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A Verity Lark Mystery #5
A Lark's Regret
If there is one thing Verity Lark finds more unsettling than having to give a shooting lesson to the woman whom she has ridiculed in print for months, it is having to give the lesson on the very same morning her alter ego Mr. Twaddle-Thum publishes an apology for erroneously reporting a key detail of one of her favorite subject’s early murder investigations.
The mortifying mistake is made intolerable by the fact that it was uncovered by a rival gossip for another newspaper. Identifying herself as Mrs. Flimmer-Flam, she vows to correct a whole host of other misapprehensions about the Duchess of Kesgrave, whom she calls the murder duchess for obvious reasons.
Oh, but, no, her reasons are not obvious at all, for this new scandal merchant believes the public has been greatly misled in regard to her grace’s talents. She is not just solving murders; she is also committing them.
It is preposterous nonsense—and that is to say nothing of her portrayal of Twaddle as a credulous dupe gulled into mythologizing a killer—and Verity vows to discover who is spreading the virulent lies, a task that grows immeasurably harder after she finds the gossip’s throat slashed.
Someone is willing to kill to hide the truth, and Verity has no idea who might be next.
Welcome to the fifth installment of the Verity Lark Mysteries, where secrets run deep and every move could be her last.
The mortifying mistake is made intolerable by the fact that it was uncovered by a rival gossip for another newspaper. Identifying herself as Mrs. Flimmer-Flam, she vows to correct a whole host of other misapprehensions about the Duchess of Kesgrave, whom she calls the murder duchess for obvious reasons.
Oh, but, no, her reasons are not obvious at all, for this new scandal merchant believes the public has been greatly misled in regard to her grace’s talents. She is not just solving murders; she is also committing them.
It is preposterous nonsense—and that is to say nothing of her portrayal of Twaddle as a credulous dupe gulled into mythologizing a killer—and Verity vows to discover who is spreading the virulent lies, a task that grows immeasurably harder after she finds the gossip’s throat slashed.
Someone is willing to kill to hide the truth, and Verity has no idea who might be next.
Welcome to the fifth installment of the Verity Lark Mysteries, where secrets run deep and every move could be her last.
410 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 6, 2025
170 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
Lynn Messina
64 books657 followersLynn Messina is author of more than a dozen novels, including the best-selling Fashionistas, which has been translated into sixteen languages, and a series of Regency romance novels. Her essays have appeared in Self, American Baby and the New York Times Modern Love column. She lives in New York City with her sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
July 5, 2025
The moment longtime readers have been anticipating for years has arrived: Verity and Bea are together! What a delightful choice to have Nuneaton's POV deliver the first scene with them interacting beyond the prison scenes in the previous book(s). It seems like the two series have completely merged now, but the differing vantage points make this feel interesting and fresh instead of repetitive.
Verity has competition in the press as another gossip columnist starts writing about Her Outrageousness, Beatrice. Both women are seeking to track the columnist down and wind up meeting in his room, where he is our murder victim. There are moments of absurdity, as expected, and the dialogue is laugh-out-loud funny as Verity investigates.
The personal developments are where this books shines. The interactions between Verity and Bea are fantastic. Verity and Hardwicke have some wonderful scenes together. Delphine and Freddie are charming as usual. Nuneaton's role isn't just a cameo, too. The only person missing is Damien, who is on a trip with his mother due to the conclusion of the last Bea book.
Note to new readers tempted by the enthusiastic reviews of this one: While you could jump in here, starting from the beginning will make this one so much more rewarding.
Reviews are for readers. I received an advanced copy on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Verity has competition in the press as another gossip columnist starts writing about Her Outrageousness, Beatrice. Both women are seeking to track the columnist down and wind up meeting in his room, where he is our murder victim. There are moments of absurdity, as expected, and the dialogue is laugh-out-loud funny as Verity investigates.
The personal developments are where this books shines. The interactions between Verity and Bea are fantastic. Verity and Hardwicke have some wonderful scenes together. Delphine and Freddie are charming as usual. Nuneaton's role isn't just a cameo, too. The only person missing is Damien, who is on a trip with his mother due to the conclusion of the last Bea book.
Note to new readers tempted by the enthusiastic reviews of this one: While you could jump in here, starting from the beginning will make this one so much more rewarding.
Reviews are for readers. I received an advanced copy on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 4, 2025
Thank you Lynn Messina and NetGalley for the free e-ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not affected by the giveaway.
Viscount Nuneaton is forced from his usual lethargy by his steward, Stephens and Kesgrave's steward, also Stephens (brothers), to rush to save the Duchess of Kesgrave from her own folly in purchasing a NEWSPAPER! His Grace already owns a foundry! What next? Oh the horror! The Duchess ran off half-cocked while the Duke is away because there's a new gossip columnist in town. Mrs. Flimmer-Flam picks up where Twaddle Thumb left off but is more insinuating and nasty. Mrs. Flimmer-Flam has accused the Duchess of killing Kesgrave's uncle! "The Murder Duchess" has replaced Her Outrageousness and Nuneaton is very concerned. When he manages to pry the address of the gossip columnist from the former newspaper owner, he is shocked to reach the boarding house apartment to discover the Duchess has stumbled upon yet another fresh corpse! Oh dear! This time the murderer was still in residence which should, in theory, make it easier to identify him but Kesgrave is away and Nuneaton won't help Bea with her investigation. That leaves only one other person who can tackle this case... Miss Verity Lark, the Duke's half-sister!
Verity Lark is free from prison thanks to the Duchess of Kesgrave and now she owes the Duchess a shooting lesson. Verity would almost rather be back in Newgate than teach the Duchess how to shoot. She apparently also owes the family a note of condolence on the death of the Duke's cousin. Again, she'd rather to ANYTHING than communicate with her half-brother's family after skewering the Duchess in her Twaddle Thumb column. Wait- scratch that! When the Duchess promises Nuneaton and the staff she won't leave the house until Kesgrave returns, it's up to Verity and Colson Hardwicke to solve the murder of Flimmer Flam and clear the Duchess's name. Oh no! Verity would rather do almost ANYTHING else than solve a murder but with her own reputation as Twaddle Thumb on the line as well, she is motivated to find out who the sham Twaddle was and who killed him.
I was so excited to read this. I couldn't wait for Bea and Verity to interact and hopefully finally team up to solve a mystery. Sadly I was a little disappointed. The story opens from Nuneaton's point-of-view and that was a little jarring. Then Bea backs off the mystery and leaves Verity to solve it. The the whodunit was SO obvious I was able to figure out who did it pretty much right away. I wasn't sure but I had my suspicions. Verity is usually so thorough when Twaddling, leaving no stone unturned but in trying to solve this murder, she accepted a suspect's alibi at face value and didn't try to verify it. WHY NOT? Colson could have easily asked around and tried to verify matters and Verity in one of her many disguises could have interrogated someone to verify information. There was a lot going on in this book with the side plot following up on the previous mystery of the child abuse scandal. Verity wants to solve the mystery of the forger which Bea did a few days earlier and is stuck trying to solve the mystery of the gossip columnist instead. I did like knowing about the follow-up to the orphan asylum child abuse case and how she was able to expose the horrific thing a certain board member did. I always enjoy seeing Verity in her many disguises and some of her characters had me in stitches and others had me cringing while laughing at the same time. I especially loved the final scene when Bea returns.
Nuneaton is charming as always. Verity willfully misunderstands and misinterprets the thoughts and actions of Bea and Nuneaton. With Bea, that's understandable because Verity has a history there but Verity is coming to realize they're not so different after all. Both ladies are victims of relatives who didn't love them. Bea's childhood was much nicer than Verity's, but there was always that specter of a threat of the orphan asylum if she didn't behave and so that shaped Bea's character. Verity was abused by the cruel matron and had to will herself to overcome her fears. I admire how strong and brave she is and how she was able to be so tough and overcome The Wraithe. However, I dislike how excessively stubborn she is. She's so prejudiced against the ton just because her parents were horrible pieces of excrement and everything she knows about the ton comes from public outings. She knows nothing of her brother or his wife. She knows now Kesgrave isn't so bad but she doesn't really know him yet. Verity is also exceedingly proud and she is embarrassed by her Twaddle Thumb stories about the Duchess and too proud to admit she was wrong. Verity gleefully skewered someone without getting to know them first. She doesn't WANT to know the Duke and Duchess. She wants to persist on believing their follies and lampooning the absurd investigations of the Duchess because it's comfortable for her. As Robert Lark, she can write about the real news and expose the excesses of the ton and as Twaddle Thumb, she can hold a mirror up to the ton and make them laugh at each other while having a laugh at their expense.
In this book, Verity is discovering she's human after all. She's capable of emotions and feelings. Her relationship with Colson is heating up. She's decided to love him and let him in. He's very sweet. He sees her, gets her and never pushes for more than she's willing to give. While he mentions his father would like to meet her, he can see Verity isn't ready for that yet and doesn't push her. It shows her he's serious about her and has honorable intentions. It's fun to watch Verity really fall in love and accept love from someone else. Delphine is a little annoying. She tells Verity what to do, what is proper in these situations. Verity knows that intellectually and maybe she would have come around on her own without Delphine. Or maybe not. I enjoyed her serial procrastination techniques. I've done a lot of rearranging of bookshelves myself! Good thing she doesn't have electricity, a laptop and wifi!
Bea comes across as a little ditzy and silly from Verity's point-of-view. Bea is lighthearted while Verity is serious. Bea is ridiculously in love with Kesgrave and knows he feels the same about her. She doesn't care what anyone else thinks of her and she has enjoyed the experiences that have come out of Twaddle Thumb's columns. We know Bea is incredibly smart, well-read and also very insecure. She's grown a lot and will continue to do so. I hope Verity gets to know her better and they team up to solve a murder together. Nuneaton is charming as always and shows he can exert himself when necessary. But please don't tell anyone! I enjoyed reading about when he became fascinated by Bea and how his friendship with her made Kesgrave jealous and what Kesgrave thought of Bea.
Mrs. Flimmer-Flam was a truly horrible person- maybe. They took Verity's Twaddle style and used it against her. She made readers trust HER and doubt Twaddle which makes Verity very unhappy. Now the readers are reeled in on the hook, Flimmer-Flam comes out with the most horrendous accusations. Verity seems to care more that Flimmer-Flam insinuated Twaddle is A prattler and not THE prattler and can't be trusted than the Duchess being accused of murder. Flimmer-Flame's accusations are shocking but we know some of her information comes from Lady Bentham who can't believe her husband was a murderer and bested by a mere little Duchess with a magnifying glass! Lady Bentham has a lot of her own baggage. She's a mean, spiteful woman who takes delight in others' misfortune. Yet she's not smart enough to write the columns and she would never stoop to working for a living. We learn Flimmer-Flam was actually a man and someone known to the Duchess. Why one earth would he be so cruel to a one time friend? Did he really love Bea and she was so unaware she broke his heart? Is he angry and spiteful because she managed to marry a Duke? OR did someone pay him to write these horrible columns? If so, who was it? Someone from Bea's past?
The villain wore a disguise so it's up to Bea, Nuneaton, Verity and Colson to figure out his identity. Nuneaton helps without exerting himself! Was it Lord Ripley? He doesn't have much of an alibi and has withdrawn from Society. He's young and silly but I don't think he would murder anyone, especially not after the family was involved in ONE murder scandal. Viscount Penreath is the nephew of the man who murdered Bea's parents. His family has disowned his uncle and his father is a blowhard conservative MP. It doesn't seem like Pentreath is following in his father's footsteps. He doesn't seem to DO anything. Of course he is currently confined to a Bath chair following a fall off his horse, so he can not be the murderer. Pentreath is a pompous bore who writes moral and religious treatises. His wife reads them and adds her two cents and he is patronizing to her. Maybe he is like his father after all. Would a pompous sexist moralist actually murder someone? Doubtful.
Major John Milsam's staff cannot confirm his whereabouts during the time of the murder. He was supposedly home working on his music but no one heard him. He MIGHT have gone out for a walk. As a veteran of the Peninsular War, he would have the guts and the know-how to cut someone's throat. The Honorable Lionel Tavistock doesn't have an alibi either. His father feels Kesgrave "ruthlessly" threw over Miss Tavistock in favor of a nobody spinster. Does the son feel the same? His only alibi would be his mistress but she denies it because LORD Tavistock pays the rent on her home, presumably she's double dipping with father and son. Allen Dunstone owns six ships and lives in Gloucester Square. More importantly, in his youth he was a member of the Black Heaths, a gang that pioneered the smash and grab method of robbing shops. He could be dangerous if he is the killer. He would certainly not have had any compunctions about killing someone so why not kill Bea too and be done with it? And then add Verity? He was far away by the time the landlady found Hiram Winpenny's body. Which one is "Yellow Beard" our murderer? It has to be Allen Dunstone or Major John Milsom, right?
While this wasn't my favorite Verity adventure, I do love this series and look forward to seeing where she Twaddles off to next and whether she has further interactions with her sister-in-law. Bea didn't tell her about the portrait of La Reina! I guess she needs to work up to that and not blurt out "Would you like to come in and see a portrait of your mother?" Probably she wouldn't but it would be nice to tell her it exists so she can avoid it if necessary!
Viscount Nuneaton is forced from his usual lethargy by his steward, Stephens and Kesgrave's steward, also Stephens (brothers), to rush to save the Duchess of Kesgrave from her own folly in purchasing a NEWSPAPER! His Grace already owns a foundry! What next? Oh the horror! The Duchess ran off half-cocked while the Duke is away because there's a new gossip columnist in town. Mrs. Flimmer-Flam picks up where Twaddle Thumb left off but is more insinuating and nasty. Mrs. Flimmer-Flam has accused the Duchess of killing Kesgrave's uncle! "The Murder Duchess" has replaced Her Outrageousness and Nuneaton is very concerned. When he manages to pry the address of the gossip columnist from the former newspaper owner, he is shocked to reach the boarding house apartment to discover the Duchess has stumbled upon yet another fresh corpse! Oh dear! This time the murderer was still in residence which should, in theory, make it easier to identify him but Kesgrave is away and Nuneaton won't help Bea with her investigation. That leaves only one other person who can tackle this case... Miss Verity Lark, the Duke's half-sister!
Verity Lark is free from prison thanks to the Duchess of Kesgrave and now she owes the Duchess a shooting lesson. Verity would almost rather be back in Newgate than teach the Duchess how to shoot. She apparently also owes the family a note of condolence on the death of the Duke's cousin. Again, she'd rather to ANYTHING than communicate with her half-brother's family after skewering the Duchess in her Twaddle Thumb column. Wait- scratch that! When the Duchess promises Nuneaton and the staff she won't leave the house until Kesgrave returns, it's up to Verity and Colson Hardwicke to solve the murder of Flimmer Flam and clear the Duchess's name. Oh no! Verity would rather do almost ANYTHING else than solve a murder but with her own reputation as Twaddle Thumb on the line as well, she is motivated to find out who the sham Twaddle was and who killed him.
I was so excited to read this. I couldn't wait for Bea and Verity to interact and hopefully finally team up to solve a mystery. Sadly I was a little disappointed. The story opens from Nuneaton's point-of-view and that was a little jarring. Then Bea backs off the mystery and leaves Verity to solve it. The the whodunit was SO obvious I was able to figure out who did it pretty much right away. I wasn't sure but I had my suspicions. Verity is usually so thorough when Twaddling, leaving no stone unturned but in trying to solve this murder, she accepted a suspect's alibi at face value and didn't try to verify it. WHY NOT? Colson could have easily asked around and tried to verify matters and Verity in one of her many disguises could have interrogated someone to verify information. There was a lot going on in this book with the side plot following up on the previous mystery of the child abuse scandal. Verity wants to solve the mystery of the forger which Bea did a few days earlier and is stuck trying to solve the mystery of the gossip columnist instead. I did like knowing about the follow-up to the orphan asylum child abuse case and how she was able to expose the horrific thing a certain board member did. I always enjoy seeing Verity in her many disguises and some of her characters had me in stitches and others had me cringing while laughing at the same time. I especially loved the final scene when Bea returns.
Nuneaton is charming as always. Verity willfully misunderstands and misinterprets the thoughts and actions of Bea and Nuneaton. With Bea, that's understandable because Verity has a history there but Verity is coming to realize they're not so different after all. Both ladies are victims of relatives who didn't love them. Bea's childhood was much nicer than Verity's, but there was always that specter of a threat of the orphan asylum if she didn't behave and so that shaped Bea's character. Verity was abused by the cruel matron and had to will herself to overcome her fears. I admire how strong and brave she is and how she was able to be so tough and overcome The Wraithe. However, I dislike how excessively stubborn she is. She's so prejudiced against the ton just because her parents were horrible pieces of excrement and everything she knows about the ton comes from public outings. She knows nothing of her brother or his wife. She knows now Kesgrave isn't so bad but she doesn't really know him yet. Verity is also exceedingly proud and she is embarrassed by her Twaddle Thumb stories about the Duchess and too proud to admit she was wrong. Verity gleefully skewered someone without getting to know them first. She doesn't WANT to know the Duke and Duchess. She wants to persist on believing their follies and lampooning the absurd investigations of the Duchess because it's comfortable for her. As Robert Lark, she can write about the real news and expose the excesses of the ton and as Twaddle Thumb, she can hold a mirror up to the ton and make them laugh at each other while having a laugh at their expense.
In this book, Verity is discovering she's human after all. She's capable of emotions and feelings. Her relationship with Colson is heating up. She's decided to love him and let him in. He's very sweet. He sees her, gets her and never pushes for more than she's willing to give. While he mentions his father would like to meet her, he can see Verity isn't ready for that yet and doesn't push her. It shows her he's serious about her and has honorable intentions. It's fun to watch Verity really fall in love and accept love from someone else. Delphine is a little annoying. She tells Verity what to do, what is proper in these situations. Verity knows that intellectually and maybe she would have come around on her own without Delphine. Or maybe not. I enjoyed her serial procrastination techniques. I've done a lot of rearranging of bookshelves myself! Good thing she doesn't have electricity, a laptop and wifi!
Bea comes across as a little ditzy and silly from Verity's point-of-view. Bea is lighthearted while Verity is serious. Bea is ridiculously in love with Kesgrave and knows he feels the same about her. She doesn't care what anyone else thinks of her and she has enjoyed the experiences that have come out of Twaddle Thumb's columns. We know Bea is incredibly smart, well-read and also very insecure. She's grown a lot and will continue to do so. I hope Verity gets to know her better and they team up to solve a murder together. Nuneaton is charming as always and shows he can exert himself when necessary. But please don't tell anyone! I enjoyed reading about when he became fascinated by Bea and how his friendship with her made Kesgrave jealous and what Kesgrave thought of Bea.
Mrs. Flimmer-Flam was a truly horrible person- maybe. They took Verity's Twaddle style and used it against her. She made readers trust HER and doubt Twaddle which makes Verity very unhappy. Now the readers are reeled in on the hook, Flimmer-Flam comes out with the most horrendous accusations. Verity seems to care more that Flimmer-Flam insinuated Twaddle is A prattler and not THE prattler and can't be trusted than the Duchess being accused of murder. Flimmer-Flame's accusations are shocking but we know some of her information comes from Lady Bentham who can't believe her husband was a murderer and bested by a mere little Duchess with a magnifying glass! Lady Bentham has a lot of her own baggage. She's a mean, spiteful woman who takes delight in others' misfortune. Yet she's not smart enough to write the columns and she would never stoop to working for a living. We learn Flimmer-Flam was actually a man and someone known to the Duchess. Why one earth would he be so cruel to a one time friend? Did he really love Bea and she was so unaware she broke his heart? Is he angry and spiteful because she managed to marry a Duke? OR did someone pay him to write these horrible columns? If so, who was it? Someone from Bea's past?
The villain wore a disguise so it's up to Bea, Nuneaton, Verity and Colson to figure out his identity. Nuneaton helps without exerting himself! Was it Lord Ripley? He doesn't have much of an alibi and has withdrawn from Society. He's young and silly but I don't think he would murder anyone, especially not after the family was involved in ONE murder scandal. Viscount Penreath is the nephew of the man who murdered Bea's parents. His family has disowned his uncle and his father is a blowhard conservative MP. It doesn't seem like Pentreath is following in his father's footsteps. He doesn't seem to DO anything. Of course he is currently confined to a Bath chair following a fall off his horse, so he can not be the murderer. Pentreath is a pompous bore who writes moral and religious treatises. His wife reads them and adds her two cents and he is patronizing to her. Maybe he is like his father after all. Would a pompous sexist moralist actually murder someone? Doubtful.
Major John Milsam's staff cannot confirm his whereabouts during the time of the murder. He was supposedly home working on his music but no one heard him. He MIGHT have gone out for a walk. As a veteran of the Peninsular War, he would have the guts and the know-how to cut someone's throat. The Honorable Lionel Tavistock doesn't have an alibi either. His father feels Kesgrave "ruthlessly" threw over Miss Tavistock in favor of a nobody spinster. Does the son feel the same? His only alibi would be his mistress but she denies it because LORD Tavistock pays the rent on her home, presumably she's double dipping with father and son. Allen Dunstone owns six ships and lives in Gloucester Square. More importantly, in his youth he was a member of the Black Heaths, a gang that pioneered the smash and grab method of robbing shops. He could be dangerous if he is the killer. He would certainly not have had any compunctions about killing someone so why not kill Bea too and be done with it? And then add Verity? He was far away by the time the landlady found Hiram Winpenny's body. Which one is "Yellow Beard" our murderer? It has to be Allen Dunstone or Major John Milsom, right?
While this wasn't my favorite Verity adventure, I do love this series and look forward to seeing where she Twaddles off to next and whether she has further interactions with her sister-in-law. Bea didn't tell her about the portrait of La Reina! I guess she needs to work up to that and not blurt out "Would you like to come in and see a portrait of your mother?" Probably she wouldn't but it would be nice to tell her it exists so she can avoid it if necessary!
July 11, 2025
Verity Lark it seems does indeed regret!
Once again Verity Lark mesmerises me worth her convoluted grasp of happpenings. Her masterful disguises of various characters she uses to seek information, to confuse and confound her targets. What is she seeking? Always answers to challenges that seemingly escalate into problems, including murder.
And now Verity has to confront her sister-in-law and her nemesis, the Duchess of Kesgrave, Her Outrageousness. Mr. Twaddle-Thum, Verity’s literary character is trying to put the rumor genie back in the bottle. Twaddle-Thum is being aped and out rumoured by the mysterious Mrs.-Flimmer Flam. Flimmer-Flam’s target is the Duchess, but not in a good way, rather it’s exploitive and nasty, designed to bring about the Duchess’s ruin.
So what would society make of the Duchess in a lowly boarding house with a man dead at her feet, accompanied by none other than Michael Barrington, Viscount Nuneaton?
Apart from giving the Duchess pistol shooting lessons, it’s now up to Verity to make sure the Duchess is not arrested for murder!
I so enjoyed the repartee between the residents of Robert Lark’s home, Verity’s supposed brother, their discussion of problems, Delphine’s contributions, Freddie’s remarks, and now Lord Colson Hardwicke!
All very witty and lively, amidst the high jinks.
A Book Whisperer ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Once again Verity Lark mesmerises me worth her convoluted grasp of happpenings. Her masterful disguises of various characters she uses to seek information, to confuse and confound her targets. What is she seeking? Always answers to challenges that seemingly escalate into problems, including murder.
And now Verity has to confront her sister-in-law and her nemesis, the Duchess of Kesgrave, Her Outrageousness. Mr. Twaddle-Thum, Verity’s literary character is trying to put the rumor genie back in the bottle. Twaddle-Thum is being aped and out rumoured by the mysterious Mrs.-Flimmer Flam. Flimmer-Flam’s target is the Duchess, but not in a good way, rather it’s exploitive and nasty, designed to bring about the Duchess’s ruin.
So what would society make of the Duchess in a lowly boarding house with a man dead at her feet, accompanied by none other than Michael Barrington, Viscount Nuneaton?
Apart from giving the Duchess pistol shooting lessons, it’s now up to Verity to make sure the Duchess is not arrested for murder!
I so enjoyed the repartee between the residents of Robert Lark’s home, Verity’s supposed brother, their discussion of problems, Delphine’s contributions, Freddie’s remarks, and now Lord Colson Hardwicke!
All very witty and lively, amidst the high jinks.
A Book Whisperer ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
June 20, 2025
Beware, dear (future) reader of this new Verity installment, as you will be in for a rejoicing treat!
To solidify this note of caution, a personal statement upfront: I, personally, am a Bea-fan and not a Verity-stan. I read Verity's adventures mostly with the purpose to find a third-party view on the exploits of Her Outrageousness and her august husband (and to quench my fan thirst, but that's beyond the point).
Also, I found the tone of Verity's books more solemn, the role changes tiering for my attention span and the main character more burdened with several complexes. Not being a disciple of Freud, I do enjoy a more unburdened take on the everyday life in Regency England. That is glittering light of chandeliers coupled with champagne-induced witticisms and cucumber sandwiches accompanying tea time. Honestly, Delph and Freddy deserve a Weekly Hug of Appreciation for dealing with Verity's complexes on the daily basis. Also, Verity seems to have a much too superior pastry supply, while Bea is famously mostly focused on rout cakes. Which I can overread. But I digress.
What an enjoyable and exciting mixer we get in this one! Bea actually talks in longer sentences and more frequently. (Maybe it's only me, but with the amount of indirect speech in the installments, it is a rare find). In this installment we get to "hear" Bea on longer and more frequent occasions. Rejoice!
Speaking of rare occasions: while we get only a few and occasional glimpses into the intimate aspects of Bea’s romantic life, we get some more description for Verity and Handsome Hardwicke interactions. Rejoice! Also, they are progressively making a splendid team of sleuths (Go, Verity! for letting go a bit from your firm wish to control everything).
We also get to know Nuneaton in all his nerdy glory AND acting in loco mariti (strictly in terms of the safeguarding duties, naturally). Rejoice! Alas, it makes my wish for more of Nuneaton's sister in the books expand towards Nerdy Nuneaton himself. He would accept. Probably. Out of obligation, naturally.
Against the backdrop of these gripping character developments, we get the actual mystery in which Bea's past is catching up with her. But I won’t give any spoilers. You’ll have to read for yourself.
A minor spoiler, though: The shooting lesson, a balancing act between reasonably appreciating someone else’s work while debating its failures. Oh, the exquisite art of trash-talking of creators! Nurtured by them all, from masons to academics! Rejoice.
On further reflective note, do not neglect the discussion on journalistic ethics (as a worthy continuation of the topic of museum ethics in the previous books). Rejoice! And the most enticing philosophical discussion on truth and honesty. Rejoice! The theory of opportunistic truth, what an unexpected and extraordinary worthy addition for all the philosophy majors out there to expand upon in their thesis. But no need to hurry, as the "truth will be just as changeable tomorrow". Rejoice!
Lark’s Regret is a riverting, witty, twisty tale that stirs the characters from previous adventures into a cocktail of politics, history, philosophy, sociology and friednship with a dash of romance. Serve with an appropriate amount of ice tea and consume immediately.
Thanks netgally for the arc. Opinions are my own.
To solidify this note of caution, a personal statement upfront: I, personally, am a Bea-fan and not a Verity-stan. I read Verity's adventures mostly with the purpose to find a third-party view on the exploits of Her Outrageousness and her august husband (and to quench my fan thirst, but that's beyond the point).
Also, I found the tone of Verity's books more solemn, the role changes tiering for my attention span and the main character more burdened with several complexes. Not being a disciple of Freud, I do enjoy a more unburdened take on the everyday life in Regency England. That is glittering light of chandeliers coupled with champagne-induced witticisms and cucumber sandwiches accompanying tea time. Honestly, Delph and Freddy deserve a Weekly Hug of Appreciation for dealing with Verity's complexes on the daily basis. Also, Verity seems to have a much too superior pastry supply, while Bea is famously mostly focused on rout cakes. Which I can overread. But I digress.
What an enjoyable and exciting mixer we get in this one! Bea actually talks in longer sentences and more frequently. (Maybe it's only me, but with the amount of indirect speech in the installments, it is a rare find). In this installment we get to "hear" Bea on longer and more frequent occasions. Rejoice!
Speaking of rare occasions: while we get only a few and occasional glimpses into the intimate aspects of Bea’s romantic life, we get some more description for Verity and Handsome Hardwicke interactions. Rejoice! Also, they are progressively making a splendid team of sleuths (Go, Verity! for letting go a bit from your firm wish to control everything).
We also get to know Nuneaton in all his nerdy glory AND acting in loco mariti (strictly in terms of the safeguarding duties, naturally). Rejoice! Alas, it makes my wish for more of Nuneaton's sister in the books expand towards Nerdy Nuneaton himself. He would accept. Probably. Out of obligation, naturally.
Against the backdrop of these gripping character developments, we get the actual mystery in which Bea's past is catching up with her. But I won’t give any spoilers. You’ll have to read for yourself.
A minor spoiler, though: The shooting lesson, a balancing act between reasonably appreciating someone else’s work while debating its failures. Oh, the exquisite art of trash-talking of creators! Nurtured by them all, from masons to academics! Rejoice.
On further reflective note, do not neglect the discussion on journalistic ethics (as a worthy continuation of the topic of museum ethics in the previous books). Rejoice! And the most enticing philosophical discussion on truth and honesty. Rejoice! The theory of opportunistic truth, what an unexpected and extraordinary worthy addition for all the philosophy majors out there to expand upon in their thesis. But no need to hurry, as the "truth will be just as changeable tomorrow". Rejoice!
Lark’s Regret is a riverting, witty, twisty tale that stirs the characters from previous adventures into a cocktail of politics, history, philosophy, sociology and friednship with a dash of romance. Serve with an appropriate amount of ice tea and consume immediately.
Thanks netgally for the arc. Opinions are my own.
July 24, 2025
I love all these characters
I was surprised by how “duchess” Beatrice was in this book. Is she better at it than she thought she was? Most of the book is Verity though. And her thought processes about Beatrice, Kesgrave and Hardwick are entertaining to read. Following Verity and her gang through their process to find the killer is entertaining from beginning to end. Also, this is only 3 months since Beatrice and Kesgrave got married. Seems like longer. I guess Beatrice is always tripping over dead bodies.
I was surprised by how “duchess” Beatrice was in this book. Is she better at it than she thought she was? Most of the book is Verity though. And her thought processes about Beatrice, Kesgrave and Hardwick are entertaining to read. Following Verity and her gang through their process to find the killer is entertaining from beginning to end. Also, this is only 3 months since Beatrice and Kesgrave got married. Seems like longer. I guess Beatrice is always tripping over dead bodies.
June 27, 2025
Lynn Messina’s latest instalment in the Verity Lark series, A Lark’s Regret, pulls us right back into the chaotic charm of her Regency universe—one that fans of the Beatrice Hyde-Clare mysteries will instantly recognise and appreciate. The two series run concurrently, and in many ways, Verity’s is a spin-off of Beatrice’s. So yes, if you haven’t read the previous books in both series, be prepared to do some catching up. You’ll need that context to fully grasp the tangled web that’s being spun here.
We open with the ever-delightful Viscount Nuneaton—one of my absolute favourites from the Hyde-Clare series—and the drama unfolds from there. Someone is trying to frame Beatrice as a murderess (how very dare they), and Verity might also be in the crosshairs. Naturally, dead bodies start cropping up like daisies, and it all comes to a dramatic head.
Verity herself remains a fascinatingly prickly protagonist. She’s got a self-preservation instinct dialled up to eleven, thanks to her scarred past, but in this book we see wee glimmers—just glimmers!—of self-awareness beginning to develop. She’s a hard character to love, but she’s layered, and I appreciate that. This is very much her book, and while I would have liked to see more collaboration between her and the Duchess of Kesgrave (a team-up I’m still holding out hope for), I understand the need to let Verity stand on her own.
As always, Messina’s writing is sharp and playful—her signature blend of wit, absurdity, and just enough emotional depth to tug at the heartstrings. Colson Hardwicke continues to shine as Verity’s better half: calm, competent, endlessly patient, and deeply grounding. Delphine and Freddie? Still comedic gold. The pacing is brisk, sometimes a little dizzying with the sheer number of characters in play, but never dull.
While I found the previous book in the series a little underwhelming (a rare three-star from me), A Lark’s Regret gets things back on track. It’s not perfect, but it’s thoroughly entertaining. This world, with all its eccentricities and brilliant characters, continues to be a place I’m happy to return to.
Four stars from me—and I’m eagerly awaiting the next chapter in Verity’s very complicated life.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
We open with the ever-delightful Viscount Nuneaton—one of my absolute favourites from the Hyde-Clare series—and the drama unfolds from there. Someone is trying to frame Beatrice as a murderess (how very dare they), and Verity might also be in the crosshairs. Naturally, dead bodies start cropping up like daisies, and it all comes to a dramatic head.
Verity herself remains a fascinatingly prickly protagonist. She’s got a self-preservation instinct dialled up to eleven, thanks to her scarred past, but in this book we see wee glimmers—just glimmers!—of self-awareness beginning to develop. She’s a hard character to love, but she’s layered, and I appreciate that. This is very much her book, and while I would have liked to see more collaboration between her and the Duchess of Kesgrave (a team-up I’m still holding out hope for), I understand the need to let Verity stand on her own.
As always, Messina’s writing is sharp and playful—her signature blend of wit, absurdity, and just enough emotional depth to tug at the heartstrings. Colson Hardwicke continues to shine as Verity’s better half: calm, competent, endlessly patient, and deeply grounding. Delphine and Freddie? Still comedic gold. The pacing is brisk, sometimes a little dizzying with the sheer number of characters in play, but never dull.
While I found the previous book in the series a little underwhelming (a rare three-star from me), A Lark’s Regret gets things back on track. It’s not perfect, but it’s thoroughly entertaining. This world, with all its eccentricities and brilliant characters, continues to be a place I’m happy to return to.
Four stars from me—and I’m eagerly awaiting the next chapter in Verity’s very complicated life.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
July 9, 2025
Real Rating: 3.25* of five
The Publisher Says: If there is one thing Verity Lark finds more unsettling than having to give a shooting lesson to the woman whom she has ridiculed in print for months, it is having to give the lesson on the very same morning her alter ego Mr. Twaddle-Thum publishes an apology for erroneously reporting a key detail of one of her favorite subject’s early murder investigations.
The mortifying mistake is made intolerable by the fact that it was uncovered by a rival gossip for another newspaper. Identifying herself as Mrs. Flimmer-Flam, she vows to correct a whole host of other misapprehensions about the Duchess of Kesgrave, whom she calls the murder duchess for obvious reasons.
Oh, but, no, her reasons are not obvious at all, for this new scandal merchant believes the public has been greatly misled in regard to her grace’s talents. She is not just solving murders; she is also committing them.
It is preposterous nonsense—and that is to say nothing of her portrayal of Twaddle as a credulous dupe gulled into mythologizing a killer—and Verity vows to discover who is spreading the virulent lies, a task that grows immeasurably harder after she finds the gossip’s throat slashed.
Someone is willing to kill to hide the truth, and Verity has no idea who might be next.
Welcome to the fifth installment of the Verity Lark Mysteries, where secrets run deep and every move could be her last.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: When an author blends two long-running series, as is done here, there's a lore problem. To be sure everyone's up to speed there must be some exposition, and that runs into the dread problem of the infodump. It's inevitable. It slows stuff down, from action to scene-setting, and increases the word-count a good deal.
Because I'd never read a Verity Lark story I was glad for it, but honestly it seemed sort of wasted time and effort because Bea really doesn't do or add much to Verity's actions.
Potatoworks Press charges $6.99 for a Kindle edition. Not because I told you to!
The Publisher Says: If there is one thing Verity Lark finds more unsettling than having to give a shooting lesson to the woman whom she has ridiculed in print for months, it is having to give the lesson on the very same morning her alter ego Mr. Twaddle-Thum publishes an apology for erroneously reporting a key detail of one of her favorite subject’s early murder investigations.
The mortifying mistake is made intolerable by the fact that it was uncovered by a rival gossip for another newspaper. Identifying herself as Mrs. Flimmer-Flam, she vows to correct a whole host of other misapprehensions about the Duchess of Kesgrave, whom she calls the murder duchess for obvious reasons.
Oh, but, no, her reasons are not obvious at all, for this new scandal merchant believes the public has been greatly misled in regard to her grace’s talents. She is not just solving murders; she is also committing them.
It is preposterous nonsense—and that is to say nothing of her portrayal of Twaddle as a credulous dupe gulled into mythologizing a killer—and Verity vows to discover who is spreading the virulent lies, a task that grows immeasurably harder after she finds the gossip’s throat slashed.
Someone is willing to kill to hide the truth, and Verity has no idea who might be next.
Welcome to the fifth installment of the Verity Lark Mysteries, where secrets run deep and every move could be her last.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: When an author blends two long-running series, as is done here, there's a lore problem. To be sure everyone's up to speed there must be some exposition, and that runs into the dread problem of the infodump. It's inevitable. It slows stuff down, from action to scene-setting, and increases the word-count a good deal.
Because I'd never read a Verity Lark story I was glad for it, but honestly it seemed sort of wasted time and effort because Bea really doesn't do or add much to Verity's actions.
Potatoworks Press charges $6.99 for a Kindle edition. Not because I told you to!
July 12, 2025
I love that Messina has 2 series running concurrently, one from the point of view of The Duchess of Kesgrave, and this series from the point of view of the Duke's recently discovered half sister, Mary Price, now called Verity Lark. Verity a very clever woman, with many disguises, the first being pretending to be her brother Robert so that she can be a newspaper reporter.
For some reason, I found this book way funnier than the previous ones. It begins with Viscount Nuneaton's discovery that Bea, the aforementioned Duchess, has run out of her house in a fury. As he follows her, his comments are simply hilarious. As the Duke is away with his grandmother, Nuneaton feels responsible for her.
In the first few chapters, I was laughing out loud, so frequently my daughter asked what was so funny.
The plot begins when a Mrs Flimm Flammer takes a page out of Mr Twaddle thumbs gossip book and excoriates The Duchess. Who is behind it??
When Viscount Nuneaton comes to call on the Duchess because the Duke is away, he is told she has gone to the newspaper to find out who this new columnist is. She BUYS THE NEWSPAPER.
Meanwhile, Verity who is actually Mr. Twaddle Thumb is also trying to find Mrs. Flimm Flammer. Soon, the plot thickens.
A murder has occurred (as it does in every book), and the Duchess and Verity become involved. Verity investigates, using many disguises. In addition, she is becoming distracted because she is afraid she is falling in love with Hardwicke. She fights feelings and emotions, so we get a lot of internal dialogue. She finally acknowledges his competency (he is a spy after all and knows how to ferret out information).
This book happens immediately after the previous book ( I do recommend reading these inn order). Verity is trying to get out of a promise she made the Duchess. You shall see how that works out.
As per the ending, will we see the 2 series merge at some point?
Thanks to NetGalley and the Book Whisperer for the EARC. I love this series, and I highly recommend reading the entire series from book one and also read the Bea series.
This is my honest review.
For some reason, I found this book way funnier than the previous ones. It begins with Viscount Nuneaton's discovery that Bea, the aforementioned Duchess, has run out of her house in a fury. As he follows her, his comments are simply hilarious. As the Duke is away with his grandmother, Nuneaton feels responsible for her.
In the first few chapters, I was laughing out loud, so frequently my daughter asked what was so funny.
The plot begins when a Mrs Flimm Flammer takes a page out of Mr Twaddle thumbs gossip book and excoriates The Duchess. Who is behind it??
When Viscount Nuneaton comes to call on the Duchess because the Duke is away, he is told she has gone to the newspaper to find out who this new columnist is. She BUYS THE NEWSPAPER.
Meanwhile, Verity who is actually Mr. Twaddle Thumb is also trying to find Mrs. Flimm Flammer. Soon, the plot thickens.
A murder has occurred (as it does in every book), and the Duchess and Verity become involved. Verity investigates, using many disguises. In addition, she is becoming distracted because she is afraid she is falling in love with Hardwicke. She fights feelings and emotions, so we get a lot of internal dialogue. She finally acknowledges his competency (he is a spy after all and knows how to ferret out information).
This book happens immediately after the previous book ( I do recommend reading these inn order). Verity is trying to get out of a promise she made the Duchess. You shall see how that works out.
As per the ending, will we see the 2 series merge at some point?
Thanks to NetGalley and the Book Whisperer for the EARC. I love this series, and I highly recommend reading the entire series from book one and also read the Bea series.
This is my honest review.
October 31, 2025
Most cozy mysteries have the reader in the midst of all the murder and mayhem. What if the reader saw all the action through the eyes of someone not directly involved but who has the power to shape the outcome of a large part of the plot? In this book, the reader sees the activity through the eyes of a journalist, a woman pretending to be a man, who writes the details of the ton gossip and gives details few others have. She's had some setbacks, but scandal continues as does her adventures.
This was a very unique way to watch the actions of the mystery. The main character "solving" the mysteries is not really seen. Instead, the reader is watching another character trying to understand the amateur sleuth. It's a sleuth investigating another sleuth and then everyone is trying to figure them both out. The path is very creative for the reader.
Now the "but" comes into play. I really struggled with the story. The vast majority of the book is in "tell" mode and not "show". We hear second and third hand the adventures of the Duchess solving cases. Info comes to the journalist through her many spies. We don't really see what she is writing about and experience it. We do go with her on her own investigations, but the majority of the time is spent with her inner monologue and giving a vast amount of historical information for the reader. I really didn't feel involved in the story. I was on the sidelines casually watching. That doesn't invest me in the story. It has me shrugging and moving on with my other interests. The desire to keep reading was rarely there.
This is the fifth book in a series. I strongly suggest you read the prior books first as there are references that aren't fully explained. There was much confusion which had me go back and attempt to read book one. Even if I had read all the books in the series, I feel that I would still be fumbling along.
Not a series I'll be keeping up with. There was quite a bit of humor, and the plot was unique. I just think the story could have been fleshed out better.
This was a very unique way to watch the actions of the mystery. The main character "solving" the mysteries is not really seen. Instead, the reader is watching another character trying to understand the amateur sleuth. It's a sleuth investigating another sleuth and then everyone is trying to figure them both out. The path is very creative for the reader.
Now the "but" comes into play. I really struggled with the story. The vast majority of the book is in "tell" mode and not "show". We hear second and third hand the adventures of the Duchess solving cases. Info comes to the journalist through her many spies. We don't really see what she is writing about and experience it. We do go with her on her own investigations, but the majority of the time is spent with her inner monologue and giving a vast amount of historical information for the reader. I really didn't feel involved in the story. I was on the sidelines casually watching. That doesn't invest me in the story. It has me shrugging and moving on with my other interests. The desire to keep reading was rarely there.
This is the fifth book in a series. I strongly suggest you read the prior books first as there are references that aren't fully explained. There was much confusion which had me go back and attempt to read book one. Even if I had read all the books in the series, I feel that I would still be fumbling along.
Not a series I'll be keeping up with. There was quite a bit of humor, and the plot was unique. I just think the story could have been fleshed out better.
July 11, 2025
It would be easy enough to say this was another great entry in the Verity Lark mysteries or the Beatrice Hyde-Clare mysteries. It's definitely true. But I feel this one stands above the other books in so many ways. Bea has worked out that Twaddle Thum is the work of Lord Colson Hardwicke and Verity does nothing to disabuse her of this notion. But the two soon come face to face after both investigate the latest gossip in town and find the culprit, murdered. A few things are clarified for Bea while Verity spends an awful lot of time in anguish about her actions towards the duchess.
I suspect some might find Verity's constant self-reflection a bit tiring, but it definitely suits this character, which is truly a complicated one. Verity finds it hard to trust others, having been let down so many times before. But when it becomes apparent she has wronged the duchess, she continues her anguish and never forgives herself or will let the duchess forgive her. To hear Verity's skewed view of things, she will never be good enough to matter, to be in love, or even to be loved. She is self-contained in all ways. With Hardwicke and their budding relationship, she has definitely moved in the right direction. But in relationships outside her core group, she is never sure of herself. Of course, she fails to recognise the parallels of Bea's life might make her a bit more understanding than she perceives.
I truly delighted in the scene that revealed the truth of Twaddle Thum. Then I delighted in the more frequent interactions between these two characters. We didn't have the benefit of Kesgrave in this tale, and I think it was right for the big reveal. He will take his place again in the next BHC story, I'm sure. Even the ending was lovely and I just look forward to more from this pair.
I am rating this 4.5 stars as it was truly wonderful. Thank you to Netgalley and Book Whisperer for the free advanced reader copy. I have given my opinions under no obligation.
I suspect some might find Verity's constant self-reflection a bit tiring, but it definitely suits this character, which is truly a complicated one. Verity finds it hard to trust others, having been let down so many times before. But when it becomes apparent she has wronged the duchess, she continues her anguish and never forgives herself or will let the duchess forgive her. To hear Verity's skewed view of things, she will never be good enough to matter, to be in love, or even to be loved. She is self-contained in all ways. With Hardwicke and their budding relationship, she has definitely moved in the right direction. But in relationships outside her core group, she is never sure of herself. Of course, she fails to recognise the parallels of Bea's life might make her a bit more understanding than she perceives.
I truly delighted in the scene that revealed the truth of Twaddle Thum. Then I delighted in the more frequent interactions between these two characters. We didn't have the benefit of Kesgrave in this tale, and I think it was right for the big reveal. He will take his place again in the next BHC story, I'm sure. Even the ending was lovely and I just look forward to more from this pair.
I am rating this 4.5 stars as it was truly wonderful. Thank you to Netgalley and Book Whisperer for the free advanced reader copy. I have given my opinions under no obligation.
July 12, 2025
2 1/2 stars. Welcome to a madcap Regency mystery series that has serious undertones and is deeply entwined with the writer's other Regency mystery series starring Beatrice Hyde-Clare, often referred to as Her Outrageousness by Verity Lark, a reporter, in private and in her column that ridicules the Duchess for her mystery solving. But when a new scandal/society columnist starts claiming the Duchess is not only solving murders but committing them and portrays Lark as hopelessly naive, Verity is determined to find out who this reporter is and expose them. Only, the reporter is found murdered and the Duchess standing over the body. Verity will have to work fast to expose the truth fast before someone ends up dead!
I have to admit that I started off a bit lost. It switched from a couple of view points and left a scene where the Duchess is found with the body of an obvious murdered person and then off to Verity going on about needing to write letter she doesn't want to to Her Outrageousness. So if you haven't read both series you don't know who she is referring to. Messina does provide some explanation, eventually, so you can figure the basis of what is going on but there is a lot reader are missing out on. There are several minor story arcs that are also going on including a love interest for Verity that definitely would be more fulfilling if you had read at least this series from the beginning (which I haven't).
Overall, the mystery was decent. I guessed who it was by half way through but there were a lot of shenanigans that could keep a reader entertained until the end. There is some silliness in the series, particularly when it comes to pseudonyms. Some people might find that annoying or refreshing.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
I have to admit that I started off a bit lost. It switched from a couple of view points and left a scene where the Duchess is found with the body of an obvious murdered person and then off to Verity going on about needing to write letter she doesn't want to to Her Outrageousness. So if you haven't read both series you don't know who she is referring to. Messina does provide some explanation, eventually, so you can figure the basis of what is going on but there is a lot reader are missing out on. There are several minor story arcs that are also going on including a love interest for Verity that definitely would be more fulfilling if you had read at least this series from the beginning (which I haven't).
Overall, the mystery was decent. I guessed who it was by half way through but there were a lot of shenanigans that could keep a reader entertained until the end. There is some silliness in the series, particularly when it comes to pseudonyms. Some people might find that annoying or refreshing.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
June 30, 2025
Thank you to the author for the eARC of the book. All opinions are my own.
With each book in the Verity Lark and Beatrice Hyde-Clare series, I just get more and more impressed with how Lynn Messina intertwines the lives of these two characters, both smart, strong, stubborn, determined women who are very skilled at solving murders. The ending of this book creates opportunities for us to see Verity and Beatrice spend a lot more time together, which I think is quite exciting.
As always, the level of detail in the book is phenomenal We live inside Verity's mind as she quickly thinks through a multitude of options for how to respond to a situation, planning out her next steps, and trying to understand the motivations of others.
For this book's mystery, Beatrice finds herself the target of a gossip columnist who first undermines the reporting of Twaddle-Thum and then accuses Beatrice of murder. In response, Beatrice buys the newspaper in order to confront the columnist, which doesn't exactly go according to plan as she walks in on a murder scene. That Verity herself walks into a short time later. Verity must now solve the murder and also prove the Duchess is innocent.
I think for long-time readers of these two series, this book will be a delight as it brings together many characters. It definitely cannot be read as a standalone, and increasingly, I think it is difficult for new readers to jump into this series at any given point. So for new readers, definitely start at book one in the Beatrice Hyde-Clare series, then read the books from both series in the order they were published.
A fun, entertaining read and I'm already looking forward to the next instalment!
With each book in the Verity Lark and Beatrice Hyde-Clare series, I just get more and more impressed with how Lynn Messina intertwines the lives of these two characters, both smart, strong, stubborn, determined women who are very skilled at solving murders. The ending of this book creates opportunities for us to see Verity and Beatrice spend a lot more time together, which I think is quite exciting.
As always, the level of detail in the book is phenomenal We live inside Verity's mind as she quickly thinks through a multitude of options for how to respond to a situation, planning out her next steps, and trying to understand the motivations of others.
For this book's mystery, Beatrice finds herself the target of a gossip columnist who first undermines the reporting of Twaddle-Thum and then accuses Beatrice of murder. In response, Beatrice buys the newspaper in order to confront the columnist, which doesn't exactly go according to plan as she walks in on a murder scene. That Verity herself walks into a short time later. Verity must now solve the murder and also prove the Duchess is innocent.
I think for long-time readers of these two series, this book will be a delight as it brings together many characters. It definitely cannot be read as a standalone, and increasingly, I think it is difficult for new readers to jump into this series at any given point. So for new readers, definitely start at book one in the Beatrice Hyde-Clare series, then read the books from both series in the order they were published.
A fun, entertaining read and I'm already looking forward to the next instalment!
July 27, 2025
Thanks to BookFunnel and the author for a copy of this ebook and this is my freely given opinion.
I did not love the Verity Lark series as much as the parallel Beatrice Hyde-Clare/Duchess of Kesgrave series, so did skip a few of the Lark books. Also, you absolutely need to read at least some of either of the books to read this one, or you will be lost (or probably all - I will have to go back and read the missed Lark books at some point to better understand growing relationships).
But in this one, Lark and Bea's world become more intertwined. Lark has given up trolling Bea in her role as a notorious gossip writer and is reluctantly engaging in a relationship with the Kesgraves, having agreed to teach Bea to shoot firearms. But her world becomes more tangled as she discovers there is another gossip writer who is mimicking her trolling of Bea, but with much more sinister implications about the Duchess.
This story is still primarily about Verity Lark and her group of friends as they embark on another adventure to discover the identity of the new gossip, which grows to encompass murder and a plot against Bea. This brings together both series and establishes the basis for a relationship between Verity and the Kesgraves, which throws Verity for a loop as that was not what she wanted, at least not consciously.
Amusing cozy murder mystery, but mixed in with a lot of emotional confusion for Verity as she tries to reconcile her unwanted growing relationship with the Kesgraves and what it could mean, as well as her own relationships.
4 stars out of 5
I did not love the Verity Lark series as much as the parallel Beatrice Hyde-Clare/Duchess of Kesgrave series, so did skip a few of the Lark books. Also, you absolutely need to read at least some of either of the books to read this one, or you will be lost (or probably all - I will have to go back and read the missed Lark books at some point to better understand growing relationships).
But in this one, Lark and Bea's world become more intertwined. Lark has given up trolling Bea in her role as a notorious gossip writer and is reluctantly engaging in a relationship with the Kesgraves, having agreed to teach Bea to shoot firearms. But her world becomes more tangled as she discovers there is another gossip writer who is mimicking her trolling of Bea, but with much more sinister implications about the Duchess.
This story is still primarily about Verity Lark and her group of friends as they embark on another adventure to discover the identity of the new gossip, which grows to encompass murder and a plot against Bea. This brings together both series and establishes the basis for a relationship between Verity and the Kesgraves, which throws Verity for a loop as that was not what she wanted, at least not consciously.
Amusing cozy murder mystery, but mixed in with a lot of emotional confusion for Verity as she tries to reconcile her unwanted growing relationship with the Kesgraves and what it could mean, as well as her own relationships.
4 stars out of 5
July 13, 2025
Barbara’s rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Series: Verity Lark Mysteries #5
Publication Date: 7/11/25
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 408
I always look forward to each new entry into the Verity Lark series, and this one was well worth the wait. As always, it is filled with wit and good humor along with a superior cast of characters and a great mystery.
It seems Twaddle-Thum has a competitor, Mrs. Flimmer-Flam, and she’s out to get Her Outrageousness, The Duchess of Kesgrave. That will never do! Not only has Flimmer-Flam called the duchess a murderer, but she’s also maligned the good name of Twaddle-Thum. So, all hands are on deck to track down Flimmer-Flam’s identity and set the record straight.
Who is behind Flimmer-Flam? Is it just someone with a grudge against the Duchess? Is it more than one person? How many bodies will there be before the mystery is solved?
I thoroughly enjoyed the story, but I did find it a bit slow in places. I loved seeing Verity’s anxiety in dealing with the Duchess – and how they might actually work through it all. The growth in Verity’s relationship with Hardwicke was a delight to watch as well because of her reaction to actually realizing she has feelings.
If you're looking for a witty, humorous read with wonderful characters and a great mystery, you should give this book a try.
I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Series: Verity Lark Mysteries #5
Publication Date: 7/11/25
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 408
I always look forward to each new entry into the Verity Lark series, and this one was well worth the wait. As always, it is filled with wit and good humor along with a superior cast of characters and a great mystery.
It seems Twaddle-Thum has a competitor, Mrs. Flimmer-Flam, and she’s out to get Her Outrageousness, The Duchess of Kesgrave. That will never do! Not only has Flimmer-Flam called the duchess a murderer, but she’s also maligned the good name of Twaddle-Thum. So, all hands are on deck to track down Flimmer-Flam’s identity and set the record straight.
Who is behind Flimmer-Flam? Is it just someone with a grudge against the Duchess? Is it more than one person? How many bodies will there be before the mystery is solved?
I thoroughly enjoyed the story, but I did find it a bit slow in places. I loved seeing Verity’s anxiety in dealing with the Duchess – and how they might actually work through it all. The growth in Verity’s relationship with Hardwicke was a delight to watch as well because of her reaction to actually realizing she has feelings.
If you're looking for a witty, humorous read with wonderful characters and a great mystery, you should give this book a try.
I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 15, 2025
I do enjoy seeing Verity’s self awareness grow!
Once again Verity Lark has found herself crossing the path of Her Outrageousness the Duchess of Kesgrave and this time over a dead body - the only surprise in that is that Verity witnesses it with her own eyes.
When a rival prattler of gossip attacks Her Outrageousness in a rival newspaper Verity finds herself drawn into the murder mystery with the help of Freddie, Hardwicke and the Twaddledome but surely her motives are only to find the killer and not motivated by any of her own feelings regarding her possible role in the Duchess being in the spotlight so to say.
With her usual aplomb, variety of disguises and expert planning Verity seeks to unmask the true killer and vindicate the Duchess. She also finds herself in the uncomfortable role of some self reflection as well as a queasy awareness regarding her feelings for Hardwicke.
Having followed Bea in her rise from insignificant spinster to Duchess and enjoyed these new stories of Verity and her unexpected relationship with the Duke and Duchess I heartily recommend this book as well as all of those that came before it. Knowledge of the previous books in this series as well as the Beatrice Hyde-Clare books are recommended as the story builds upon known events and characters from those books. Go enjoy some cozies!
Also so happy to see Neunton!
Thank you NetGalley and Lynn Messina for the review copy
Once again Verity Lark has found herself crossing the path of Her Outrageousness the Duchess of Kesgrave and this time over a dead body - the only surprise in that is that Verity witnesses it with her own eyes.
When a rival prattler of gossip attacks Her Outrageousness in a rival newspaper Verity finds herself drawn into the murder mystery with the help of Freddie, Hardwicke and the Twaddledome but surely her motives are only to find the killer and not motivated by any of her own feelings regarding her possible role in the Duchess being in the spotlight so to say.
With her usual aplomb, variety of disguises and expert planning Verity seeks to unmask the true killer and vindicate the Duchess. She also finds herself in the uncomfortable role of some self reflection as well as a queasy awareness regarding her feelings for Hardwicke.
Having followed Bea in her rise from insignificant spinster to Duchess and enjoyed these new stories of Verity and her unexpected relationship with the Duke and Duchess I heartily recommend this book as well as all of those that came before it. Knowledge of the previous books in this series as well as the Beatrice Hyde-Clare books are recommended as the story builds upon known events and characters from those books. Go enjoy some cozies!
Also so happy to see Neunton!
Thank you NetGalley and Lynn Messina for the review copy
July 6, 2025
“A Lark’s Regret”
Another fantastic installment in Verity Lark Mysteries by Lynn Messina.
Twaddle Thumb has a rival tattler. But Mrs. Flimmer-Flan seems to have more nefarious plans than just documenting the exploits of Her Ourtrageousness. She accused the Duchess of killing Kesgrave's uncle!
As The Duke of Kesgrave is out of town, it's up to Verity Lark and Colson Hardwicke to solve the murder of Flimmer Flam, to find out who the sham Twaddle was and who killed him, in order to clear the Duchess's name and her own reputation as Twaddle Thumb as well.
Lynn Messina’s writing is at its best with her signature blend of witty banter, hilarious situations, and enough seriousness and emotional depth to balance all the absurdity.
Lynn Messina's characters have a real uniqueness. Verity is her bold and brilliant self. I always enjoy seeing Verity in her many disguises and some of her characters are just plain hilarious. Her relationship with Hardwicke is satisfyingly progressing. He's very sweet and patient . He sees the real Verity under the prickly facade she shows the world and never pushes for more than she's willing to give. It's fun to watch Verity really fall in love and accept love from someone else.
Delph and Freddy are - as usual - a great addition to the story.
Viscount Nuneaton with his usual lethargy is charming. The prologue in his point of view is priceless.
The shooting lesson is a hoot. Verity and Bea’s interactions are slowly - and reluctantly from Verity’s part - moving towards friendship.
Lark’s Regret is a funny Whodunnit that I highly recommend. The mystery is twisty, witty, well plotted, well written, chock full of great characters.
For long-time readers of Beatrice Hyde-Clare series and Verity Lark’s Series, this book is a delight to read. A Lark’s Regret merges the two beloved series and brings together many characters. It definitely cannot be read as a standalone. New readers cannot just jump into this series at whim. To fully enjoy both series, they must definitely start from the beginning with book one in Beatrice Hyde-Clare series, then read the books from both series in order.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Another fantastic installment in Verity Lark Mysteries by Lynn Messina.
Twaddle Thumb has a rival tattler. But Mrs. Flimmer-Flan seems to have more nefarious plans than just documenting the exploits of Her Ourtrageousness. She accused the Duchess of killing Kesgrave's uncle!
As The Duke of Kesgrave is out of town, it's up to Verity Lark and Colson Hardwicke to solve the murder of Flimmer Flam, to find out who the sham Twaddle was and who killed him, in order to clear the Duchess's name and her own reputation as Twaddle Thumb as well.
Lynn Messina’s writing is at its best with her signature blend of witty banter, hilarious situations, and enough seriousness and emotional depth to balance all the absurdity.
Lynn Messina's characters have a real uniqueness. Verity is her bold and brilliant self. I always enjoy seeing Verity in her many disguises and some of her characters are just plain hilarious. Her relationship with Hardwicke is satisfyingly progressing. He's very sweet and patient . He sees the real Verity under the prickly facade she shows the world and never pushes for more than she's willing to give. It's fun to watch Verity really fall in love and accept love from someone else.
Delph and Freddy are - as usual - a great addition to the story.
Viscount Nuneaton with his usual lethargy is charming. The prologue in his point of view is priceless.
The shooting lesson is a hoot. Verity and Bea’s interactions are slowly - and reluctantly from Verity’s part - moving towards friendship.
Lark’s Regret is a funny Whodunnit that I highly recommend. The mystery is twisty, witty, well plotted, well written, chock full of great characters.
For long-time readers of Beatrice Hyde-Clare series and Verity Lark’s Series, this book is a delight to read. A Lark’s Regret merges the two beloved series and brings together many characters. It definitely cannot be read as a standalone. New readers cannot just jump into this series at whim. To fully enjoy both series, they must definitely start from the beginning with book one in Beatrice Hyde-Clare series, then read the books from both series in order.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
August 17, 2025
In the fifth Verity Lark Mystery, readers follow Verity at a very difficult point in her life -- she’s giving shooting lessons to the sister-in-law she has ridiculed in print and her alter ego Mr. Twaddle-Thum published an apology for an error in an early murder investigation by a rival gossip from another paper, Mrs. Flimmer-Flam, who claims to correct other misapprehensions about the “murder” Duchess of Kesgrave. When Mrs. Flimmer-Flam claims that the Duchess of Kesgrave is not only solving murders but committing them and other untrue rumors about Twaddle-Thum, Verity decides to discover who is spreading these lies and stumbles on the body of Mrs. Flimmer-Flam. Packed with detail, entertaining characters, and high stakes, readers will love Lynn Messina’s latest novel and the changing dynamic between Verity and the Duchess of Kesgrave as they team up to solve this new mystery. The characters and historical details continue to impress, and the entertainment value of this book is absolutely fantastic as always. Messina really knows how to pull a mystery together and keep readers guessing, and her characters -- especially Verity and the Duchess of Kesgrave -- are still brilliantly detailed, evolving, and well-written in ways which fans of Messina’s historical mystery series will love.
Thanks to NetGalley and Book Whisperer for the advance copy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Book Whisperer for the advance copy.
July 11, 2025
A Lark's Regret brings together the action of two series - the Verity Lark series and the Duchess of Kesgrave series. For this reason, A Lark's Regret may be difficult for a new reader to follow, as the relationships, weird names and nicknames (Her Outrageousness, the Turnip), and tying up of loose ends from previous books are complicated. Verity tries to reveal the person and reason behind a plot to ruin the Duchess's name, culminating in the murder of a new gossip columnist, and adopts multiple disguises to obtain information. The number, detail, and length of these "disguise" scenes slowed the action for me, and I found myself skipping pages to get to the main points. The mystery buried in the extraneous detail was interesting, and watching Verity slowly shed the wall she has built around her emotions is enjoyable. In the range of 2-3 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and Potatoworks Press for the eARC.
August 19, 2025
this was so fantastic I was so delighted for the majority of the book! I love nuneaton so having the prologue be from his perspective was amazing. also very happy verity and bea are finally interacting properly, I wish verity was braver regarding revealing her identity as Mr twaddlethum but im just so glad that secret isn't between them anymore since they obviously would make great friends. THE LOVE ADMISSION SCENE!!!! I was so pleased by it and its so good that verity said it first bc if hardwicke did then she would've been weirder about it than she already was but instead we just get them so delighted by one another.
my only disappointment with this one was just the plan to reveal the killer, like it went down well, but the plan was just so outlandish and not as clever as these people normally are, that being said, Mrs Ralston was used quite well.
also fuck yeaaaaaaaaaaahhhh we getting a flora book next 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 things are going well for me in the bhcu
my only disappointment with this one was just the plan to reveal the killer, like it went down well, but the plan was just so outlandish and not as clever as these people normally are, that being said, Mrs Ralston was used quite well.
also fuck yeaaaaaaaaaaahhhh we getting a flora book next 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 things are going well for me in the bhcu
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2025
We finally get to see Verity and the Beatrice/The Duchess interact and start building a relationship when someone kills a newspaper columnist (Mrs. Flimmer-Flam) who has been making false allegations against the Duchess. Verity finds herself wanting to right her own wrongs and seek out this killer. Verity and Hardwicke also move towards more of a romantic understanding between them. We get to see Nuneaton thrown into the story (against his will) and help out while continuing to maintain his reputation.
I found this book to be a bit too long with more introspection than action for my liking. While I was happy to see progress amongst the relationships, I still feel like we don't really know Verity underneath all of her disguises. I'd love to see her drop them in the next book and just get to be herself.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this ARC.
I found this book to be a bit too long with more introspection than action for my liking. While I was happy to see progress amongst the relationships, I still feel like we don't really know Verity underneath all of her disguises. I'd love to see her drop them in the next book and just get to be herself.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this ARC.
July 19, 2025
I am not sure the number of Lynn Messina's books I have read, what I am sure of is that, now that I have to wait for new installments in the Verity Lark Mysteries and the Beatrice Hyde-Clare Mysteries, I eagerly await the next installment and wish the waits were not months long! Yet, I do understand that crafting these excellent (and funny) books does take time!!!
The characters are exceptionally well written and developed. Their interactions are equally complex, funny and sometimes romantic. And there are always surprising twists of plot within each one!
I cannot recommend there series enough if you like historical fiction, cozy mysteries and engaging, fun, hilarious at points reads.
Thank you, Lynn for creating these memorable characters!!! Please keep their escapades coming!!!
The characters are exceptionally well written and developed. Their interactions are equally complex, funny and sometimes romantic. And there are always surprising twists of plot within each one!
I cannot recommend there series enough if you like historical fiction, cozy mysteries and engaging, fun, hilarious at points reads.
Thank you, Lynn for creating these memorable characters!!! Please keep their escapades coming!!!
July 19, 2025
Having read this book, I'm having trouble reading anything else.
The writing is incredible, fast paced, and builds intrigue.
I absolutely adore these characters and took the time to reread the entire series.
The timing was perfect because i needed an escape from my reality.
I loved this book for the relationship building and the absolutely brilliant ending.
I also loved how a "side character" got center stage. I absolutely need to see more of him.
I am once again awaiting the next bookwith baited breath. I am not rshing the author because the quality of writing is at once mesmerizing and inspiring yet humbling as few authors reach such heights.
Honestly, I find all her historical books to outstanding and as they are available on kindle unlimited you can try yourself.
Absolutely loved it. While you may figure out whodunnit, i was not ready for that ending! ;)
The writing is incredible, fast paced, and builds intrigue.
I absolutely adore these characters and took the time to reread the entire series.
The timing was perfect because i needed an escape from my reality.
I loved this book for the relationship building and the absolutely brilliant ending.
I also loved how a "side character" got center stage. I absolutely need to see more of him.
I am once again awaiting the next bookwith baited breath. I am not rshing the author because the quality of writing is at once mesmerizing and inspiring yet humbling as few authors reach such heights.
Honestly, I find all her historical books to outstanding and as they are available on kindle unlimited you can try yourself.
Absolutely loved it. While you may figure out whodunnit, i was not ready for that ending! ;)
July 15, 2025
While I liked the plot and the progressing romance, there were a couple of things I didn't like. One was the endless talking about Verity's different characters. Why mention all the ones she could have been using, the current one was the only one necessary. At one point, I thought she had someone with her, and it was Verity referring to herself as whatever name she was using. This was all kind of confusing. It already is a stretch of the imagination to believe that she can success disguise herself as a man so many times. Plus, all the Flimmer-Flam and Twaddle-Thuming. Thank goodness there will only be one of them after this book. I hope that eventually Verity and crew will be working with Keasgrave and the Duchess solving crimes.
June 23, 2025
I can never find faults in Lynn Messina's books and this one makes no exception: it is funny, well plotted, brilliantly written and more, but what really made me love this book is the prologue seen through Nuneton's eyes, with that the author has struck pure gold.
The way Verity and Hardwicke - another favorite of mine - are progressing their relationship is intriguinging but Nuneton's bit cannot be beaten!
Revelations, mysteries and entertainment: you can never go wrong with this series and Beatrice's!
I received an advance copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily, thanks to the author for it.
The way Verity and Hardwicke - another favorite of mine - are progressing their relationship is intriguinging but Nuneton's bit cannot be beaten!
Revelations, mysteries and entertainment: you can never go wrong with this series and Beatrice's!
I received an advance copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily, thanks to the author for it.
July 3, 2025
Lark’s adventures continue
This is a fun book that carries on the story of Verity Lark as her life intermingles with that of her half-brother’s wife, Bea the Duchess of Kesgrave. Bea is being slandered by a gossip columnist, who is also slandering Verity’s alter ego Twaddle-Thum. When Verity goes to confront this person, she finds the man on the floor past help, Bea in a chair with an assailant threatening her. After being rescued Verity, with Bea’s input, begin investigating who was behind the columns and attack. An interesting read. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy. This is my review and all thoughts are my own.
This is a fun book that carries on the story of Verity Lark as her life intermingles with that of her half-brother’s wife, Bea the Duchess of Kesgrave. Bea is being slandered by a gossip columnist, who is also slandering Verity’s alter ego Twaddle-Thum. When Verity goes to confront this person, she finds the man on the floor past help, Bea in a chair with an assailant threatening her. After being rescued Verity, with Bea’s input, begin investigating who was behind the columns and attack. An interesting read. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy. This is my review and all thoughts are my own.
July 14, 2025
A Lark's Regret, A Regency Cozy Mystery by Lynn Messina. This may be the fifth book in the Verity Lark Mysteries Series, but it is the first that I have read. It would have helped to have read the previous books to understand the relationships between the characters while also understanding Verity better. She seems to make some mistakes in this book, needing to check her facts, then there are those who are determined to slander the Duchess of Kesgrave. Verity has heart confusion, then moves on in her relationship with Colson Hardwicke. I liked him better than Verity for most of the story, which is unusual for me. Still Verity shows growth and promise.
July 30, 2025
My favorite so far…
There is so much more character development in this installment of her series. First, if you haven’t read the books prior to this one, go back and read them first. While this could stand alone, I don’t think you will enjoy it as a stand alone. In this installment, Lynn goes so much deeper into Verity’s motivations and psyche and it makes it all so much richer. I love the developing relationship with Hardwicke. I even squealed once (you will know when you get there). But go read books 1-4 first, and while you are at it, you should also read Bea and Keswick’s books before those. You will love this world if you aren’t already in it.
There is so much more character development in this installment of her series. First, if you haven’t read the books prior to this one, go back and read them first. While this could stand alone, I don’t think you will enjoy it as a stand alone. In this installment, Lynn goes so much deeper into Verity’s motivations and psyche and it makes it all so much richer. I love the developing relationship with Hardwicke. I even squealed once (you will know when you get there). But go read books 1-4 first, and while you are at it, you should also read Bea and Keswick’s books before those. You will love this world if you aren’t already in it.
August 24, 2025
a good companion to her other series
I like that Ms Messina has linked these 2 series, each able to stand on their own, but much more enjoyable intertwined.
The one thing I find somewhat annoying is that Verity constantly talks to herself for pages on end (!!) and seems to take every comment from other characters as adversarial… especially Beatrice. I find myself skipping pages as this goes on so long.
But the mystery is fun and the solutions satisfactory.
I also enjoy the relationships between all of the characters in Verity’s orbit. The conversations add humor and romance (Hardwick) which gives the stories a much more nuanced story.
Recommended!
I like that Ms Messina has linked these 2 series, each able to stand on their own, but much more enjoyable intertwined.
The one thing I find somewhat annoying is that Verity constantly talks to herself for pages on end (!!) and seems to take every comment from other characters as adversarial… especially Beatrice. I find myself skipping pages as this goes on so long.
But the mystery is fun and the solutions satisfactory.
I also enjoy the relationships between all of the characters in Verity’s orbit. The conversations add humor and romance (Hardwick) which gives the stories a much more nuanced story.
Recommended!
December 12, 2025
As I love all the Regency Cozy series, and Verity's books especially, so far, this is my favorite favorite.
BHC is a great character, full of depth and personality, but seeing her through Verity's eyes, Verity who considers herself so intuitive and perceptive, is a real thrill. Because having two main characters not communicating how they should... it's the best sort of rom-com without the romance. You know they would be the best of friends if they could get over this small thing-
It has been difficult reading the books in order, when it actually includes three separate series. There should be an easier and more accessible numbering system in order to read chronologically.
BHC is a great character, full of depth and personality, but seeing her through Verity's eyes, Verity who considers herself so intuitive and perceptive, is a real thrill. Because having two main characters not communicating how they should... it's the best sort of rom-com without the romance. You know they would be the best of friends if they could get over this small thing-
It has been difficult reading the books in order, when it actually includes three separate series. There should be an easier and more accessible numbering system in order to read chronologically.
June 28, 2025
Lark’s Regret is not the kind of book you can skim—and that’s a good thing. Lynn Messina has crafted another clever mystery that pulls you in and makes you pay attention to every little detail.
Verity Lark is as bold and brilliant as ever, with her usual mix of dry wit and razor-sharp observations. The mystery itself is twisty and satisfying—you’re not just along for the ride; you’re working right alongside Verity trying to figure it
Highly recommend if you’re looking for a smart, engaging read that keeps your brain fully engaged from start to finish.
Verity Lark is as bold and brilliant as ever, with her usual mix of dry wit and razor-sharp observations. The mystery itself is twisty and satisfying—you’re not just along for the ride; you’re working right alongside Verity trying to figure it
Highly recommend if you’re looking for a smart, engaging read that keeps your brain fully engaged from start to finish.
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