Reviews - The Killing Code

323 reviews for:

The Killing Code

Ellie Marney

3.83 AVERAGE

gengray47's review against another edition

5.0

Ugh INCREDIBLE. the representation, the sapphic romance, the FEMINISM AND STRONG WOMEN YESSSS

This was everything I needed in a historical mystery. I LOVED IT and CANNOT recommend it more!!

Moya

sunspinner730's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Content Warnings

wess_anna's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous funny hopeful mysterious reflective 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

brooke4131's review against another edition

3.0

dark mysterious 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

demeterics's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

ldreyfus's review against another edition

4.0

emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

sistershelves_fasya's review against another edition

3.75

challenging informative inspiring medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

thereadingchallengechallenge's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

"You're one of us, and code girls look after their own."

Tucked away in a repurposed boarding school in Viriginia there is a cadre of girls working hard for the war effort. They are code-breakers and analysts and, some of them, are being killed. When Kit Sutherland, Dotty Crockford and Moya Kershaw discover a body at a local dance they know they have to do something - especially when Violet DuLac contacts them about a Black girl who was murdered in the same manner a few weeks prior. Together, they will use their intellect to find who is attacking the women working to stop World War II.

I only picked this up because of how much I loved Marney's None Shall Sleep and thank goodness I did because this was right up my alley. Smart girls, social commentary, a sweet F/F romance (with no homophobia in sight!) and a thrilling mystery? Utter excellence. I also loved all the references to historical figures.

But the best part was, of course, the girls themselves. Kit is sweet and demure and ready to throw down if you wrong her friends. Moya is sharp and determined and kind of felt like a butch lesbian to me? Hard to nail it down given the historical setting. Dottie was a sweetie, too, and Violet was stunning. I knew that Black women and girls were employed by NASA in the 60s but I hadn't heard about the ones who worked for the war effort so that was cool to learn about.

The mystery itself maybe wasn't as thrilling as it could have been? The plot seemed to mosey on a bit and the later murders kind of got lost in the subplot with Kit's true identity. But I was surprised by who the murderer was which is always a plus!

Another excellent mystery from one of my favourite Australian YA writers. I'd highly recommend this to any crime or historical drama fan!

"I am the code you never broke, and I don't play by the rules."

Warnings: period typical attitudes towards women and people of colour, some bloody imagery and injury detail, an instance of drink tampering and references to rape.

dennilaine_reads's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

mjwilliamson's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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