The Killing Code

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc and finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Killing Code

Author: Ellie Marney

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Diversity: Disabled character, Lesbian MC, Lesbian character, Black character, Sapphic couple

Recommended For...: young adult readers, historical fiction, mystery, thriller, Nancy Drew, American Girls History’s Mysteries, World War II, Codebreakers, LGBT

Publication Date: September 20, 2022

Genre: Historical Fiction Mystery

Age Relevance: 14+ (war, holocaust, death, misogyny, racism, Nazism, sexual assault/rape, drugging, gore, violence, romance, cursing)

Explanation of Above: War and the holocaust are mentioned and the book is set during World War II. There are some instances of racism and misogyny, but also some showings of Nazism. There are dead bodies and death shown and mentioned. There is some gun and knife violence and a lot of blood gore mentioned and one scene of stabbing. Sexual assault/rape is mentioned. Drugging is mentioned. There is some slight cursing. There is some romance.

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Pages: 384

Synopsis: Virginia, 1943: World War II is raging in Europe and on the Pacific front when Kit Sutherland is recruited to help the war effort as a codebreaker at Arlington Hall, a former girls’ college now serving as the site of a secret US Signals Intelligence facility in Virginia. But Kit is soon involved in another kind of fight: Government girls are being brutally murdered in Washington DC, and when Kit stumbles onto a bloody homicide scene, she is drawn into the hunt for the killer.

To find the man responsible for the gruesome murders and bring him to justice, Kit joins forces with other female codebreakers at Arlington Hall—gossip queen Dottie Crockford, sharp-tongued intelligence maven Moya Kershaw, and cleverly resourceful Violet DuLac from the segregated codebreaking unit. But as the girls begin to work together and develop friendships—and romance—that they never expected, two things begin to come clear: the murderer they’re hunting is closing in on them…and Kit is hiding a dangerous secret.

Review: I really loved this book! This book is about our MC who, after taking on a new identity, enlists to become a codebreaker for the US forces during WWII. It is during that time that other women/girls start showing up dead around the town and it’s up to our MC and her friends to figure out what’s going on. The book had the same feel as the old time American Girl historical mystery books and Nancy Drew books. I loved every minute of it and it’s probably going to be a favorite of mine for the year. The writing and plot felt natural to the story and the character development and world building was well done.

The only issue I had with the book is that it was a bit confusing at the beginning, but once I got past that I fell into the tone and grove of the book.

Verdict: It was well done! Highly recommend!

The Killing Code reads really well! It is fast-paced, exciting, and set in the middle of a war. We have three things going on simultaneously, Kit's secret, some romance, and the murders of young women employed by the government. 

Despite being for the war effort, this facility also seems to be a woman's haven. There is the freedom to work with other like-minded women, talk, even if some of them resent that for them, and dream about something better after the war.

While Ellie Marney wrote an excellent book, it is closer to three and a half stars than four for me. Someone with so much experience should have been able to pick up on certain things. For instance, while I loved Kit and Moya overall, sometimes I felt like Kit was snapped into becoming super flirty with Moya when the rest of the time, she came off pretty shy. I just couldn't understand how her personality flipped in those moments. I also loved Violet and Dottie as characters, but I felt like Violet was used to superficially exploring race issues in the US. I think Violet was the only black girl we interacted with in the book, which is odd. Even worse when you realize that Moya was a supervisor who could have tried to at least foster more significant interaction between these units. 

On the plus side, Raffi was fun, and I loved that he was quick to understand why Kit wasn't dancing. After Kit first suspected and dismissed, who she thought the killer was, I was sure it was that guy. Many misogynists hide like this, and we find out far too late. I did like how well researched the book was and Kit's secret. That added an absorbing layer to their actions and the risks involved.

I love historical fiction, but I've never read one that mixes in a thriller element, and I was here for it. I thought this was so captivating right from the start. It's fast-paced and exciting. I liked Kit a lot; she was tenacious and clever. She's spent years hiding and always had one eye over her shoulder. It made her an interesting character to follow. Her friendship between Dottie, Violet, and Moya was everything. They were all so different but formed this tight-knit sisterhood. They supported one another and had each other's backs through everything. The romance between Kit and Moya could've used a little work since it felt quick, but it was sweet. As for the mystery, I was able to figure out who the murderer was, but I still enjoyed watching how it played out. This was the first book I've read by Marney, and I'm interested enough to pick up more. If you like engaging, whodunit-type murder mysteries, I recommend checking this one out.