmatic hero, and enough secrets to suspect just about everyone, this mystery is a joy and I'm looking forward to the next installment.

A Traitor in Whitehall weaves the tale of Evelyne Redfern, a single woman in one of Churchill's war rooms, who is tasked with finding a mole in their midst. But, her job is made more difficult by the murder of a woman in her typing pool. This story was set against the backdrop of the Blitz in London during World War II. I haven't ever really read a mystery encompassed in a historical fiction novel, but I absolutely loved this! Kelly does a great job of bringing the war room to life, while also dropping clues that will help solve the mystery. You didn't know who you could trust. This story had some twists and turns, but everything came together nicely. I can't wait to read more in this series!

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book! It released last week.

4 more than a typist stars

With action in Churchill’s cabinet war room bunkers deep under London streets, this historical fiction mystery definitely kept my interest. Evelyne Redfern is recruited to root out a traitor while serving as a typist. How are British secrets getting out? And why has it escalated to murder? Evelyne is using her sleuthing skills, just like in the detective novels she likes to read.

David Poole is investigating the leak, and soon they team up. What is David’s exact role, though? Should Evelyne trust him? Will Evelyne’s past catch up to all of them? As the bombs fall on London, the tension ratchets up.

I really enjoyed meeting these characters, and I’m excited to see that this looks like the beginning of a series. This is my second book by this author, and I appreciate her authentic writing style and lack of grisly details. I’m ready for the next installment and learning more about Evelyne’s past and brewing romance.

A Traitor in Whitehall is part mystery mystery, part historical fiction. The story takes place in one of my favorite places in London, the Churchill War Rooms. There is a murder, a mole, and our heroine Evelyne sets out to catch the killer. A page turner and a unique take on WWII - this is a fast paced and fun read and I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

Julia Kelly introduces us to Evelyne Redfern, a want-to-be detective who finds herself in the middle of a murder, blackmail, and treason. Evelyne comes from a well-known family in wartime England, and has the much disliked nickname of "the Parisian Orphan" due to her mother's scandalous death in Paris when Evelyne was very young. Evelyne is approached by an old friend of her father's to take a job in the typing pool in Churchill's Cabinet War Room (CWR); however the catch is that she must report back to him of what things were going on within the CWR. Evelyne becomes a part of the investigation with the mysterious (and alluring) David Poole, one of the cabinet's ministers. Following is a drawn-out investigation of the corruption within, and the team of Evelyne and David find some very surprising goings-on at the CWR leading ultimately to the disclosure of the guilty. Evelyne and David make a great investigative team and their personal relationship and character make them great together in other ways! As the books finalizes - it appears that there will be a future to the team of Evelyn and David. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press - MInotaur Books, for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #NetGalley #ATraitorinWhitehall

First book in a new WWII series The Parisian Orphan sets up the groundwork for a new investigative team. Evelyne Redfern is offered a typist job in Churchills secret war room by an enigmatic old family friend. Almost instantly she becomes involved in murder and espionage. Teamed with the handsome David Poole she must find who is ferrying secrets to Germany and willing to murder to continue. Evelyne seems to have a real knack for this work and possibly an attraction to her new partner. Cozy mystery/historical fiction, more to come in this series. Thank you Netgalley and St Martins publishing.