The Great War is over, but in this captivating new mystery from award-winning author Anna Lee Huber, one young widow discovers the real intrigue has only just begun . . .
England, 1919. Verity Kent’s grief over the loss of her husband pierces anew when she receives a cryptic letter, suggesting her beloved Sidney may have committed treason before his untimely death. Determined to dull her pain with revelry, Verity’s first impulse is to dismiss the derogatory claim. But the mystery sender knows too much—including the fact that during the war, Verity worked for the Secret Service, something not even Sidney knew.
Lured to Umbersea Island to attend the engagement party of one of Sidney’s fellow officers, Verity mingles among the men her husband once fought beside, and discovers dark secrets—along with a murder clearly meant to conceal them. Relying on little more than a coded letter, the help of a dashing stranger, and her own sharp instincts, Verity is forced down a path she never imagined—and comes face to face with the shattering possibility that her husband may not have been the man she thought he was. It’s a truth that could set her free—or draw her ever deeper into his deception . . .
“My favorite new mystery series!”
– Alyssa Maxwell, USA Today bestselling author
“Sure to please fans of classic whodunits and lovers of historical fiction alike.”
–Jessie Crockett, author of Whispers Beyond the Veil
I love Huber's other series, the Lady Darby mysteries, and I was eager to read this one, set later in time, immediately after WWI. It was slow to hook me, as I remember The Anatomist's Wife was, but it did. And then I got to page 165. Oh hell no.
Because for the first 164 pages, she sucked me in and I became invested in Verity. But not just Verity, but Verity and Max. Max is awesome. Max is the OED poster-man for hero. But nooo... we couldn't just enjoy that slow burn, she had to introduce a love triangle:
By brining Verity's DEAD HUSBAND BACK FROM THE DEAD. Is she kidding me with this? GAH!
(hide spoiler)
So, while the story was amazing - old crimes never punished, ciphers, secrets, revenge, the whole lot wrapped up in an almost Christie-esque island setting (with the requisite storm, of course), and a VERY strong and capable heroine, Huber seriously knocked the wind out of my sails with page 165's revelations. My enthusiasm continued to dim as, frankly, my wish for the 'other' man's imminent demise remained unfulfilled. Some might find this story to be a truly HEA affair, but all things considered, that twist knocked a 5 star read down to a 3 star for me. Because of all the different love triangles an author can torture her readers with, this one is just the worst kind of crap.
The cover says "A Verity Kent Mystery", implying a series, but I don't know if I can read another one, no matter how damn good the story is. If another does come out, I'll be reading all the spoilers I can find before deciding.
Reading updates
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Started reading
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26 October, 2017:
Finished reading
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26 October, 2017:
Reviewed