My thoughts:
I very much enjoyed reacquainting myself with David and Evelyne in this second in the series. The two are once again involved in espionage, murder and the war that is ongoing.
Evelyne has been away for training and is ready for her first mission. It seems simple enough and, in fact, Evelyne wishes that more was being asked of her. It is supposed to be a task with a mere one night away. She is to check out Blackthorn Park prior to Chuchill’s visit to the facility.
Of course, the job did not turn out to be simple. A murder occurs. Is it political? Personal? Does it have to do with the work that is being done at Blackthorn Park? David and Evelyne will have to sort this out.
At the same time, readers will witness Evelyne and David’s relationship. Those who read the first book will be curious to see how this goes. New readers may well be curious too.
In addition to the overall good plot, I enjoyed the settings with their sense of wartime England. I also liked the many additional characters including Evelyne’s actress friend at her boarding house.
I recommend this one to those who enjoy mysteries set during WWII. This is a traditional story that many mystery readers should love.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 01 October 2024
From the publisher:
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.
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.
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Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 