An Unquiet Peace

A Bishop & Gallagher Mystery #2

by Shaina Steinberg

Mr. and Mrs. Smith meets Code Name Verity in this propulsive, quick-witted mystery set in late-1940s Los Angeles, as former WWII spy Evelyn Bishop and LA noir detective Nick Gallagher team up as an unconventional duo . . .

As an undercover operative for the Office of Strategic Services during World War II, Evelyn Bishop routinely embarked on deadly missions. By contrast, civilian life should be simple. Yet Evelyn, now back in Los Angeles, struggles with the responsibility of being the new president of Bishop Aeronautics, when people see her as nothing more than a beautiful socialite.
 
With Nick Gallagher, at least, Evelyn can be entirely herself. Once a fellow spy, now her fiancé, Nick works as a private investigator. But the mission that first brought them together is not entirely over. Evelyn receives a call from her former commanding officer, who is overseeing the Berlin Airlift. He is concerned that the Soviets are trying to recruit Kurt Vogel, a scientist Evelyn and Nick smuggled out of Nazi Germany. After six long years, there’s word his wife and daughter may have survived the war. Is this a chance for a long-promised reunion, or a Russian ploy to lure Vogel to their side?
 
Past and present collide again when a routine case offers Nick a reunion with a childhood friend who runs a high-class “gentleman’s club.” The clientele includes everyone from Hollywood royalty to mobsters—to a hidden enemy who will draw both Evelyn and Nick into a web as twisted and treacherous as any they have ever faced . . .
 

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Espionage, Noir, Historical Mystery, Fiction, Adult

336 pages, Hardcover

Published April 29, 2025

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evelyn Bishop, now president of Bishop Aeronautics in Los Angeles, founded by her father, was an OSS operative during the war with her now fiancé, Nick Gallagher. The missions they went on together were dangerous and often deadly. It was late 1940s and when Evelyn heard scientist Kurt Vogel, a man they'd smuggled out of Nazi Germany, had received a postcard from his wife, Hannah, and daughter, he was cautiously hopeful it meant she and their daughter Sophie, were still alive. Not managing to retrieve Kurt's family was a failure Evelyn felt often; now was the opportunity to reunite the family.

Nick was a private detective after being with the LAPD, and when he was contacted by an old friend, Helen, and told an employee had gone missing, he was immediately on the case. Mixed in with the mob as well as other undesirables, Nick was determined to find Julie, as well as assist Evelyn in the case back in Berlin. But could he? The danger was ever present...

An Unquiet Peace is the 2nd in A Bishop & Gallagher Mystery series by Shaina Steinberg and I haven't read the first. This is also my first by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it, with everything I love - intrigue, plenty of twists, top class characters, and a fabulous mystery. I'll be looking for more by this author and recommend this one highly.

With thanks to NetGalley & Kensington Publishers for my digital ARC to read and review.

[Grandma Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved the story except for the profanity. I deducted one star for this. This book captivated me from start to finish. I love history and I learned quite a bit. Well researched. The author makes it easy to “feel” the emotions in the story. This was the second in the series, but can be enjoyed as a stand alone. Great narration. If profanity doesn’t disturb you, I highly recommend.

I was blessed with an ARC, and my opinions are my own.

[eyes.2c · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spies and lies!

Groan! This was so good! I realize I’m now going to have to read the first in the series. That’s what the groan is for because my TBR list is out of control and adding one more just might tip it, and me, over the edge.
Talking of which, this an edgy read complete with post war gangsters, corruption, and questions left over after field operations during WWII didn’t go as planned.
Set in the Los Angeles in 1948 with flashbacks to Europe in the latter days of WWII, aeronautics heiress Evelyn Bishop and her fiancé Nick Gallagher (both former undercover operatives of OSS) find themselves contending with the past as it impacts the present. Berlin has been blockaded by the Soviets, the airlift is struggling, and General Henry Gibson, Evelyn’s commanding officer during her Service days is asking for her.
A genuinely immersive read!

A Kensington ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

[Barb in Maryland · Rating 4 out of 5]

No sophomore slump here; this was an excellent follow-up to Under the Paper Moon.
It is 1948 in Los Angeles, California. Evelyne Bishop and Nick Gallagher are engaged to be married, and that is about the only constant in their lives. Evelyne is trying to settle in as president and CEO of Bishop Aeronautics, while dealing with her aunt Taffy who is trying to plan her niece's wedding. Nick is running his private eye investigation business. Both of their lives are interrupted by people from their past. Evelyne's war work with the OSS leads her to Berlin. Nick's past friendships lead to encounters with the mob, as well as crooked cops.
It all gets very Noir before Evelyne and Nick tie the knot. And I enjoyed twist and turn in the plot; I kept reading losg past my bedtime.

I am so glad I stumbled upon this author. And I'm glad that there will be a third book (Echoes of Infamy). I'm looking forward to our main characters next adventure.

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

"An Unquiet Peace" is the first book I've read by this author and it won't be my last. I was intrigued by both main characters: Evelyn Bishop, a former spy and now president of Bishop Aeronautics (I kept wondering if Evelyn had been inspired by Hedy Lamarr) and Nick Gallagher.

Evelyn and Nick are living together, and each is occupied with their professional concerns (Nick's a PI), but they're also considering formalizing their personal relationship through marriage.

The story opens with an wartime assignment Evelyn was on that now needs resolution. Evelyn had brought a German scientist, Kurt Vogel, out of Germany during the war, and the government had promised to extract his wife and daughter, which had not happened. Now, there is a possibility that these two may have survived. So Evelyn travels to battered post-war Germany to determine the truth and reunite the family, if possible. There are also attempts made on Evelyn's life as she traces elusive facts and rumours about Vogel's family.

Meanwhile, a former childhood friend of Nick's, Helen, who is also a brothel owner, comes to him for help. One of her girls, Julie, a bartender, is missing, and she needs someone reliable, and trustworthy, to help her find the young woman. Julie was going to university on the side, had loving parents and was known to have a good head on her shoulders. The LAPD had not been interested in searching, because brothel, and when Nick tried to engage, he encountered resistance and apathy.

I totally enjoyed this compelling story. Both leads are interesting, and I found their relationship fascinating as they support each other. It's a surprisingly equitable relationship, and I loved it.

I also liked the many twists and turns of both cases; they kept me engaged and entertained from start to finish, and I am anxious to read more about these two characters.

I went back and forth between the prose and audio for this book, and enjoyed voice actor Carrie Coello 's take on the characters. I liked the confidence and warmth she brought to Evelyn, and the toughness and underlying sensitivity of her Nick.

Thank you to Netgalley, Kensington Publishing and to Highbridge Audio for this ARC in exchange for my review.

[Gift · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was such an entertaining read. The history was weaved into the plot almost seamlessly, and I liked how even though Evelyn and Nick were handling separate missions, the POV switches didn't feel abrupt or disconnected. It did get a little repetitive and slow during the middle portion, but overall, this was an excellent book and I can't wait to read more about these two!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the latest book in the Bishop & Gallagher Mystery series from Shain Steinberg, readers follow former OSS operative Evelyn Bishop as she struggles to adjust to civilian life as the president of Bishop Aeronautics where people only see her as a socialite. With former spy and current private investigator and fiance Nick Gallagher, however, Evelyn can be herself, and since the mission that first brought them together is still going on, Evelyn and Nick can take on a mission from her former commanding officer worried about the Soviets’ recruitment of scientist Kurt Vogel. Forced to deal with their past mission getting Vogel out of Nazi Germany and the consequences his defection might have for the Cold War, the readers are pulled into Nick and Evelyn’s investigation in this entertaining and high stakes new historical mystery novel. The details are absolutely brilliant, and Steinberg has brought postwar Los Angeles to life in absolutely fascinating detail. The characters are fantastic, and readers will love the added tension and drama of Nick and Evelyn’s personal and professional relationships. Entertaining, immersive, and detailed, historical fiction and mystery lovers alike will enjoy the characters, mystery, and historical setting and details in this brilliant new historical mystery novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for the advance copy.

[Anna Barngrover · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️2.5

[Mal Warwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

WWII espionage echoes in post-war L.A.

During the year 1948 American history took a sharp turn into the future. The Soviet Union had imposed the Berlin Blockade, triggering the monumental, 11-month Berlin Airlift. Harry Truman won election outright as President, defying the pollsters. The CIA, founded only the year before, was filling its ranks. And rumor had it that the Soviet Union was about to announce a successful test of its first atomic bomb, vaulting the Cold War into a dangerous new phase. Against this backdrop, three OSS veterans who had served behind Nazi lines in World War II were building new lives in Los Angeles. And so it goes in scriptwriter and novelist Shaina Steinberg’s impressive historical private eye novel, An Unquiet Peace.

Three central characters span the social spectrum

Those three OSS veterans had served together in World War II. Steinberg’s story revolves around them.

The socialite executive
Evelyn Bishop was then an L.A. socialite, daughter of the multimillionaire founder of Bishop Aeronautics. It’s one of the country’s biggest companies. Yet now, three years after the war, her father has fled the country in disgrace, caught in a scandal. And Evelyn is the new president of the company. She’s brilliant and eminently qualified, with advanced training and detailed technical knowledge of the company’s aircraft. But she faces skepticism about her ability among her board, the public, and the press alike.

The tough private eye
Nick Gallagher met and fell in love with her on joint missions in Germany. Now they’re engaged to be married. For a time, before her father’s undoing, she had partnered with him as a private detective. They’re deeply committed to each other. But few outside their small circle of friends can understand the attraction. Nick comes from what was then called a “broken home,” and he grew up effectively an orphan on the streets. He looks like the tough guy private eye he’s become. So, there couldn’t possibly be a greater contrast between them.

The disillusioned FBI agent
Carl Santos, the third surviving member of their OSS team, has found work with the FBI. He’s uncertain he’ll stay with the Bureau because he’s unhappy with its mission to root out “Communists” who may have little or nothing to do with Communism.

The lives of all three principals grow more challenging when their former commanding officer in Berlin, General Henry Gibson, asks Evelyn to help out on clearing up a mystery lingering from the war. Meanwhile, Nick encounters an old friend from the distant past with a cry for help. Suddenly, he’s involved in a major new case. It’s an investigation that will bring him face to face with legions of crooked cops and gangsters from Mickey Cohen’s mob.

Two complex investigations unfold

An Unquiet Peace is the second in a series of novels featuring Bishop and Gallagher. In it, Steinberg spins out the action along two tracks. Evelyn contacts Karl Vogel, a rocket scientist she helped extricate from the Nazis and the Russians. General Gibson has told her the army received a message from Vogel’s long-lost family asking to reconnect with him. And she will fly with Vogel to Berlin to check out the story.

Simultaneously, Nick’s childhood friend, Helen Brecker, was 15, three years his senior, when she inaugurated him into the world of sex. Now, she runs an upscale “gentlemen’s club” in a Brentwood mansion. Someone, probably a gangster named Joey Gallo, has beat up one of her girls. And she wants Nick to keep him from doing it again.

Complications galore ensue in both cases. These are complex stories full of gangsters, society ladies, dedicated army officers, educated and sophisticated prostitutes, Russian spies, and bent cops. But both Evelyn and Nick will come out on top at the end, of course. The novel is suspenseful to a fault. The ending, however, is just too sweet and tidy for my taste. But maybe a Hollywood scriptwriter couldn’t be expected to produce anything else.

About the author

“Originally from Chicago,” she writes on her author website, “Shaina Steinberg graduated from Vassar College with a BA in English Literature. During and after college, she traveled extensively, including living abroad in Scotland and working in Colorado as a horse wrangler. She received her master’s degree from New York University . . .” Steinberg then took up a career in Hollywood as a scriptwriter for a number of popular TV series. She “currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband [and] son.”

[John Purvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is author Shaina Steinberg’s (https://www.shainasteinberg.com) second novel. An Unquiet Peace was published last April and is the second book in her Bishop & Gallagher Mystery series. It is the 42nd book I completed reading in 2025.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence, I categorize this novel as R.

The story opens in 1948, with the world still recovering from the devastation of World War II. Nick Gallagher, Evelyn Bishop, and Carl Santos had been an OSS team during the war. Now, all three are in Los Angeles: Gallagher is a Private Investigator, Santos is an FBI agent, and Bishop is the President of Bishop Aeronautics. Gallagher and Bishop grew very close while serving together, and they have just announced their engagement.

An old childhood friend of Gallagher’s, Helen Becker, runs a ‘gentleman’s club’ in Los Angeles. After two of her female employees are intercepted and beaten on their way home, she hires Gallagher to stop the harassment of her girls. Threats to Becker insist that she turn over photos she has secretly taken of some of her high-profile guests. Those photos will keep her girls safe.

Gallagher ‘chats’ with a local low-level gangster, which seems to resolve the threat to Becker’s girls. Soon, though, Becker’s bartender, Julia Martinez, is kidnapped. Again, the ransom demands that the secret photos be turned over. Gallagher approaches the gangster again, but determines he is not behind it.

LAPD Detective Brian Caruso is supposed to be handling the kidnapping, but has been ignoring it. Gallagher meets him and tries to convince him to take more action. Unfortunately, the net result is that Gallagher is followed, and Caruso creates trouble. The deeper Gallagher investigates the kidnapping, the more it appears that someone at LAPD might be involved.

At about the same time, Bishop receives a call from their former commander, General Henry Gibson. While the trio left the service at the end of the war, Gibson stayed on and is still in Berlin. The Russians have closed off Berlin, and the US has an airlift in full operation to supply the beleaguered American, British, and French sectors of Berlin. Gibson asks Bishop to help with a mission she had long thought behind her.

In 1942, the OSS team was sent into Germany to bring out Kurt Vogel, a German rocket scientist. They met Vogel and managed to get him to England. Another team was supposed to bring Vogel’s wife and daughter out. Hannah and Sophie Vogel never made it out of Germany. Kurt Vogel is now working at JPL and has contacted Gibson, reporting that he has received a postcard from his wife.

Because of her previous connection to Vogel, Gibson asks Bishop to look into the claim. When a woman claiming to be Hannah is found, Bishop and Vogel travel to Germany to confirm her identity. Bishop and Vogel travel to the still ravaged Berlin. Bishop, Vogel, Gibson, and an aide visit the woman. After their interview, their vehicle explodes with casualties.

As the story approaches its conclusion, the why and who behind the bombing are being investigated, but they have a suspect. Gallagher is closing in on the kidnapper of Martinez. But the suspect’s political and financial clout will make it tough to bring a case to court. How will these unrelated cases be resolved?

I enjoyed the 6.5 hours I spent engrossed in this 337-page mystery. Though this is the second book in a series, it reads well as a standalone novel. I thought it was a fun and action-packed read. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a solid rating of 4.3 (rounded to 4) out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, as I'm coming here to write my review, I realize that this is book #2 in the series. I did not even realize that, so if you have picked this one up as a standalone, you will be fine.

But I will say that the book seemed familiar, as well as the characters, and now I know why!

That being said, Evelyn (Evie) is back...now running her family's Aeronautics business, Bishop Aeronautics.
BUT, she still feels like people don't think she is able to do this, as she is a woman.
Never mind that she was present in a big way during wartimes...running behind enemy lines and trying to help people get out.

And that is exactly where she met her fiance, Nick. He had helped her on an assignment, and they were drawn to each other... but the war got in the way...

Now, several years past the war, in the late 1940's, they are together again. Nick is now working as a PI. He has reunited with an old friend of his, who now runs a high-class brothel, who happens to be an incredible woman herself! But as Nick investigates the beating of a few women, and then the complete disappearance of another, he finds himself back at the brothel and talking at length to his old friend.

The Police, The Mob, The Neighborhood, and Evie are all somehow getting involved in the disappearance... which is only making it that much harder for Nick!

Terrific storyline with lots of twists and turns. This one was a terrific idea all around!!

#AnUnquietPeace by #ShainaSteinberg and narrated nicely by #CarrieCoello (Although I have to say that some of the voices totally irked me and got completely under my skin! So, I guess she did her job well!)

4 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for me, rounded up to 5!

**** This has NOT YET BEEN RELEASED!! LOOK 👀 FOR IT ON SHELVES TOMORROW, 4/29/25!! ****

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and & #HighBridgeAudio for an ARC of the audiobook, in exchange for an honest review.

You can find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Insta @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine

Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️

[Cathy Geha · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Unquiet Peace by Shaina Steinberg
A Bishop & Gallagher Mystery #2

As I began reading this book I felt as if I had returned to the era of Hollywood’s black and white “noir movie” period. I was able to seamlessly find out how Nick & Evelyn were moving on after the war.

What I liked:
* Evelyn Bishop: president of Bishop Aeronautics, wealthy, privileged, raised in Los Angeles, multi-lingual, lethal, good friend, supportive, feminist of sorts, intelligent, engaged to Nick, trying to move on from the war
* Nick Gallagher: private investigator, engaged to Evelyn, poor as a child, abusive parents, abandoned as a preteen, survived on the streets, grew up in Los Angeles, wants to establish the loving family he never experienced, good friend, excellent investigator
* Carl Santos: member of the OSS team Evelyn and Nick belonged to, ex-LAPD officer, FBI agent, good friend, intuitive, bright, mediator, intriguing
* Aunt Taffy: Evelyn’s aunt, moved to be with and help Evelyn plan the wedding, socialite, organized
* Investigations that Nick and Evelyn were involved in and all that happened during them
* Helen: friend of Nick from his teens, businesswoman, strong, cares for her employees, intriguing
* The plot, pacing, setting, and writing – I felt I was part of the story and cared about the outcome
* That there are people I would like to see again and hope to know more about in future books
* That it was realistic and dealt with the difficulties faced post-war
* That I was reminded of my childhood growing up in Los Angeles and thinking about my parents who were married just after WWII
* That the threads were all tied up at the end AND that there is another book to look forward to

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* The way war warped one character and the harm he did others
* The kidnapper and his entitled thinking and evil actions
* Thinking about war…have been through a few myself…

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

"An Unquiet Peace" is an unusual mix of after the WWII activities and a chance to right a wrong that occurred during the war. Evelyn Bishop, president of an aeronautical company, so called socialite, and war-time spy, is caught in that in between place of who are you after the war. Fellow OSS officer and now her fiance, Nick Gallagher, is a place of strength, friendship, and grounding. At once comfortable with the plane business and somewhat off-kilter at the sudden inheritance of the company, Evelyn see opportunity through her old contacts and the air-lift taking place in Berlin to accelerate her business endeavors and to actually participate in an active mission. She has the opportunity to re-unite German scientist Kurt Vogel with his long lost wife and daughter. He has received a letter supposedly from her and she is in Berlin. Suspiciously cautious, they fly to Germany and is part of a group both wary that this is a Russian ploy, and hopeful that Mr Vogel will soon see his family and bring them back to California with them.

Laced expertly through this story is one of Nick as a private detective. Caught while investigating a clients husband for adultery, Nick is taken into a house of entertainment for gentlemen. Some are there for the drinking, some for the gambling, some for something entirely else.
Run by a childhood friend, Nick is soon hired to find a young woman who has disappeared from the club.

This story has all of the "Noir" aspects, underworld patrons, crooked cops, well known celebrities, etc.

While this is the second novel in the "A Bishop & Gallagher Mystery" series, I was not lost at all in this book as it is understood that things happened in the previous novel which have been rectified. I liked it so much that I purchased the audiobook of the first novel "Under The Paper Moon".

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for this ARC. All opinions expressed are strictly my own.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The follow-up to Under the Paper Moon, An Unquiet Peace continues the story of Evelyn Bishop and Nick Gallagher. After the surprising ending of the first novel in the series, Evelyn finds herself in charge of Bishop Aeronautics and asked to help on a follow-up to one of her old OSS missions involving the scientist Kurt Vogel. That follow-up allows her to witness the Berlin Airlift first-hand while seeking missing people. Meanwhile, an old colleague of Nick’s has asked for his assistance because several of her gentlemen’s club employees have been injured and one went missing. And all this is happening alongside a visit from Evelyn’s Aunt Taffy and planning their wedding.

Just as fast-paced and action-filled as the first novel, An Unquiet Peace moves between Evelyn’s and Nick’s two cases, integrating their lives within both storylines. The banter in their relationship rings true, as does Evelyn’s relationship with her aunt, who is trying to fill in for her late mother and will likely become a continuing supporting character in future books. Also well-depicted is Evelyn settling into her new role as president of Bishop Aeronautics, including having to prove that a woman can run a company and finding a new assistant as hers is retiring, and Nick’s worry he is not good enough for Evelyn due to their different backgrounds. But when things take a turn for the worst, how will they react? How will those around them react? How will the two storylines converge?

This review is based on the audio advanced reader copy from NetGalley. Speaking to the narration, the narrator was the same as the first book, which is good for series consistency. The narrator also does a good job invoking the various emotions.

[Dave Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Los Angeles, late 1948, and our hero Evelyn Bishop is running Bishop Aeronautics like a champ while her father remains in exile. She's focused on the company but can't quite stop dipping a toe in the private investigator pool now and then. It's easy because her fiancé Nick Gallagher has taken over her PI agency. There's a wedding on the horizon (that is, if her aunt doesn't drive them crazy with too much planning) but much more interestingly there's a mystery afoot!

It seems that one of the missions that Evelyn, Nick, and their pals Carl and David undertook when they were all part of the Office of Strategic Services during WWII was the rescue of Kurt Vogel, a highly regarded German aerospace scientist. The rescue didn't go as planned and six years later Professor Vogel has just received some rather startling news. The Army calls in a few favors and soon Evelyn's heading to Berlin in the middle of the infamous Berlin Airlift (late 1948). Meanwhile, Nick has bumped into a woman from his past who he'd never expected to see again. She's running a gentlemen's club and things haven't been going as smoothly as she'd like.

Can Nick help her out? Can Evelyn figure out what's going on with Dr. Vogel? Will they manage to say "I do" before the book finishes?

I enjoyed this second Evelyn & Nick mystery quite a bit, finding it as charming and breezy as Steinberg's first novel. I wouldn't be surprised to find it turned into a popular - and romantic - TV series either. And I'd watch it. Recommended.

[This review is based on a galley sent to me by the publisher via NetGalley]

[Trudy Dowling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved An Unquiet Peace. I didn't know this was part of a series (face plant) but my error has be rectified. I was fascinated by the way the main characters, Evelyn and Nick, are a couple but have their own identities. I would find them on different sides of the world Solving a mystery. I saw the wonderful dynamics when they were together. They are the epitome of opposites attract. They are their own unique people but they stronger together.

With every page I read; I was more excited to see what happened next. Evelyn and Nick met as members of th OSS during WW2. Evelyn's training will come in handy as she tries to correct a piece of her past. She finds herself back in Germany, reconnecting with her past. What happens next is shocking. Nick rushes to her side, determined to discover what happened.

Nick uses his training every day in his work as a Private Investigator in the Los Angeles area. He soon finds himself in the thick of things as he searches for a missing girl. Not everything is as it seems. Not everyone wants her found. I was stumped. I was shocked. I found his case entertaining me for hours. When he discovers the truth, it is with Evelyn by his side.

Together they are stronger. Their love is obvious. Following their romance, their plans for the future, had me hoping for an amazing happily ever after.

[Ariana Ochoa · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Unquiet Peace is an interesting historical mystery novel and book two in the Bishop & Gallagher Mystery series.

The book picks up post WWII and Evie Bishop and Nick Gallagher are paired together again. Evie is now in charge of her family business, Bishop Aeronautics, but is fighting off the misogynistic views of society. Evie's past mission for the OSS comes to back to haunt her, leaving her jetting off to Berlin and stuck in the middle of the Berlin Airlift incident (an operation by the US and the UK to deliver supplies to West Berlin after the Soviet Union blockaded land access to the city). Nick continues his career as a private investigator. He has just taken a case where a high-end brothel worker has disappeared. If their responsibilities are not stressful enough, they are both dealing with their upcoming wedding.

I enjoyed the premise of this book. The events of the book were fast-paced and there were so many twists and turns. I had no idea that this book was the second book in the series, so I will have to go back and read the first book; however, this story does well as a standalone book.

There is a bit of language throughout the book, so be aware if you don't care for heavy expletives.

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

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 in this engaging series continues the story of former WWII spies Evelyn Bishop and Nick Gallagher. Evelyn is busy running her family's aerospace company while Nick continues to follow cases as a private investigator. Evelyn's visiting aunt tries to get Evelyn engaged in planning her own wedding, but Evelyn is not the typical late 1940's bride, as she is worried about losing her individual identity when she becomes "Mrs. Nick Gallagher". Evelyn and Nick's former commanding officer contacts Evelyn when it comes to light that the missing family of Kurt Vogel, a scientist they helped smuggle out of Germany during the war, may have resurfaced in Berlin. Evelyn visits in the midst of the Berlin Airlift to see if she can find them, while Nick stays in LA pursuing a case that puts him back in touch with a childhood mentor and friend, and possibly in conflict with the LAPD. The story blends mystery and intrigue with history and a bit of romance. The fast-paced plot throws in a few twists, and the well-developed, likeable characters feel like old friends. If you haven't read book 1, it won't affect your enjoyment or ability to follow what's going on in this one, but it will give some things away.

[SHIRLEY · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is set primarily in LA about 6 yrs after WWII, where Evelyn Bishop, a former OSS operative and Nick Gallagher, also former OSS, are engaged, and planning a wedding with the assistance of Evelyn's Aunt Taffy. Evelyn is trying to fit into her role as the President of Bishop Aeronautics after her father's fall from grace. Nick grew up on the streets of LA and is now a private investigator.
The couple get pulled in different directions as Evelyn is called back to one of her old missions in Berlin involving a German scientist who she helped rescue during the War. Meanwhile, Nick's old friend Helen, who owns a Gentleman's Club asks him for help when several of her employees are injured and her bartender goes missing.
This book was a seamless combination of mystery, historical fiction, adventure and romance which kept me guessing until the end. A little of the story was predictable but I think that the author blended the diverse elements very well. It was fast paced, and tension filled. And had a satisfying ending.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and am leaving my own opinions. Although it is the second book in a series, it is easily read as a stand-alone.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book grabbed me from start to finish. There are a lot of moving parts to this novel but Shaina Steinberg does a good job of laying it all out and keeping it moving. Can't wait for the next novel.

As an undercover operative for the Office of Strategic Services during World War II, Evelyn Bishop routinely embarked on deadly missions. By contrast, civilian life should be simple. Yet Evelyn, now back in Los Angeles, struggles with the responsibility of being the new president of Bishop Aeronautics, when people see her as nothing more than a beautiful socialite.

With Nick Gallagher, at least, Evelyn can be entirely herself. Once a fellow spy, now her fiancé, Nick works as a private investigator. But the mission that first brought them together is not entirely over. Evelyn receives a call from her former commanding officer, who is overseeing the Berlin Airlift. He is concerned that the Soviets are trying to recruit Kurt Vogel, a scientist Evelyn and Nick smuggled out of Nazi Germany. After six long years, there’s word his wife and daughter may have survived the war. Is this a chance for a long-promised reunion, or a Russian ploy to lure Vogel to their side?

[LeeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore Evie & Nick! Such the power couple! I love that they're both strong-willed, intelligent, capable individuals who work well together as a couple! We could use some more of that balance (especially in historical fiction). Add to that their spy background, and you couldn't ask for more inspiring main characters!

But you also get a twisty mystery! This is book 2 with the dynamic duo, and I think I liked it even more! Definitely more spy intrigue - and more justice for Evelyn!

"And you're saying this isn't the most open-minded welcoming city in the world." (Nick, such a sarcastic wit)

"You can't be a moral person in an impossible situation and not have regrets. If you feel nothing, that's when you should worry. Borrowed peace? Borrow anything long enough and it becomes yours." (wise Evie, wise author)

And of course, you can't help but love well-meaning Aunt Taffy, the wedding planner!

[Patricia Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Unquiet Peace is set post WWII. Nick is a Private Investigator, Evelyn is president an wner of Bishop Aeronautics. That's what the public sees... but during WWII they were spies that found each other while fighting for humanity and against fascism. The skills they used then help them now. The government is fearful they are losing a scientist refugee from WWII and Evelyn is their key to finding the what/how/ to stop it. Nick supports her and also uses his skills to help a friend from his youth.
The plot has many twists, intrigues. Although labeled as a romance/mystery, it also is a historically accurate novel. Steinberg interjects information about the cruelties of Nazi torture, deaths, The role of Russia, dangers during the Cold War . She is so skillful at weaving factual information into the story line, her skill at weaving in some horrific facts are brilliant and I thank her for writing a highly readable, historically correct, loving mystery. ...

[K McKenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a strong follow-up to the first in this series, and again it’s a thoroughly enjoyable look at the aftermath of WWII, both personal and political. You could read this as a standalone but it will make more sense and have more meaning if you have read the first. Evelyn and Nick are now engaged and get drawn into two separate cases, one leftover from their spy work during the war and one more local, with ties to Nick’s past. Both story lines are well done, and I like that the author never tried to make them overlap but instead kept both moving along at pace. The characters and their relationships continue to grow, and the details of the time period add a richness to the story. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. All views are entirely my own and offered voluntarily.

[Andi (ittybittybookmama) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I swear I can always count on a good historical fiction mystery to pull me out of a reading slump. I loved this book! It was packed full of amazing characters, intriguing mystery, and all the allure of the late 1940’s. I just adored the duo of MC’s Nick and Evelyn, and how they were both simultaneously investigating different mysteries as their past lives collided with their new one. When requesting this book I didn’t realize it was the second book in a duo. And although I don’t feel it is necessary to have read the first book, I immediately ordered Under the Paper Moon upon finishing this one.

If you are a fan of historical fiction mysteries, stories from the post WWII era, and strong female MCs you have to check this one out!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Shaina Steinberg, and HighBridge Audio for the chance to listen to this advanced copy.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nick Gallagher and Evelyn Bishop are back in California and the war is over, there spying days are over. Nick is a private eye, and Evelyn is running Bishop Aeronautics. Their past is never far behind. Evelyn receives a call from her former commanding officer, who is overseeing the Berlin Airlift. He is concerned that the Soviets are trying to recruit Kurt Vogel, a scientist Evelyn and Nick smuggled out of Nazi Germany. After six long years, there’s word his wife and daughter may have survived the war. Nick has a reunion with a childhood friend who runs a high-class “gentleman’s club.” The clientele includes everyone from Hollywood royalty to mobsters. They both get dragged into cases.
I am thrilled that Nick and Evelyn are back and hope there will be more books.
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington! #AnUnquietPeace #NetGalley

[Mystica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evelyn Bishop formerWWII spy has settled into her new space as head of the Bishop firm and is settling in well with the former detective Nick Gallagher, whom she intends marrying shortly. Her hopes for a quiet wedding are dashed by the arrival of her Aunt Taffy who like a whirlwind starts wedding preparations.

On top of that Evelyn gets called in for a covert op to find out the whereabouts of a wife and daughter of a German scientist, who was rescued and whose family was supposed to follow and who never did. Going back to Berlin is dangerous for Evelyn who has many people who will wish her dead. The enquiry is convoluted, nothing is as it seems and the person who is seeking revenge is much closer than she thinks.

The whole book was a complete package combining all that one looks for in a story of history, mystery, intrigue with a touch of romance to add balance.

[Brigitte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very much enjoyed the second book in the series, which although could be read as a standalone, it was nice to have read the first book in the series beforehand, particularly for background in how the relationship between Nick and Evelyn evolved and their shared experiences during the War as OSS spies. This time each have their own case they're pursuing. As a private detective, Nick has been hired to find a bartender who worked in his childhood friend's "gentleman's club." Evelyn has been contacted by a scientist from JPL to discover what happened to his wife and daughter who were to join him when the U.S. transported him to Pasadena because of his expertise in developing more efficient jet fuel. And, of course, there is the fuss in arrangements for the upcoming wedding of Nick and Evelyn as blown out by Evelyn's Aunt Taffy, who is trying to plan for an a very elaborate affair!

[Vicki F · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not having read the first book in the Bishop and Gallagher Mystery series I missed some of the background information. This might have added more to An Unquiet Peace (#2) by Shaina Steinberg if I had read the first. It may have been my current mood, but I had trouble staying focused on the story. Add in some topics covered in the story that I did not anticipate, and I struggled reading the book. Mybe on another day I may have given it a higher rating.

Releases Apr 29th. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#AnUnquietPeace #NetGalley

[Andrea George · Rating 5 out of 5]

"An Unquiet Peace" by Shaina Steinberg is the first book that I have read by this wonderful author. I look forward to reading the first book in this series, "Under the Paper Moon". Even though I hadn't read the previous book in the series, it did not take away from the understanding of the characters, plot, or setting. This amazing novel takes place in the late 1940's in Los Angeles and Berlin. If you are a fan of historical fiction, this is a book that you definitely want to add to your tbr list. The plot has several twists and turns, with interesting and believable characters. The ending pulls the story together without any loose ends. I would definitely recommend!

[Rocelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this sequel to Under The Paper Moon, Evelyn is now the President of Bishop Aeronautics. Nick is still doing work as a Private Investigator. They are engaged and part of the book deals with them also preparing for married life.

There are new characters in this novel ... most interesting to me is Helen .. a woman from Nicks past. The two mysteries in this book is Nick helping Helen find out who has kidnapped one of her employees .. and Evelyn helping Kurt Vogel ... a scientist she and Nick help smuggle out of Germany.

I think that I had somewhat liked the introduction of Aunt Taffy helping Evelyn with her wedding. It had lightened up the novel for me considering this seemed a little bit "darker" from the first one.

I was more invested in the Helen and Nick mystery over the Evelyn and Kurt mystery. The conclusion of both mysteries had me feel a little saddened about what Evelyn had to go through to find the answer and who in her life she can trust.

I really enjoyed this as a audiobook and think the narrator did an excellent job.