Death in a Blackout

Billie Harkness, Book 1

By: Jessica Ellicott

Narrated by: Elizabeth Sastre

Length: 9 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

The first in a planned historical series for fans of Jacqueline Winspear, Susan Elia MacNeal, and our very own Rhys Bowen. Through research and tireless attention to detail, the author dramatizes the hard truths of war for an industrial town on the cutting edge between victory and death, all told through the lens of a woman ahead of her time—one of the first female officers in the Women’s Police Constabulary (WPC), who during WW2, challenged stereotypes and risked their lives to protect the home front.

The year 1940: Her mother just killed in a blackout accident, and her rector father and brother MIA in France, Wilhelmina Harkness finds herself homeless, penniless, and the recipient of an unwanted marriage proposal for “propriety’s sake”. Instead of being married off, she leaves small village life behind, reinvents herself as “Billie”, and accepts her aunt’s invitation to live with her in Kingston-Upon-Hull...a coastal industrial town about to be bombed relentlessly by the Germans. Billie crawls from beneath the rubble of her first air raid to find the body of the enigmatic stranger she had encountered earlier that day. A passing policeman whisks Billie from the collapsing building, hastily reporting the woman’s death a result of bombings. An astute observer with a resolute conscience, Billie challenges the ruling. The victim’s body was unharmed, despite the fallen debris, information that inflames the wrong people but earns Billie an invitation to the newly formed Women’s Police Constabulary (WPC) and a partner—the officer whose findings she challenged.

Death in a Blackout opens with the outbreak of war on British soil and features a police officer whose work protects Britain from German bombs—as well as from criminals intent on taking advantage of wartime chaos.

©2022 Jessica Ellicott (P)2022 Recorded Books

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.

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.

Enjoyed this new book

Although a big fan of Edwina and Beryl, I enjoyed this more serious story from Ellicott. It was a good story, kept me wanting to continue to listen.

Glad I tried this book

I like it as much as the Beryl and Edwina series. I didn’t expect it to be a repeat of the other series and I was not disappointed. Good plots and characters. Can’t wait for more.

Sad ending but was a great book

The book was very engrossing with details of air raids and other aspects of the war and how things could have gone unnoticed. I was totally shocked at who committed the crime and how it all unfolded. Fantastic writing for sure. I will be downloading book 2 I know that!!!

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.

Complex and compelling

A rich, complicated, story! A new-to-me environment and lots of interesting twists. Enjoyed very much!

Pleased to Recommend

Found it to be well written and well researched. Narrator had a pleasant voice and represented the various characters quite nicely. All around enjoyable listening experience.

A really great book

This was educational and inspirational and exciting. I really enjoyed the character development and the plot was not obvious. Very good.

Jessica Ellicott has begun a winning series

It starts out a bit slow, but do not be discouraged. The characters are well developed and they adherents to the historical time. Ms. Ellicott's research on the time period and location is evident. Good plot twists. I am eager to read the 2nd book inches series.