Review - A Traitor in Whitehall

 "Romance, feminism, and historical detail combine in an exciting new series." –Kirkus Reviews

“A cast of opinionated side characters and a wealth of fascinating historical details add to the fun in this engaging, atmospheric series kickoff.” –BookPage

"Kelly spins an Agatha Christie-esque mystery . . . thoroughly delightful and well-researched."―Susan Elia MacNeal    

As you can see, this book got some high praise.  Let's see what all the hub bub is about, shall we?  So grab a cup of tea, sit back, and let’s dive into this book.

Author: Julia Kelly

Copyright: Oct 2023 (Minotaur) 304 pgs

Series: 1st in Evelyne Redfern Mysteries

Sensuality: mild

Mystery Sub-genre: Historical cozy mystery, historical espionage cozy

Main Character: Evelyne "Ellie" Redfern, new secretary in Winston Chuchill's secret underground "War-Room" bunker 

Setting: 1940, London, England

Obtained Through: Library

Book Blurb:  "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.

However, shortly after she settles into her new role as a secretary, one of the girls at work is murdered, and Evelyne must use all of her amateur sleuthing expertise to find the killer. But doing so puts her right in the path of David Poole, a cagey minister’s aide who seems determined to thwart her investigations. That is, until Evelyne finds out David’s real mission is to root out a mole selling government secrets to Britain’s enemies, and the pair begrudgingly team up.

With her quick wit, sharp eyes, and determination, will Evelyne be able to find out who’s been selling England’s secrets and catch a killer, all while battling her growing attraction to David?"

Ellie is immediately relatable—intelligent, independent (living out on her own), and a touch sassy, which I liked.  These qualities serve her well as she navigates the male-dominated world of Whitehall (general name for British Government).  She embodies the spirit of women during the war, stepping up and out of their traditional roles to serve their country.

Ellie ends up sleuthing with David Poole, who is secretive and maybe even... a touch brooding, but definitely has an air of mystery that made me guess whether he was an ally or enemy. Their interactions are filled with a mix of tension and camaraderie.  This was effective and left me flipping pages to see if it was a potential romance or a betrayal.  

The supporting characters provide touches of comic relief and some insightful commentary. From the sharp-witted secretary who offers devastatingly on-point advice, Ellie's room-mate who is the opposite of her, to the elderly war veterans sharing bits of wisdom over cups of tea, added depth to the story.

Set against the backdrop of World War II with seamlessly interwoven fine details of routines and life in the underground barracks, from the bunks for sleeping, sunlamp treatments, and rigorous precautions to keep everything secret.  It is this weaving of true events into the story that is so immersive.  Kelly’s ability to bring 1940s London to life and the, unimaginable for us, palpable tension of wartime as London is being bombed nightly by the Nazis. 

The plot revolves around a clandestine web of spies and traitors lurking in the corridors of the war-rooms. The story follows Ellie as she is thrown into the covert world of espionage in the underground maze of the war room bunker.  Ellie, a mystery novel aficionado, is drawn into this dangerous game since she discovered the murdered girl.  Besides, she was sent to "observe" as well as type and take dictation, so it's part of her job, right? She quickly finds nothing is as it seems, and she doesn't dare trust anybody.  

The pacing moves along steadily with all the secret meetings, coded messages, and whispers of betrayal like a top cat-and-mouse deadly game, or is it spy-vs-spy?  The witty banter one moment and then life-threatening decisions and situations in the next keep the story rocketing along.

The writing deftly handles various emotional and atmospheric tones, which I just love.  Kelly balances humor with suspense, which kept me engaged throughout.

The cherry-on-top is the romantic under currents threaded throughout. The gentle slow burn romance complements the story perfectly.  War doesn't stop attraction and interest!

The killer confrontation is a tense scene with an unexpected resolution, but probable.  I love a more daring-do climatic killer reveal/confrontation, but this was satisfying - so I'm happy.

The wrap-up was perfect and sets up Ellie for continuing in clandestine work.  I'm hoping she will work with the handsome David Poole again in the next novel, which I'm getting right away since I was late getting to this debut novel.

Conclusion:  If you're in the mood for a delightful blend of history, mystery, and the allure of espionage, then this is the perfect book for you.  This is a delicious romp through history with its deftly plotted storyline of intrigue, a cast of characters I loved, and a narrative that handles tension and levity flawlessly. 

Rating:  Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend. 

Here is a video tour of the very same Cabinet War Rooms that are used in the book.  I was very fortunate to take this tour last year when I went to London.  Well worth the tour fee.  But this will make the book more real.