Julia Kelly's second Parisian Orphan mystery, Betrayal at Blackthorn Park, gives newly minted British spy Evelyne Redfern a chance to test her skills in the field, while giving readers a glimpse into the innovations and intrigue involved in winning World War II.
Kelly (A Traitor in Whitehall) sets her narrative in the fall of 1940, just as Evelyne returns to London after completing spy "finishing school" and a test mission. Evelyne is surprised to learn that her first field assignment will involve testing the security measures at Blackthorn Park, the titular manor house requisitioned by the Special Operations Executive (SOE) for the manufacture and testing of explosives. Prime Minister Winston Churchill is scheduled to visit Blackthorn soon for a weapons demonstration.
With her handler, the aggravatingly handsome David Poole, Evelyne leaves London behind for Sussex. Before she can complete her security tests, however, she finds the head of engineering at Blackthorn shot dead in his office. It looks at first glance like a suicide, but Evelyne and David aren't convinced--and as Evelyne and David interview the scientists and other staff at Blackthorn, they uncover a nest of secrets and lies. Class, education, gender, and ambition also play a role, giving multiple people motives for murder and sabotage. As Churchill's visit draws nearer, and other members of staff find themselves in danger, Evelyne must use not only her freshly developed spying skills but her considerable grit and chutzpah to catch the killer.
Tautly plotted, with layered historical detail and plenty of dry wit, Evelyne's second adventure is a satisfying mystery and a slice of (nearly) top-secret wartime history. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams