1940, murder, espionage, historical-places-events, historical-figures, historical-setting, historical-mystery, secrets, suspense, family, family-dynamics, relatives, working-partners, due-diligence, stubborn, mines, explosive-devices, unputdownable, unpleasant-victims, investigations, sabotage, England, friends*****

Evelyne Redfern and David Poole are somewhat unwilling partners training in the SIU (Special Investigation Unit) during WWII in England. They are tasked with discovery and resolution of thefts at Blackthorn Park, a munitions research, development, and manufacturing site at a requisitioned Blackthorn Manor in Sussex. Once there, they each use their strengths to find answers, but instead they have a new set of problems when one of the scientists is dead of a staged suicide and Evelyne is the first on scene. Well plotted and with well developed characters, I thought it was so good I kept reading far into the night following a very rainy day!
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
#EvelynRedfern #ParisianOrphanBk2 Pub Date Oct 01, 2024

Many thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for letting me read Betrayal At Blackthorn Park. Let me just say that I loved this book! I am a huge fan of Julia Kelly and was thrilled to read more of Evelyne's adventures! I love the dynamic between the feisty Evelyne & the very proper Mr. Poole. They are a great team and I am loving their burgeoning friendship. This book grabbed me right from the start and kept hold til the last page. I cannot wait for the next installment!!!

Betrayal at Blackthorn Park by Julia Kelly is the second book in the Evelyne Redfern mystery series. Evelyne has just graduated from a rigorous training program and begins her first assignment as a field agent. What starts off as what appears to be a fairly basic security test quickly turns into a murder investigation, having been disguised as a suicide. When Evelyne discovers Blackthorn Park’s chief engineer dead in his office. Evelyne and David once again work together to solve the mystery. The dynamic between the two main characters is fun to read, with banter between the two throughout. The investigation takes place over just a few days, with a second apparent suicide turning up at Blackthorn Park. Unexpected twists appear throughout and while the book is dialogue heavy with many interviews taking place through the course of the investigation, it was well paced. Overall, an enjoyable read, with the mystery keeping me guessing until the very end.

While it is helpful to have read the first book in the series to gain some additional character backstory, the book does provide a lot of helpful context that would allow the reader to enjoy the book as a standalone.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley and the author for inviting me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Betrayal at Blackthorn Park by Julia Kelly is book number two about Evelyn Redfern and her adventures as an SIU agent during WWII. this time, she is sent to a private weapons factory to discover info about a theft. Instead she encounters murder. Her and David team up together to find answers. Very good! I enjoyed it, as I always do!

Evelyn Redfern and David Poole are back and once again off on a secret mission. I have enjoyed many of Mrs. Kelly’s standalone novels. And, this is the second in her Evelyn Redfern series and have enjoyed them both. If you enjoy an old fashioned who-done-it, this series is for you. I look forward to the “next” book; after all, as a young girl who found her love for reading with Nancy Drew, I need more of Evelyn Redfern.

Thank you #NetGalley, #MinotaurBooks, #St.Martin’sPublishingGroup, #JuliaKelly an#BetrayalatBlackthronPark for the advance readers copy for my honest review.

This was an enjoyable book to read - the main characters were interesting. It was immediately obvious this was a second book in a series but even though I’d not read the first it didn’t deter from reading it. However, I will be going back to read the first (a few parts of the plot were more than likely spoiled by reading it). The plot was a little confusing and felt unrealistic that a murder would go through that for the reasons (not spoiling it for you). The rapor of the main characters and thier process of investigating was interesting. A nice, quick, and easy read. I’d recommend this book. 3.5 stars, rounding up for NetGalley.

Another absolutely gripping novel in this WWII spy series.

Characters are well drawn and the mystery of theft or sabotage at a secretive British estate had me guessing and engaged for the entire read. I also like the main character, Evelyn’s backstory and possible budding romance with her handler/ co-agent.

This was a well-written and researched WWII mystery. You do not have to read the first book in the series to enjoy this one, but the first in the series was also a very good read.

Betrayal at Blackthorn Park was a disappointing second act to the series. I found the characters rather thin and uninteresting. As for the plot - I had trouble remembering what it was and it seemed the characters did too.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy to read and review.

I love a historical fiction novel, especially one in with a new or unique locale so I can feel like I’m learning a little bit too while enjoying a good story.

While the “action” contained a lot of dialogue of interviews, the pace seemed fast and the story moved along quite well. A compelling mystery and I hope there is more to come in this series!

Evelyne has finished her field training and is ready for her first official assignment. However, being sent to a country estate to investigate possible stolen supplies is not the assignment she was hoping for, even if the estate (Blackthorn Park) is being used to develop, test and manufacture unconventional weapons. Yet, the assignment quickly changes when, while doing reconnaissance, she responds to the sound of a gunshot and discovers that Sir Nigel, the brilliant head engineer, is dead, with his murder staged to look like a suicide. Sir Nigel could be rather brusque and had had disagreements with multiple staff, but nothing immediately apparent that would justify murder. Evelyne is quickly joined by David, who was initially her handler for the assignment, but now her partner given the change in circumstances. Adding to the pressure, Prime Minister Churchill is scheduled to visit Blackthorn Park in a few days for a weapons demonstration. It will take all their ingenuity to uncover the multiple secrets that Blackthorn Park and its residents hold, and further tragedy will strike before the mystery is solved.

this is the second book in the Evelyn Redfern mystery series. If you like WW2 mysteries, you will love the book. Read in two days.

I was fully engaged from start to finish in this WW2-era historical mystery.

The British agents assigned to the seemingly insignificant “case” quickly become engaged in solving a double murder in an exceptionally top secret government research facility. The setting was familiar. The war-time sensitivity to secrecy was familiar. But the protagonists were fresh, smart and are a team that I hope to encounter in future novels.

There was just enough tension between the seasoned male and his female rookie partner that it kept the book interesting.

Netgalley provided me a complimentary copy in return for a candid review.

Betrayal at Blackthorn Park is a cozy historical mystery. It follows A Traitor in Whitefall as the second book in the Evelyne Redfern series; however, there is plenty of context available to read it as a standalone.

Evelyne Redfern is a new recruit to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) during wartime. As a new agent, Evelyne and her handler are assigned what should be an easy investigation but she’s quickly faced with an unexpected murder, or two.

Evelyne leads the way in conducting a full investigation, letting the story unfold to reveal plenty of twists and unexpected scenarios. I appreciated the originality in both the crimes committed and how the mysteries were solved.

I highly recommend Betrayal at Blackthorn Park to anyone interested in a unique yet plausible historical whodunit.

Julia Kelly's "Betrayal at Blackthorn Park" is a gripping historical mystery set against the backdrop of 1920s England. With intricate plotting and vivid period detail, Kelly weaves a tale of secrets, scandal, and societal upheaval. This atmospheric novel captivates with its blend of suspense and historical charm.

#atraitorinwhitehall by @juliakellywrites was one of my favorite reads of 2023. so i was super excited to score an advance copy of her new one featuring evelyn redfern and david poole. while i did not enjoy #betrayalatblackthornpark as much, it was still a very good read. i'm interested in checking out the rest of ms. kelly's catalog, the historical fiction w/o the mystery. i do love a spunky '40s heroine.

p.s. thanks to #netgalley for the ARC.

Evelyne has just finished her training and not thrilled when her first assignment is investigating what appears to be a simple case of theft from a secret lab. However, things soon change and David joins her in investigating a complicated case of espionage and murder. Exceptional

Betrayal at Blackthorn Park by Julia Kelly is an exciting mystery set during World War II. Former typist Evelyne Redfern is eager for her first assignment as a field agent helping Britain win the war. However, when she learns her first task is conducting security test at Blackthorn Park, a manor house in the Sussex countryside, she can’t help her initial disappointment. Making matters worse, her handler is to be David Poole, a fellow agent who is both strait-laced and dashing in annoyingly equal measure. However, Evelyne soon realizes that Blackthorn Park is more than meets the eye, and an upcoming visit from Winston Churchill means that security at the secret facility is of the utmost importance. When Evelyne discovers Blackthorn Park’s chief engineer dead in his office, her simple assignment becomes more complicated. Evelyne must use all of her—and David’s—detection skills to root out who is responsible and uncover layers of deception that could change the course of the war.

Betrayal at Blackthorn Park had me turning the pages to the very end. This book is an easy 4 stars. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves historical fiction and family stories.

I received a free advanced copy and all opinions are my own. I would like to offer my sincerest gratitude to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

When I finished the first book in this series, it appeared to be a standalone story and I wished for another book. Imagine my delight at finding out this was a series and I was getting access to an early copy of the second book?!?

Evelyn was recruited to be a secret agent in the first Parisian Orphan book. After solving a murder while working as a typist in Churchill’s underground war rooms in that story, she returns in this second book having gone through a grueling training camp. Her first assignment is a quick, overnight visit to a manor being used as a weapons development lab to evaluate security protocols. Her partner in the last book, David Poole, is now her handler and will stay in London.

Evelyn easily breaches security at the manor, but stumbles upon the dead body of the man in charge of the operation. And so, the overnight assignment because a murder investigation and David joins Evenlyn in the country.

The investigation moves quickly and some of the men working at the lab blend together initially, but the issue resolves itself quickly as the different personalities become clear. Some secondary storylines serve as red herrings, of sorts, but are resolved in a satisfying way. They aren’t just thrown in and forgotten.

The relationship between Evelyn and David is solidly in the friend zone, but there’s a delightful chemistry between them that adds humor to the story. This isn’t quite a “will they won’t they” relationship yet.

The bigger arc of Evelyn’s family story continues to be developed with the promise of more to come in the next book. I can’t wait!

This book is the second book of the Evelyne Redfern series. Since I loved the first book in the series: “A Traitor in Whitehall,” I was beyond thrilled for an early read of Betrayal of Blackthorn Park. I loved it. This book is the type of book I devour - World War two Historical fiction, a mystery, a thriller, and a bit of comedic banter – all in one book. When does book three come out? I’m not sure I can wait!

I loved this book and highly recommend it. Preorder at your earliest convenience at your favorite bookstore or Amazon!


Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an early read. It was a huge treat!

4.5 stars
STRONG recommend

This is the fourth book that I have by Julia Kelly. Her historical fiction mysteries based in England during WWII are the only exception I am making to my "no more WWII historical novels". This is the second book in the "Parisian Orphan" series. This novel was as good as the first book in this series so I eagerly await the next book!

Evelyne Redfern and David Poole are the two main characters in this fun mystery. Evelyne and David are new partners after Evelyne completed SIU (Special Investigation Unit) training during WWII in England. Evelyne is tasked to discover thefts at Blackthorn Park a munitions research, development, and manufacturing site at a requisitioned manor home in Sussex. David is Evelyne's handler for this case, but a death by suicide quickly changes things.

I love that I did not even come close to figuring out who or why the death by suicide occurred!! Julia writes beautifully and creates a feeling of you being there as the storyline unfolds.

My only complaint was that there were a LOT of secondary characters to keep track of. Maybe, a list of characters could be added to make it easier to follow along as the story unfolds.

Finally, please read the first book in this series to understand more about the characters and fully understand this novel better.