Death in a Blackout

Billie Harkness, Book 1

By: Jessica Ellicott

Narrated by: Elizabeth Sastre

1940. Britain is at war. Rector’s daughter Wilhelmina Harkness longs to do her duty for her country, but when her strict mother forbids her to enlist, their bitter argument has devasting consequences.

Unable to stay in the village she loves, Wilhelmina—reinventing herself as Billie—spends everything she has on a one-way ticket up north. Hull is a distant, dangerous city, but Billie is determined to leave her painful memories behind and start afresh, whatever the cost.

The last thing she expects on her first night in Hull, however, is to be caught in the city’s first air raid—or to stumble across the body of a young woman, suspiciously untouched by debris.

If the air raid didn’t kill the glamorous stranger, what did? Billie is determined to get justice, and her persistence earns her an invitation to the newly formed Women’s Police Constabulary. But as the case unfolds, putting her at odds with both high-ranking members of the force as well as the victim’s powerful family, Billie begins to wonder if she can trust her new friends and colleagues … or if someone amongst them is working for the enemy.

©2022 Jessica Ellicott (P)2022 Recorded Books

Great Start!

Thoroughly enjoyed Death in a Blackout and looking forward to book two. Great historical storyline and very pleasant narration.

Ellicott Excellence

Story is well researched and well written. I remember hearing my mother talk about her experiences in World War II and this story brought back those memories. Narrator is good. Did not get in the way of the story. I haven’t looked, but hope the same narrator is in the next book of this series.

Lovely listen!

I love Jessica Ellicot's books and this one was no different. I will say though that the term "absence of debris" was used so much that I started keeping count of it and got to 8 before I gave up. All and all though, it was a very nice book for fans of British murder mysteries.

Thoroughly enjoyable

I wasn’t sure I would like a new storyline from Miss Elliot, but I highly recommend this series, although I’ve only read the first one. 🤞

First in series - starts slow, gets better

Okay I was hoping would be snappy and more sophisticated like the Edwina and Beryl series. Starts slowly and sounds more like young adult story in the beginning, probably cuz from point of view of young adult. Gets more interesting about half way through and then has plenty of plot twists and surprises. Hopeful the second book snappier from chapter one. So the overall four star rating a bit aspirational. I miss the excellent narrator of other series, but she’s too mature sounding for the main character in this one.