Happy Holidays and A Traitor in Whitehall

Aren't the holidays coming up so fast? Everyone feels that this year but we all decided it is because Thanksgiving is at the end of the month and then Christmas is the middle of the week. Zooming by.

Did want to share (finally) what the Mystery Book Club read recently:

A Traitor in Whitehall (Evelyne Redfern #1) by Julia Kelly, for our Novemeber book.

About: "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?"

Historical fictions especially WWII books seem so popular these days. There are several fans in our book club so I chose this book with them in mind. I was so surprised and relieved that everyone loved this book, even saying this was the best book they read this year! Seldom does everyone like the book of the month.

What did they like about it? The liked the main character Evelyne. They liked reading about how the women that were working as secretaries in the "war room" lived and their duties. Churchill made some cameo appearances. They liked the puzzle of the mystery.

Me: I liked all of the above and the humor between Evelyne and David. There are also several references to detective novels and authors that you will recognize, Evelyne is a big reader. We all liked the discussions about codes and lists that they used. (without saying too much). I liked the ending, leading into the next book.

The second book in this series Betrayal at Blackthorn Park came out October 1, 2024. 

Here is the link for Julia Kelly.

https://www.juliakellywrites.com/

Enjoy! 

Someone Else's Home by Janet Pywell

Hi all. Just wanted to stop in quick and say happy November. The holiday season begins!

I just finished Someone Else's Home by Janet Pywell. This is book four in the Westbay Romance series. I have read several mysteries written by this author and liked them. So when she offered me the books in this series as ARC's I wanted to read them.

Someone Else's Home

About: "There’s a buzz of excitement when Carmen arrives in Westbay to open a soft furnishing interiors shop.

Once a top model, Carmen is married to Jack Bailey, a footballer, whose previous sporting career as a striker for England has turned him into a celebrity. Their two children are embarking on their own lives but there are secrets.

The family is in debt and about to lose their house.

Carmen is desperate to protect her family as much as herself, but she has to fight to win over local businesses in the town. As she comes to grips with conflicts and challenges in her life, she must consider her future and the changes that face them all.

Will they all be able to come together as a family when it counts? And, will Carmen find the home that they all so desperately crave?

A heart-warming, uplifting, feel-good novel about determination, ambition and honesty that comes together at Christmas..."

Someone Else's Home is a heartwarming story of a family, each at a crossroads in their life, trying to figure out where they fit in as an individual and as part of the family. Carmen was a high fashion model, who gave up her career to get married and have a family. Her children are grown and her husband is on his own journey. She makes a major life change. Jack, her husband, was a famous football (soccer) player. An injury ended his career. He is trying to find a new career. Elena is the daughter who is engaged to be married and has a glamorous job as a stewardess, traveling all over the world. But is this what she really wants? Luis is the their son who is soon to go away to college and is finding their way as a person who identifies as non binary. Luis struggles trying to fit in in the small village Carmen has chosen to start over in, public opinions of them and whether to go to college. This is a story of the family struggling with their decisions on their own and whether the family unit can survive the changes each is making.

Wonderful story. I couldn't put it down. I would say the books are not so much about "romance" as in romantic love. They are all more about individuals and families falling in love with Westbay and what it has to offer, then bringing families together. 

If you have read the other books in the Westbay Romance Series, you will find characters from those books here also.

Currently reading: A Traitor in Whitehall by Julia Kelly.