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Verity Kent Mysteries #5
Murder Most Fair
All is far from quiet on the home front in national bestselling author Anna Lee Huber's captivating mystery series, in which former Secret Service agent Verity Kent receives a visitor—who is being trailed by a killer...
November 1919. A relaxing few weeks by the seaside with her husband, Sidney, could almost convince Verity Kent that life has returned to the pleasant rhythm of pre-war days. Then Verity's beloved Great Aunt Ilse lands on their doorstep. After years in war-ravaged Germany, Ilse has returned to England to repair her fragile health—and to escape trouble. Someone has been sending her anonymous threats, and Verity's Secret Service contacts can only provide unsettling answers.
Even deep in the Yorkshire Dales, where she joins Verity's family for the holidays, Ilse encounters difficulties. Normally peaceful neighbors are hostile, seeking someone to blame for the losses they've endured. When Ilse's maid is found dead, Verity must uncover whether this is anti-German sentiment taken to murderous lengths, or whether there is a more personal motive at work. Could Verity's shadowy nemesis, Lord Ardmore, be involved? And if so, how much closer to home will the blow land when he inevitably strikes again?
November 1919. A relaxing few weeks by the seaside with her husband, Sidney, could almost convince Verity Kent that life has returned to the pleasant rhythm of pre-war days. Then Verity's beloved Great Aunt Ilse lands on their doorstep. After years in war-ravaged Germany, Ilse has returned to England to repair her fragile health—and to escape trouble. Someone has been sending her anonymous threats, and Verity's Secret Service contacts can only provide unsettling answers.
Even deep in the Yorkshire Dales, where she joins Verity's family for the holidays, Ilse encounters difficulties. Normally peaceful neighbors are hostile, seeking someone to blame for the losses they've endured. When Ilse's maid is found dead, Verity must uncover whether this is anti-German sentiment taken to murderous lengths, or whether there is a more personal motive at work. Could Verity's shadowy nemesis, Lord Ardmore, be involved? And if so, how much closer to home will the blow land when he inevitably strikes again?
384 pages, Paperback
First published August 31, 2021
493 people are currently reading
3237 people want to read
About the author
Anna Lee Huber
29 books3,670 followersAnna Lee Huber is the USA Today bestselling and Daphne award-winning author of the Lady Darby Mysteries, the Verity Kent Mysteries, the Gothic Myths series, as well as Sisters of Fortune: A Novel of the Titanic and the anthology The Deadly Hours. She is a summa cum laude graduate of Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, where she majored in music and minored in psychology. She currently resides in Indiana with her family and is hard at work on her next novel. Visit her online at www.annaleehuber.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 360 reviews
April 11, 2021
This fifth in series historical mystery was a thoroughly engaging, thought provoking and most entertaining read.
Unlike its predecessors, its focus was on the interrelationships of our plucky protagonist, Verity Kent, and her family members in post WWI England. It also spoke to the strained relationships among people from opposing sides of the war. So many emotions, protocols and sensibilities to unpack. And unpack them author Anna Lee Huber did, deftly and beautifully.
It's November, 1919 as England "celebrates" the first anniversary of the Armistice. Verity and her husband Sidney, are not in a celebratory mood as they ruminate on all the treasured souls lost to war. Verity, in her efforts to protect her family as well as deal personally with the loss of her brother, had stayed away from her family's home for a number of years. This year, she has decided that it's time to head home for the holidays. A surprising knock on their door reveals the arrival of Great Aunt Ilse of Germany with her pretty young maid, Fräulein Bauer in tow. Even though Great Aunt Ilse is family, folks in Britain are none too keen to have a couple of Germans wandering among them. Thinking it to be the better part of valor, Verity, Sidney, Aunt Ilse and Fräulein Bauer descend upon the familial estate up in the remote Yorkshire Dales two weeks ahead of schedule. As much as everyone is shocked and delighted to see Verity back at home, the German ladies receive a most chilly reception from the staff. Being quite suspicious of Fräulein Bauer, Verity's mother's maid starts spying on the poor girl and snidely relates the young maid's activities to Verity. Just when Verity is to hold a private tête-à-tête with Fräulein Bauer at a remote location, the poor girl is discovered dead. There is of course a number of suspects, not the least of which is a mystery man, believed to be yet another German in the village's midst. Of course, Verity and Sidney are the best chances the locals have at sussing out the perpetrator, which is not without its dangers.
Ms. Huber has written a highly atmospheric and well-informed tale from the early years between the wars. Verity's wardrobe alone is described in exquisite detail, right down to the shoes. The detailed descriptions of a seemingly relaxed Sidney (who was anything but, at the time), brought a smile to this reader's face. Without giving it all away, for this reader the richest element of the writing was the well developed interplay among the familial characters - sibling to sibling, parent to child, and husband to wife. Personally, I would recommend reading this series in order as the characters, as well as the longer plot arc, develop over time.
I am grateful to author Anna Lee Huber and her publisher, Kensington Publishing Corp for having provided this ebook through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.
Publication Date: August 31, 2021
Pages: 304
Publisher: Kensington Books
ISBN: 9781496728494
Unlike its predecessors, its focus was on the interrelationships of our plucky protagonist, Verity Kent, and her family members in post WWI England. It also spoke to the strained relationships among people from opposing sides of the war. So many emotions, protocols and sensibilities to unpack. And unpack them author Anna Lee Huber did, deftly and beautifully.
It's November, 1919 as England "celebrates" the first anniversary of the Armistice. Verity and her husband Sidney, are not in a celebratory mood as they ruminate on all the treasured souls lost to war. Verity, in her efforts to protect her family as well as deal personally with the loss of her brother, had stayed away from her family's home for a number of years. This year, she has decided that it's time to head home for the holidays. A surprising knock on their door reveals the arrival of Great Aunt Ilse of Germany with her pretty young maid, Fräulein Bauer in tow. Even though Great Aunt Ilse is family, folks in Britain are none too keen to have a couple of Germans wandering among them. Thinking it to be the better part of valor, Verity, Sidney, Aunt Ilse and Fräulein Bauer descend upon the familial estate up in the remote Yorkshire Dales two weeks ahead of schedule. As much as everyone is shocked and delighted to see Verity back at home, the German ladies receive a most chilly reception from the staff. Being quite suspicious of Fräulein Bauer, Verity's mother's maid starts spying on the poor girl and snidely relates the young maid's activities to Verity. Just when Verity is to hold a private tête-à-tête with Fräulein Bauer at a remote location, the poor girl is discovered dead. There is of course a number of suspects, not the least of which is a mystery man, believed to be yet another German in the village's midst. Of course, Verity and Sidney are the best chances the locals have at sussing out the perpetrator, which is not without its dangers.
Ms. Huber has written a highly atmospheric and well-informed tale from the early years between the wars. Verity's wardrobe alone is described in exquisite detail, right down to the shoes. The detailed descriptions of a seemingly relaxed Sidney (who was anything but, at the time), brought a smile to this reader's face. Without giving it all away, for this reader the richest element of the writing was the well developed interplay among the familial characters - sibling to sibling, parent to child, and husband to wife. Personally, I would recommend reading this series in order as the characters, as well as the longer plot arc, develop over time.
I am grateful to author Anna Lee Huber and her publisher, Kensington Publishing Corp for having provided this ebook through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.
Publication Date: August 31, 2021
Pages: 304
Publisher: Kensington Books
ISBN: 9781496728494
July 31, 2024
This is another interesting adventure with Verity and Sidney Kent, this time with Verity's family for the Christmas holidays, in the Yorkshire Dales. Her father's aunt and her Great Aunt (Tante) Ilse and her maid arrived on her doorstep from Germany just before leaving town, so they are with them. The locals are not receptive to the Germans after losing several young people to the war. When the maid is killed, Verity and Sidney are tasked to find the killer. This was a very emotional trip home for Verity, one she has avoided since her brother Rob was killed in the war. I am enjoying this series so much and look forward to reading the next in the series.
October 25, 2023
Another dastardly whodunnit in this wonderfully fun series and the scene this time in Murder Most Fair is the holidays in the Yorkshire Dales—the Dales of All Creatures Great and Small fame—with Verity Kent’s completely dysfunctional, upperclass family complete with an aged family member visiting from Germany just after the Great War. What could go wrong? Only murder, neighborly suspicion and mistrust against foreigners, mysteries galore, and let’s no forget that Verity still has her arch-nemesis Lord Ardmore—the Professor Moriarty of this series—lurking in the shadows somewhere in England eager to sink his long-reaching tentacles into her and Sydney. But this time, it may be Verity’s family, each with their own particular set of quirks and foibles that just may do her in first! This series just gets better and better!
🎼 Ding-dong! Merrily on high! 🎶
What else but Five Bright stars! ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
🎼 Ding-dong! Merrily on high! 🎶
What else but Five Bright stars! ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
June 11, 2021
The Great War is finally at an end, Verity's husband Sidney has returned a hero after being presumed dead, and Verity has finished with her top secret assignment. Her great aunt from Germany appears in England, much to Verity's surprise, and they all go north to visit Verity's somewhat disagreeable and judgmental family. When there is a murder, Verity must step in to help solve the case since the local police seem disinterested. I have read all of the books in this series, and this one's a lot slower moving than the previous ones. I would recommend reading them in order, as this is definitely not a stand-alone. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
August 7, 2021
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Kensington Publishing for this Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review Murder Most Fair. All opinions are my own.
Will threats from the war ever be far behind? Not as long as enemies are on a mission of revenge, as the Kents realize in Murder Most Fair. And Verity must finally come to terms with her brother’s death.
“Dashing war hero Sidney Kent and his beautiful and intrepid wife Verity” (as described in the newspapers, we’re told) are back in the fifth of this fast-paced historical mystery series by Anna Lee Huber, set in a post-WWI era England. They’re still tracking the activities of the traitorous Lord Ardmore from previous books -- as he is tracking them. We’re also told that from the get-go. Indeed, the story practically takes up when it left off in A Pretty Deceit, the fourth book. These are not standalones.
The Kents are on vacation at their country cottage when a relative from Germany shows up. Great Aunt Ilse. This is quite the surprise. The lady had helped Verity with her undercover wartime activities, which didn’t set well with the neighbors. But she was also apparently put in danger by a superior officer of Verity’s and that shouldn’t have happened. Verity is not happy. Ardmore may find a way to use this, and since it’s Christmas time and they were going anyway, they decide to go to Verity’s family home early – a trip that Verity has put off for five years, for it is where her dead brother spent his happiest days. The hurtful memories are still fresh.
It’s also a book that involves their work in intelligence, both past and present. And family dynamics. There are problems there that have to be resolved. What Verity did during the war was not “women’s work,” and there are issues with the status of women that are definitely food for thought.
And since this is a mystery, we’re faced with plenty, including a murder. It takes a while to get there, but at last there’s something for the Kents to get to work on. A young woman determined to find answers for something that happened during the war underscores the drama in Murder Most Fair. And Verity gets a confession -- and suffers for it.
Sidney and Verity are finally “clicking,” finally getting along well together, getting used to being together again. Building trust. Still, there are secrets they’re not sharing, most of them Verity’s. Anna Lee Huber has developed this relationship throughout these five books, and it is well established. This is a book about the rebuilding of lives as much as anything else. There are strong scenes of heartache, of overwhelming memories that are very poignant. The murder investigation is almost secondary. Anyone who has lost someone will recognize these sentiments, will understand the emotions behind them. Read Murder Most Fair for how the author masterfully weaves a tale of loss and getting through the sorrows of the past alongside the necessity for doggedly pursuing justice.
Will threats from the war ever be far behind? Not as long as enemies are on a mission of revenge, as the Kents realize in Murder Most Fair. And Verity must finally come to terms with her brother’s death.
“Dashing war hero Sidney Kent and his beautiful and intrepid wife Verity” (as described in the newspapers, we’re told) are back in the fifth of this fast-paced historical mystery series by Anna Lee Huber, set in a post-WWI era England. They’re still tracking the activities of the traitorous Lord Ardmore from previous books -- as he is tracking them. We’re also told that from the get-go. Indeed, the story practically takes up when it left off in A Pretty Deceit, the fourth book. These are not standalones.
The Kents are on vacation at their country cottage when a relative from Germany shows up. Great Aunt Ilse. This is quite the surprise. The lady had helped Verity with her undercover wartime activities, which didn’t set well with the neighbors. But she was also apparently put in danger by a superior officer of Verity’s and that shouldn’t have happened. Verity is not happy. Ardmore may find a way to use this, and since it’s Christmas time and they were going anyway, they decide to go to Verity’s family home early – a trip that Verity has put off for five years, for it is where her dead brother spent his happiest days. The hurtful memories are still fresh.
It’s also a book that involves their work in intelligence, both past and present. And family dynamics. There are problems there that have to be resolved. What Verity did during the war was not “women’s work,” and there are issues with the status of women that are definitely food for thought.
And since this is a mystery, we’re faced with plenty, including a murder. It takes a while to get there, but at last there’s something for the Kents to get to work on. A young woman determined to find answers for something that happened during the war underscores the drama in Murder Most Fair. And Verity gets a confession -- and suffers for it.
Sidney and Verity are finally “clicking,” finally getting along well together, getting used to being together again. Building trust. Still, there are secrets they’re not sharing, most of them Verity’s. Anna Lee Huber has developed this relationship throughout these five books, and it is well established. This is a book about the rebuilding of lives as much as anything else. There are strong scenes of heartache, of overwhelming memories that are very poignant. The murder investigation is almost secondary. Anyone who has lost someone will recognize these sentiments, will understand the emotions behind them. Read Murder Most Fair for how the author masterfully weaves a tale of loss and getting through the sorrows of the past alongside the necessity for doggedly pursuing justice.
August 31, 2021
One would think surviving the war, saving her marriage, and hunting down murderers and a master criminal would be the scariest activities in a woman’s life, but no, going home for the holidays is what brings on the panic for 20’s era former spy, Verity Kent. I can’t help, but anticipate each new installment in this dashing series of mysteries.
Murder Most Fair is the fifth of the Verity Kent mysteries set in post-WWI era Britain. These are closely connected and must be read in order.
Verity and Sidney are taking a break after their last big murder case and encounter with the wily arch-nemesis they are up against. Spending time at their seaside cottage with a few friends is just the thing until a surprise visit from Verity’s German great-aunt leads them onto a new mystery and takes them to Yorkshire and Verity’s childhood home sooner than planned. The atmosphere is heavy and that’s inside the house as Verity faces the consequences of staying away for over five years, but then a murder really stirs the pot.
Throughout this series, Verity has had an acrimonious relationship with her mother about not coming home, her conduct that made it into the society news, and her seeming lack of grieving over her brother. This is the book that brings that all to a head when Verity is finally forced to return to her family’s ancestral estate. Sidney is right there with her and a support, but she is the one who must take her mother’s disdain, her surviving siblings’ hurt, and her own long overdue locked away grief and deal with it. Cracks are showing in her emotional wall and being home is what is forcing it. It was heartbreaking as she stubbornly held off dealing with her grief especially in the face of places and memories that come back to her and there is the constant absence of the one sweet brother.
But, even as she struggles, Verity sees that she is not the only one who is grieving and struggling. Both her surviving brothers came back from the war with inner scars, her parents are not growing younger, and the whole village is missing their dead and trying to start over. She was so caught up in her own struggles that she has held family at a distance and now realizes how much she needs them and they need her.
Because it is so close to the war years, feelings are high when Verity brings Aunt Ilse and her maid back home. People are vocal about their anti-German feelings. And, when the maid dies, she is faced with the fact that there is too much prejudice for anyone to seek the truth behind the death. So, she and Sidney must learn the maid’s secrets and determine if the trouble followed them there or if someone in her home village is a killer.
I found the mystery quite easy to figure out from the maid’s secrets to who the killer was and why. But, I wasn’t bored because I was fully engaged in Verity’s personal struggles and meeting her family in this one. The author has never shied away from writing a woman who is not perfect and who has her struggles and, in this case, it is delayed grief for her brother. The author addresses all this with her and it was agonizing being along for Verity’s struggle as she flails about even attacking Sidney where she knows he is vulnerable before remorsefully apologizing because he is not the rightful target of her angst. This book felt like a turning point for Verity on a personal level even if the overall series arc for the suspense thread didn’t see much forward progress.
All in all, this was fabulous for historical post-war Roaring twenties setting and character development and provided a decent mystery as well. I can definitely recommend the series to those who want historical mysteries with a lot of relationship and personal growth adding complexity to the storyline.
I rec’d an eARC of this book from Net Galley to be read in exchange for an honest review.
Murder Most Fair is the fifth of the Verity Kent mysteries set in post-WWI era Britain. These are closely connected and must be read in order.
Verity and Sidney are taking a break after their last big murder case and encounter with the wily arch-nemesis they are up against. Spending time at their seaside cottage with a few friends is just the thing until a surprise visit from Verity’s German great-aunt leads them onto a new mystery and takes them to Yorkshire and Verity’s childhood home sooner than planned. The atmosphere is heavy and that’s inside the house as Verity faces the consequences of staying away for over five years, but then a murder really stirs the pot.
Throughout this series, Verity has had an acrimonious relationship with her mother about not coming home, her conduct that made it into the society news, and her seeming lack of grieving over her brother. This is the book that brings that all to a head when Verity is finally forced to return to her family’s ancestral estate. Sidney is right there with her and a support, but she is the one who must take her mother’s disdain, her surviving siblings’ hurt, and her own long overdue locked away grief and deal with it. Cracks are showing in her emotional wall and being home is what is forcing it. It was heartbreaking as she stubbornly held off dealing with her grief especially in the face of places and memories that come back to her and there is the constant absence of the one sweet brother.
But, even as she struggles, Verity sees that she is not the only one who is grieving and struggling. Both her surviving brothers came back from the war with inner scars, her parents are not growing younger, and the whole village is missing their dead and trying to start over. She was so caught up in her own struggles that she has held family at a distance and now realizes how much she needs them and they need her.
Because it is so close to the war years, feelings are high when Verity brings Aunt Ilse and her maid back home. People are vocal about their anti-German feelings. And, when the maid dies, she is faced with the fact that there is too much prejudice for anyone to seek the truth behind the death. So, she and Sidney must learn the maid’s secrets and determine if the trouble followed them there or if someone in her home village is a killer.
I found the mystery quite easy to figure out from the maid’s secrets to who the killer was and why. But, I wasn’t bored because I was fully engaged in Verity’s personal struggles and meeting her family in this one. The author has never shied away from writing a woman who is not perfect and who has her struggles and, in this case, it is delayed grief for her brother. The author addresses all this with her and it was agonizing being along for Verity’s struggle as she flails about even attacking Sidney where she knows he is vulnerable before remorsefully apologizing because he is not the rightful target of her angst. This book felt like a turning point for Verity on a personal level even if the overall series arc for the suspense thread didn’t see much forward progress.
All in all, this was fabulous for historical post-war Roaring twenties setting and character development and provided a decent mystery as well. I can definitely recommend the series to those who want historical mysteries with a lot of relationship and personal growth adding complexity to the storyline.
I rec’d an eARC of this book from Net Galley to be read in exchange for an honest review.
August 19, 2021
Barbara’s Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Series: Verity Kent Mysteries #5
Publication Date: 8/31/21
Period: England, Intra-War Period, 1919
Number of Pages: 384
OMGoodness! This series just keeps getting better and better. This author’s prose takes you from your comfortable chair and plops you down in post-WWI England with her gripping descriptions. It is November of 1919 and the country is still trying to recover – to come to terms with the debilitating, gut-wrenching grief from which they all still suffer. Everyone copes with that grief in different ways, but one way that seems the most common is to carry an all-consuming hatred of anything and anyone German.
With the Christmas holidays nearing, Verity and Sidney are planning a trip to Verity’s home near Yorkshire. Verity hasn’t visited there in five years – at first, it was the war and her responsibilities that kept her away – then, after her brother Rob was killed-in-action, she couldn’t face all of the memories of him. Now, it is time to face the grief she has buried deep, deep inside herself and she’s not looking forward to it. She can handle it for a couple of weeks though – surely.
One of Verity’s missions for the Home Office comes back to haunt her when her great aunt, Tante Ilse, gets permission to come to England from Germany. Verity dearly loves Tante Ilse and was loath to involve her in a mission during the war, but had little choice in the matter. Verity needed to get a collaborator back inside Germany, so they used Tante Ilse’s home as a safehouse during the journey. With the anti-German sentiment so strong in England, Verity and Sidney decide Tante Ilse and her maid would be much safer in the rural Yorkshire Downs, so they decide to travel to Verity’s home earlier than planned.
Verity has been noticing that something just isn’t right. Tante Ilse isn’t telling her everything and she’s noticed the maid being accosted. She’s also caught several glimpses of a man she is sure she recognizes, but cannot put a name to. Is Ardmore, the overarching enemy of the series up to something again? Or, is this much closer to home?
Even in rural Yorkshire anti-German sentiments are very strong and local authorities don’t take it particularly seriously when Tante Ilse’s young, beautiful, German maid is found dead in a remote barn. Sidney and Verity know they will have to solve the murder themselves if they want to see justice done for the young woman. There are suspects aplenty, it is just a matter of weeding through them.
Verity has so much to handle – a murder, deep grief, and a family festering with what they view as her abandonment of them. Can her emotions survive it all? She and Sidney can handle the murder investigation together – no problem. Her family and grief are something she has to manage on her own – with Sidney’s support – but she is still the one who has to deal with it. Because of the Secrets Act, she absolutely cannot tell her family what she did during the war. Yet, without telling them the truth, they’ll continue to believe she abandoned them to drink and party in London while they were grieving at home. Besides the grief, her two remaining brothers both have issues from serving during the war – the things they saw – the things they did… Like most of the other returning veterans, they brought those experiences home with them and those experiences taint everything they do in life.
I absolutely loved the way this author made me feel the emotions of the characters. My heart ached for Verity and her inability to let her brother Rob go. The descriptions of the deprivations, the tensions, the terror – both in Germany and England – made you feel all of it yourself.
I hope you will read and love this outstanding historical mystery as much as I did. You cannot get better writing, better storytelling, better emotion, better more compelling characters anywhere. It is a wonderful series and I highly recommend all of the books.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Series: Verity Kent Mysteries #5
Publication Date: 8/31/21
Period: England, Intra-War Period, 1919
Number of Pages: 384
OMGoodness! This series just keeps getting better and better. This author’s prose takes you from your comfortable chair and plops you down in post-WWI England with her gripping descriptions. It is November of 1919 and the country is still trying to recover – to come to terms with the debilitating, gut-wrenching grief from which they all still suffer. Everyone copes with that grief in different ways, but one way that seems the most common is to carry an all-consuming hatred of anything and anyone German.
With the Christmas holidays nearing, Verity and Sidney are planning a trip to Verity’s home near Yorkshire. Verity hasn’t visited there in five years – at first, it was the war and her responsibilities that kept her away – then, after her brother Rob was killed-in-action, she couldn’t face all of the memories of him. Now, it is time to face the grief she has buried deep, deep inside herself and she’s not looking forward to it. She can handle it for a couple of weeks though – surely.
One of Verity’s missions for the Home Office comes back to haunt her when her great aunt, Tante Ilse, gets permission to come to England from Germany. Verity dearly loves Tante Ilse and was loath to involve her in a mission during the war, but had little choice in the matter. Verity needed to get a collaborator back inside Germany, so they used Tante Ilse’s home as a safehouse during the journey. With the anti-German sentiment so strong in England, Verity and Sidney decide Tante Ilse and her maid would be much safer in the rural Yorkshire Downs, so they decide to travel to Verity’s home earlier than planned.
Verity has been noticing that something just isn’t right. Tante Ilse isn’t telling her everything and she’s noticed the maid being accosted. She’s also caught several glimpses of a man she is sure she recognizes, but cannot put a name to. Is Ardmore, the overarching enemy of the series up to something again? Or, is this much closer to home?
Even in rural Yorkshire anti-German sentiments are very strong and local authorities don’t take it particularly seriously when Tante Ilse’s young, beautiful, German maid is found dead in a remote barn. Sidney and Verity know they will have to solve the murder themselves if they want to see justice done for the young woman. There are suspects aplenty, it is just a matter of weeding through them.
Verity has so much to handle – a murder, deep grief, and a family festering with what they view as her abandonment of them. Can her emotions survive it all? She and Sidney can handle the murder investigation together – no problem. Her family and grief are something she has to manage on her own – with Sidney’s support – but she is still the one who has to deal with it. Because of the Secrets Act, she absolutely cannot tell her family what she did during the war. Yet, without telling them the truth, they’ll continue to believe she abandoned them to drink and party in London while they were grieving at home. Besides the grief, her two remaining brothers both have issues from serving during the war – the things they saw – the things they did… Like most of the other returning veterans, they brought those experiences home with them and those experiences taint everything they do in life.
I absolutely loved the way this author made me feel the emotions of the characters. My heart ached for Verity and her inability to let her brother Rob go. The descriptions of the deprivations, the tensions, the terror – both in Germany and England – made you feel all of it yourself.
I hope you will read and love this outstanding historical mystery as much as I did. You cannot get better writing, better storytelling, better emotion, better more compelling characters anywhere. It is a wonderful series and I highly recommend all of the books.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 3, 2022
This book is the highlight of the Verity Kent series so far for me. There's a lot of action in this book, but we still get Anna Lee Huber's sensitive insight into the psychological effects of WWI on our characters. Verity suppressed her feelings in the earlier books (busy being a tough-as-nails woman chasing the bad guys) and we finally see her dealing with her baggage by going home.
We get to see Verity's mother in all her cringe-worthy glory and we get insight into Verity's relationships with her other siblings, her father, and some childhood friends. I couldn't get enough of the siblings and it seems like the groundwork has been laid for us to see two of them, Tim and Grace, visit London in the future.
The last fifty pages or so are a fantastic roller coaster. I went from crying through one particularly touching scene to laughing a few pages later (no spoiler, but Verity mentioning her coat getting ruined is hilarious). Huber has a way of wrapping up the main mystery in a satisfying way while also prepping us for the next book. The only problem is that I read an Advanced Reader Edition, so I'm even further away from the next installment than those who will read this after it comes out in September 2021.
BTW, I was not a Sidney fan in the first few books (I think I actually wrote a review about being on Team Max), but I am a fan now. If you were on the fence before, this book will take you over.
We get to see Verity's mother in all her cringe-worthy glory and we get insight into Verity's relationships with her other siblings, her father, and some childhood friends. I couldn't get enough of the siblings and it seems like the groundwork has been laid for us to see two of them, Tim and Grace, visit London in the future.
The last fifty pages or so are a fantastic roller coaster. I went from crying through one particularly touching scene to laughing a few pages later (no spoiler, but Verity mentioning her coat getting ruined is hilarious). Huber has a way of wrapping up the main mystery in a satisfying way while also prepping us for the next book. The only problem is that I read an Advanced Reader Edition, so I'm even further away from the next installment than those who will read this after it comes out in September 2021.
BTW, I was not a Sidney fan in the first few books (I think I actually wrote a review about being on Team Max), but I am a fan now. If you were on the fence before, this book will take you over.
September 3, 2021
I always enjoy becoming reacquainted with Verity & Sydney & spending time in their world. The stories in this series are all so good--the dialogue, the period details, the well-developed characters pulled into Verity's orbit, and, of course, the romance between Verity & Sydney. Narrator Heather Wilds has become the voice of Anna Lee Huber's characters for me. An entertaining listening experience!
May 23, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an e-galley of this novel.
The Verity Kent series by Anna Lee Huber has been tempting me for quite a while now so when I saw this one available on NetGalley I decided this would be a great time to take the plunge. It isn't very often that I'm stymied by jumping into a series even when it has multiple books already available, but this one was a hard pull for me to get involved with. That has nothing whatsoever to do with the talents of the author because her talent shines through. My problem is with this specific book because so much of it is used for looking back at cases solved and remembering people who have figured so large in the cast of characters. The arch enemy is not present in this sixth book and yet he is mentioned throughout the entire book. Add to that a total lack of anything even remotely mysterious until I had passed the 53% mark on my e-reader and I was definitely a fish out of water.
So...once the murder had taken place I got to watch how Huber has her characters work together in order to solve a crime. I enjoyed the interactions between the characters, the feeling of being in a very specific time period and watch the family relationships change, hopefully for the better in the future. I would not recommend that a friend begin this series with this book, but I would recommend that a friend begin this series. The first is probably the very best place to start and there is a teaser chapter from THIS SIDE OF MURDER at the end of this book.
The Verity Kent series by Anna Lee Huber has been tempting me for quite a while now so when I saw this one available on NetGalley I decided this would be a great time to take the plunge. It isn't very often that I'm stymied by jumping into a series even when it has multiple books already available, but this one was a hard pull for me to get involved with. That has nothing whatsoever to do with the talents of the author because her talent shines through. My problem is with this specific book because so much of it is used for looking back at cases solved and remembering people who have figured so large in the cast of characters. The arch enemy is not present in this sixth book and yet he is mentioned throughout the entire book. Add to that a total lack of anything even remotely mysterious until I had passed the 53% mark on my e-reader and I was definitely a fish out of water.
So...once the murder had taken place I got to watch how Huber has her characters work together in order to solve a crime. I enjoyed the interactions between the characters, the feeling of being in a very specific time period and watch the family relationships change, hopefully for the better in the future. I would not recommend that a friend begin this series with this book, but I would recommend that a friend begin this series. The first is probably the very best place to start and there is a teaser chapter from THIS SIDE OF MURDER at the end of this book.
July 30, 2021
Memoirs of War
Another great Verity Kent Mystery, I love reading with all the familiar characters. These books are enjoyable to read. I love the way that the fashions are described, the colors of the room, the wallpaper and even the scenery.
Verity and Sidney are enjoyed a vacation by the sea when Verity's Great Aunt Ilse appears with her maid Bauer from Germany. Her aunt has been receiving threats and was afraid to stay in Germany. Verity and Sidney decide that because of an investigation they are currently working on it would be safer for her Great Aunt in the country with her parents.
It is about coming to terms with death and those lost in the war. So many were damaged by the terrible war and feeling is still high against Germans. This is true even in the small village in Yorkshire. People all grieve differently whether from wounds physical or wounds mental from this war and are broken until they find a way to face them and move forward. Some have a harder time than other's .
People are not kind toward Verity's Great Aunt in town showing their dislike of the German's because of their hurts and losses inflicted by the war. They hold all German's responsible, even a frail old woman. This causes some friction and ends in the murder of her Great Aunt Ilse's maid which Verity and Sidney are asked to help investigate and find the killer. Is it a villager, could it be something to do with Verity's time in the service during the war? Was it another member of the domestic staff at her mother's house?
It is a very emotional and well written book. A great new mystery which delves into some deep emotional issues. I would recommend this book.
Thanks to Anna Lee Huber, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of the book for my honest review.
Another great Verity Kent Mystery, I love reading with all the familiar characters. These books are enjoyable to read. I love the way that the fashions are described, the colors of the room, the wallpaper and even the scenery.
Verity and Sidney are enjoyed a vacation by the sea when Verity's Great Aunt Ilse appears with her maid Bauer from Germany. Her aunt has been receiving threats and was afraid to stay in Germany. Verity and Sidney decide that because of an investigation they are currently working on it would be safer for her Great Aunt in the country with her parents.
It is about coming to terms with death and those lost in the war. So many were damaged by the terrible war and feeling is still high against Germans. This is true even in the small village in Yorkshire. People all grieve differently whether from wounds physical or wounds mental from this war and are broken until they find a way to face them and move forward. Some have a harder time than other's .
People are not kind toward Verity's Great Aunt in town showing their dislike of the German's because of their hurts and losses inflicted by the war. They hold all German's responsible, even a frail old woman. This causes some friction and ends in the murder of her Great Aunt Ilse's maid which Verity and Sidney are asked to help investigate and find the killer. Is it a villager, could it be something to do with Verity's time in the service during the war? Was it another member of the domestic staff at her mother's house?
It is a very emotional and well written book. A great new mystery which delves into some deep emotional issues. I would recommend this book.
Thanks to Anna Lee Huber, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of the book for my honest review.
September 8, 2021
4.5 Stars
Verity Kent and her dashing husband, Sidney, find themselves in another tricky situation with the surprise arrival of Verity’s German Aunt Ilse. Germans aren’t treated very kindly by the English in 1919 so close after the end of WWI, so they decide to get out of London and visit Verity’s parents in the English countryside of Yorkshire. However, Yorkshire isn’t all that welcoming to Great Aunt Ilse or her maid either.
Although, Verity had planned on visiting her parents for the holidays, the trip brings mixed emotions. It’s been five years since she’s visited and while Verity misses her family, being home brings the loss of her brother into sharp focus. It isn’t something Verity wants to deal with. Also, her relationship with her mother is strained at best. I was not a big fan of Verity’s mother! The whole family has felt the effects of the war and loss and so it’s not all easy going.
On top of that, their neighbors in Yorkshire aren’t at all happy to have two Germans in their midst. There’s a lot of animosity and blame. Aunt Ilse’s German maid, Bauer, is reviled by the staff and is said to be asking odd questions about Verity. Is Bauer just the target of animosity because her heritage or is she privy to Verity’s covert missions during the war? When Bauer is murdered Verity must get to the bottom of it to find out.
Murder Most Fair is the fifth installment, and the books are best read in order to appreciate all the relationships and the ongoing story arc. While little progress was made in the investigation of the nefarious Lord Ardmore, I loved Murder Most Fair! I was so happy to see Verity and Sidney draw closer as a couple, and work through some of the hurdles brought about by their experiences in the war. They’ve always presented a united front as they faced the troubles and danger, but they’ve had some tough times. It was heartening to see them open up to each other in ways they hadn’t previously.
Anna Lee Huber expertly brings the post-WWI era to life and makes it relatable by highlighting the individual struggles and their journey back to a new normal. It turned this time I learned about as an abstract in history class into a real-life emotional situation. With the added excitement of a murder mystery to solve! I eagerly await the next book!
A copy was kindly provided by Kensington Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Verity Kent and her dashing husband, Sidney, find themselves in another tricky situation with the surprise arrival of Verity’s German Aunt Ilse. Germans aren’t treated very kindly by the English in 1919 so close after the end of WWI, so they decide to get out of London and visit Verity’s parents in the English countryside of Yorkshire. However, Yorkshire isn’t all that welcoming to Great Aunt Ilse or her maid either.
Although, Verity had planned on visiting her parents for the holidays, the trip brings mixed emotions. It’s been five years since she’s visited and while Verity misses her family, being home brings the loss of her brother into sharp focus. It isn’t something Verity wants to deal with. Also, her relationship with her mother is strained at best. I was not a big fan of Verity’s mother! The whole family has felt the effects of the war and loss and so it’s not all easy going.
On top of that, their neighbors in Yorkshire aren’t at all happy to have two Germans in their midst. There’s a lot of animosity and blame. Aunt Ilse’s German maid, Bauer, is reviled by the staff and is said to be asking odd questions about Verity. Is Bauer just the target of animosity because her heritage or is she privy to Verity’s covert missions during the war? When Bauer is murdered Verity must get to the bottom of it to find out.
Murder Most Fair is the fifth installment, and the books are best read in order to appreciate all the relationships and the ongoing story arc. While little progress was made in the investigation of the nefarious Lord Ardmore, I loved Murder Most Fair! I was so happy to see Verity and Sidney draw closer as a couple, and work through some of the hurdles brought about by their experiences in the war. They’ve always presented a united front as they faced the troubles and danger, but they’ve had some tough times. It was heartening to see them open up to each other in ways they hadn’t previously.
Anna Lee Huber expertly brings the post-WWI era to life and makes it relatable by highlighting the individual struggles and their journey back to a new normal. It turned this time I learned about as an abstract in history class into a real-life emotional situation. With the added excitement of a murder mystery to solve! I eagerly await the next book!
A copy was kindly provided by Kensington Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2023
Oh, see THIS was the character book I have been craving from this series. Narrowing the scope of things, while also keeping them engaged a bit with the wider plot, worked really well to get into the heart of the characters, as well as surrounding Verity with her family. Really, this was great.
August 13, 2021
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
World War One is over, and all the survivors are coming back home. When a German relative comes to England for her health, she finds that the English aren't too fond of Germans for some odd reason.
When the relative's maid is murdered, Verity gets on the case. I felt that the social commentary got in the way of the story.
World War One is over, and all the survivors are coming back home. When a German relative comes to England for her health, she finds that the English aren't too fond of Germans for some odd reason.
When the relative's maid is murdered, Verity gets on the case. I felt that the social commentary got in the way of the story.
August 6, 2021
An unexpected visit!
1919. The world of Verity Kent and her husband Sidney moves in ever widening circles of mystery, treachery, and suspicion as they deal with the many challenges that come their way. The repairing of their marriage, dealing with the PTSD they both experience, for Verity her grief over her dead brother and the stressed relationship with her family, including Mommy Dearest. Then there’s the shadowy figure of the infamous Lord Ardmore and their next steps in proving his treason, if he doesn’t get them first.
Verity’s German great aunt, Grosse Tante Ilse, who’d helped Verity during her covert activities behind enemy lines, slips into England along with her maid seeking refuge. Trouble arose for Ilse after Verity had left. England seems the safest place. But is it, given the population’s attitude towards Germans? The people of Verity’s home village are no exception.
Verity and Sidney take her aunt to the family home in the Yorkshire Downs. Verity’s first visit since her brother Rob died. She faces the wrath of varying members of her family who of course have no inkling of what she’s been through, and under the Secrets Act never will. Although her brothers have started to put two and two together. When Death comes calling, Verity and Sidney must consider all possibilities. None of them comforting.
Sidney becomes a more solid person here. I have come to appreciate him. I really was not that enamoured of him, even though he was working for King and Country.
Many aspects of post war sensibilities, the emotional and physical burden of those who fought and those left behind, of families healing—or not; of attudes, of a nation trying to move forward, are either directly confronted or hinted at.
I really enjoyed this chapter of Verity’s story. So many memories—both painful and good! Memories she has to face—and at last, not alone.
A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley
1919. The world of Verity Kent and her husband Sidney moves in ever widening circles of mystery, treachery, and suspicion as they deal with the many challenges that come their way. The repairing of their marriage, dealing with the PTSD they both experience, for Verity her grief over her dead brother and the stressed relationship with her family, including Mommy Dearest. Then there’s the shadowy figure of the infamous Lord Ardmore and their next steps in proving his treason, if he doesn’t get them first.
Verity’s German great aunt, Grosse Tante Ilse, who’d helped Verity during her covert activities behind enemy lines, slips into England along with her maid seeking refuge. Trouble arose for Ilse after Verity had left. England seems the safest place. But is it, given the population’s attitude towards Germans? The people of Verity’s home village are no exception.
Verity and Sidney take her aunt to the family home in the Yorkshire Downs. Verity’s first visit since her brother Rob died. She faces the wrath of varying members of her family who of course have no inkling of what she’s been through, and under the Secrets Act never will. Although her brothers have started to put two and two together. When Death comes calling, Verity and Sidney must consider all possibilities. None of them comforting.
Sidney becomes a more solid person here. I have come to appreciate him. I really was not that enamoured of him, even though he was working for King and Country.
Many aspects of post war sensibilities, the emotional and physical burden of those who fought and those left behind, of families healing—or not; of attudes, of a nation trying to move forward, are either directly confronted or hinted at.
I really enjoyed this chapter of Verity’s story. So many memories—both painful and good! Memories she has to face—and at last, not alone.
A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley
April 6, 2021
I adore this series, just like I do the Lady Darby series, and this book has a lot of revelations into Verity's character and her family.
Verity's aunt from Germany arrives at their apartment with a maid and, hoping to avoid more problems (especially the Lord Ardmore variety), Verity and Sidney leave to her parents' house earlier than planned.
There are a lot of anti-German sentiments in the village when people find out about Verity's aunt and her maid, and when the young maid is killed, things get worse. As Sidney and Verity investigate the murder, the secrets that come up make a lot of people uncomfortable.
On a personal level, Verity hasn't been home since her brother died, and the reactions from her parents and brothers, and their perception of her reasons to not visit before now put a strain on everybody.
I highly recommend this book and the series, to be read in order.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
Verity's aunt from Germany arrives at their apartment with a maid and, hoping to avoid more problems (especially the Lord Ardmore variety), Verity and Sidney leave to her parents' house earlier than planned.
There are a lot of anti-German sentiments in the village when people find out about Verity's aunt and her maid, and when the young maid is killed, things get worse. As Sidney and Verity investigate the murder, the secrets that come up make a lot of people uncomfortable.
On a personal level, Verity hasn't been home since her brother died, and the reactions from her parents and brothers, and their perception of her reasons to not visit before now put a strain on everybody.
I highly recommend this book and the series, to be read in order.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
August 22, 2021
The adventures of British Secret Service agent Verify Kent and her husband Sidney, a recently returned World War I hero, continue in Anna Lee Huber's Murder Most Fair. In this outing, the year is 1919 and the month is November, the first full year since the armistice ended the War to End All Wars. Verity and Sidney are planning a holiday in the Yorkshire Dales with Verity's family. The tranquillity of their vacation is disrupted by the arrival of Verity's Great Aunt Ilsa, who has lived in Germany for many years. Ilsa and her maid accompany the couple to the Dales, but they are not wholeheartedly welcomed either by the entire family or by the neighbors. When the maid is murdered, it falls to Verity and Sidney to catch the killer.
I have enjoyed other books in this series, and have a special fondness for the crackling dialog between Verity and Sidney that typically propels the series. Murder Most Fair, however, gets off to a slow start and also contains a great deal of backstory Patient fans will be pleased; readers who haven't yet met the Kent's would be well advised to start the series with one of the other books (preferably, in my view, because of the complexity of the plotting in this series, the first in the series, This Side of Murder.)
Thank you to Anna Lee Huber, Kensington, and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel in return for this honest review.
I have enjoyed other books in this series, and have a special fondness for the crackling dialog between Verity and Sidney that typically propels the series. Murder Most Fair, however, gets off to a slow start and also contains a great deal of backstory Patient fans will be pleased; readers who haven't yet met the Kent's would be well advised to start the series with one of the other books (preferably, in my view, because of the complexity of the plotting in this series, the first in the series, This Side of Murder.)
Thank you to Anna Lee Huber, Kensington, and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel in return for this honest review.
January 18, 2023
Where do they get the names for the books in this series? None of them have anything to do with the plot lines.
This one, #5 in the series was much slower, plodded along more than any of the others. Still a murder mystery, but no "spy" action to speak of. The first 1/3 of the book is spent rehashing the previous four books. Then a great deal of time devoted to embellishing an event the happened in France during the war -- something introduced but not delved into in great detail in a previous volume.
Lord Ardmore is not a part of this particular mystery, but the author insists on continually dragging him into the conversations. If I hadn't read the prior four books, I think that would have been frustrating. Not as impressed with this one as her earlier works.
This one, #5 in the series was much slower, plodded along more than any of the others. Still a murder mystery, but no "spy" action to speak of. The first 1/3 of the book is spent rehashing the previous four books. Then a great deal of time devoted to embellishing an event the happened in France during the war -- something introduced but not delved into in great detail in a previous volume.
Lord Ardmore is not a part of this particular mystery, but the author insists on continually dragging him into the conversations. If I hadn't read the prior four books, I think that would have been frustrating. Not as impressed with this one as her earlier works.
August 29, 2021
Grief is a funny thing - you think you can hide it away and just deal with life, but it eventually will take you over and if you are not careful, it will consume you. This is where we are in this outing of the Verity Kent series and let me tell you, this one is filled with ALL the feels. Verity has to do what she has been avoiding for 5 years; she has to go home. Home, where the memories of her beloved brother Rob [a Flyboy, killed in the action over France during the war] will assault her and bring her perilously close to losing the slender hold she has on her grief.
The story starts where the previous book leaves off, with Verity and Sidney and their friends vacationing at their cottage, all while looking for clues to evidence that was found in the previous book [there will be no spoilers here so little of what previously happened will be mentioned]. While they are there, Verity's Tante [Aunt] Ilse shows up unexpectedly from war-ravaged Germany with news that she has been threatened and that is why she has made the perilous trek to England, where she knows she will be little welcome by those who are not in Verity's immediate family. Thus starts the story that weaves in and out of all that Verity did during the war, the reunion with her family [and how poorly THAT goes], and the belief that all Germans were inherently bad and therefore were not to be trusted. When someone is killed because of this sentiment, it is up to Verity, Sidney and Verity's brothers to flush out the killer [the reveal is VERY good and I was a little surprised, though I wondered if that was the direction the story was going] and being her Tante some peace at last. All while being on constant alert over Lord Ardmore's advances and threats as well. I thought that Christmas was supposed to be a time of peace and joy - not in this book it isn't, though I guess there is some of it at the very end.
The toughest part of this book is Verity dealing with her grief. She dealt with it the best way she knew how and in doing so, alienates her family, who now resents her deeply for it. Instead of compassion for her grief, they only see the actions of how she behaved [see book 1] and believed that she was callous and cared little for them and their own grief over Rob's death [and when they all believed Sidney to be dead as well - see book 2]. What they all fail to realize [and what bugged me to NO END] was, that everyone grieves differently and that what Verity did was what was best for her at that time and that their disapproval of her and the way she chose to grieve did way more harm than good and by the time it all comes out in this book, Verity is almost to the point of being consumed with the act of hiding all of her emotions. As someone who has been continually told how and when and what to grieve in the past ten years [with the end of my marriage and then death of my beloved Dad], this all struck a big chord with me. I spent a good amount of this book in tears as I watched Verity try and navigate the waters of letting go of bonds that kept her from showing her grief and how her family judged her for it. There are absolute moments of pain and tears and the fact that I felt all I felt is a huge testament to the way this author writes - she pulls the feelings out of you and even while it hurts, it is amazing.
I only have one complaint about this book and it is what kept it from being a 5 star read for me [it was oh so close]. The almost CONSTANT reminder that Verity was in the secret service and that she CANNOT TELL HER FAMILY EVER [yes, there were moment of it being that dramatic]. IF the reader has gotten to this book and started at book 1 [and really, why wouldn't you - if you start at this book, you will be so very lost], you are already very aware of the secrecy around Verity's war service and why it is necessary. To be reminded over and over and O V E R again [almost to the point of ad nauseam], was really an insult to the reader. We are aware and are not stupid and do not need constant reminders of it and to be honest, when it happened more than once in a chapter, I was afraid it was going to ruin the whole book for me - I even yelled out loud, "I KNOW THIS ALREADY" when it was once again stated. I hope that this is not a trend that continues in the next book because it became tedious and really dragged the story down. At least for me it did. When the rest of the book is just so darn good, it was hard to have it even a teeny bit ruined by repetitive [and IMO, lazy] writing. To be fair, this was my only complaint about the book [and with some of the books I have read lately, to have only one thing bug me is nothing short of miraculous], but it was a very annoying one.
I am so looking forward to the next book - I love this series so much and cannot wait to see what happens next!!
Thank you to NetGalley, Anna Lee Huber, and Kensington Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story starts where the previous book leaves off, with Verity and Sidney and their friends vacationing at their cottage, all while looking for clues to evidence that was found in the previous book [there will be no spoilers here so little of what previously happened will be mentioned]. While they are there, Verity's Tante [Aunt] Ilse shows up unexpectedly from war-ravaged Germany with news that she has been threatened and that is why she has made the perilous trek to England, where she knows she will be little welcome by those who are not in Verity's immediate family. Thus starts the story that weaves in and out of all that Verity did during the war, the reunion with her family [and how poorly THAT goes], and the belief that all Germans were inherently bad and therefore were not to be trusted. When someone is killed because of this sentiment, it is up to Verity, Sidney and Verity's brothers to flush out the killer [the reveal is VERY good and I was a little surprised, though I wondered if that was the direction the story was going] and being her Tante some peace at last. All while being on constant alert over Lord Ardmore's advances and threats as well. I thought that Christmas was supposed to be a time of peace and joy - not in this book it isn't, though I guess there is some of it at the very end.
The toughest part of this book is Verity dealing with her grief. She dealt with it the best way she knew how and in doing so, alienates her family, who now resents her deeply for it. Instead of compassion for her grief, they only see the actions of how she behaved [see book 1] and believed that she was callous and cared little for them and their own grief over Rob's death [and when they all believed Sidney to be dead as well - see book 2]. What they all fail to realize [and what bugged me to NO END] was, that everyone grieves differently and that what Verity did was what was best for her at that time and that their disapproval of her and the way she chose to grieve did way more harm than good and by the time it all comes out in this book, Verity is almost to the point of being consumed with the act of hiding all of her emotions. As someone who has been continually told how and when and what to grieve in the past ten years [with the end of my marriage and then death of my beloved Dad], this all struck a big chord with me. I spent a good amount of this book in tears as I watched Verity try and navigate the waters of letting go of bonds that kept her from showing her grief and how her family judged her for it. There are absolute moments of pain and tears and the fact that I felt all I felt is a huge testament to the way this author writes - she pulls the feelings out of you and even while it hurts, it is amazing.
I only have one complaint about this book and it is what kept it from being a 5 star read for me [it was oh so close]. The almost CONSTANT reminder that Verity was in the secret service and that she CANNOT TELL HER FAMILY EVER [yes, there were moment of it being that dramatic]. IF the reader has gotten to this book and started at book 1 [and really, why wouldn't you - if you start at this book, you will be so very lost], you are already very aware of the secrecy around Verity's war service and why it is necessary. To be reminded over and over and O V E R again [almost to the point of ad nauseam], was really an insult to the reader. We are aware and are not stupid and do not need constant reminders of it and to be honest, when it happened more than once in a chapter, I was afraid it was going to ruin the whole book for me - I even yelled out loud, "I KNOW THIS ALREADY" when it was once again stated. I hope that this is not a trend that continues in the next book because it became tedious and really dragged the story down. At least for me it did. When the rest of the book is just so darn good, it was hard to have it even a teeny bit ruined by repetitive [and IMO, lazy] writing. To be fair, this was my only complaint about the book [and with some of the books I have read lately, to have only one thing bug me is nothing short of miraculous], but it was a very annoying one.
I am so looking forward to the next book - I love this series so much and cannot wait to see what happens next!!
Thank you to NetGalley, Anna Lee Huber, and Kensington Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 17, 2022
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Murder Most Fair is the 5th Verity Kent mystery by Anna Lee Huber. Released 31st Aug 2021 by Kensington, it's 384 pages and is available in library bound hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book (and the others in the series) are currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.
This is a sophisticated romance / mystery set in the very early interwar period in England with espionage and drama and short forays into mainland Europe. The series protagonist is a part time spy who, along with her husband and occasionally the home office, chase down murderers and powerful bad guys including powerful government officials who are supposedly on the same side. In between, they sip cocktails, dance, and try to maintain a work - life balance.
There is less international intrigue and more family and interpersonal relationship exploration in this installment, as Verity's German Aunt Ilsa comes into her life again in England and for safety reasons, Verity and husband Sidney return to Verity's family estate with their entire entourage after a long estrangement. Mystery and intrigue follow the couple no matter where they are and they're soon on the trail of skullduggery and an overarching multi-book political mystery with international implications.
The mystery is self contained, but this is a series book with spoilers for earlier installments in the series if read out of order. There are now 5 books available with a 6th releasing in a few months, so it's a good candidate for a binge read. The language is slightly anachronistic with shades of "drawing room stage plays" of the time. It's full of period cocktails and flannel pants and indoor cigarette smoking and casual sexism. The author does have quite a lot of facility with the fashions and mores of the time and place, and I can only imagine the prodigious amount of background research which goes into writing these books.
The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 11 hours and 47 minutes and is narrated by Heather Wilds. I found her voice almost unbearably plummy, very much like a modern rendition of a period drawing-room stage production of The Importance of Being Earnest. She does, however, do a wonderful job of various other accents, such as German and Afrikaaner South African and characters of a broad range of ages and both sexes. I admittedly stopped wincing over her accent for Verity about a third of the way through the read.
Four stars for both the print and audiobook versions. Definitely one for interwar British historical mystery readers who enjoy romance and political intrigue. The language is clean and there's light implied consensual physical contact (between married people) as well as references to past relations.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Murder Most Fair is the 5th Verity Kent mystery by Anna Lee Huber. Released 31st Aug 2021 by Kensington, it's 384 pages and is available in library bound hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book (and the others in the series) are currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.
This is a sophisticated romance / mystery set in the very early interwar period in England with espionage and drama and short forays into mainland Europe. The series protagonist is a part time spy who, along with her husband and occasionally the home office, chase down murderers and powerful bad guys including powerful government officials who are supposedly on the same side. In between, they sip cocktails, dance, and try to maintain a work - life balance.
There is less international intrigue and more family and interpersonal relationship exploration in this installment, as Verity's German Aunt Ilsa comes into her life again in England and for safety reasons, Verity and husband Sidney return to Verity's family estate with their entire entourage after a long estrangement. Mystery and intrigue follow the couple no matter where they are and they're soon on the trail of skullduggery and an overarching multi-book political mystery with international implications.
The mystery is self contained, but this is a series book with spoilers for earlier installments in the series if read out of order. There are now 5 books available with a 6th releasing in a few months, so it's a good candidate for a binge read. The language is slightly anachronistic with shades of "drawing room stage plays" of the time. It's full of period cocktails and flannel pants and indoor cigarette smoking and casual sexism. The author does have quite a lot of facility with the fashions and mores of the time and place, and I can only imagine the prodigious amount of background research which goes into writing these books.
The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 11 hours and 47 minutes and is narrated by Heather Wilds. I found her voice almost unbearably plummy, very much like a modern rendition of a period drawing-room stage production of The Importance of Being Earnest. She does, however, do a wonderful job of various other accents, such as German and Afrikaaner South African and characters of a broad range of ages and both sexes. I admittedly stopped wincing over her accent for Verity about a third of the way through the read.
Four stars for both the print and audiobook versions. Definitely one for interwar British historical mystery readers who enjoy romance and political intrigue. The language is clean and there's light implied consensual physical contact (between married people) as well as references to past relations.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
August 30, 2021
MURDER MOST FAIR is the fifth superb entry in the outstanding Verity Kent Mystery series. Author Anna Lee Huber’s excellent writing vividly brings the post WWI years to life with excellent world building and storytelling, character development, and complex plotting.
It is November 1919 - one full year after the end of the war to end all wars - but the sacrifices and scars are still fresh. When Verity’s Aunt Ilse from Germany arrives unexpectedly with her maid Bauer in tow, Verity is pleased yet surprised and worried when Ilse reveals she is being threatened. Thinking they will spare Ilse any anti-German sentiment in London, Verity and Sydney adjourn to Verity’s family home in the Yorkshire Dales for the holidays. Verity has avoided going home for five years, at first because of her covert work during the war, but then also because of brother’s death in the line of duty. Of course, her family can know nothing of her work, and they feel abandoned in their grief. Verity finds that even in the country villages the grudges of war remain. When Bauer is murdered, Verity and Sydney do all they can solve the crime.
I adore this series, and each installment is better than the last. Here the characters’ relationships take center stage with the murder mystery secondary. It deals with secrets, grief, the continued repercussions of war, family baggage and rebuilding relationships. It is absorbing, affirming, and heartbreaking. I feel deeply about these characters, and this tale gives Verity, an already complex character, a chance to really grow. But all is not grim within these pages…Verity and Sydney’s rekindled relationship and snappy dialogue are great, and I enjoyed getting to know her older brother, father, and aunt. Unfortunately, her mother and sister are dreadful. Max, friend and quasi-love interest, is rarely present here, and I greatly miss him. There is mention of the series long story arc regarding Lord Ardmore, but it is not the focus. Fraulein Bauer’s murder is cleverly tied to Verity and past.
MURDER MOST FAIR is best enjoyed as part of its series so I do not recommend reading it as a standalone. However, I cannot recommend the entire Verity Kent Mystery Series enough. Readers will not be disappointed. Highly, highly recommended!
I received an ARC of this title from the author and Kensington Books through NetGalley and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
It is November 1919 - one full year after the end of the war to end all wars - but the sacrifices and scars are still fresh. When Verity’s Aunt Ilse from Germany arrives unexpectedly with her maid Bauer in tow, Verity is pleased yet surprised and worried when Ilse reveals she is being threatened. Thinking they will spare Ilse any anti-German sentiment in London, Verity and Sydney adjourn to Verity’s family home in the Yorkshire Dales for the holidays. Verity has avoided going home for five years, at first because of her covert work during the war, but then also because of brother’s death in the line of duty. Of course, her family can know nothing of her work, and they feel abandoned in their grief. Verity finds that even in the country villages the grudges of war remain. When Bauer is murdered, Verity and Sydney do all they can solve the crime.
I adore this series, and each installment is better than the last. Here the characters’ relationships take center stage with the murder mystery secondary. It deals with secrets, grief, the continued repercussions of war, family baggage and rebuilding relationships. It is absorbing, affirming, and heartbreaking. I feel deeply about these characters, and this tale gives Verity, an already complex character, a chance to really grow. But all is not grim within these pages…Verity and Sydney’s rekindled relationship and snappy dialogue are great, and I enjoyed getting to know her older brother, father, and aunt. Unfortunately, her mother and sister are dreadful. Max, friend and quasi-love interest, is rarely present here, and I greatly miss him. There is mention of the series long story arc regarding Lord Ardmore, but it is not the focus. Fraulein Bauer’s murder is cleverly tied to Verity and past.
MURDER MOST FAIR is best enjoyed as part of its series so I do not recommend reading it as a standalone. However, I cannot recommend the entire Verity Kent Mystery Series enough. Readers will not be disappointed. Highly, highly recommended!
I received an ARC of this title from the author and Kensington Books through NetGalley and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
December 8, 2021
Note: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
This latest adventure takes Verity and her husband Sidney to Verity’s family manse in the countryside of England. The visit is hard on Verity as she has purposefully not returned home because she cannot bear to face the death of her brother Rob. Joining the Kents is Verity’s German aunt, Tante Ilse, and her maid, Fraulein Bauer. The Germans receive a chilly welcome in the countryside of England, as its citizens are still reeling from World War I and blaming all Germans for their suffering. The chill welcome escalates into something more when Fraulein Bauer is murdered, and although Verity is struggling with her grief, she throws herself into the mystery, hoping to get to the truth before Bauer’s killer claims another victim.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. There wasn’t as much “action” as in previous Verity Kent mysteries, which definitely took some getting used to, but I was really pleased that author Anna Lee Huber dedicated so much of the book to character nuance and development. Murder Most Fair is definitely a book that examines more of the inner world of our characters and their interrelationships, exploring the nature of grief, the ties between family, and how the war affected different people in different ways. It definitely gave me a lot to think about, and it was quite engrossing, seeing the way each character dealt with things. I admit that at turns Verity was quite exasperating, and I understood her family being cross with her for not seeing them for 5 years. However, this didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book.
I loved seeing the relationship between Verity and her family members. I’m glad it looks like we will be seeing more of Grace and Tim, and I hope Freddy as well. Reuniting Verity with her family gives her more nuance, and shows more of her faults, which makes her a richer character. This added depth to the heroine really makes for compelling reading and I hope we see more of this in future books.
Murder Most Fair was released on August 31, 2021.
This latest adventure takes Verity and her husband Sidney to Verity’s family manse in the countryside of England. The visit is hard on Verity as she has purposefully not returned home because she cannot bear to face the death of her brother Rob. Joining the Kents is Verity’s German aunt, Tante Ilse, and her maid, Fraulein Bauer. The Germans receive a chilly welcome in the countryside of England, as its citizens are still reeling from World War I and blaming all Germans for their suffering. The chill welcome escalates into something more when Fraulein Bauer is murdered, and although Verity is struggling with her grief, she throws herself into the mystery, hoping to get to the truth before Bauer’s killer claims another victim.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. There wasn’t as much “action” as in previous Verity Kent mysteries, which definitely took some getting used to, but I was really pleased that author Anna Lee Huber dedicated so much of the book to character nuance and development. Murder Most Fair is definitely a book that examines more of the inner world of our characters and their interrelationships, exploring the nature of grief, the ties between family, and how the war affected different people in different ways. It definitely gave me a lot to think about, and it was quite engrossing, seeing the way each character dealt with things. I admit that at turns Verity was quite exasperating, and I understood her family being cross with her for not seeing them for 5 years. However, this didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book.
I loved seeing the relationship between Verity and her family members. I’m glad it looks like we will be seeing more of Grace and Tim, and I hope Freddy as well. Reuniting Verity with her family gives her more nuance, and shows more of her faults, which makes her a richer character. This added depth to the heroine really makes for compelling reading and I hope we see more of this in future books.
Murder Most Fair was released on August 31, 2021.
August 14, 2021
The fifth novel in Anna Lee Huber’s Verity Kent series finds Verity surprised by the appearance of her German great aunt, Ilse. She’s surprised for one thing because it’s 1919, and in England, Germans aren’t especially beloved; and for another she knows her aunt is elderly and fragile and wonders why she’s made the arduous journey to her niece’s side.
The two have always been close, and during the war, when Verity worked for British Intelligence, she even placed a German deserter at her aunt’s home for a time. Verity is still wracked with guilt over this. Her aunt has appeared with a new and beautiful young maid, as her long time maid has died of the Spanish flu.
While this book is very much set in 1919, it’s also echoed in today’s universe, where we are dealing with a pandemic that’s not quite over and that has caused a massive amount of loss. While Huber doesn’t specifically deal with the 1918-1919 pandemic, she deals very much with the emotional aftermath. She frames it in terms of her 1919 characters, but the contemporary grief many of us are feeling is there on every page.
This is a beautifully written and observed depiction of grief in its many forms. Because her aunt is so elderly and so fragile, and because Germans are so reviled in London, Verity decides the best place for her would be her parent’s home in the Yorkshire Dales. Verity herself is returning home after a long time away.
She’s worked for British intelligence, something, thanks to the official secrets act, she can’t discuss; and for a time, she’d thought her beloved husband, Sidney, was dead. Happily Sidney is alive, but Verity’s brother Rob did not survive the war and she has not been able to force herself to return home since his death. It’s caused a large rift between Verity and her mother, who, when Verity does arrive, immediately criticizes her bobbed hair.
As anyone who returns to their childhood home after a long absence has found – things have changed. Verity’s surviving brothers, Freddy and Tim, are also veterans dealing with the war’s aftermath in different ways. Freddy is a physician with a wife and a child; Tim seems aimless and distracted. Her mother is angry that Verity has been away for so long. And Sidney is acclimating himself to Verity’s childhood home. As he’s a certified war hero with a medal to prove it, things are easier for him, though there’s still a bit of a gulf between him and Verity as she refuses to give in to her grief.
When her aunt’s maid is discovered murdered, Verity and Sidney snap into detecting mode, making an appealing and intelligent sleuthing couple. While I enjoyed the mystery and the threads that lead to a solution, what I thought was so strong about this book was the depiction of Verity’s grief. Reader, she does let it out, and the meticulous character delineation that is a hallmark of Huber’s writing makes it all the more powerful. This is a beautifully written and told story.
The two have always been close, and during the war, when Verity worked for British Intelligence, she even placed a German deserter at her aunt’s home for a time. Verity is still wracked with guilt over this. Her aunt has appeared with a new and beautiful young maid, as her long time maid has died of the Spanish flu.
While this book is very much set in 1919, it’s also echoed in today’s universe, where we are dealing with a pandemic that’s not quite over and that has caused a massive amount of loss. While Huber doesn’t specifically deal with the 1918-1919 pandemic, she deals very much with the emotional aftermath. She frames it in terms of her 1919 characters, but the contemporary grief many of us are feeling is there on every page.
This is a beautifully written and observed depiction of grief in its many forms. Because her aunt is so elderly and so fragile, and because Germans are so reviled in London, Verity decides the best place for her would be her parent’s home in the Yorkshire Dales. Verity herself is returning home after a long time away.
She’s worked for British intelligence, something, thanks to the official secrets act, she can’t discuss; and for a time, she’d thought her beloved husband, Sidney, was dead. Happily Sidney is alive, but Verity’s brother Rob did not survive the war and she has not been able to force herself to return home since his death. It’s caused a large rift between Verity and her mother, who, when Verity does arrive, immediately criticizes her bobbed hair.
As anyone who returns to their childhood home after a long absence has found – things have changed. Verity’s surviving brothers, Freddy and Tim, are also veterans dealing with the war’s aftermath in different ways. Freddy is a physician with a wife and a child; Tim seems aimless and distracted. Her mother is angry that Verity has been away for so long. And Sidney is acclimating himself to Verity’s childhood home. As he’s a certified war hero with a medal to prove it, things are easier for him, though there’s still a bit of a gulf between him and Verity as she refuses to give in to her grief.
When her aunt’s maid is discovered murdered, Verity and Sidney snap into detecting mode, making an appealing and intelligent sleuthing couple. While I enjoyed the mystery and the threads that lead to a solution, what I thought was so strong about this book was the depiction of Verity’s grief. Reader, she does let it out, and the meticulous character delineation that is a hallmark of Huber’s writing makes it all the more powerful. This is a beautifully written and told story.
October 7, 2022
Murder Most Fair is part of the Verity Kent murder mystery series set in the historical time period of 1919. I really enjoyed the premise as described in the book description.
The book was a slow start for me. It may be I haven't read the previous books, but about 1/4 in things began to pick up somewhat. By 3/4 of the book I was super sleuthing with Verity and trying to figure out who killed Aunt Ilse's maid!
If you love a historical murder mystery, you should check out the Verity Kent series by Ana Lee Huber! I will be!
Thank you to Kensington Publishing for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The book was a slow start for me. It may be I haven't read the previous books, but about 1/4 in things began to pick up somewhat. By 3/4 of the book I was super sleuthing with Verity and trying to figure out who killed Aunt Ilse's maid!
If you love a historical murder mystery, you should check out the Verity Kent series by Ana Lee Huber! I will be!
Thank you to Kensington Publishing for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 28, 2021
Murder Most Fair is part of the Verity Kent murder mystery series set in the historical time period of 1919. I really enjoyed the premise as described in the book description.
The book was a slow start for me. It may be I haven't read the previous books, but about 1/4 in things began to pick up somewhat. By 3/4 of the book I was super sleuthing with Verity and trying to figure out who killed Aunt Ilse's maid!
If you love a historical murder mystery, you should check out the Verity Kent series by Ana Lee Huber! I will be!
Thank you to Kensington Publishing for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The book was a slow start for me. It may be I haven't read the previous books, but about 1/4 in things began to pick up somewhat. By 3/4 of the book I was super sleuthing with Verity and trying to figure out who killed Aunt Ilse's maid!
If you love a historical murder mystery, you should check out the Verity Kent series by Ana Lee Huber! I will be!
Thank you to Kensington Publishing for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 5, 2022
DNF'd. I just couldn't connect with the characters or the writing. No rating will be given due to DNF'ing this book early.
August 15, 2021
Anna Lee Huber has clinched a spot at the top of my favorite author list with this newest book in the Verity Kent series. In Murder Most Fair, Verity Kent takes a long awaited visit to her family home. However, wartime secrets and danger follow her. With beautiful prose, Ms. Huber deftly draws her readers into post-war England as the shadow of the war continues to haunt Verity and her family as they all seek healing from the emotional scars they bear from the war.
Ms. Huber has the amazing ability to not only pen an engaging mystery but to create memorable characters of such depth that one almost feels as if they are real. As she reveals Verity's most vulnerable moments, she became one of the most "real" characters that have graced the pages of a book I have read in a long time. This is a little slower-paced than the others, but I loved the fact that we got to 'know' Verity.....Huber has given her readers a heroine who is captivating with her courage, strength and independence. But she is also fragile and endearing.
This riveting story will appeal to fans of historical fiction and mysteries alike, providing a lyrical tale filled with danger, intrigue, memorable characters and a little bit of romance to satisfy the reader's heart. I look forward to reading more of Verity's exploits in the future.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Ms. Huber has the amazing ability to not only pen an engaging mystery but to create memorable characters of such depth that one almost feels as if they are real. As she reveals Verity's most vulnerable moments, she became one of the most "real" characters that have graced the pages of a book I have read in a long time. This is a little slower-paced than the others, but I loved the fact that we got to 'know' Verity.....Huber has given her readers a heroine who is captivating with her courage, strength and independence. But she is also fragile and endearing.
This riveting story will appeal to fans of historical fiction and mysteries alike, providing a lyrical tale filled with danger, intrigue, memorable characters and a little bit of romance to satisfy the reader's heart. I look forward to reading more of Verity's exploits in the future.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
July 5, 2021
This is the fifth in the Verity Kent Mystery series featuring former Secret Service agent, Verity Kent and her husband and war hero, Sydney. The book is an excellent stand alone with a well-plotted mystery. There is just enough information about characters who are on-going to bring the reader up to date without repeating everything that has occurred previously
Verity’s Tante Ilse arrives at Verity and Sydney’s London flat and while seeing her again is cause for joy there is also concern. Feelings among some British people are still running high against Germans, and they make no effort to conceal their dislike of Tante ilse or her maid. Then Tante Ilse tells Verity about being threatened in her own village because after helping Verity smuggle a deserter out of the country a second one appeared. Now the village has branded Tante Ilse a traitor and Verity is concerned about who might have given her away. Have they also exposed Verity?
The decision is made to leaveLondon and go home for the holidays. Verity hopes they will be more welcomed there and she can investigate to learn if she herself is exposed. The problem with the visit is that Verity hasn’t been home since her brother died and she is dreading facing her grief as well as dealing with the constant disapproval of her mother. She can’t explain to anyone what she did during the war, and that leaves her mother even more critical of her.
Once they arrive in the town, there are numerous reports of an unknown German hanging about. Couple that with the dislike of German’s also evidenced here and things become even more complicated. Then a murder occurs and Verity and Sydney know they must solve it before the townsfolk find the unknown German, whom they suspect, and practice a bit of vigilante justice.
Verity is also dealing with grief she hasn’t faced for five years. Huber does a superb job of portraying grief and showing how Both of Verity’s brothers demonstrate their grief and “survivor guilt” in different ways, as does her mother. In order to resolve anything and move forward as a family they are going to have to face their own grief, one another’s grief, and grant each other some concessions.
The book joins themes of isolationism, the distrust of foreigners, the after effects of war, and grief in its varied forms. These themes are all presented in the form of an engaging fictional story and a well plotted mystery. This may be the best book of the series so far.
My thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing me an advance copy for review. The opinions stated here are entirely my own.
Verity’s Tante Ilse arrives at Verity and Sydney’s London flat and while seeing her again is cause for joy there is also concern. Feelings among some British people are still running high against Germans, and they make no effort to conceal their dislike of Tante ilse or her maid. Then Tante Ilse tells Verity about being threatened in her own village because after helping Verity smuggle a deserter out of the country a second one appeared. Now the village has branded Tante Ilse a traitor and Verity is concerned about who might have given her away. Have they also exposed Verity?
The decision is made to leaveLondon and go home for the holidays. Verity hopes they will be more welcomed there and she can investigate to learn if she herself is exposed. The problem with the visit is that Verity hasn’t been home since her brother died and she is dreading facing her grief as well as dealing with the constant disapproval of her mother. She can’t explain to anyone what she did during the war, and that leaves her mother even more critical of her.
Once they arrive in the town, there are numerous reports of an unknown German hanging about. Couple that with the dislike of German’s also evidenced here and things become even more complicated. Then a murder occurs and Verity and Sydney know they must solve it before the townsfolk find the unknown German, whom they suspect, and practice a bit of vigilante justice.
Verity is also dealing with grief she hasn’t faced for five years. Huber does a superb job of portraying grief and showing how Both of Verity’s brothers demonstrate their grief and “survivor guilt” in different ways, as does her mother. In order to resolve anything and move forward as a family they are going to have to face their own grief, one another’s grief, and grant each other some concessions.
The book joins themes of isolationism, the distrust of foreigners, the after effects of war, and grief in its varied forms. These themes are all presented in the form of an engaging fictional story and a well plotted mystery. This may be the best book of the series so far.
My thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing me an advance copy for review. The opinions stated here are entirely my own.
August 31, 2021
November 1919 and Verity Kent's Great-Aunt Ilse arrives at Verity's home in Kent with her new maid Frau Bauer in tow. Soon stories of strange men accosting Frau Bauer and fears of what Lord Ardmore might do if he found out that Verity's German aunt had come to the UK lead Verity and Sidney to decide it would be best if they all decamp to Verity's parents' home in Yorkshire two weeks earlier than planned. Verity hasn't been home since her brother's death and she has a fraught relationship with her mother, so this is a big sacrifice on her part.
Then Isle's maid is found dead and secrets are revealed. Was she murdered by the mysterious stranger she was seen arguing with? Was it Verity's younger sister Grace's new beau who apparently has a 'Blighty wound' which invalided him out of the war? Is it a villager convinced she was a German spy? And what is Aunt Ilse hiding?
Although this is yet another well-crafted mystery for Verity and Sidney, the focus of this book is very much on relationships. We learn a lot more about Verity's relationships with the rest of her family, and how each of them has been affected by the war and the death of her brother Rob. In fact, I would happily have read this with no murder at all just because it advanced everything else so much, all those tantalising glimpses into Verity's marriage and her older brother's disapproval are all brought to the surface and it is very satisfying. Also, a personal thanks that the book does not start with Verity and Sidney estranged as seemed to happen with several of the other books.
Overall, a great instalment in one of my favourite series and I can't wait for the next one.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
Then Isle's maid is found dead and secrets are revealed. Was she murdered by the mysterious stranger she was seen arguing with? Was it Verity's younger sister Grace's new beau who apparently has a 'Blighty wound' which invalided him out of the war? Is it a villager convinced she was a German spy? And what is Aunt Ilse hiding?
Although this is yet another well-crafted mystery for Verity and Sidney, the focus of this book is very much on relationships. We learn a lot more about Verity's relationships with the rest of her family, and how each of them has been affected by the war and the death of her brother Rob. In fact, I would happily have read this with no murder at all just because it advanced everything else so much, all those tantalising glimpses into Verity's marriage and her older brother's disapproval are all brought to the surface and it is very satisfying. Also, a personal thanks that the book does not start with Verity and Sidney estranged as seemed to happen with several of the other books.
Overall, a great instalment in one of my favourite series and I can't wait for the next one.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
August 23, 2021
First, thank you Netgalley for providing me with this novel in exchange for an honest review :)
Second, I requested book #5 (I haven't read the others yet) because it was an opportunity to delve into a series I kept hearing so much praise about, thinking I could probably catch up easily. I did catch up, however, I would recommend reading the novels in order as there is an ongoing background plot (a bit like Moriarty in Holmes or The Master in Dr Who - there must be better references, but those are mine).
Third, the review, finally. This particular instalment hasn't been published yet but you won't have to wait for long (August 31th). You can preorder it !
I first picked this book up when I was very tired, got annoyed at the "high society" start and put it back on its shelf for some time. I picked it back when I was in a better mood and found the novel thoroughly engaging, even if not excessively happy. But who would be happy just after that butchery that was the first world war ?...
I'm not certain that the mystery plot itself was wonderful, yet it suited perfectly what this novel dealt with : post traumatic disorder, loss, grief, mourning and not being able to mourn properly, those who came back while so many others didn't, the anger/hatred that the British population felt toward the Germans - to sum it all, it's more of a psychological study in how to cope with such a change in everybody's life that it's impossible to come back to what you were before.
The story and characters were well written. Having experienced loss myself, I could relate and empathize with Verity and her family, it spoke to me on a personal level. I hate tearjerkers, this book wasn't that, it simply spoke of very human problems in a very human way, I loved it and now need to go back to the series' start.
Highly recommended.
"“Is this what it’s like, then ? Investigating murders.” I tilted my head quizzically, uncertain exactly what she meant. “Questioning everyone around you. Wondering if they’re lying, if they’re telling the truth.Wondering if they’re capable of taking another person’s life.” “At times,” I hedged, not really knowing how to answer. The corners of her mouth curled upward in an empathetic smile. “It must be weary on the soul.”"
"All. All those we’d loved and cared for who were now lost to us. At least on this earth. We both sat silently, remembering them. Grieving them. Wishing they were still with us. But there were some acts that could not be undone, some planes that could not be crossed. Not until our time had also come. But not yet. Lord, not yet. And so we pressed on. Without them."
Second, I requested book #5 (I haven't read the others yet) because it was an opportunity to delve into a series I kept hearing so much praise about, thinking I could probably catch up easily. I did catch up, however, I would recommend reading the novels in order as there is an ongoing background plot (a bit like Moriarty in Holmes or The Master in Dr Who - there must be better references, but those are mine).
Third, the review, finally. This particular instalment hasn't been published yet but you won't have to wait for long (August 31th). You can preorder it !
I first picked this book up when I was very tired, got annoyed at the "high society" start and put it back on its shelf for some time. I picked it back when I was in a better mood and found the novel thoroughly engaging, even if not excessively happy. But who would be happy just after that butchery that was the first world war ?...
I'm not certain that the mystery plot itself was wonderful, yet it suited perfectly what this novel dealt with : post traumatic disorder, loss, grief, mourning and not being able to mourn properly, those who came back while so many others didn't, the anger/hatred that the British population felt toward the Germans - to sum it all, it's more of a psychological study in how to cope with such a change in everybody's life that it's impossible to come back to what you were before.
The story and characters were well written. Having experienced loss myself, I could relate and empathize with Verity and her family, it spoke to me on a personal level. I hate tearjerkers, this book wasn't that, it simply spoke of very human problems in a very human way, I loved it and now need to go back to the series' start.
Highly recommended.
"“Is this what it’s like, then ? Investigating murders.” I tilted my head quizzically, uncertain exactly what she meant. “Questioning everyone around you. Wondering if they’re lying, if they’re telling the truth.Wondering if they’re capable of taking another person’s life.” “At times,” I hedged, not really knowing how to answer. The corners of her mouth curled upward in an empathetic smile. “It must be weary on the soul.”"
"All. All those we’d loved and cared for who were now lost to us. At least on this earth. We both sat silently, remembering them. Grieving them. Wishing they were still with us. But there were some acts that could not be undone, some planes that could not be crossed. Not until our time had also come. But not yet. Lord, not yet. And so we pressed on. Without them."
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