This is a great second book in the series, and David and Evelyne are really intriguing main characters. This murder mystery/thriller will keep the reader on the edge of their seat. I can't wait for the next one.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Set during WWII, This story sees Evelyne Redfern paired again with David Poole. This time, she is a newly minted spy off on her first assignment and David is to be a first time "handler." The assignment is a simple one, to explore some thefts at a secret munitions factory. Shortly after arriving at Blackthorn Park, Evelyne stumbles upon the director's dead body. staged to look like a suicide, she soons finds that Sir Nigel was murdered. She and David investigate the murder...and a second one. The investigation is slow and methodical and the book rolls out that way too. It is a good story, well-written, with likable characters. The climax is well-written and provides a bit of excitement, but it came so late in the book that I almost didn't get that far.

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical mystery. I loved following the clues with Evelyn and David. The mystery and suspense kept me on the edge of my seat. I had to know whodunnit. I liked learning more about the behind the scenes of world war 2 and how they utilized the estates for making military advancements. I can't wait for the next one in the series.

In the latest Evelyn Redfern mystery, Evelyn once again teams up with fellow spy David Poole. This time, he is to act as her handler, as she is sent to Blackthorn Park to investigate what appears to be shortage of supplies in the making of munitions, as the director of the grand house turned munitions factory has suspicions some may are being sold to the black market and endangering their efforts in winning the war. But on her first night there, as she sneaks in the house to begin her investigations, Evelyn stumbles across a murder.. With Churchill's visit a few days away, she and David team up to solve what is really going on at the facility, and if the remaining workers there are in danger. I've always enjoyed Kelly's historical fiction novels, and this series has both historical and mystery elements, which I really like. A quick read that keeps you guessing as to what's really going on with a somewhat sinister setting Although this is #2 in this series, it can be read as a stand-alone.

Thank you net galley for giving me this opportunity to read this book.
I really enjoyed it as I had read the first book and now can hardly wait for the next book.
It's set in England during WWII. Evelyne has graduated from her rigorous training.
She is partnered up with David as he being her handler.
Evelyne is tasked with finding out who has been behind thefts at Blackthorn Park.
But, not is all it seems. With investigating a death David becomes her partner in solving the case.
I found the story fast paced which kept me reading.
Thank you again net galley.
This is my own opinion of the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of Julia Kelly's 'Betrayal at Blackthorn Park" in exchange for my review.

** This book is part of a series.

Newly graduated field agent Evelyne Redfern has her first assignment, to undertaken reconnaissance of a building being used to develop and test weapons intended for use by the Special Operations branch (WW2). Disappointed that her first official job is to check that their security is up to scratch, Evelyne's evening becomes far more interesting when she hears a gunshot from the building. Abandoning her assignment, Evelyne rushes to investigate and finds the chief engineer dead with a gunshot wound to the head. Her first assignment has officially become a murder inquiry. With the help of her handler, David Poole, she has only a few days to unmask the murderer before Prime Minster Winston Churchill's visit to the facility.

I've been a fan of Julia Kelly for a long time and followed her through her genre changes. This book is a well plotted historical mystery, and I love how she mixes her fiction with real people and the war marginally, but I still like it. The characters are well crafted. However, my one issue is that Evelyne found every single clue. I mean, there was almost no reason for David. I like his character, and it would be nice if it was a little more realistic. You know men can figure stuff out, too. I'm all for strong female characters, but so much in this world is geared to super women all the time.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for providing this eARC, all opinions are my own.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I was thrilled to get my hands on an advanced copy of the sequel to A TRAITOR IN WHITEHALL. Evelyn Redfern and David Poole make a fantastic crime-solving team. In this adventure, they're sent to the countryside to uncover possible thefts at a weapons R&D facility. Is it theft or sabotage? Immediately upon Evelyne's arrival, someone is murdered and the clock is ticking for Evelyne and David to uncover what's going on before a visit from Winston Churchill.

Julia Kelly's writing is so sharp and on point..my only complaint: I finish her books way too quickly!! I look forward to the next installment in this mystery series. Highly recommend.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this book. I enjoyed this WWII murder mystery set a a weapons development research facility. I did not read the first in the series and was able to follow and enjoy this one. It makes me want to find the first book to read and have definitely marked this one as a series to follow. Excellent plot, characters, and enough of a dangling ending to keep readers interested.

A great addition to the Evelyne Redfern series that is filled with mystery, intrigue, and hints of romance. Evelyne and David must use all of their sleuthing skills to investigate a murder which could change the path of the war. A thrilling and engaging read.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Evelyne Redfern is such a wonderful character and I was thrilled to read the latest installment of Julia Kelly's series. Part mystery, part WWII historical fiction, Betrayal at Blackthorn Park follows Evelyne and her newly appointed handler David Poole as they are sent to handle an easy mission that turns into a murder mystery and so much more. There is great chemistry between the two characters and the story is filled with suspense and action that takes place during the London blitz. Highly recommend and I can't wait to read the next installment.

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

Quick and fun read. Heroine is smart (way smarter than me!) and has an amazing memory. The author was very careful to remind us of who characters were and of clues the MC had learned that tied into the story (though I still had trouble keeping track of who everyone was). The mystery was clever. I didn't read the first one but thought this one could stand alone.

My thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC via netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks much to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC! I, for one, loved this book! I thought that it was an interesting look at history while also keeping me entertained throughout the novel. I didn't predict who the murderer was and that's my favorite way to read a book! This book had charm, wit and intrigue. I look forward to reading more in this series!

Betrayal at Blackthorn Park is the second book in the Evelyne Redfern Mystery series by Julia Kelly. (I swore the name of the series was "The Parisian Orphan" on the first go round, but I guess that didn't flow smoothly off the tongue.) I absolutely loved the first book; I adored this one, but the story wasn't as exciting to me, though it was still an excellent mystery. However, the character development was awesome, so this is a series that will definitely be a favorite of mine!

In November 1940, former typist Evelyne Redfern has recently graduated from an intensive training program for spy work. She's eager to use her training to do her part in helping Britain win the war. When she learns her first mission is performing a simple security test at Blackthorn Park, a requisitioned manor house in the Sussex countryside, she can't help but be a bit disappointed; after all that rigorous training, THIS is her new assignment?! She's also not thrilled that her handler will be David Poole, a fellow agent. The aggravating man is a combination of being both straight-laced and dashing all at the same time. Evelyne soon realizes that Blackthorn Park is more than meets the eye, however, and an upcoming visit from Winston Churchill means that security at the secret weapons research and development facility is beyond important. When Evelyne discovers Blackthorn Park’s chief engineer dead in his office, she realizes her seemingly bland assignment has become very complicated. Evelyne and David must use all of their skills to discover who is responsible for the man's death and uncover much that could change the trajectory of the war.

I have come to love historical mystery and thrillers, and I know I will be following this great series until it ends (which I hope doesn't happen for a long, LONG time!). Evelyne Redfern is a heroine you can't help but root for. Her early childhood was heartbreaking. She was in Paris with her parents, and they were having a custody fight over little Evie. Evie loved her mother more than everything, but her mother died, possibly by suicide, and her distant father immediately shipped her off to school, with her Aunt Amelia being the only family member to care for her. Evie had become a typist working for the war office, but after she solved a murder she was sent to spy school. She worked with David Poole on the previous murder, and now he was working as a handler, and his first assignment was Evie. Both were disappointed with their new assignments; Evie wanted to test her skills as a spy, not investigate a possible theft, and David wanted to remain a field agent. One thing Evie didn't like about her new career is that she couldn't tell Moira, her best friend and roommate, where she was sent to or what she was doing. When Sir Nigel, Blackthorn Park’s chief engineer, was found dead at his desk, it first appeared to be a suicide, but it turned out he was murdered. Evie and David kept that detail from the other Blackthorn Park workers, until a new death occurred. The mystery became a rush to find the killer before the visit by Winston Churchill; they couldn't allow the Prime Minister to be put in danger! I thought I figured out the culprit, but I was mistaken. The ending turned out to be very exciting and satisfying. I just adore Evelyne and David. Their first case together was fraught with tension, but they are now more comfortable working together. The suggestion of an attraction between the two is definitely present, and I hope to see a progression in future books. All of the supporting characters were well written, but two stood out: Evie's Aunt Amelia, her only familial contact, and Constable Lee, an eager young man who wanted to assist in catching the murderer to advance his career. I can't wait to see what Evie and David do next to help the Allies win the war.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Betrayal at Blackthorn Park is a delightful cozy mystery and the second in the series featuring Evelyn Redfearn.
Newly trained as a spy, Evelyn is eager to help the cause in the precarious time of 1940 England as it is bombarded by German bombs. She falls into a mystery involving the clandestine manufacture of powerful bombs, and uses her intuition and dogged investigative skills to find the culprit who is tampering with the process. Meanwhile, her current boyfriend, David Poole, is suddenly assigned as her handler, complicating their relationship.
Evie is a likable protagonist—she is plucky, smart, and determined in spite of the challenges she faces to gain respect as a female spy in WWII London. When she and David work together as partners in crime-solving, they exhibit a “Nick and Nora” vibe.
Kelly is a good storyteller—the prose flows nicely and keeps the reader engaged in the plot. The conclusion leaves a large hanging clue—just begging for a sequel—and I can’t wait to read it!!

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

Courtesy of Minotaur Books/St.Martin's Publishers and Netgalley, I received the ARC of Betrayal at Blackthorn Park by Julia Kelly. Second in a WWII series about Evelyne Redfern and David Poole, no longer amateur sleuths, having trained with the Special Investigative Unit of the SOE, this mystery novel finds them assigned to a weapons development and testing facility to look into reports of theft. The case progresses to a death to be investigated, with a looming deadline of a visit by Churchill. Interspersed with authors and titles of mystery books, this well written novel has compelling characters and a great storyline. Highly recommend!

This is the second mystery in the Parisian Orphan series. The series is told in first person by Evelyne Redfern, known as “The Parisian Orphan” by many due to the media coverage of her parent’s infamous divorce and the aftermath. The audiobook is narrated by Marisa Calin and she gives a lovely voice to Evelyne’s latest adventure. While the mysteries are self-contained, I recommend that you read A Traitor in Whitehall for character background especially as it pertains to Evelyne’s background, friends and professional situation. The series takes place during World War II and I find the lighter fair (if you can consider a murder mystery lighter) to be a refreshing take on the time period.

This story finds Evelyne at the end of her espionage training as she is given her first assignment to test the security at Blackthorn Park, a manor house in Sussex requisitioned to be used as a facility for the manufacture of clandestine weapons. Evelyne is joined in this assignment by David Poole on his first operation as a handler and both are juggling their feelings about this latest assignment and what it may mean for their careers. Evelyne quickly stumbles into a murder and must assess whether the victim was killed due to personal or professional reasons and how those reasons might contribute to her investigation.

I find Evelyne to be quite a savvy and interesting character. As her partner in the investigation, I find David a worthy colleague that sparks my curiosity to know more about him. There were quite a few suspects to choose from at Blackthorn manor with simple, contentious and amorous relationships all over the place. I enjoyed watching the plot unfold and trying to figure out the culprit or culprits. I’ll definitely follow along on Evelyne and Mr. Poole’s next adventure.

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Minotaur Books for a copy provided for an honest review.

Is is great to get another mystery involving Evelyne and David, newly minted spies for Britain.

Evelyne is initially disappointed in her first assignment, and wary of having the attractive David Poole as her "handler". The assignment immediately becomes more complicated when Evelyne walks in on a recently murdered corpse, and needs to use her skills, and commanding presence to figure out whodunnit.

This is a fun series with an interesting historical setting and a strong dash of romance and I can't wait to read more.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC: A well written historical novel and mystery. It's the second book in a series, but stands alone. The characters are well developed. The author has a dry sense of humor. Recommended.

This is the second book in the 'Parisian Orphan' series, but it stands well on its own. It's an exciting mystery set in England during WWII, filled with intrigue, witty banter, and satisfying twists. There's a hint of romance between the main lead characters, but it feels natural to the story, and doesn't overwhelm the plot.

I enjoyed this book, as well as the first one, and look forward to reading more.