After reading "A Traitor in Whitehall", I was so excited to start "Betrayal at Blackthorn Park". Don't get me wrong- it was a solid mystery, with vivid descriptions of people and places, and more than enough potential villains to keep me guessing until the end- but I didn't think it was as enjoyable as "A Traitor in Whitehall". I think what I was missing was the sense of camaraderie between Evelyne and her female friends and housemates. We get glimpses of them throughout the book, but for me personally, not enough to be satisfying. A solid sequel that unfortunately didn't (for me) live up to the original.

This newest novel from Julia Kelly had her trademark authentic historical feel that sweeps you off your feet and back into 1940's wartime England, where loose lips sink ships and spies could be just around the corner. I loved the mystery, the dialogue, the love interest, and the main character (who does a great job at solving her first murder!). I highly recommend this book to any looking for their next WWII fix, and I think they will be very pleased.

Betrayal at Blackthorn Park
by Julia Kelly
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
This second in a series is bang down my alley! I loved it. I adore Julia's evocative prose, fine character development, and tales you fall into headlong, and that the series takes place during such a critical time in WWII England hits my sweet spot. I loved reading more of the gripping adventures of Brit spy Evelyne and her partner David, and it eased the pain in my heart caused by the recent end to my two favorite historical fiction series, Maggie Hope and Maisie Dobbs.
With mystery, intrigue, and the hints of romance international bestselling author Julia Kelly is known for, Evelyne Redfern returns in Betrayal at Blackthorn Park.

Freshly graduated from a rigorous training program in all things spy craft, 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 performing a simple security test at Blackthorn Park, a requisitioned manor house in the sleepy Sussex countryside, she can’t help her initial disappointment. Making matters worse, her handler is to be David Poole, a fellow agent who manages to be 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 weapons research and development facility is of the utmost importance.

Calling all fans of Maggie Hope and Maisie Dobbs! I adore Julia Kelly’s new historical mystery series. A Traitor in Whitehall introduced a plucky and smart amateur sleuth/crime fiction enthusiast named Evelyne Redfern in a brilliantly plotted and paced, obviously well researched, and otherwise well crafted mystery in which the “locked room” setting is the Churchill War Rooms and the reader is utterly transported to World War II London.

The second book in the series, Betrayal at Blackthorn Park, does not disappoint. This time around, the setting is the English countryside, specifically bucolic Blackthorn Park in Sussex, and the sense of place is again vividly drawn. World War II is still raging. But Evelyne has received formal spy training since her last bout of sleuthing in London and is eager to prove her worth to the war effort. Paired again with (slow burn romantic interest?) David, Evelyne seeks to ferret out another murderer, and this intriguing tale is likewise well researched and engaging. For me, the underlying criminal motives proved not quite as compelling as in the first book of the series, and I missed some of the more colorful characters left in London, but I loved the book regardless, and am already eagerly awaiting the next in the series!. I’ve not been so excited about a new mystery series since I discovered Susan Elia MacNeal’s Maggie Hope tales a decade or so ago.

Highly recommended to fans of Susan Elia MacNeal’s Maggie Hope series, Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs stories, and tales of other intelligent and independent woman sleuths, including Tasha Alexander’s Lady Emily novels, Anna Lee Huber’s Lady Darby books and Rhys Bowen’s Royal Spyness and Molly Murphy series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the privilege of a complimentary ARC. Opinions are my own.

The second book in Julia Kelly's Evelyne Redfern series is so bang down my alley! I adore Julia's evocative prose, fine character development, and tales you fall into headlong, and that the series takes place during such a critical time in WWII England hits my sweet spot. I loved reading more of the gripping adventures of Brit spy Evelyne and her partner David, and it eased the pain in my heart caused by the recent end to my two fav histfic series, Maggie Hope and Maisie Dobbs. Keep calm and spy on, Evelyne and David, and brava, Julia!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin Press for a copy of Betray at Blackthorn Park. I am an avid reader of Julia Kelly's novels and was excited about this advanced copy. I enjoyed the delightful and intelligent characters portrayed by Ms. Kelly, however, the storyline fell a little short for me. Looking forward to other books by one of my favorite authors!

Betrayal at Blackthorn Park by Julia Kelly os a wonderful historical mystery that is the second book in the delightful Parisian Orphan series.

I really have enjoyed every novel by Ms. Kelly I have read thus far (this is my fifth) and I really, really liked its predecessor A Traitor in Whitehall last year, so I knew I had to read this one, too.

I had a void that was left when the Maggie Hope and Maisie Dobbs series completed this year, so I am so glad I found this series.

I really liked the character cast, especially Evelyn and David. I think the dialogue, development, and interactions really set this series apart from its counterparts. There was a nice mystery with a few twists that also kept my interest, but it was the characters, that sold me from book one onwards.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 10/1/24.

She is back! Newly trained operative, Evelyne Redfern, is sent to investigate reported theft at a secret weapons development country manor house. David Poole is back but as her handler this time. He ends up in the field with her when the theft turns into murder. Evelyne and David have to use all of their investigative skills to peel back the layers of subterfuge to figure out what really was going on at Blackthorn Park.
Historical fiction and mystery are my two favorite genres and when they are blended together, I love it! I was excited to read this next adventure for Evelyne after reading the first book in the series, A Traitor in Whitehall. Evelyne is such a strong and intelligent woman that was not satisfied with being just a secretary or other typical female job at the time. She is cunning and fearless and wants to do her part for the war effort. I like that David doesn't treat her as helpless or incapable but more as a partner, which she is. The author lets you know in the Acknowledgments that the story is entirely fictional, but you know she did the research about what it would be like to live in the country outside of London at the time and what types of creative weaponry could be developed to defeat the enemy.
If you are looking for an entertaining story with amazing characters, check this one out!!

#BetrayalatBlackthornPark #NetGalley
Thank you St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Kelly has some of the best historical cozy fiction around. Redfern and Poole are on the case again as they have stumbled upon another murder during what was supposed to be a simple security investigation. Secrets are hidden everywhere at Blackthorn Park, and my interest was piqued as Redfern and Poole worked to uncover them all in time for the Prime Minister's visit to the testing site. I couldn't put this book down as it seemed a new secret and new information was uncovered at the turn of every page. And one of the best parts is that Kelly was able to throw several twists into the story that left my jaw on the floor. What an incredible series, and I'm ready for more!

Julia Kelly has done it again!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I very much enjoyed Julia Kelly's first novel of this series, and the follow-up didn't disappoint. The writing is smooth, the mystery genuinely kept me guessing, and information was doled out at a steady pace.

If I have a complaint, it's that the characters - particularly David - felt a bit flat in this volume compared to their more dynamic portrayal in the first of the series. I also would like to feel more the of the tension between the main two - Evelyne and David. There is a comfort there but their interactions felt a bit more flat this time around.

That said, this was a well-written sequel, and I'm looking forward to seeing where the series goes next.

I highly recommend this for anyone interested in historical mystery.

4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.

As with the other novels by Julia Kelly I’ve read (including the first in this series), this was an absorbing book of historical fiction. Evelyne is an engaging protagonist who is in the vein of Maisie Dobbs, Electra McDonnell, and Maggie Hope. This is a fast-paced mystery, and I look forward to more in the series.

This is the second book in the Evelyne Redfern stories (after A Traitor in Whitehall, which I also read and enjoyed) and it definitely reads like part of a series, not a stand alone. I would have had a lot of questions and missing background information if I hadn't read the first book, although you would still be able to enjoy the mystery. But there are a lot of references to past events, especially between Evelyne and David (who is supposed to be her handler, but ends up being more like her colleague). It's a great World War II read that seems to be historically accurate (at least as far as I can tell). It also feels believable for the time which sometimes is a stretch for historical fiction.

I enjoyed learning more about and revisiting some of the characters from the first book and the mystery was compelling as well. There was a satisfying twist before the solution was revealed and it was well done!

I was so excited to be accepted for this book!! I loved the first book and loved Evelyne as a character and sleuth. No that she is an agent her character just gets better and better! I devoured this book just like the first one, and truth be told, many of this author’s other books. I cannot wait to get it in print!! And I cannot wait to see what adventure we get into with the next book!

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley

I was so excited to be given an ARC of this book! I really enjoyed the first one and this one did not disappoint either. Freshly graduated from SOE training, Evelyne is back and her first mission is to complete a security check at Blackthorn Park. However, her simple job does not go as planned and she is soon investigating a murder with her handler, David. They quickly realize there is a lot more going on at Blackthorn than they initially realized and they must hurry to solve the murder before it leads to damage to the war effort. The mystery has many turns and twists to keep the reader guessing. We also get to see how Evelyne is managing to keep her work life separate (and secret) from her personal life.
*4.5 stars*

Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC of this novel.

While I enjoyed the banter and the relationship between the two main characters, I didn't enjoy this title as much as the first one in the series. The conversations about the murders grew a bit repetitive.

Betrayal at Blackthorne Park by Julia Kelly is the second entry in the series and we see the return of WWII Special Agents Evelyne Redfern and David Poole with a mystery that quickly turns into murder. The first book was set in the Cabinet War Rooms in London at Whitehall and in this setting they are investigating suspicious reports from a secret weapons development center outside of London.
Their investigation has great urgency because the Prime Minister, Mr. Churchill, is due to visit and will expect a demonstration of the new weapons being developed. The mystery is compelling and the characters are very likeable and engaging. I really enjoyed the two main characters bantering with each other. I enjoyed this book and will highly recommend it. I really appreciated the Author's Acknowledgments explaining how she created this story and these fun characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I jumped at the chance to read this novel, having enjoyed the plot of the first book in the series. I enjoyed much of this book as well: the fascinating characters (both new and returning), intriguing mystery, rich setting, literary allusions, and snappy dialogue. Julia Kelly does good research and has a great writing style, including the dynamic between David Poole and Evelyne Redfern.

However, I had the same qualms with this book that I had with the last. Evelyne has to know better than everyone, especially men, with the exception of Mr. Fletcher and occasionally David. It's not "pompous" for a man at a secure facility to be suspicious of a trespasser, and it seems strange for Evelyne to know better than a constable just because she reads mystery novels and trained with the SOE for 6 weeks (not in solving murders). Additionally, a lot of the plot points and reveals were the same as the first novel.

Overall, I still enjoyed the book and recommend it to others who enjoy historical mysteries. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC! I will publish this review to Goodreads and Amazon closer to the book's publication date.

If you're a fan of historical fiction; intrigue; and strong, smart, stubborn women, this novel is for you.

Evelyne Redfern is back for her first official SOE mission with the enigmatic David Poole as her handler. Fortunately for readers, what is supposed to be a straightforward fact-finding operation quickly turns into a more complex murder investigation, one that has wide-reaching consequences for Britain's war efforts. As Evelyne and David interview witnesses and comb Blackthorn Park for clues, it becomes apparent that more than one employee at the secret facility has something to hide.

Kelly does a masterful job of crafting believable twists and turns while also doing her best to draw developed, well-rounded characters. On her own, Evelyne appeals to almost any reader with the story of her complex childhood, her struggle to hide her new life from her close friends, and her determination not to be underestimated. Her chemistry with Poole is undeniable, but it never feels like their budding camaraderie and potential romantic relationship take over her story.

I can't wait for book three!

Betrayal at Blackthorne Park presents WWII SIU agents Evelyne Redfern and David Poole with another mystery that quickly spirals into murder. Julia Kelly’s tightly woven tale will keep readers guessing not only about who but also why. Their investigation has great urgency because the Prime Minister, Mr. Churchill is due to visit shortly and be given a demonstration of new weapons being developed onsite. This reviewer loved meeting Evelyne and David in “A Traitor in Whitehall,” and was excited to see Ms. Kelly continuing their story. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

A good historical mystery that continues the escapades of Evelyne Redfern, newly minted British field agent sent on an “easy” first mission to a Sussex manor house where secret weapons research is underway. This is book two of Kelly’s new series launched with A Traitor in Whitehall.

In truth, I prefer Kelly’s straight historical fiction as they feature more human stories of the day, but this series has everything you could reasonably want from a historical cozy — dead bodies, genuine historical characters, some decent research of the time, and a set of clues that lead to the “bad guy.” It was easy and entertaining to read but not more much than that.