You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
This was different. I like everything about this book. I don’t have describe what I was feeling or thoughts I was having. I absolutely love this!
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Girl codebreakers, serial murders, and secrets? Say less. This was so my kind of read.
Set in 1943 Virginia, The Killing Code follows Kit Sutherland, a girl with a secret past who ends up working as a codebreaker at Arlington Hall. But pretty quickly, she gets caught up in something way darker—someone’s murdering government girls in D.C., and Kit stumbles right into the mess. The mystery pulled me in fast, and I was hooked the whole time trying to figure out who was behind it (spoiler: I didn’t guess it right).
What I really loved, though, was the group of girls Kit teams up with. Moira, Dottie, Violet—they were all so different but formed this beautiful, messy, ride-or-die kind of sisterhood that just worked. Violet, especially, stood out as a brilliant Black codebreaker working in the segregated unit. The book doesn’t shy away from the racial tension of the time, but it shows these girls supporting each other in a way that felt really powerful.
And yes—there’s a sapphic slow-burn romance that I adored. It was soft, sweet, and didn’t take over the plot, which I appreciated. It just added this layer of warmth and hope that balanced out the darker stuff really well.
This book had all the good stuff: WWII intrigue, strong girls being smart and brave, secret identities, a twisty murder mystery, and a little bit of romance. I’m so glad I picked it up—I flew through it and wanted more the second it ended.
⸻
Start Date: 5/7/2025
End Date: 5/7/2025
Star Rating: 3⭐️
Format: Audiobook
Spice Rating: 1🌶️
Genre: YA Historical Thriller
Setting: Washington, D.C.
Publication Date: 9/20/2022
Publishing House: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Est Page Count: 384
Audio Publisher: Hachette Audio
Audio Pub Date: 9/20/2022
Audio Length: 9 hrs 30 mins
Audio Speed: 1.85x
Narrator: Natalie Naudus, Kelsey Navarro
Narrator Rating: 3⭐️
POV: Third Person
Content Triggers: Murder, blood, war themes, racism/segregation, trauma, violence against women
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Violence, Murder
Minor: War
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
To keep it short, this was a really fun read that I enjoyed in (almost) one sitting!
First, the plot itself was really interesting> i loved how the ideas of codebreaking and solving murder were intertwined so strongly, and the fact that each of the characters had an incredibly important role to play in solving the murder meant a lot to me. The mystery was well plotted and engaging (my heart was fully RACING on multiple occasions) even though I found it a tad bit predictable after about 60%
Each of our four main characters were insanely well-developed and had interactions with each other that were meaningful and realistic. The main characters all had a point in the story were they were the most helpful, and didn’t feel like plot devices just to drive the story forward. I also enjoyed the character of Violet in particular, and the fact that Marney didn’t shy away from just how difficult the era was for black people was a highlight.
Alas, I wish that we got to know a little bit more about Kit (Kathleen) and Katherine’s dynamic. We see slivers of her initially (and she is mentioned sporadically throughout the rest of the book) but it felt like a chunk of Kit’s character was missing during the story. We focus a lot on the mystery, but the fact that the mystery and Kit were so intertwined and yet Kit didn’t feel whole to me really diminished how much I connected to her character.
This was a really good mystery that was just a bit stunted by its predictability and character work.
3.75 ⭐️
First, the plot itself was really interesting> i loved how the ideas of codebreaking and solving murder were intertwined so strongly, and the fact that each of the characters had an incredibly important role to play in solving the murder meant a lot to me. The mystery was well plotted and engaging (my heart was fully RACING on multiple occasions) even though I found it a tad bit predictable after about 60%
Each of our four main characters were insanely well-developed and had interactions with each other that were meaningful and realistic. The main characters all had a point in the story were they were the most helpful, and didn’t feel like plot devices just to drive the story forward. I also enjoyed the character of Violet in particular, and the fact that Marney didn’t shy away from just how difficult the era was for black people was a highlight.
Alas, I wish that we got to know a little bit more about Kit (Kathleen) and Katherine’s dynamic. We see slivers of her initially (and she is mentioned sporadically throughout the rest of the book) but it felt like a chunk of Kit’s character was missing during the story. We focus a lot on the mystery, but the fact that the mystery and Kit were so intertwined and yet Kit didn’t feel whole to me really diminished how much I connected to her character.
This was a really good mystery that was just a bit stunted by its predictability and character work.
3.75 ⭐️
I truly love that Marney has her own style of writing. I think I could spot it from a mile away.
This was an easy read but I definitely find None Shall Sleep and the Every stories much more engaging.
This was an easy read but I definitely find None Shall Sleep and the Every stories much more engaging.
4.5 ⭐
The Killing Code was a combination of my favourite genre, murder mystery, and one of my interests, codebreaking. So when I started reading this, I was hoping that I would like the book. Little did I know I would end up loving The Killing Code! With good character development, pacing, and plot, I definitely think this one should be more popular than it is.
Check out the full review on my blog!
The Killing Code was a combination of my favourite genre, murder mystery, and one of my interests, codebreaking. So when I started reading this, I was hoping that I would like the book. Little did I know I would end up loving The Killing Code! With good character development, pacing, and plot, I definitely think this one should be more popular than it is.
Check out the full review on my blog!
Thanks to Edelweiss for a digital ARC of this book.
Wow! This is so good though I will admit totally different than None Shall Sleep!
This is about a group of women who are codebreakers during WWII and they develop a friendship that is in part based on a desire to work together to solve a couple of murders of other women. It becomes so much more though... the characters, the relationships, the history, the working together to get clues to solve the crimes... and then how it all comes together in the end! Enjoy.
Wow! This is so good though I will admit totally different than None Shall Sleep!
This is about a group of women who are codebreakers during WWII and they develop a friendship that is in part based on a desire to work together to solve a couple of murders of other women. It becomes so much more though... the characters, the relationships, the history, the working together to get clues to solve the crimes... and then how it all comes together in the end! Enjoy.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced