A compelling follow-up to the first mystery featuring Evelyne Redfern, one that in my opinion, surpasses the first in both depth and intrigue. Known for her atmospheric wartime settings, Julia Kelly excels at writing atmospheric reads set in the English countryside during the war. Betrayal at Blackthorn Park is a mystery that is both engaging and sinister.

Evelyne, freshly returned from training, is called upon to investigate a series of thefts from a manor house. However, when she arrives, far more sinister events are occurring than theft. The story has a nice balance between suspense and character development, with Evelyne standing out as a strong protagonist. She holds her own against domineering figures and she is very resilient.

While the pacing is generally well-executed, there are a few places where the story meanders, but these don’t detract too much from the enjoyment. Although not a "cozy mystery" per se, this is the kind of book you can curl up with by the fire and enjoy. All in all, it’s worth a read.

Thank you to St Martin’s Press for the ARC.

I enjoy the idea of this new series of mysteries during WWII featuring a young woman, Evie, who has been selected to be a Special Investigative Officer, and David, a more experienced officer who starts out as her handler and becomes her investigating partner. A routine assignment at an English country home that is housing a secret weapons manufacturing operation turns into a murder mystery. Evie and David investigate together and share the interrogation duties.

I enjoyed following along with this historical mystery and seeing the growing relationship between the two of them. The wartime setting adds an additional intriguing aspect. But at heart, it’s really a classical mystery of the sort that Evelyne purports to adore. The detectives keep interviewing the suspects and put together the bits of information until there is an Aha! moment When Evie figures it out. If you know how such mysteries work, you’ll probably be able to figure out who is guilty, even if we don’t know the motive.

I’m looking forward to the next entry in this series.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

I absolutely loved Betrayal at Blackthorn Park. After reading the first book in the series, A Traitor in Whitehall, I couldn't wait to experience another adventure with Evelyne and David. I would highly recommend reading these books in order. Though you could read this book as a stand-alone, you won't know the characters' backgrounds, and it adds to the enjoyment when you do.

Evelyne is tasked with her first assignment as a trained field agent, and David is assigned his first job as a handler...Evelyne's handler. He's not thrilled with not being in the field, but you don't argue with the boss. It's supposed to be a simple assignment, but, of course, nothing can be simple in a mystery! Instead of getting in and out of Blackthorn Park with the information she's supposed to find, Evelyne finds a dead body. Not that this is a good thing, but David gets to be out in the field again which makes him much happier. What was supposed to be a one day assignment turns into several days worth of investigating and finally solving the crime.

David and Evelyne are such great characters. I feel as if I know them personally, but since the story is set in WWII, I don't....oh, and the fact that they're fictional doesn't help. Oh well. I adore them. They work well together and can match wits easily. The charming English village setting as well as the large Blackthorn Park "complex" give the novel both a cozy feel and a spy novel feel. It was fun guessing whodunit, and I did figure it out before the reveal.

I highly recommend this historical mystery for its well-written characters, charming setting, humor, and heart. I give it 5 stars, and I cannot wait to see what Evelyne and David are tasked with next!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

I gave feedback on the audio version of this novel, as follows:
I was pleased to have an opportunity to listen to the audio version of the second entry in the Evelyn Redfern Series. We are still in the early stages of WWII. Still in Great Britain. Thanks to her amateur work solving a murder when she worked as a top secret typist, she was plucked from the secretarial pool and trained up to be an investigator/spy working on the war effort. We leave London and her boarding house for Blackthorn Park, formerly a great estate and now converted to a research and manufacturing facility for cutting edge weaponry. What starts out as an overnight field assignment to check out theft allegations morphs into a death on the premises. Evie's handler, quite handily, is David Poole, who reluctantly paired up with her in A Traitor at Whitehall when she proved to be insightful and useful. There's still a spark there but they are all business. Davit and Evie end up onsite together sussing out the nature and implications of the death and later suspicious incidents. This is a well-plotted mystery with enjoyable characters and historical story. I that Evie still lives in a boarding house in London. The audio was odd. I think maybe it was produced at too high a speed. I will admit that I want to connect more with Evie and whatever is her inner self. David too. But I expect to stick with this series so this is apparently minor to me.

As to the epilogue, Evie's backstory, to date, has not been front and center. Evie and her French mother ended up in the tabloids when she was a child because her father very publicly and with a great deal of shaming tried his custody case in public, fighting for Evie right up to the time her mother died. Her father, Reginald, promptly ditches her with her aunt, sends her off to boarding school and ignores her. But..... just when we wonder why we keep hearing about her poor little rich girl childhood it seems that Daddy has communicated in a quiet mysterious way. I will definitely tune in.

Thank you for the free book Minotaur Books @minotaur_books , Netgalley @netgalley , and Julia Kelly @juliakellywrites
“Betrayal at Blackthorn Park” (Evelyne Redfern #2) by Julia Kelly ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Historical Mystery. Location: London and Benstead, England. Time: November, 1940.

THE SERIES: As a child, dark-haired Evelyne (Evie) Redfern was known as “The Parisian Orphan”. By 1940, she’s a war room typist for Prime Minister Winston Churchill, happily living at Mrs. Jenkins’ Bina Gardens boarding house with best friend/aspiring actress Moira. Evie’s investigation of a work colleague’s killer draws minister’s aide David Poole’s attention. Now she works as a Special Investigations Unit (SIU) spy, helping Britain win the war. A spy’s life can be lonely.

THIS BOOK: Returning from 6 weeks rigorous spy training in Yorkshire, Evie is eager for her 1st field assignment. Her task is to test security at Blackthorn Park in Benstead, a top-secret research facility located in a requisitioned manor house in the Sussex countryside. Her handler is strait-laced, dashing David Poole. Blackthorn Park is hosting a visit from Winston Churchill, and that means high security at the secret weapons facility. Evie finds Blackthorn Park’s chief engineer dead in his office. She must use all of her (and David’s) skills to uncover deceptions that could change the course of the war. There are “too many loose ends and not enough leads”.

Author Kelly has written a book full of historical detail, mystery, intrigue, and a tiny hint of romance. She includes red herrings galore, complicated staff relationships, intrigue, and local color. There are lots of characters and a complex manor house to navigate. I wish there was a map of the Blackthorn Place grounds, and a list of characters. TIP: If you want to read more historical mysteries, avid reader Evie mentions a number of them. As she says: “There is nothing like a new book to make everything right.” In the meantime, read this-it’s interesting, action-packed, keeps your attention, and it’s 4 stars from me🌵📚💁🏼‍♀️🎀 #juliakellyauthor #betrayalatblackthornbook#EvelynRedfern

Although this book had an interesting premise and a tone of intrigue, it unfortunately did not hold my interest for long periods of time.

Evelyne is a new field agent that discovers Blackthorn Park's chief operating officer dead in his office, it makes her job of doing a security test a lot more interesting. Her handler is described as dashing, but quite serious. To say there was a hint of romance is being gracious as there is nothing I would really consider romantic in the book. The author does a good job of tying things together, but it was kind of flat for me as a reader.

Evelyne Redfern is ready for her first assignment, not she has graduated from spy training. She is sent to Blackthorn Park (along with David Poole!), where top secret weapons are designed…and Churchill is scheduled to visit. The worry is there has been a couple deaths (murder?) at the park.

I loved the first book of this series and was so excited to see book #2!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for an advanced copy. Loving Evelyne Redfern. #BetrayalatBlackthornPark #NetGalley

Thank you to Minotaur Books for the advanced reader copy and to Macmillan Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

This is the second book in the Parisian Orphan series, featuring Evelyne Redfern. The mystery stands alone, but I loved reading the books in order. The first establishes how Evelyne starts working as a field agent during the war.

At first, I thought this book would be much slower with a fairly mild case. Indeed, that was Evelyne's expectation when she was sent on a quick trip to the countryside to check out reports of missing supplies. But I rapidly became caught up in the story.

This is a fun whodunnit with a brand new cast of characters. Evelyne works with her handler David to solve the case in time to protect Winston Churchill. It's a race against the clock with chapters beginning with a countdown of how many days until he arrives.

I loved getting to meet Evelyne's aunt, who we heard a great deal about in the previous story. And I enjoyed seeing Evelyne's evolution into a skilled detective. Plus, I always enjoy a heroine who enjoys reading mysteries.

Evelyne says "there is nothing like a new book to make everything right." I quite agree. I thoroughly enjoyed this and can't wait for more.

This is the second book in this series. It’s a well written detective procedural mystery. I was happy to see Evelyne and David working together to solve two murders. I’m already anxiously waiting for the next one.

I wanted to like this book much more than I did, having raved about the first one. I found the mystery to be well-crafted and intriguing, but I don't feel that the story between David and Evelyne advanced enough. The ending sets it up for a continuation of the series, and I plan to continue on but I expect more next time.
If you're a serial series finisher, then I would recommend this.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC!

What was meant to be a simple reconnaissance trip for newly minted SOE agent Evelyne turns into a murder investigation when she hears the shot that kills Sir Nigel, the brilliant man behind the unique weapons being developed at Blackthorn Park. While this is the second in the series it will be just fine as a standalone- in part because Evelyne's complicated background is irrelevant to the story. And it's a complicated one with perhaps too many suspects in the mix. David, her partner in her first foray into the world of keeping the war effort safe, is now to be her handler but that doesn't last long because the two of them work best when they put their heads together. Good atmospherics and characters make this one. It would be a spoiler to explain my quibble-an element of the murder that goes unexplored and unexploited. This ends on a cliff hanger of sorts which makes me all the more eager for the next one. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A very good historical mystery.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley, for the free copy for review.

In Julia Kelly's gripping historical thriller, we're thrust into the clandestine world of wartime Britain, where secrets lurk in every shadow and trust is a rare commodity. At the heart of this intricate web stands Evie, a novice spy with something to prove and everything to lose.

What begins as a seemingly routine assignment for Evie quickly descends into a maelstrom of intrigue when an engineer is found murdered at Blackthorn Park. With her enigmatic handler, David, Evie finds herself in a pulse-pounding race against time. Their mission: unmask the killer before the Prime Minister's arrival throws their covert operation into chaos.

Kelly masterfully intertwines historical events with fiction, painting a vivid picture of Winston Churchill's Britain grappling with the development of weaponry. This blend of fact and fantasy adds a layer of authenticity that immerses readers in the tense atmosphere of a nation at war.

Evie emerges as a formidable protagonist, her fearlessness and unwavering determination shining through despite mounting danger. Her astute observations and relentless pursuit of the truth showcase her commitment to the mission and her deep-seated desire to understand the killer's motivations.

The author's skillful placement of red herrings keeps readers on their toes, making the unraveling of the mystery a thrilling journey. By aligning our perspective closely with Evie's, Kelly creates an unpredictable narrative that defies easy prediction.

Betrayal at Blackthorn Park stands out as a compelling blend of historical accuracy and heart-pounding mystery. Julia Kelly has crafted a tale that will keep readers guessing until the very last page, offering a glimpse into the shadowy world of wartime espionage through the eyes of an unforgettable heroine. For fans of historical fiction and mysteries alike, this book promises an exhilarating ride through the treacherous landscape of secrets, lies, and unexpected betrayals.

This is the second book in the Evelyne Redfern series (the first was A Traitor in Whitehall). I really enjoyed the first book, so I was thrilled to get an early copy of the second!

This is a fast-paced mystery set in Britain during WWII. I liked that the plot was not overly complicated, but still had me guessing until the end. There's nothing particularly earth-shattering or unique in this book, but it's a fun story and I like the author's writing style.

You can definitely feel a romance brewing between Evelyne and her partner David, but I like that it's still in the background of the book and not taking over the story or affecting the characters' actions just yet.

I'm also intrigued by Evelyne's friend Moira and hope to learn a little bit more about her in future books. I'll be anxiously awaiting the next installment!

Thank you @netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

With mystery, intrigue, and the hints of romance international bestselling author Julia Kelly is known for, Evelyne Redfern returns in Betrayal at Blackthorn Park.

Thank you Minotaur Books & Macmillan Audio for both of my ARCs of this book! I enjoyed reading this book. I haven’t read the first book in this series but this reads perfectly as a standalone book. I don’t feel like you have to read the first book in order to read this.

Thank you to @netgally, @stmartinspress and @juliakellywrites for the gifted e-book. Thank you to @macmillan.audio #MacAudio2024 for the gifted audiobook.

This is the second book in the Parisian Orphan series. We follow Evelyne Redfern as she embarks on her first mission after returning from field agent training. Teaming up with her former partner David Poole, they find themselves entangled in a murder investigation during what was supposed to be a routine security check.

The author's storytelling is so gripping, and the way the characters and the plot unfold kept me on the edge of my seat. The hint of a budding romance between Evelyne and David adds a thrilling layer to the narrative, and the unexpected twist at the end left me craving for more.

I listened to the audiobook while I simultaneously read the book. Marisa Calin's narration was absolutely superb. Her performance added depth and personality to the characters, making the experience even more immersive.

If you're a fan of historical fiction with a mystery, mark your calendars for October 1st, because this book is a must-read! Trust me, you don't want to miss out on this thrilling adventure.

This second book in a series about Evelyn Redfern follows Evelyn and her partner David as they investigate a murder at Blackthorn Park.

Evelyn’s spunk, tenacity, and fearlessness are back, as she dives in to the investigation with zero qualms. One of my favorite things about this series is our incredible heroine, who feels outspoken and independent for the period of time she lives in. The characters in Kelly’s books are well-written, fully fleshed out characters, and they are intriguing to read about.

The mystery is also well written, with plenty of twists and red herrings along the way. It is cleverly plotted and wraps up neatly.

Thank you to Minotaur for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

BETRAYAL AT BLACKTHORN PARK

EVELYN Redfern has returned from her undercover agent training to investigate the murder of a scientist at Blackthorn Park, which is a secret location for developing new weapons for the British war effort. She is again working with the charming David Poole, who finally is accepting her as his equal. Together, they must uncover a nefarious plot to sabotage the new weaponry, which includes murder. This is a worthy sequel to TRAITOR IN WHITEHALL. I eagerly await the next addition to the delightful series.

I am really enjoying this series by Julia Kelly! Evelyne Redfern is the heroine I didn't know I needed. As a World War II spy, she's doing her part for the British government all while trying to maintain friendships and a "normal" life. This book is a quirky, intriguing mystery centered around beliefs of a thief at work at Blackthorn Park, a secret government research site. What was intended to be a quick trip turns into a bit of a longer journey when people start dying. Evelyne works with her previous partner, David, with the aim of solving the mystery... and (spoiler) they do! There were great twists and turns in this book. As always with Julia Kelly, the writing is excellent and the research into the time period is exceptional. I was invested in every page of this book, and was so happy to read the ending and realize the door is open for another installment in this series.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Betrayal at Blackhorn Park by Julia Kelly is another fascinating historical fiction novel by one of my favorite authors. I adore the author's writing style and intelligently weaved stories. Historical fiction is my favorite genre and I loved this novel!

** “It’s terrible the things we do to one another. Simply terrible.” **

Julia Kelly continues her Evelyne Redfern series immediately following the first installation in “Betrayal at Blackthorn Park.”

Evelyne has now completed her Special Operations Executive’s training, where she was schooled in skills like surveillance, weapons training, explosives and combat, to help England continue its efforts in World War II. She is sent on her first mission, to figure out who has been stealing materials at the secretive Blackthorn Park, a place where munitions are being made. Her handler is David Poole, her former partner, who is disappointed to have to stay behind and work behind the scenes.

But when an unexpected death occurs while she’s investigating Blackthorn, David joins her to figure out what’s truly happening.

What follows is a fun yet suspenseful mystery filled with twists and turns and misdirections, keeping the reader guessing the who and why until the very end. Kelly creates intriguing characters, as well as a great plot that reminds us of the power of greed; to never give up; and to believe in one’s self.

Fans of books like T.A. Willberg’s “Marion Lane” series, and authors like Rachel McMillan, Kate Quinn and J’nell Ciesielski will love “Betrayal at Blackthorn Park,” which is due out Oct. 1.

Five stars out of five.

Minotaur Books provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.