As somebody who's read a few novels from Strand now, I've always dug his sardonic voice and his ability to set up truly uncomfortable situations between relatable, often flawed characters. The first half of Veiled follows this pattern to great heights, and had Strand continued along that road I likely would've given it five stars.
Unfortunately, the "answers" provided weren't nearly as interesting as the questions posed, and halfway through the read this book makes a hard left turn that I personally found hard to grasp and harder to enjoy, leading to an anti-climax and an abrupt ending that's far from satisfying. I still adore Strand's writing and will continue to purchase his books, and there's no doubt many readers will disagree with me here, but Veiled left me feeling somewhat fleeced.