One of the best mystery/espionage books I’ve read, set in post WW2. Britain not recovered from the devastation, rationing still going on and women who played a pivotal role at every level, now relegated to home and hearth and the background of political life.

Beattie was one of the lucky ones. Working for the ubiquitous Civil Service, her official role is training typists in secretarial work. Unofficially she works for Ashley Cooper head of a spy network. Her present task is searching for clues in the under secretary of Foreign Affairs Ralph Bowen, and to this end she develops a friendship with his son Ashley.

The story takes an alarming turn when Beattie discovers a body at the Bowen residence, that of their young housekeeper and it is from here the story takes off in different ways. Beattie's involvement is noticed and she is strongly warned to lay off. Her accidental partner in this the Irishman Patrick is warned, his rooms ransacked and he is roughed up. A young man who gave him some information is found drowned, the reporter who was active on the case was told to cool off and the young woman’s brother Martin was also beaten up.

Undeterred Beattie seeks justice for Sophie, because everyone is involved in a cover up but for who and why seems to be the question. The final coup is very surprising and unexpected. Spies are found in the most innocuous of places and clues lie in the open. One has to connect the dots to come to the final denouncement.

A very good story which kept me fascinated from the first page to the last.

Beattie Cavendish and the White Pearl Club by Mary-Jane Riley is the first in a new series featuring a great new character: Beattie (Beatrice) Cavendish. Beattie is a government “spy” cum college graduate: Cambridge. It is three years after the end of World War II and England has still not returned to where it had been before the war. There were still shortages and rationing and the rebuilding was going slowly. Beattie was simply to get information on Ashley’s father, Ralph Bowen, a conservative member of parliament and suspected of being a Soviet spy. Of course, everyone thought Beattie was a typist who taught other typists their jobs. Her mother did not approve. Beattie was not sure she did. She did not particularly care for Ashley but things really came to a head when she discovered a body in the den while she was visiting his home. The murderer was still in the room and might have killed her also if not for the interference of a private investigator called Patrick Corrigan. He had scars all over his face and was missing an eye. Oh, yes, he was an Irishman, when no one in England much cared for the Irish, despite their usefulness during the war.

Things got very complicated from this point. It was an intricate story, as stories of murder often are. As is often the case, the people who got murdered were mostly innocents. Tough for Beattie to swallow. She had been in the French Resistance and knew how things were, but this all turned out to be a lot. She was resilient, well-trained, and curious, all of which helped in her investigation. The While Pearl Club kept coming up. What was is? Why was everyone so interested? How was it involved? She had trouble remembering the murder was out of her purview. Quite the ride with an intriguing new character.

I was invited to read Beattie Cavendish and the White Pearl Club by Allison & Busby. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Allison&Busby #MaryJaneRiley #BeattieCavendishAndTheWhitePearlClub

I knew from the very beginning that I was going to love this book! Beattie Cavendish and the White Pearl Club is a thrilling, post-war, historical mystery that is full of suspense.

Beattie is working on a mission for the COS when she stumbles upon a dead body in the home of a wealthy politician. At the discovery of a young housekeeper’s demise, she fends off the assailant when a private detective who happens to be tailing the politician jumps through a window to aid this damsel who he believes is in distress, but Beattie Cavendish is a well trained agent who has seen her fair share of combat after her work in the Resistance. When the housekeeper’s murder is swept under the rug by the media and police, Patrick Corrigan (a wounded Irish war hero and private detective) and Beattie form an unlikely partnership to solve the case.

Having signed the Official Secrets Act, Beattie cannot disclose her true identity, even as she grows to trust her new partner. As they follow the clues to an alternative night club, Beattie and Corrigan go head to head with London’s underbelly, while dodging mysterious men in black coats and hats.

This book has the makings of a wonderful new series! I loved how the author left the ending open for a sequel. The pairing of the main characters is very unique with a private investigator and a spy. I am excited to read more from this author and look forward the next book!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. This review is voluntary. All thoughts are my own.

My thanks to Net Galley and Allison and Busby for allowing me to review this arc.

What a totally delightful read! Beattie Cavendish is a spy and is assigned to infiltrate the home of Ralph Bowen, a foreign secretary and starts a friendship with his son under the cover of " I teach girls to type " While at a house party she discovers the murdered body of Sophia Huher and also meets Corrigan; a private eye and they set off to solve her murder which has connections to the Russians and the White Pearl Club in which they own.

Really liked this. Beattie was a very strong protagonist and the banter with her and Corrigan reminded me of the old Nick and Nora Charles characters. Look forward to more from this author .

Wow! This was my first book to read by this author but definitely not my last! This book will leave you wanting for more and the characters and storyline stick with you long after you finish it. Do yourself a favor and pick up this page-turner!

This was initially a bit of a slow burner for me and took a while for me to get into the story. However once I did get into it I really ended up loving this book.

I loved the main character who was a former SOE agent and is now working for GCHQ, and she joins up with a war weary private detective. They made a great combination, in fact could easily be literary gold.

An excellent story with many layers, plenty of intrigue, spies, members of the government and a strange duo investigating the murder and the reasons for it, what more could you want. There were also many twists along the way and one towards the end that I definitely didn’t see coming.

I highly recommend this book and hope that this may be the first of many books for the duo.

After Cambridge Beattie's mother expects her to settle down and marry but Beattie has been recruited by the intelligence service and moves to London. 1948 London is still struggling after the war and the Russian's are suspect. Beattie is asked to look into a politician by dating his son but when a woman is murdered Beattie finds herself part of a bigger concern. Joining forces with Corrigan a war hero and private detective, Beattie tries to find who killed the woman.
This is a terrific start to a (hopeful) series. Beattie is an engaging character and the atmosphere of post-War London is imagined really well. It's nice to find a feminist heroine who is fighting the patriarchy and working through some quite serious plotlines. However the writing is fairly light so it's not a deep and tense thriller, a difficult balance and achieved with panache

This was a spy story set in the Cold War period just afterworld War 2, a period that is over overlooked in modern literature.
Beattie Cavendish is a gifted linguist who has been recruited by GCHQ to work for them after a war spent in the French Resistance which led to some unfortunate events which still play on her mind.
Asked by her boss to spy on a conservative politician suspected of being a Communist sympathiser, by going out with his son Ashley, Beattie discovers a dead body in his house and meets Irish Private Detective, Patrick Corrigan..
The two decide to investigate the murder when the police and Ashley’s father try to curtail the investigation before it has even got off the ground.
There was a lot of intrigue and mystery in this book although at times there was almost too much going on and I really had to keep my wits about me.
Although it started slowly it soon picked up pace so that it was easy and quick to read as I wondered how the pieces of the plot would all fit together.
I really liked Beattie who was very brave and self confident, having been well trained for her work during WW2. She was very determined and would not give up, even when threatened.
I would like to think that this could be the start of a new series as I would like to read more about Beattie and Corrigan who seemed to work well together despite their differences.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.

Its 1948. After a war spent in the Resistance with the Secret Operations Executive, Beattie Cavendish has joined GCHQ and her first mission is to cosy up to Ashley Bowen, son of the Conservative politician and cabinet minister Ralph Bowen, because Ralph is suspected of being a communist sympathiser and could be passing secrets to Moscow.

When looking for clues in the Bowen's London house, Beattie stumbles across the body of the Bowen's young housekeeper Sofia in the study, with her throat cut.

Patrick Corrigan was special forces in the war and has the scars, a missing eye, and a limp to prove it. Now, an Irishman living in London, he's scratching a living as a private detective, following errant husbands and the like. Edwina Bowen hired Patrick to follow her husband Ralph for several nights, where he was seen to enter a club (The White Pearl Club) owned by a pair of Russians and known for prostitutes and homosexuals, then Edwina calls off the case, she no longer wants Ralph followed, turning up at the Bowen's mansion for an explanation Corrigan is narrowly stopped from being a convenient scapegoat for a detective who clearly wants to clear this up as quietly as possible.

In their own ways Beattie and Corrigan are incensed that a powerful family can just hush-up the death of an employee and are determined to uncover who killed this young Jewish woman who had escaped Nazi Germany with her younger brother while only a child herself and was trying to build a new life in England.

This started slow for me, nut it picked up speed and I enjoyed the to and fro as Beattie and Corrigan tried to understand how Sofia and the White Pearl club are connected, who is trying to hush things up, and who is trying to put them off the scent.

I would definitely be interested in reading more if this were a series.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

Dawn of the Cold War mystery!

Gauloises smoking Beattie Cavendish ostensibly drove ambulances in France during the war. In reality she was a former Secret Operations executive, working with the French Resistance and translating intelligence from Russia, amongst other things.
It’s 1948 and the beginning of the Cold War. Beattie now works with the secretive Covert Operations Service and GCHQ, the Government Communications Headquarters. Her assignment is to find out what she can about the opposition conservative cabinet minister, and Shadow Foreign Secretary, Ralph Bowen.
Patrick Corrigan, is an handsome one eyed Irishman, an ex serviceman, a decorated and injured war veteran who is now eking out a living as a private detective. One of his clients is Edwina Bowen who wants him to follow her husband.
It seems the Honorable Member has been frequently the decidedly raunchy and decadent White Pearl Club.
Beattie and Corrigan meet under curious circumstances, a dead body and a break in.
This won’t be the only time.
They find themselves mired in mystery, danger and death.
Beattie suspects one of the various secret government organizations involvement.
A startling post war mystery thriller, complete with a strong female lead, a soulful Irish detective, the Russian mob and other players.

An Alison & Busby ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Gripping!

Beattie Cavendish 'did her bit' during WWII and now works at GCHQ when she is given the task of infiltrating the family of Ralph Bowen, a politician who is suspected of being a communist sympathiser. Posing as a girlfriend of his son, Beattie is there when the body of the housekeeper is found with her throat cut. Teaming up with war-weary detective Patrick Corrigan, the investigation leads them to the White Pearl Club - a veritable den of iniquity. Determined to follow the clues, is Beattie putting herself in danger?

This is a gripping read with plenty going on and a fair amount of tension between the pages. Hard to put down, I raced through it eager to find out who was guilty - and of what? With Beattie Cavendish's name in the title, it would be lovely to think that this may be the beginning of a series. Recommended and, for me, 4.5*.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley.

After World War II, London struggles to return to some sort of semblance of normalcy in the midst of crushing pain and despair. It is 1948, on the cusp of the Cold War. Soldiers and others face challenges becoming civilians all over again, including Patrick Corrigan, now a private investigator. He teams up with former intelligence officer of the SOE, Beattie Cavendish to investigate a wealthy family with possible connections with the Communists. But they get more than they bargain for when the Bowen family's housekeeper is murdered. Both are keen to use their skills and knowledge to inveigle and infiltrate. This novel has it all...spies, snippets of romance, code breaking, intrigue and realistic historical details. Not only that but I could feel the despair, London fog, seedy clubs and the London underbelly. The sights and sounds came alive and the story was easy to envision and navigate. I like that Beattie is intelligent and feisty, yet empathetic. The mystery was fascinating.

I really enjoyed the mystery and some of the characters, especially Beattie and her relationship with Corrigan. Interwar years is one of my favourite eras to read about, including the Cold War. So happy this is the first in a spanking new series. I wonder what author Mary-Jane Riley has planned next! The potential is endless! Her writing pulled me in and kept my mind and heart held tightly. I believe this will become a great series. Well worth reading, a great Historical Fiction to start with if a reader is new to the genre, but also enjoyable to those like me who have read hundreds of them. I feel something fresh on the horizon!

This cozy mystery whisks us back to 1948, a world reshaping itself after the Second World War. Our heroine, Beattie Cavendish, is more than the society daughter her affluent family would like her to be—she’s a secret operative for British intelligence. Her mission? To observe the powerful Bowen family, especially the son of politician Ralph Bowen, who is suspected of harbouring communist ties.

When a grisly murder is uncovered, Beattie crosses paths with Patrick Corrigan, a private investigator and returned serviceman. Patrick, scarred by his wartime experiences and grappling with post-war expectations, makes an intriguing foil for Beattie. Together, they navigate intrigue, shifting political allegiances, and the changing roles of men and women in this new era.

The novel captures a fascinating historical moment—the early stirrings of the Cold War—while grounding the mystery in richly drawn characters. Beattie’s determination for independence and Patrick’s struggles to fit back into civilian life give the story emotional depth.

As the first in a series, this is a promising start: well-written, atmospheric, and layered with history. I’ll be interested to see how Beattie and Patrick’s partnership develops in future instalments.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5 stars, rounded up to 4)

Thank you to NetGalley and Allison & Busby Publishers for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Dark, Gripping Spy Mystery with Plenty of Atmosphere





I really enjoyed this one! Beattie Cavendish and the White Pearl Club is set in post-war London, and the author does such a great job of pulling you into the smoky, shadowy world of 1948. You can almost smell the fog and hear the noise of Soho as Beattie dives into a dangerous undercover job that quickly spirals into murder and political conspiracy.



Beattie herself is a fantastic lead — clever, determined, and very easy to root for. I loved that she doesn’t just sit back and let things happen; she pushes forward, even when the odds are stacked against her. Her partnership with Patrick Corrigan, the weary detective, adds a nice dynamic too. They balance each other out in a way that makes you want to see where their relationship will go in future books.



The mystery at the heart of the story — a sinister gentlemen’s club hiding dark secrets — kept me hooked, and there were enough twists to keep things interesting. That said, the book isn’t perfect. Some sections dragged a little, especially when the political background got heavy, and a few of the side characters felt a bit thin compared to Beattie.



Overall, though, this is a strong start to what feels like it could be a really addictive series. If you like historical thrillers with a noir edge and a strong female lead, this is definitely worth picking up. I’ll be watching for the next Beattie Cavendish adventure.

Thank you to Allison and Busby for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review

Beattie is an undercover intelligence officer working in the late 1940s in New York City. She is tasked with getting close to the son of a politician (Ralph Bowen) that may have Russian ties. She isn’t the only undercover operative that is surveilling the Bowen family and when Beattie finds their housekeeper murdered, she encounters a private investigator, Patrick Corrigan. She joins forces with him to find out how their different inquiries are related and to find the murderer. Beattie and Patrick have many close calls - someone is trying to stop their investigations. Through many twists and turns, they must continue to find out the truth. This was a fun read and always keep my interest. Beattie and Patrick are great complex characters and I am hoping this is the first of a series that find them joining forces to solve crimes. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read and review this book.

4/5 stars: This is Riley's Historical Mystery stand-alone set in England, 1948 and follows a former spy, who works translating foreign intelligence goes undercover to monitor a prominent politician's family, as she teams up with a war-weary Irish private detective to uncover how the family's Polish refugee housekeeper's murder, a dangerous web of spies and a shady Soho club all connect. As powerful forces try to bury the truth, the two will have to rely on their skills to survive a ruthless game of deception and the dawn of the Cold War. With plenty of twists and turns, Riley has crafted a mystery that deftly balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Written in dual POV, Riley's writing and character work are excellent; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining likable. Beattie and Patrick are great characters who have been through a lot. Beattie worked for the British government with the French Resistance and her beloved brother went missing in the war. While Patrick served in Italy where he was injured: losing an eye, facial scarring and a limp. I really liked getting to know these two and the great cast of characters. I very much enjoyed Riley's take on post WWII intelligence gathering and I felt the historical details were well done. I love reading about the often forgotten roles women played in and after the war. Estes' touches on some sensitive topics; so take care and check the CWs. I enjoyed this a lot and hope to read more!

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Allison & Busby in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

A nice drift back in time and a book I really enjoyed. Would certainly recommend it to others who enjoy this type of book.

This was a great thriller. the main character, Beattie is intelligent, resourceful and underestimated, while her sidekick, Corrigan is a hardened wounded private detective. She is undercover attempting to prove links with a politician and the Soviets. A web of intrigue is sown with some unexpected red herrings on the way and some great incidental characters. The book brings to life the austerity bound London in 1948 before reaching an unusual end making this a thoroughly enjoyable read

A gripping, atmospheric dive into post-war Britain — espionage, murder, and secrets simmering beneath the glamour of Soho.

Beattie Cavendish is sharp, bold, and entirely incapable of sitting quietly on the sidelines. When she’s recruited to GCHQ and tasked with going undercover in 1948 Britain, what begins as a mission of political surveillance quickly unravels into something far darker. A brutal murder, a family with secrets to protect, and a shadowy Soho club with ties to power — Beattie Cavendish and the White Pearl Club delivers Cold War intrigue with a noir edge.

I loved the vivid sense of place: the smoggy London streets, the rising paranoia of early espionage, the post-war world still finding its footing. Beattie is a brilliant lead — resourceful, flawed, and unafraid to ask the questions no one wants answered.

Murder mystery meets spy thriller with a fierce female lead — and I’m already looking forward to her next case.

I do hope this is the first book in a new series because I love a good spy story. The sleuthing couple of a capable girl and a one-eyed war veteran sounds intriguing enough, and considering the baggage they both have, this set-up has so much potential.
It's a light-hearted but good-paced story with the right amount of mystery, action and a hint of a romance. I'll look out for more books from Mary-Jane Riley because she seems like just the right author for me.