A Traitor in Whitehall: A Mystery

Written by Julia Kelly

Narrated by Marisa Calin

"Calin's versatile characterizations, subtle accents, and comfortable pacing capture this privileged world wherein modern ideas clash with traditional values" —AudioFile on The Last Dance of the Debutante

From Julia Kelly, internationally bestselling author of The Last Dance of the Debutante, comes the first in the mysterious and immersive Evelyne Redfern series, A Traitor in Whitehall.

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

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?

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: Oct 3, 2023
• ISBN: 9781250291608

Julia Kelly

Julia Kelly is the award-winning author of books about ordinary women and their extraordinary stories. In addition to writing, she’s been an Emmy-nominated producer, journalist, marketing professional, and (for one summer) a tea waitress. Julia called Los Angeles, Iowa, and New York City home before settling in London. Readers can visit JuliaKellyWrites.com to learn more about all of her books and sign up for her newsletter so they never miss a new release.

Reviews for A Traitor in Whitehall

[Emily Lassiter Branch · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When I started listening to this book, it had been long enough since I'd read the synopsis that I couldn't remember many of the details that had attracted me to it. As a lover of Foyle's War and other British wartime mysteries (in books as well as on TV), I was happy to get into it and remember that it's a murder mystery. The war effort is, of course, at the center of things in terms of the plot. There's a good bit of history as well, including the early days of the Blitz and how it affected life in London, and a glimpse into what life was like on the homefront for the women who'd become so important to the workforce while so many men were away fighting the war. I enjoyed this one - there are quite a few characters, which can be confusing in an audiobook but the narrator did a good job of giving them different voices. The mystery was interesting, as was the backstory of the main character, Evelyne.
I also didn't realize that it was actually the first in a planned series, but by the end of the book I was very happy about that aspect, because I found the characters appealing and the writing engaging, and will absolutely be on the lookout for book two.
Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing a copy for an unbiased review.