This sixth book in the Verity Kent mystery series is a jaw dropper. Even though it is fiction, there is so much real history incorporated into it. One can hardly believe the truth behind the story. There is gravitas in the telling and we continue to get a glimpse into Verity and Sidney's improving marriage. Ms. Huber has done her research and delivered a sensational thriller/mystery. I eagerly await #7 in this high drama thrilling series.

Publisher: Kensington Books
Publication Date: August 30, 2022
ISBN: 978-1496728524
No. of pages: 368 ( )

Allow at least two full days for this PG espionage tale which opens in March 1920 in London where 24-year-old Verity Kent and her 30-year-old husband Sidney are working for the British Secret Service to catch a traitor. VERY well written with the tone just right, except, until less than a decade ago, the past tense of "weave" was "wove" not "weaved." I had an ARC and this is my voluntary review. ( )

“A certain darkness is needed to see the stars.” Osho

Darkness surrounds Verity and Sidney. Glimmers of hope are hard to see. The question is who will shine through?
Verity is once again swept up into the games Intelligent Agency plays. The war is over but the jockeying amongst the International Powers continue. Lord Ardmore continues to be a thorn in their side. He’s ruthless and in his pursuit of his goals the bodies are mounting up. The world is changing and Ardmore wants control over the various Intelligence Agencies.
Sidney takes a call from the Provost Gendarmerie. They have detained a Miss Adele Baverel for looting. She.will only talk to him. Sidney and Verity sense somethings wrong with her arrest and their search will take them to France, Belgium and Holland. What began as something simple becomes more complex. There’s rumours of a report is in the wind that if ever released holds upsetting news for the British forces and public in general. It certainly brings Verity and Sidney to their knees.
The politics are complex and trying to keep the various organisations straight in my head, who worked for which agency, who’s a threat, who’s aligned with their cause is challenging. Still this is an intriguing read, getting to the heart of Post Traumatic Stress as seen in Verity and Sidney, the sacrifices made during World War 1, the conditions in the trenches, all come alive for me. The secrecy, never knowing who to trust pulled at me. On top of that, there’s the post war wrangling about who does what where. Nations are in post war upheaval and certain people are pulling strings.
And let’s not forget Ireland! Verity and Sidney can’t.
A very insightful read.

A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change ( )

Goodness! What an exciting, page-flipping, suspenseful read this was! Verity and Sidney are, as always, dynamic, engaging, flawed, and troubled by the events each of them suffered through during the war. As we know (from reading the other books in the series), the war may be over, but the repercussions and espionage are not. Then, when we add the arch-villain Ardmore to that volatile mix – well goodness – be still my palpating heart.

As you probably know, Verity sustained a bullet wound at the end of the previous book, Murder Most Fair. She and Sidney have been leading a quiet life for five months since then in order to allow her to heal properly. That all ends when Sidney receives a request from the French authorities. They want him to come to France and help with a prisoner they have in custody – this prisoner claims to have proof of treason by a number of people during the war, and she won’t speak to anyone other than Sidney. Sidney has no idea who this woman is – he’s never heard of her – and still doesn’t have any idea who she is after he meets her. She is arrogant, but begs for Sidney’s help, even though he is inclined to refuse. However, she’s very enigmatic during their interview and is quickly found hanging in her cell after Sidney and Verity leave. That, of course, almost guarantees Sidney will get involved.

As they begin their investigation, Verity gets a message that she should check in with the English spymaster stationed in France – ‘T’. He needs Verity to solve the murder of a Belgian lawyer who worked for them during the war. The lawyer was murdered on a train as he was carrying important secret documents. The documents were missing and there are few clues to follow. Those papers are supposed to contain clues to a sunken German ship carrying a fortune in gold. T (and his boss ‘C’) need her to retrieve the papers and, if possible, solve the murder.

As the investigations proceed, Verity and Sidney come to realize that all is not what it seems and their two investigations are actually intertwined. The pieces of the puzzles begin to fit together in a way that will make Verity and Sidney question the very foundations of their belief in their government and all world leaders. Some of what they find are particularly troubling to Sidney who fought in some of the worst battles of the war.

As always with this author, I highly recommend this book and this series. You absolutely cannot go wrong with it. I have absolutely loved watching Verity and Sidney find their love again and rebuild their relationship as well as their firm determination to thwart the archvillain Ardmore. Their steadfast support of their friends is awe-inspiring.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ( )

Verity Kent and her husband are continuing with their quest to uncover the truth about Lord Ardmore when Sidney is summoned to meet with a collaborator who has been arrested by the French police. but refused to provide any information to anyone but Sidney. After a cryptic meeting, Verity is tapped by the secret service to track down some stolen papers that may--or may not--have to do with a sunken cargo of gold. As the Kents deal with their individual war trauma, they must continually assess who's friend or foe and decide whom to trust. Another solid period mystery from Anna Lee Huber that will have you looking for the history books to refresh your understanding of the Great War!

Thanks to Kensington Books for access to a digital ARC on NetGalley.