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Verity Kent Mysteries #3
Penny for Your Secrets
England, 1919. In Anna Lee Huber’s latest mystery, former Secret Service agent Verity Kent is finding that life after wartime offers its own share of danger . . .
The Great War may be over, but for many, there are still obstacles on the home front. Reconciling with her estranged husband makes Verity sympathetic to her friend Ada’s marital difficulties. Bourgeois-bred Ada, recently married to the Marquess of Rockham, is overwhelmed trying to navigate the ways of the aristocracy. And when Lord Rockham is discovered shot through the heart with a bullet from Ada’s revolver, Verity fears her friend has made a fatal blunder.
While striving to prove Ada’s innocence, Verity is called upon for another favor. The sister of a former Secret Service colleague has been killed in what authorities believe was a home invasion gone wrong. The victim’s war work—censoring letters sent by soldiers from the front—exposed her to sensitive, disturbing material. Verity begins to suspect these two unlikely cases may be linked. But as the connections deepen, the consequences—not just for Verity, but for Britain—grow more menacing than she could have imagined.
The Great War may be over, but for many, there are still obstacles on the home front. Reconciling with her estranged husband makes Verity sympathetic to her friend Ada’s marital difficulties. Bourgeois-bred Ada, recently married to the Marquess of Rockham, is overwhelmed trying to navigate the ways of the aristocracy. And when Lord Rockham is discovered shot through the heart with a bullet from Ada’s revolver, Verity fears her friend has made a fatal blunder.
While striving to prove Ada’s innocence, Verity is called upon for another favor. The sister of a former Secret Service colleague has been killed in what authorities believe was a home invasion gone wrong. The victim’s war work—censoring letters sent by soldiers from the front—exposed her to sensitive, disturbing material. Verity begins to suspect these two unlikely cases may be linked. But as the connections deepen, the consequences—not just for Verity, but for Britain—grow more menacing than she could have imagined.
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 29, 2019
1017 people are currently reading
4621 people want to read
About the author
Anna Lee Huber
31 books3,678 followersAnna Lee Huber is the USA Today bestselling and Daphne award-winning author of the Lady Darby Mysteries, the Verity Kent Mysteries, the Gothic Myths series, as well as Sisters of Fortune: A Novel of the Titanic and the anthology The Deadly Hours. She is a summa cum laude graduate of Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, where she majored in music and minored in psychology. She currently resides in Indiana with her family and is hard at work on her next novel. Visit her online at www.annaleehuber.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 498 reviews
September 30, 2019
Anna Lee Huber is a freaking genius and here is why: this series is not just a murder mystery series ( though there is a murder and a mystery), nor is it just a plot with an espionage twist ( though Verity's work in the secret service in the Great War still plays a major role in the third instalment). This is a keen and brilliantly exploited historical look at the shift of human nature in the years following a war that changed the world and its habitants forever. Like so many, Verity and Sidney married in the whirlwind of potential valour and glory as Sidney prepared to return to the front to lead his men to glory. As we know from the first instalment (This Side of Murder), Sidney's decision to fake his own death at the Somme has massive ramifications on himself, his marriage and his status in society.
In the first book we balanced Verity's believable and conflicting attraction to Max Ryde ( omg I miss him so much before he inevitably shows up in each book) with the sudden and shocking return of Sidney after 15 months presumed dead. In book two (Treacherous in the Night), Verity and Sidney cross through Brussels and some of Verity's wartime zones working along La Dame Blanche in pursuit of leftover treason and traitorous activity. Here, Verity and Sidney reconcile their time apart and Sidney's acceptance of the part of his wife's wartime life he a.) knew nothing about b.) is shocked at. Indeed, they seem to get to know each other for the first time--- married, but strangers, finding unequal footing and a charge toward equilibrium as they sort out how to fall in love again with a spouse they hardly know.
Here, we find them back in London ---mostly at home in their fashionable Berkeley Square flat. And while there are clubs and gorgeous clothes, gin rickeys, makeup and dancing ---as well as a shocking murder that might be tied to solicitous love affairs---there is the deep psychology of Sidney's finally settling into his post war world. Home and not traipsing through Brussels. Home and accepting of the decision he made to fake his death. Home and confronted with his life while so many of them men under his command and colleagues and friends are dead.
It is an inimitable gift to let your characters seep into the psyche of your readers and take a winning and memorable place and Huber has it in spades-- in this series and in Lady Darby. There was a stark realism in the psychology of Sidney's post-war struggle that I felt stark and haunting and that really punched me in the gut. To add, Verity's grace of forgiveness and gift of empathy countered with her usual spunk and intelligence--add another layer to an already nuanced and dimensional character.
This is skyrocketing to be one of my favourite mystery series ever--- chock full of verisimilitude, dripping with atmosphere and pitch-perfect research on every ambient page and full of characters who dazzle and confound but also spread wings from the page. Down to the last: Nimble, the re-hired valet, the maid of all work who sneaks to a home away from the flat at night, the widowed mother of two children who are trying to forge a life after the war...
This is genre fiction, yes, but it is also just historical genius.
Huber is a master and this era (like so many) is her personal sandbox.
So, yes, I am dying for the next instalment. My life was enriched reading this---and yours will be, too.
In the first book we balanced Verity's believable and conflicting attraction to Max Ryde ( omg I miss him so much before he inevitably shows up in each book) with the sudden and shocking return of Sidney after 15 months presumed dead. In book two (Treacherous in the Night), Verity and Sidney cross through Brussels and some of Verity's wartime zones working along La Dame Blanche in pursuit of leftover treason and traitorous activity. Here, Verity and Sidney reconcile their time apart and Sidney's acceptance of the part of his wife's wartime life he a.) knew nothing about b.) is shocked at. Indeed, they seem to get to know each other for the first time--- married, but strangers, finding unequal footing and a charge toward equilibrium as they sort out how to fall in love again with a spouse they hardly know.
Here, we find them back in London ---mostly at home in their fashionable Berkeley Square flat. And while there are clubs and gorgeous clothes, gin rickeys, makeup and dancing ---as well as a shocking murder that might be tied to solicitous love affairs---there is the deep psychology of Sidney's finally settling into his post war world. Home and not traipsing through Brussels. Home and accepting of the decision he made to fake his death. Home and confronted with his life while so many of them men under his command and colleagues and friends are dead.
It is an inimitable gift to let your characters seep into the psyche of your readers and take a winning and memorable place and Huber has it in spades-- in this series and in Lady Darby. There was a stark realism in the psychology of Sidney's post-war struggle that I felt stark and haunting and that really punched me in the gut. To add, Verity's grace of forgiveness and gift of empathy countered with her usual spunk and intelligence--add another layer to an already nuanced and dimensional character.
This is skyrocketing to be one of my favourite mystery series ever--- chock full of verisimilitude, dripping with atmosphere and pitch-perfect research on every ambient page and full of characters who dazzle and confound but also spread wings from the page. Down to the last: Nimble, the re-hired valet, the maid of all work who sneaks to a home away from the flat at night, the widowed mother of two children who are trying to forge a life after the war...
This is genre fiction, yes, but it is also just historical genius.
Huber is a master and this era (like so many) is her personal sandbox.
So, yes, I am dying for the next instalment. My life was enriched reading this---and yours will be, too.
April 17, 2024
This is an interesting series set in London after WWI with Verity Kent, a former Secret Service Agent, and her husband, Sidney, a former soldier recovering from the effects of the war as are many of the characters. Verity and Sidney work together to find answers when mysteries come up. In this story, Verity's friend Ada requests that Verity find who killed her husband when she is blamed for the crime. This turns out to be a much more complicated and far-reaching crime with secrets and possibly connections to untouchable people. I am enjoying this series and this one ended with a little bit of unfinished business. I definitely recommend this series, but it needs to be read in order. It is the kind of series that stays with you after you finish the book and keep thinking about it wondering what will happen next.
October 20, 2019
Penny for Your Secrets is the third installment in the historical murder mystery series, Verity Kent by Anna Lee Huber. I enjoyed the first two books and this one was no exception. In this book, Verity investigates not one but two seemingly unconnected murders. The first murder is of Lord Rockham, the husband of Verity's friend, Ada. Ada is the suspect because their marriage was on the rocks, and she was heard making a joke about killing her husband during a dinner party. The second murder is of a young woman, Esther Shaw, who died in her own home in apparent cat burglary. The longer Verity investigates both crimes, the more she believes they are connected.
Verity's husband, Sydney, is assisting her in the investigations. Their relationship adds another interesting layer to the books. Sydney struggles with guilt following his return from the war, and Verity doesn't know how to help him because he shuts her out. Although I do find this subplot interesting, I must say I miss Max Ryder very much. I was team Max in the first book and was not entirely happy with the way he mostly disappeared from the subsequent books. His parts in the last two books are much smaller than in the first book. I was hoping that he would have a bigger role in the series, but I now think it's not going to happen. Overall, Penny For Your Secrets is a great addition to the series and a book I would recommend to mystery fans.
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Verity's husband, Sydney, is assisting her in the investigations. Their relationship adds another interesting layer to the books. Sydney struggles with guilt following his return from the war, and Verity doesn't know how to help him because he shuts her out. Although I do find this subplot interesting, I must say I miss Max Ryder very much. I was team Max in the first book and was not entirely happy with the way he mostly disappeared from the subsequent books. His parts in the last two books are much smaller than in the first book. I was hoping that he would have a bigger role in the series, but I now think it's not going to happen. Overall, Penny For Your Secrets is a great addition to the series and a book I would recommend to mystery fans.
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2019
Take a little murder, add a suspicious member of some unnamed secret service, throw in an old grudge from a former collegue and you’ve got the makings of the latest novel in the Verity Kent mystery series which features Verity and her husband Sydney who is still struggling with all he saw and did during the “Great War”. This is the third book in the series, although it is a complete mystery of it’s own and can be read as a stand alone. There are some secondary characters who first appeared in earlier books and if a reader is planning to read the series, they would most likely enjoy reading them in order.
In this novel, Verity and Sydney are invited to a dinner party by one of Verity’s friends, a rather loose living woman who has now married a Marquis and is struggling to find her place. As they arrive at the party, it is clear to Verity the marriage has not grown in love and affection and her friend is flaunting her latest affair with one of the guests. Although she does not approve of her friend’s behavior, Verity is inclined to excuse much of it as she knows the struggles her friend has faced in the past. Sydney is less forgiving, and this sets up the first of a series of tensions between them.
For his part, Sydney is struggling with his memories of the war and how to move forward. As much as this pains Verity, she is unable to get him to open up and talk about all he has seen and done, which drives a small wedge between them at a time when they are still working to repair their relationship from the damage caused by secrets that were created and resolved in the first novel.
In addition to this struggle between Sydney and Verity, she learns there is a former colleague who has placed her on a list of possible insurgents, listing her activities as a spy during the war as having possibly compromised her. In truth, he and Verity loath one another, and he is using his current position to undermine her in every way he can. The head of her former department is doing what he can to erase the listing, but the ultimate outcome is not resolved.
While Verity and Sydney do discover the real murderer and, in the process, what happened to a crew from a ship that washed up during the war, the solutions leave them both dissatisfied. Sydney is still working to cope with what would today be termed survivor’s guilt while Verity becomes aware that she has a nemesis lurking in the shadows. She is convinced her nemesis is intent on causing her difficulties but she has no idea of what or why.
While the mystery itself if resolved, I would have preferred a resolution to Verity’s situation with her nemesis to have been resolved as well. I typically dislike books that have central storylines that continue from one book to the next, and this was no exception. My thanks to Kensington Publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Digital Read copy of this book in exchange for an unbias
In this novel, Verity and Sydney are invited to a dinner party by one of Verity’s friends, a rather loose living woman who has now married a Marquis and is struggling to find her place. As they arrive at the party, it is clear to Verity the marriage has not grown in love and affection and her friend is flaunting her latest affair with one of the guests. Although she does not approve of her friend’s behavior, Verity is inclined to excuse much of it as she knows the struggles her friend has faced in the past. Sydney is less forgiving, and this sets up the first of a series of tensions between them.
For his part, Sydney is struggling with his memories of the war and how to move forward. As much as this pains Verity, she is unable to get him to open up and talk about all he has seen and done, which drives a small wedge between them at a time when they are still working to repair their relationship from the damage caused by secrets that were created and resolved in the first novel.
In addition to this struggle between Sydney and Verity, she learns there is a former colleague who has placed her on a list of possible insurgents, listing her activities as a spy during the war as having possibly compromised her. In truth, he and Verity loath one another, and he is using his current position to undermine her in every way he can. The head of her former department is doing what he can to erase the listing, but the ultimate outcome is not resolved.
While Verity and Sydney do discover the real murderer and, in the process, what happened to a crew from a ship that washed up during the war, the solutions leave them both dissatisfied. Sydney is still working to cope with what would today be termed survivor’s guilt while Verity becomes aware that she has a nemesis lurking in the shadows. She is convinced her nemesis is intent on causing her difficulties but she has no idea of what or why.
While the mystery itself if resolved, I would have preferred a resolution to Verity’s situation with her nemesis to have been resolved as well. I typically dislike books that have central storylines that continue from one book to the next, and this was no exception. My thanks to Kensington Publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Digital Read copy of this book in exchange for an unbias
September 19, 2023
An absolutely brilliant series so far, and doubtful that that brilliance will dim by the end of it! Anna Lee Huber hits another home run with Penny for Your Secrets. As one reviewer of the novel stated… Just when you think the plot will zig, it zags… (Criminal Element).
Rather than write a glowing review of this novel—again it’s an easy ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ novel!—I’d like to make an observation. No matter the intrigue of the storyline or plot, no matter the fabulous characterizations, or the amazing dialogue, Ms. Huber has managed to describe the mixed emotions of those fortunate but troubled soldiers who survived the First World War after they returned home, but who were wracked with survivor’s guilt and anger over the loss of so many men, whether they were the men in the trenches or the officers forced to send those poor souls into battle. It affected them all. And that is what truly makes this series special, at least to me. Her humanization of the soldier’s experiences. I remember my grandfather, the very few times I could ever get him to talk about it, telling me never to glorify war. He hated to talk about his experiences. Most of the time, he refused to discuss it. But on a few occasions when I stayed with him, I would startle awake during the night because of nightmares he had, and then he would act as though it never happened the next morning. I have never forgotten that. And Ms. Huber vividly describes those emotions in her characters, and not just those who fought in the war, but those at home as well who dealt with the loses of loved ones. The tremendous loss of life and the change in the living afterward is staggering. These truly are wonderful novels to read, the intrigue, the adventure, the mystery, the witty dialogue, but they are also eye-opening glimpses into a world our modern times have all too ignorantly forgotten.
Rather than write a glowing review of this novel—again it’s an easy ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ novel!—I’d like to make an observation. No matter the intrigue of the storyline or plot, no matter the fabulous characterizations, or the amazing dialogue, Ms. Huber has managed to describe the mixed emotions of those fortunate but troubled soldiers who survived the First World War after they returned home, but who were wracked with survivor’s guilt and anger over the loss of so many men, whether they were the men in the trenches or the officers forced to send those poor souls into battle. It affected them all. And that is what truly makes this series special, at least to me. Her humanization of the soldier’s experiences. I remember my grandfather, the very few times I could ever get him to talk about it, telling me never to glorify war. He hated to talk about his experiences. Most of the time, he refused to discuss it. But on a few occasions when I stayed with him, I would startle awake during the night because of nightmares he had, and then he would act as though it never happened the next morning. I have never forgotten that. And Ms. Huber vividly describes those emotions in her characters, and not just those who fought in the war, but those at home as well who dealt with the loses of loved ones. The tremendous loss of life and the change in the living afterward is staggering. These truly are wonderful novels to read, the intrigue, the adventure, the mystery, the witty dialogue, but they are also eye-opening glimpses into a world our modern times have all too ignorantly forgotten.
November 1, 2019
It's 1919, an Verity Kent and her husband Sidney are residing in London. Shortly after they attend a dinner party, the host is murdered. Is Verity's friend, Ada, the widow, somehow involved? When there are two other murders, Verity wonders if they could be related to some people in power trying to cover up a deadly secret. I have enjoyed all of Anna Lee Huber's historical mysteries, and this one is a real page-turner. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.
September 29, 2019
I received an ARC of this novel through the Amazon Vine Voices program.
At first glance I would have expected this historical mystery to be just the kind of book I find so fascinating and enjoy reading. It took me a while to notice how I was reacting and what the causes might be. The story was okay while I was reading it, but when I had to put the book down I then had to urge myself to pick it up again. I think I probably read four or five other books during the time I should have been finishing this one. To be honest, I think if I had not felt the obligation to read the book and write a review I would not have finished it and it would have made its way into my to-go book box.
In this third book in the series Verity Kent and her husband Sidney have been back together for three months after his return. Verity thought he had died so the reunion was complicated by her finding out he had allowed her to grieve for him instead of letting her know he was working on a secret mission. After a dinner party the Kent's discover that Ada Rockham, Verity's friend and hostess of the party, is under suspicion for the death of her husband after the guests had all gone home. Ada has begged Verity to investigate the murder and so the search for motive, opportunity and evidence begins.
For some reason I just never could connect with Verity Kent and her husband has so many issues related to his years serving in World War One that his personality was mostly hidden behind his anger and feelings of guilt. Verity also struck me as thinking she was more "entitled" than I like to see in a character. She moved in the highest ranks of society and usually managed to make some comment or have a thought highlighting the fact that she was pretty much doing someone a favor by investigating the crimes. Maybe I'm wrong and I would have benefitted from getting to know Verity in the first two novels, but I am not interested enough to try to find out.
At first glance I would have expected this historical mystery to be just the kind of book I find so fascinating and enjoy reading. It took me a while to notice how I was reacting and what the causes might be. The story was okay while I was reading it, but when I had to put the book down I then had to urge myself to pick it up again. I think I probably read four or five other books during the time I should have been finishing this one. To be honest, I think if I had not felt the obligation to read the book and write a review I would not have finished it and it would have made its way into my to-go book box.
In this third book in the series Verity Kent and her husband Sidney have been back together for three months after his return. Verity thought he had died so the reunion was complicated by her finding out he had allowed her to grieve for him instead of letting her know he was working on a secret mission. After a dinner party the Kent's discover that Ada Rockham, Verity's friend and hostess of the party, is under suspicion for the death of her husband after the guests had all gone home. Ada has begged Verity to investigate the murder and so the search for motive, opportunity and evidence begins.
For some reason I just never could connect with Verity Kent and her husband has so many issues related to his years serving in World War One that his personality was mostly hidden behind his anger and feelings of guilt. Verity also struck me as thinking she was more "entitled" than I like to see in a character. She moved in the highest ranks of society and usually managed to make some comment or have a thought highlighting the fact that she was pretty much doing someone a favor by investigating the crimes. Maybe I'm wrong and I would have benefitted from getting to know Verity in the first two novels, but I am not interested enough to try to find out.
October 11, 2019
Post-WWI, flappers, gin rickeys, jazz clubs, and a party atmosphere covers over dark deeds and silent suffering in the quiet hours. None more than Verity and Sydney Kent understand as they pick up the pieces to their lives and try to make their way far from the trenches for him and espionage work for her in a marriage teetering on the brink. Just when Verity wonders what they can do with themselves now, they are confronted by two separate friends' pleas for help with murder. I love diving right back into Verity Kent's world.
Penny for Your Secrets is the third of the Verity Kent historical romantic suspense series set just after the WWI Armistice. The romance and character threads make it necessary to read in order though I suppose in a pinch one might grab one out of order.
Verity and Sydney have been through a lot when she thought him dead and he allowed it so he could pursue traitors in his army unit and then she rushed into reckless behavior and also secret service work. They are discovering that they want to keep their marriage, but also that they didn't know each other as well as they thought and have to get used to the different people they really are. Verity is not society wife and keeper of the home fires and Sydney isn't the carefree charmer. Solving murders and lingering secret intrigues post-war suits them better.
In this latest story, Verity's loyalty to friendship is pitted against the stark facts of a spouse being murdered and infidelity running ramped meanwhile a secret service pal calls on her to investigate the suspicious death of her sister who used to be a mail sensor during the war and might have seen something in a letter she shouldn't have. Verity is frustrated by both cases as they prove to not be straightforward and someone doesn't want either mystery to be solved. Meanwhile, she watches Sydney struggle more and more with the pain of survivor's guilt and something more carried over from his time at war. He's shutting her out and she doesn't know what to do about. So they soldier on and do what they're good at together.
I love how the author can blend historical setting, meticulous attention to the era even down to how people would have acted and thought with a strong twisting suspense, and a romance relationship that is not simple or easy after being scarred by war and circumstances. Sydney and Verity both grew up old school, but in the war Verity came into her own as something different just like Sydney was battered and changed by the war. One can really see how it would be like being married to a stranger and deciding if you like let alone respect and love that stranger.
The mysteries were good. There are always layers with this author's mysteries and this story was no exception. I enjoyed following along on the path of intrigue and danger. This book ended in a way that tells me there will be more to come from a certain quarter even though Verity and Sydney figured out the truth and who killed and why. I'm looking forward to seeing them clash with this villain again.
Those who enjoy a tough-fought romance mingled with a strong mystery and authentic historical setting should give this series a go.
I rec'd this book through Net Galley to read in exchange for an honest review.
Penny for Your Secrets is the third of the Verity Kent historical romantic suspense series set just after the WWI Armistice. The romance and character threads make it necessary to read in order though I suppose in a pinch one might grab one out of order.
Verity and Sydney have been through a lot when she thought him dead and he allowed it so he could pursue traitors in his army unit and then she rushed into reckless behavior and also secret service work. They are discovering that they want to keep their marriage, but also that they didn't know each other as well as they thought and have to get used to the different people they really are. Verity is not society wife and keeper of the home fires and Sydney isn't the carefree charmer. Solving murders and lingering secret intrigues post-war suits them better.
In this latest story, Verity's loyalty to friendship is pitted against the stark facts of a spouse being murdered and infidelity running ramped meanwhile a secret service pal calls on her to investigate the suspicious death of her sister who used to be a mail sensor during the war and might have seen something in a letter she shouldn't have. Verity is frustrated by both cases as they prove to not be straightforward and someone doesn't want either mystery to be solved. Meanwhile, she watches Sydney struggle more and more with the pain of survivor's guilt and something more carried over from his time at war. He's shutting her out and she doesn't know what to do about. So they soldier on and do what they're good at together.
I love how the author can blend historical setting, meticulous attention to the era even down to how people would have acted and thought with a strong twisting suspense, and a romance relationship that is not simple or easy after being scarred by war and circumstances. Sydney and Verity both grew up old school, but in the war Verity came into her own as something different just like Sydney was battered and changed by the war. One can really see how it would be like being married to a stranger and deciding if you like let alone respect and love that stranger.
The mysteries were good. There are always layers with this author's mysteries and this story was no exception. I enjoyed following along on the path of intrigue and danger. This book ended in a way that tells me there will be more to come from a certain quarter even though Verity and Sydney figured out the truth and who killed and why. I'm looking forward to seeing them clash with this villain again.
Those who enjoy a tough-fought romance mingled with a strong mystery and authentic historical setting should give this series a go.
I rec'd this book through Net Galley to read in exchange for an honest review.
December 18, 2019
I love this series. Heather Wilds is one of my favorite narrators. She's also is also on my top 20 list. I'd listen to her read the phone book.
It always amazes me how much research is done for our favorite historical mysteries and historical romance books for it to come together.
It always amazes me how much research is done for our favorite historical mysteries and historical romance books for it to come together.
October 3, 2025
A great deal of this series will be a reread for me. I’m enjoying this series even more the second time around.
October 28, 2019
3.5 stars. I'm not sure if Huber is stretched too thin writing two books (or more) a year, but her last few books have lost the spark that I enjoyed earlier in both the Verity Kent and Lady Darby series. The first 60% of Penny for Your Secrets was a chore to get through. It felt like Verity was going through the motions of investigating the dual murders of her friend's/former informant's husband and her former co-worker's sister as she conducted a never-ending series of interviews to gather information.
The last 40% really picked up steam and felt more like Huber's usual writing style, though the ending was a bit odd. Verity really shines when she's let loose in the field to conduct missions, as opposed to trying to assimilate back into her pre-war position in society. Huber also does an amazing job with making the settings and characters leap off the page, including the sights, scents and weather of London and northern France and the small gestures and movements that make Verity and Sidney feel fully realized.
My other major complaint is the same as book 2: we need either more of Max or to cut him entirely. These brief glimpses of him are just a cruel reminder of how much of a better match he would be. Verity's choice to try to salvage her marriage is completely understandable, but I expected her to ultimately gravitate back towards Max.
Notwithstanding any critiques above, I still am looking forward to reading more of Verity's adventures!
Thank you to Kensington and Netgalley for providing an ARC for review!
The last 40% really picked up steam and felt more like Huber's usual writing style, though the ending was a bit odd. Verity really shines when she's let loose in the field to conduct missions, as opposed to trying to assimilate back into her pre-war position in society. Huber also does an amazing job with making the settings and characters leap off the page, including the sights, scents and weather of London and northern France and the small gestures and movements that make Verity and Sidney feel fully realized.
My other major complaint is the same as book 2: we need either more of Max or to cut him entirely. These brief glimpses of him are just a cruel reminder of how much of a better match he would be. Verity's choice to try to salvage her marriage is completely understandable, but I expected her to ultimately gravitate back towards Max.
Notwithstanding any critiques above, I still am looking forward to reading more of Verity's adventures!
Thank you to Kensington and Netgalley for providing an ARC for review!
November 15, 2019
A very satisfying mystery. Rich with time period and history. Ends with a twist that leaves me wanting more.
November 10, 2019
As many of you know, I have been a long time fan of Anna Lee Huber’s novels. She’s an exceptional writer and one that is perpetually on auto-buy for me!
Her latest series, Verity Kent, has been no exception. It’s an interesting time period—set immediately following WWI—and both the heroine and her husband are different characters than she’s written before which I find exciting.
This book is the third book in this series, and I would recommend reading the series beginning to end, however, it’s is not necessary to remain orientated in the story. As with many of Huber’s novels, the focus is the mystery rather than the character’s side plots etc. It’s just so good I would hate for people to miss out on this one, beginning to end.
As always, Huber doesn’t disappoint. I was hooked on this mystery from the beginning and like Verity, I was baffled and unsure of what direction things were going in and why. I also liked that this book seemed to set up an arch nemesis for Verity and her husband. I think in a lot of historical mysteries there is a push to keep things contained and ‘solved’ in one or two books but with this book, I like the bold direction Huber is taking.
There is clearly an arch nemesis in being created here and a huge and complicated larger crime happening that can’t be wrapped up in this book, the implications of the crime/crimes in this book are too great. This aspect easily as a couple of books to work itself out. It has far reaching consequences and I couldn’t be more excited for what the future holds.
Verity is such a raw and real character for me. While I love all of Huber’s other heroines etc, there is something so much more real about Verity. I don’t know if it’s the time period or just who Verity is, but she’s strong and yet flawed. She’s fighting her own demons throughout the series—much like the men returning from war and it’s a great representation.
The only thing that has been a bit of a bummer for me in this series is that I don’t like Sidney. There’s something about him that I just don’t trust and don’t find dashing or romantic. I can’t quite put my finger on it but I’m just not a Sidney fan. He’s so secretive and the way he wrongs Verity in the first book by keeping things from her has basically upset me throughout the series and I don’t trust him. I prefer Max personally. I keep hoping that him and Verity will end up together but it’s looking unlikely at this point. While I might not love Sidney, it’s purely a personal preference and in no way reflective of the story.
Overall this is a fantastic series and another win for Huber! If you love historical mysteries, then you don’t want to miss this book but do yourself a favor and read the entire series! Verity is a pistol and you will love her!
See my full review here
Her latest series, Verity Kent, has been no exception. It’s an interesting time period—set immediately following WWI—and both the heroine and her husband are different characters than she’s written before which I find exciting.
This book is the third book in this series, and I would recommend reading the series beginning to end, however, it’s is not necessary to remain orientated in the story. As with many of Huber’s novels, the focus is the mystery rather than the character’s side plots etc. It’s just so good I would hate for people to miss out on this one, beginning to end.
As always, Huber doesn’t disappoint. I was hooked on this mystery from the beginning and like Verity, I was baffled and unsure of what direction things were going in and why. I also liked that this book seemed to set up an arch nemesis for Verity and her husband. I think in a lot of historical mysteries there is a push to keep things contained and ‘solved’ in one or two books but with this book, I like the bold direction Huber is taking.
There is clearly an arch nemesis in being created here and a huge and complicated larger crime happening that can’t be wrapped up in this book, the implications of the crime/crimes in this book are too great. This aspect easily as a couple of books to work itself out. It has far reaching consequences and I couldn’t be more excited for what the future holds.
Verity is such a raw and real character for me. While I love all of Huber’s other heroines etc, there is something so much more real about Verity. I don’t know if it’s the time period or just who Verity is, but she’s strong and yet flawed. She’s fighting her own demons throughout the series—much like the men returning from war and it’s a great representation.
The only thing that has been a bit of a bummer for me in this series is that I don’t like Sidney. There’s something about him that I just don’t trust and don’t find dashing or romantic. I can’t quite put my finger on it but I’m just not a Sidney fan. He’s so secretive and the way he wrongs Verity in the first book by keeping things from her has basically upset me throughout the series and I don’t trust him. I prefer Max personally. I keep hoping that him and Verity will end up together but it’s looking unlikely at this point. While I might not love Sidney, it’s purely a personal preference and in no way reflective of the story.
Overall this is a fantastic series and another win for Huber! If you love historical mysteries, then you don’t want to miss this book but do yourself a favor and read the entire series! Verity is a pistol and you will love her!
See my full review here
November 10, 2019
Learning to trust and know one another once more after years apart and war, Verity and Sidney are called to the aid of Ada. Former mistress to the Marquess of Rockham, Ada has risen to the ranks of the aristocracy by marrying the man but she certainly does not behave in a way befitting the role and the marriage is no longer a happy one. So after making an off-color joke about her husband during a dinner party and he is found murdered in his study, she is the prime suspect.
Working alongside Sidney to prove Ada's innocence, they are called to assist in uncovering the truth of yet another murder. When the case requires her to rely on the knowldege and connections she acquired while working with Secret Service during the war, they discover that these cases may very well be connected and go back further than they could have imagined.
_____________________________
Penny for Your Secrets is the third book in Anna Lee Huber's Verity Kent series, which takes place in Lodon following the first World War. I have loved this series, but being honest, I was bored. Maybe this book is mainly intended to serve as transitional book between her thinking Sidney is dead plus the aftermath of discovering that that is not the case in the first two books to then moving forward now that their marriage is on surer footing. Sort of like a bridge between these phases so that they can more effctively work together in investigations? I'm hoping this is the case because I just didn't enjoy this one like I have the first two books in the series.
Sure, we have two murder investigations going on here, but for the most part the first 17 chapters seem to mostly be a catalog of domestic matters, emphasizing the highs and lows of them being back together, and uneventful investigative questioning. It isn't until the end of chapter 18 that the possibility is raised that the cases may be linked, at which point the book did pick up a bit. There was very little sense of danger in this case and I didn't feel like they were racing against the clock at all. And I would have been fine with that had I felt that there were at least emotional stakes involved in this case.
The story was alright, just not what I'm used to from this series or this author. I was disappointed that I wasn't able to enjoy it more. I will still be continuing in this series because I truly do believe that the problem for me is that this seemed to be more of a transitional book.
Working alongside Sidney to prove Ada's innocence, they are called to assist in uncovering the truth of yet another murder. When the case requires her to rely on the knowldege and connections she acquired while working with Secret Service during the war, they discover that these cases may very well be connected and go back further than they could have imagined.
_____________________________
Penny for Your Secrets is the third book in Anna Lee Huber's Verity Kent series, which takes place in Lodon following the first World War. I have loved this series, but being honest, I was bored. Maybe this book is mainly intended to serve as transitional book between her thinking Sidney is dead plus the aftermath of discovering that that is not the case in the first two books to then moving forward now that their marriage is on surer footing. Sort of like a bridge between these phases so that they can more effctively work together in investigations? I'm hoping this is the case because I just didn't enjoy this one like I have the first two books in the series.
Sure, we have two murder investigations going on here, but for the most part the first 17 chapters seem to mostly be a catalog of domestic matters, emphasizing the highs and lows of them being back together, and uneventful investigative questioning. It isn't until the end of chapter 18 that the possibility is raised that the cases may be linked, at which point the book did pick up a bit. There was very little sense of danger in this case and I didn't feel like they were racing against the clock at all. And I would have been fine with that had I felt that there were at least emotional stakes involved in this case.
The story was alright, just not what I'm used to from this series or this author. I was disappointed that I wasn't able to enjoy it more. I will still be continuing in this series because I truly do believe that the problem for me is that this seemed to be more of a transitional book.
January 21, 2020
I've given this a B at AAR, so 4 stars.
Note: This title is part of an ongoing series featuring the same characters, so there will be spoilers for the previous books in this review.
This third book in Anna Lee Huber’s series of mysteries featuring the intrepid Verity Kent sees our eponymous heroine and her recently returned husband Sidney investigating not one but two murders. Penny for Your Secrets takes place just a few months following the events of book two, Treacherous Is the Night, and although Verity and Sidney are on more of an even keel now than they were in that book, it’s clear that things between them are still delicately balanced . Neither of them is the same person who got married in 1914 after a whirlwind courtship, and the murder mystery storyline is underscored by the continuing exploration of Verity and Sidney’s marriage as they relearn each other and get to know they people they have become. But their progress is impeded somewhat by the fact that both of them are still struggling to adapt to the world post-war as individuals; Sidney with survivor’s guilt and PTSD while he tries to find his place in the world he’s come back to; Verity because she’s without a sense of purpose for the first time in years and because she’s still keeping secrets about the missions she undertook for the Secret Service.
The book opens with Verity and Sidney attending a dinner party hosted by the Marquess and Marchioness of Rockham, at which it is quickly obvious that all is not well between the couple. Ada (the marchioness) – a friend of Verity’s – is Rockham’s second wife and was previously his mistress; they were in love when they married, but now things have soured. Rockham is rumoured to have another mistress and Ada makes no secret of her affair with Lord Ardmore, whom Verity believes holds some sort of hush-hush position within Naval Intelligence and whom Sidney pronounces “a bounder.”
After an uncomfortable dinner – at which Ada makes a very distasteful joke about shooting her husband – Verity and Sidney excuse themselves as soon as it’s polite to do so and make their way home, only to be woken in the early hours of the morning by a telephone call from an almost hysterical Ada, who tells them that Rockham is dead from a shot to the temple. The police are already on the scene and are clearly looking at Ada as their prime suspect, and while Verity believes her friend to have been guilty of poor judgment in her behaviour of late, she can’t believe her to be capable of murder, so she agrees to Ada’s request for help proving her innocence.
Just a day or so later, Verity is surprised by a visit from Irene Shaw, a former MI5 employee whom she met during the war. Irene is desperate to find out more about the death of her half-sister Esther, who was killed during what seemed to be a burglary-gone-wrong a couple of weeks earlier. But despite the fact that Esther’s room had been tossed, nothing was taken, which makes Irene suspect that perhaps the killer had an ulterior motive related to Esther’s wartime job in the censorship department of the Royal Mail.
Frustrated at the slow progress she and Sidney are making with their enquiries into Ada’s situation – some of that due to Ada herself, who, Verity senses, is not being entirely truthful – Verity agrees to look into Esther’s death, much to Ada’s annoyance; she thinks Verity should be focusing on her and not diverting her attention elsewhere.
As Verity and Sidney investigate the two murders, they start to realise that the crimes may be connected – they just have to figure out how. Their investigation draws the attention of Lord Ardmore, who is very clearly a man to be reckoned with, and it sees them travelling back to France, and then to the Isle of Wight and the estate of Max, the Earl of Ryde, Sidney’s former commanding officer and the man to whom Verity had experienced a strong attraction when she’d still believed herself to be a widow. Anna Lee Huber pulls her seemingly disparate plot threads together with great skill as Verity, Sidney – and eventually Max – uncover a complicated web of deceit and betrayal.
One of the things the author does very well in this series is to shine a light on the lives of the young people who survived the First World War, showing how their world has changed – and how, in some ways it has not – and how difficult it is for the young women who were drafted into taking on men’s roles and jobs during the war to go back to the way things were. Verity is one of those women reluctant to relinquish the greater freedom and autonomy she gained, but is also uncertain about where she goes from here. In the previous book, much of the time spent on the relationship between her and Sidney was to do with her wondering how much she should tell him about her work with the Secret Service and how much it would affect his opinion of her; in this one, there are still things she’s not telling him, but the focus shifts more to Sidney, who is obviously struggling with survivor’s guilt but refuses to talk to Verity about it and repeatedly shuts her out. The author handles this aspect of their relationship very well; Verity’s frustration and fears for her husband are palpable, but one downside to this is that I still haven’t got much of a handle on Sidney’s personality. He’s a decent man, no question, but he’s defined mostly in terms of anger and guilt, and because the stories are narrated entirely in Verity’s PoV, we’re not getting to know him in any real detail.
I also confess that I found the mystery in this book a bit harder to get into than previous ones, and didn’t really become fully engaged with it until well into the second half when things were starting to coalesce. I’m not completely sure why that was; the writing is strong, the research is meticulous and while I wasn’t as invested in Ada’s plotline as I was in Esther’s, the story is very well put together – but I didn’t warm to either Verity or Sidney in this book; they were both a little too distanced and I felt there was a fair bit of repetition in terms of the issues that are still lying between them.
With that said, Penny for Your Secrets is a solidly good read and fans of historical mysteries should definitely give the Verity Kent series a try. The books can work as standalones but I think readers will be best served by starting at the beginning with This Side of Murder
Note: This title is part of an ongoing series featuring the same characters, so there will be spoilers for the previous books in this review.
This third book in Anna Lee Huber’s series of mysteries featuring the intrepid Verity Kent sees our eponymous heroine and her recently returned husband Sidney investigating not one but two murders. Penny for Your Secrets takes place just a few months following the events of book two, Treacherous Is the Night, and although Verity and Sidney are on more of an even keel now than they were in that book, it’s clear that things between them are still delicately balanced . Neither of them is the same person who got married in 1914 after a whirlwind courtship, and the murder mystery storyline is underscored by the continuing exploration of Verity and Sidney’s marriage as they relearn each other and get to know they people they have become. But their progress is impeded somewhat by the fact that both of them are still struggling to adapt to the world post-war as individuals; Sidney with survivor’s guilt and PTSD while he tries to find his place in the world he’s come back to; Verity because she’s without a sense of purpose for the first time in years and because she’s still keeping secrets about the missions she undertook for the Secret Service.
The book opens with Verity and Sidney attending a dinner party hosted by the Marquess and Marchioness of Rockham, at which it is quickly obvious that all is not well between the couple. Ada (the marchioness) – a friend of Verity’s – is Rockham’s second wife and was previously his mistress; they were in love when they married, but now things have soured. Rockham is rumoured to have another mistress and Ada makes no secret of her affair with Lord Ardmore, whom Verity believes holds some sort of hush-hush position within Naval Intelligence and whom Sidney pronounces “a bounder.”
After an uncomfortable dinner – at which Ada makes a very distasteful joke about shooting her husband – Verity and Sidney excuse themselves as soon as it’s polite to do so and make their way home, only to be woken in the early hours of the morning by a telephone call from an almost hysterical Ada, who tells them that Rockham is dead from a shot to the temple. The police are already on the scene and are clearly looking at Ada as their prime suspect, and while Verity believes her friend to have been guilty of poor judgment in her behaviour of late, she can’t believe her to be capable of murder, so she agrees to Ada’s request for help proving her innocence.
Just a day or so later, Verity is surprised by a visit from Irene Shaw, a former MI5 employee whom she met during the war. Irene is desperate to find out more about the death of her half-sister Esther, who was killed during what seemed to be a burglary-gone-wrong a couple of weeks earlier. But despite the fact that Esther’s room had been tossed, nothing was taken, which makes Irene suspect that perhaps the killer had an ulterior motive related to Esther’s wartime job in the censorship department of the Royal Mail.
Frustrated at the slow progress she and Sidney are making with their enquiries into Ada’s situation – some of that due to Ada herself, who, Verity senses, is not being entirely truthful – Verity agrees to look into Esther’s death, much to Ada’s annoyance; she thinks Verity should be focusing on her and not diverting her attention elsewhere.
As Verity and Sidney investigate the two murders, they start to realise that the crimes may be connected – they just have to figure out how. Their investigation draws the attention of Lord Ardmore, who is very clearly a man to be reckoned with, and it sees them travelling back to France, and then to the Isle of Wight and the estate of Max, the Earl of Ryde, Sidney’s former commanding officer and the man to whom Verity had experienced a strong attraction when she’d still believed herself to be a widow. Anna Lee Huber pulls her seemingly disparate plot threads together with great skill as Verity, Sidney – and eventually Max – uncover a complicated web of deceit and betrayal.
One of the things the author does very well in this series is to shine a light on the lives of the young people who survived the First World War, showing how their world has changed – and how, in some ways it has not – and how difficult it is for the young women who were drafted into taking on men’s roles and jobs during the war to go back to the way things were. Verity is one of those women reluctant to relinquish the greater freedom and autonomy she gained, but is also uncertain about where she goes from here. In the previous book, much of the time spent on the relationship between her and Sidney was to do with her wondering how much she should tell him about her work with the Secret Service and how much it would affect his opinion of her; in this one, there are still things she’s not telling him, but the focus shifts more to Sidney, who is obviously struggling with survivor’s guilt but refuses to talk to Verity about it and repeatedly shuts her out. The author handles this aspect of their relationship very well; Verity’s frustration and fears for her husband are palpable, but one downside to this is that I still haven’t got much of a handle on Sidney’s personality. He’s a decent man, no question, but he’s defined mostly in terms of anger and guilt, and because the stories are narrated entirely in Verity’s PoV, we’re not getting to know him in any real detail.
I also confess that I found the mystery in this book a bit harder to get into than previous ones, and didn’t really become fully engaged with it until well into the second half when things were starting to coalesce. I’m not completely sure why that was; the writing is strong, the research is meticulous and while I wasn’t as invested in Ada’s plotline as I was in Esther’s, the story is very well put together – but I didn’t warm to either Verity or Sidney in this book; they were both a little too distanced and I felt there was a fair bit of repetition in terms of the issues that are still lying between them.
With that said, Penny for Your Secrets is a solidly good read and fans of historical mysteries should definitely give the Verity Kent series a try. The books can work as standalones but I think readers will be best served by starting at the beginning with This Side of Murder
December 27, 2019
This third installment in the Verity Kent Mystery series is complex, twisting, emotionally charged, somewhat dark and is a thoroughly rewarding read. Author Anna Lee Huber writes exquisitely with a tremendous understanding of the pulse of English society, circa 1919. She has gone to great lengths to display the emotional undercurrent playing out among the various characters. Tensions are high and everyone's walking on eggshells.
The Great War has ended. London society is trying to regain its pre-war societal norm but that doesn't come easily. Our bright and lovely protagonist, Verity Kent and her handsome war hero husband, Sidney are gathering at the Rockhams' home for dinner and drinks. There's quite a bit of tension in the room and sure enough, someone ends up dead when no one's looking. The hostess asks Verity to quietly investigate and get her out of the police inspectors cross-hairs. Verity agrees and with Sidney's assistance they begin their investigation. Meanwhile, a past colleague of Verity seeks assistance in finding out more about her cousin's sudden demise. Something niggles at the back of Verity's steel trap mind and she questions whether the two demises may be related. I leave that to you, dear reader, to ascertain.
What I loved best about this book is the emotional interplay between Verity and Sidney. He was an officer in the war who had lead his troops into battle after battle. Many of those men never made it home and or if they did, they may have returned home broken men. Sidney suffers from battlefield flashbacks and tremendous survivor's guilt. Verity wishes she could somehow ease that sorrow and guilt and struggles with what approach is best.
I do love this series as much as I enjoy Huber's "Lady Darby Mystery" series for somewhat different reasons. Both series are equally well written but I find that the psychological undercurrents in the Verity Kent series are more brilliantly played out and are quite palpable. There's a certain gravitas to it all.
The Great War has ended. London society is trying to regain its pre-war societal norm but that doesn't come easily. Our bright and lovely protagonist, Verity Kent and her handsome war hero husband, Sidney are gathering at the Rockhams' home for dinner and drinks. There's quite a bit of tension in the room and sure enough, someone ends up dead when no one's looking. The hostess asks Verity to quietly investigate and get her out of the police inspectors cross-hairs. Verity agrees and with Sidney's assistance they begin their investigation. Meanwhile, a past colleague of Verity seeks assistance in finding out more about her cousin's sudden demise. Something niggles at the back of Verity's steel trap mind and she questions whether the two demises may be related. I leave that to you, dear reader, to ascertain.
What I loved best about this book is the emotional interplay between Verity and Sidney. He was an officer in the war who had lead his troops into battle after battle. Many of those men never made it home and or if they did, they may have returned home broken men. Sidney suffers from battlefield flashbacks and tremendous survivor's guilt. Verity wishes she could somehow ease that sorrow and guilt and struggles with what approach is best.
I do love this series as much as I enjoy Huber's "Lady Darby Mystery" series for somewhat different reasons. Both series are equally well written but I find that the psychological undercurrents in the Verity Kent series are more brilliantly played out and are quite palpable. There's a certain gravitas to it all.
December 15, 2019
Completed this next in series. Steady pacing, twists and descriptives of Verity and Sidney as they
pursue post war espionage and adventures together.
pursue post war espionage and adventures together.
October 28, 2019
4.5 stars
PENNY FOR YOUR SECRETS is marvelous!
As the third book in the Verity Kent Mystery Series, it picks up right where the second book, TREACHEROUS IS THE NIGHT, leaves off in 1919. Back home in London, Verity and her husband Sidney find themselves caught up in another murder investigation when Verity’s friend Ada is suspected of killing her husband. One of Verity’s former Secret Service coworkers also reaches out to Verity to look into her half-sister Esther’s death. The more Verity and Sidney uncover, the more they think the two murders are connected, and their investigating leads to a twisty tale of wartime secrets and a powerful new enemy for Verity.
Anna Lee Huber is one of my favorite authors, and both of her series are firmly among my most favorite historical mystery reads. But, PENNY FOR YOUR SECRETS is so much more than mere genre fiction with a grownup Nancy Drew of sorts. It takes a hard and serious look at the ramifications of World War I, both on the characters themselves and on a changing society. Verity and Sidney both struggle with reconciling their marriage and their post-war lives. Sidney finally starts to make some progress dealing with survivor’s guilt and PTSD, and he and Verity both seem to be doing relatively well considering neither of them is the same person they were before the war nor that they have spent little time together as a married couple. But, I think they will always need some adventure in their lives to stave off the boredom and tedium of “normal” life.
Though the mystery of Lord Rockham’s death is interesting, I enjoyed the puzzle of Esther’s demise more. I think this had to do with my dislike of Ada. She is terribly unlikable, and I struggled with Verity’s loyalty to her. I understand their war connection but do not see how Verity puts up with her pompous attitude and flippant actions. That said the weaving of the murder plots makes for a thrilling, satisfying read.
Well researched with vivid, sometimes gut wrenching, writing, I felt like I was there with Verity. These characters stay with you long after the last sentence is read. I cannot wait for the next installment. Highly recommended.
I received an ARC of this title from the author and Kensington Publishers through NetGalley and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
PENNY FOR YOUR SECRETS is marvelous!
As the third book in the Verity Kent Mystery Series, it picks up right where the second book, TREACHEROUS IS THE NIGHT, leaves off in 1919. Back home in London, Verity and her husband Sidney find themselves caught up in another murder investigation when Verity’s friend Ada is suspected of killing her husband. One of Verity’s former Secret Service coworkers also reaches out to Verity to look into her half-sister Esther’s death. The more Verity and Sidney uncover, the more they think the two murders are connected, and their investigating leads to a twisty tale of wartime secrets and a powerful new enemy for Verity.
Anna Lee Huber is one of my favorite authors, and both of her series are firmly among my most favorite historical mystery reads. But, PENNY FOR YOUR SECRETS is so much more than mere genre fiction with a grownup Nancy Drew of sorts. It takes a hard and serious look at the ramifications of World War I, both on the characters themselves and on a changing society. Verity and Sidney both struggle with reconciling their marriage and their post-war lives. Sidney finally starts to make some progress dealing with survivor’s guilt and PTSD, and he and Verity both seem to be doing relatively well considering neither of them is the same person they were before the war nor that they have spent little time together as a married couple. But, I think they will always need some adventure in their lives to stave off the boredom and tedium of “normal” life.
Though the mystery of Lord Rockham’s death is interesting, I enjoyed the puzzle of Esther’s demise more. I think this had to do with my dislike of Ada. She is terribly unlikable, and I struggled with Verity’s loyalty to her. I understand their war connection but do not see how Verity puts up with her pompous attitude and flippant actions. That said the weaving of the murder plots makes for a thrilling, satisfying read.
Well researched with vivid, sometimes gut wrenching, writing, I felt like I was there with Verity. These characters stay with you long after the last sentence is read. I cannot wait for the next installment. Highly recommended.
I received an ARC of this title from the author and Kensington Publishers through NetGalley and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
November 9, 2019
3 1/2 stars. This is the third book in the Verity Kent mystery series and I don’t know if I either A: I had too high of an expectation and excitement of reading this story or B: it just wasn’t living up to the first two books in the series. Even though the writing was good, midway through the book it didn’t hold my attention. There seemed to be less page turning mystery and more grasping at straws, interviewing possible suspects, going down different avenues or guessing at who was responsible for the two main murders in the story.
Things I did enjoy from this story: the interaction between Verity and her husband Sidney who still suffers from survivals guilt from the Great War.
The description and vibe of the nightclubs, dancing, drinking and overall feel of the people trying to forget the horrors of the war.
The descriptions of the different settings and locations throughout the story.
Things I did enjoy from this story: the interaction between Verity and her husband Sidney who still suffers from survivals guilt from the Great War.
The description and vibe of the nightclubs, dancing, drinking and overall feel of the people trying to forget the horrors of the war.
The descriptions of the different settings and locations throughout the story.
November 9, 2023
Book 3
As I have said before, this husband and wife dual is everything to me.
Verity and Sidney are the best at solving the crimes.
Be aware of your friends, they are not always who they seem to be.
Verity is still a boss and the audio narrator has one of the best voices and the perfect attitude.
Kudos to the author!! Moving on to book 4.
As I have said before, this husband and wife dual is everything to me.
Verity and Sidney are the best at solving the crimes.
Be aware of your friends, they are not always who they seem to be.
Verity is still a boss and the audio narrator has one of the best voices and the perfect attitude.
Kudos to the author!! Moving on to book 4.
October 21, 2019
Historical mysteries are a favorite reading genre for me. I'm familiar with Anna Lee Huber's Lady Darby series which takes place in Regency times, so I decided to branch out to this new post Great War series with former British Secret Service agent Verity Kent and her former soldier husband Sidney.
This is the third book in the series but the first one I had read. It was easy enough to catch on to the story arc which began in the first book of the series. In that book Verity had believed her husband killed in the Great War, only to have him show up alive and with a mystery surrounding his disappearance. Since then they have been working together on mysteries and on repairing their marriage, which still has some secrets about things that happened during their separation that need airing and sharing.
In addition to offering the reader mysteries to solve, Huber touches, in these books, on the toll war takes on its survivors. Verity, for example, was a rather naive 18-year-old when she married, but she became involved in working for Whitehall instead of sitting around waiting for husband Sidney to come home from the war. This has made her a stronger, more independent person. And Sidney, as is the case with many soldiers, suffers from PTSD and Survivor's Guilt since his return to civilian life.
So Verity and Sidney are not exactly the same people they were when they first married and are having some adjustments to make in their relationship. Fortunately, in addition to this personal drama, we also have mysteries for them to solve together. In this book, they are invited to the dinner party of Verity's friend Ada, Lady Rockham, where Ada and Lord Rockham's marriage shows distinct signs of strain. When Lord Rockham is shot to death later that night, Ada is suspected of the murder and asks Verity to help prove her innocence.
And, as if that weren't enough mystery for us, one of Verity's colleagues in the Secret Service asks Verity to investigate the death of her sister Irene, supposedly killed during a botched burglary. As the Kents investigate this, it begins to look as if the two deaths may have a connection.
Their investigation requires checking out some possible shady dealings of Lord Rockham and other aristocrats, a wartime shipwreck complete with missing crew, and various red herrings to keep the reader from solving the puzzle too quickly.
All in all, I'd say this is a good-enough historical mystery read. I enjoyed the time period, 1919 just at the end of the Great War, as a change from Huber's more popular 1800s Lady Darby series. However, I can't say that these characters appealed to me. Sidney is too much of a moody, woe-is-me type and Verity is, quite frankly, a puzzle. She gets a job during the war as an actual spy and codebreaker? Really? So young and with no prior experience in anything similar? One supposes women would be relegated to desk jobs and secretarial duties in the war effort.
But, of course, that would be too boring, wouldn't it? Nonetheless, I could have lived with the unrealistic notion of a very young female spy if I had actually liked Verity's personality a bit more. But no, I just didn't find myself very interested in the Kents as people. The mystery itself was okay but I was wishing someone else was investigating it.
This is the third book in the series but the first one I had read. It was easy enough to catch on to the story arc which began in the first book of the series. In that book Verity had believed her husband killed in the Great War, only to have him show up alive and with a mystery surrounding his disappearance. Since then they have been working together on mysteries and on repairing their marriage, which still has some secrets about things that happened during their separation that need airing and sharing.
In addition to offering the reader mysteries to solve, Huber touches, in these books, on the toll war takes on its survivors. Verity, for example, was a rather naive 18-year-old when she married, but she became involved in working for Whitehall instead of sitting around waiting for husband Sidney to come home from the war. This has made her a stronger, more independent person. And Sidney, as is the case with many soldiers, suffers from PTSD and Survivor's Guilt since his return to civilian life.
So Verity and Sidney are not exactly the same people they were when they first married and are having some adjustments to make in their relationship. Fortunately, in addition to this personal drama, we also have mysteries for them to solve together. In this book, they are invited to the dinner party of Verity's friend Ada, Lady Rockham, where Ada and Lord Rockham's marriage shows distinct signs of strain. When Lord Rockham is shot to death later that night, Ada is suspected of the murder and asks Verity to help prove her innocence.
And, as if that weren't enough mystery for us, one of Verity's colleagues in the Secret Service asks Verity to investigate the death of her sister Irene, supposedly killed during a botched burglary. As the Kents investigate this, it begins to look as if the two deaths may have a connection.
Their investigation requires checking out some possible shady dealings of Lord Rockham and other aristocrats, a wartime shipwreck complete with missing crew, and various red herrings to keep the reader from solving the puzzle too quickly.
All in all, I'd say this is a good-enough historical mystery read. I enjoyed the time period, 1919 just at the end of the Great War, as a change from Huber's more popular 1800s Lady Darby series. However, I can't say that these characters appealed to me. Sidney is too much of a moody, woe-is-me type and Verity is, quite frankly, a puzzle. She gets a job during the war as an actual spy and codebreaker? Really? So young and with no prior experience in anything similar? One supposes women would be relegated to desk jobs and secretarial duties in the war effort.
But, of course, that would be too boring, wouldn't it? Nonetheless, I could have lived with the unrealistic notion of a very young female spy if I had actually liked Verity's personality a bit more. But no, I just didn't find myself very interested in the Kents as people. The mystery itself was okay but I was wishing someone else was investigating it.
October 29, 2024
Former WWI Secret Service agent Verity Kent and her husband attend a dinner party at the home of the Marquis of Rockham and his wife, Ada. When Rockham is found dead later in the evening, Ada is the main suspect and calls on Verity to help clear her name. Then Verity is informed of the murder of a young woman who also had a sensitive job during the war, censoring letters sent home from the front. When Verity and Sydney suspect the two cases are related, they stumble upon a complex crime that had its beginning during the war.
This is very well written and has an intriguing mystery. I find this to be a wonderful series so far, with each is book better than the last.
This is very well written and has an intriguing mystery. I find this to be a wonderful series so far, with each is book better than the last.
October 29, 2019
1919 Intrigue with a capital 'I'!
Attending a dinner party and having the host murdered is shocking! For Verity Kent and Sidney we might be forgiven in thinking it's naught but small change for them after all they've encountered other the past years. It's not! Ada, Lady Rockman is an old friend of Verity's and due to a totally dramatic moment between the hosts at the dinner table, it seems Ada is about to be charged with murder.
Ada appeals to Verity for help. To find out who really killed her husband. The trail is convoluted and snakes back in upon itself. Add to this the unrelated death of a woman who'd worked for the Royal Mail,” in the censorship department. Verity and Sidney are forced to cast the net wide. Along the way they encounter Ada's lover Lord Ardmore, who "holds some unknown position within Naval Intelligence", and as things become more complex, Captain Alec Xavier, a man Verity became close to after Sidney had supposedly died, and Max Westfield, the Earl of Ryde, Sidney's commanding officer. Verity and Max had been drawn to each other during the time of Sidney's supposed death.
With the close of the novel I find I'm conflicted. The immediate problem may have been solved but we're left teetering on the precipice of some thing so much bigger. I felt somewhat cheated.
The complexity of the plot left me gasping with exhaustion as I mentally ran to keep up, and then the door was slammed shut, presumably to be thrown open at some time in the future. Who knows where that future will take Verity and Sidney? Judging by all that's gone before I can confidently predict it will be dangerous. I feel with a couple of things hinted at Verity may be possible accused of wrongdoing during her wartime exploits. It seems C's second in command Major Davis has had Verity's name added to the list of women "suspected of having intimate relations with the enemy.” Verity is shocked, I smell treachery in the future!
On the personal front, Verity and Sidney are leading a racy post war life style, moving from one distraction to another. Both are hiding things, immersing themselves in feverish activity. As Verity acknowledges it's "better to dance and be merry than to remember and regret." The mending of their relationship is tied in with their mental health and the cracks are very much starting to show, especially with Sidney.
I must applaud Huber for the depth and breadth of her background research. How she takes events and includes them in her storyline to give the 'wow' factor is indeed a credit to her talent.
I can't finish this review without saying how much I admire the cover art for all of the Verity books thus far. The retro 1920's block type Art Deco look that recalls Agatha Christie is stylish and intriguing, always with Verity's face turned away, enhancing her mysteriousness even as her clothes portray the stylish figure she cuts. Verity still remains somewhat of an enigma and the fabulous covers reflect that.
A Kensington ARC via NetGalley
Attending a dinner party and having the host murdered is shocking! For Verity Kent and Sidney we might be forgiven in thinking it's naught but small change for them after all they've encountered other the past years. It's not! Ada, Lady Rockman is an old friend of Verity's and due to a totally dramatic moment between the hosts at the dinner table, it seems Ada is about to be charged with murder.
Ada appeals to Verity for help. To find out who really killed her husband. The trail is convoluted and snakes back in upon itself. Add to this the unrelated death of a woman who'd worked for the Royal Mail,” in the censorship department. Verity and Sidney are forced to cast the net wide. Along the way they encounter Ada's lover Lord Ardmore, who "holds some unknown position within Naval Intelligence", and as things become more complex, Captain Alec Xavier, a man Verity became close to after Sidney had supposedly died, and Max Westfield, the Earl of Ryde, Sidney's commanding officer. Verity and Max had been drawn to each other during the time of Sidney's supposed death.
With the close of the novel I find I'm conflicted. The immediate problem may have been solved but we're left teetering on the precipice of some thing so much bigger. I felt somewhat cheated.
The complexity of the plot left me gasping with exhaustion as I mentally ran to keep up, and then the door was slammed shut, presumably to be thrown open at some time in the future. Who knows where that future will take Verity and Sidney? Judging by all that's gone before I can confidently predict it will be dangerous. I feel with a couple of things hinted at Verity may be possible accused of wrongdoing during her wartime exploits. It seems C's second in command Major Davis has had Verity's name added to the list of women "suspected of having intimate relations with the enemy.” Verity is shocked, I smell treachery in the future!
On the personal front, Verity and Sidney are leading a racy post war life style, moving from one distraction to another. Both are hiding things, immersing themselves in feverish activity. As Verity acknowledges it's "better to dance and be merry than to remember and regret." The mending of their relationship is tied in with their mental health and the cracks are very much starting to show, especially with Sidney.
I must applaud Huber for the depth and breadth of her background research. How she takes events and includes them in her storyline to give the 'wow' factor is indeed a credit to her talent.
I can't finish this review without saying how much I admire the cover art for all of the Verity books thus far. The retro 1920's block type Art Deco look that recalls Agatha Christie is stylish and intriguing, always with Verity's face turned away, enhancing her mysteriousness even as her clothes portray the stylish figure she cuts. Verity still remains somewhat of an enigma and the fabulous covers reflect that.
A Kensington ARC via NetGalley
February 28, 2022
Anna Lee Huber has become one of my favorite authors. Her Lady Darby series set in 1800's England and Scotland and now her Verity Kent series set in 1919 England, are first class historical fiction mysteries. In this 3rd Verity Kent book, the Kents are called upon to investigate the sudden murder of an important lord, which then leads them to another murder that may involve actions of the British Secret Service during WWI. This is a complicated and intriguing investigation that keeps the reader guessing throughout the book.
While dealing with investigations with ties to WWI, Huber presents a picture of the trials and experiences of people adjusting to life after the war - wounded veterans, widows and orphans, a country with a dearth of men, as they try to return to a normal life. This is a subject I have not seen covered often in the literature I have read about WWI and WWII. The characters are real, believable, and interesting. The reader can't help feeling their heartbreaks, losses, and hopes for the future. I'm definitely looking forward to the next installment in this series, which I believe Huber set up at the ending.
While dealing with investigations with ties to WWI, Huber presents a picture of the trials and experiences of people adjusting to life after the war - wounded veterans, widows and orphans, a country with a dearth of men, as they try to return to a normal life. This is a subject I have not seen covered often in the literature I have read about WWI and WWII. The characters are real, believable, and interesting. The reader can't help feeling their heartbreaks, losses, and hopes for the future. I'm definitely looking forward to the next installment in this series, which I believe Huber set up at the ending.
Read
March 13, 2024fun again and the mystery was more interesting and wrapped up better then the previous ones, i think.
not much to say here, only that the amount of information this woman is able to obtain from the mere twitch of an eyelash is unparalleled. whole back stories are revealed by the slightest shifting of a solitary eyebrow, what a dull person would discover only through the process of lengthy conversation is known to her merely by watching the dilation of an eyeball.
"It was only one startled flicker of the eyelashes" and "his pupils flared ever so slightly, before returning to their normal size."
talent unmatched. you think you can read people? you've got nothing on Verity Kent, ya rookie.
.
⚠️the SUS meter: quite low⚠️
- murder, obviously. no bodies seen tho and only discussed in past tense and never graphically.
- scandal for days except none of it was actually very scandalous but just portrayed as old hat, mostly. lots of references to infidelity and lovers and sleeping around etc.
- also drugs.
not much to say here, only that the amount of information this woman is able to obtain from the mere twitch of an eyelash is unparalleled. whole back stories are revealed by the slightest shifting of a solitary eyebrow, what a dull person would discover only through the process of lengthy conversation is known to her merely by watching the dilation of an eyeball.
"It was only one startled flicker of the eyelashes" and "his pupils flared ever so slightly, before returning to their normal size."
talent unmatched. you think you can read people? you've got nothing on Verity Kent, ya rookie.
.
⚠️the SUS meter: quite low⚠️
- murder, obviously. no bodies seen tho and only discussed in past tense and never graphically.
- scandal for days except none of it was actually very scandalous but just portrayed as old hat, mostly. lots of references to infidelity and lovers and sleeping around etc.
- also drugs.
January 24, 2020
Loved it! Sparkling heroine, spanking good mystery, spot on narration, and unexpected depth provided by the poignant ex-soldiers—including Verity’s husband—struggling to forge new lives in the aftermath of WWI. Can’t wait for the next adventure!
November 16, 2019
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Verity Kent and husband Sidney attend a party at the home of the Marquess of Rockham. There is clearly tension between Lord Rockham and his wife, Ada but when she pulls out a gun at the dinner table and makes a joke about killing her husband Verity knows there could be trouble ahead. When she receives a frantic call from Ada saying the Lord was dead, Verity fears her friend followed through on her statement.
Verity is also called on by a woman she met working with the Secret Service to investigate the death of her sister. Verity can’t say no, but as both investigations continue she sees her two cases may be connected and may have more deadly consequences.
___
What I really enjoy about this series in the depth of the characters. The war had profound effects on everyone, but we get a personal look at Verity and Sidney as they try to deal with his return and the PTSD and guilt he is fighting while dealing with the Verity’s independence has gained while he was gone. The struggle is real and told in a very believable way. They are surrounded by a cast of characters all dealing with issues of their own and again Ms. Huber gives them depth and their circumstances real.
I found both mysteries to be very interesting. I was more drawn to the Marquess of Rockham’s murder. It was a different time and marriages were made for stature and wealth instead of love. Ada really had trouble adjusting to the aristocratic ways and clearly isn’t happy. I didn’t condone her behavior but understood part of where she was coming from. Verity has to see something in this woman and I was trying to find some redeeming qualities.
The other death drew Verity back to her Secret Service sources. The victim had a tough job during the war which opened the case which was first classified as a bungled home invasion to so much more. Verity was pulled in several directions and I enjoyed following alongside her as she did her best to find answers, even putting herself in the line of fire.
Anna Lee Huber has a very detailed writing style. You know she has well researched this time in history and does a great job fictionalizing the time period and giving readers a story filled with imagery to bring the story alive. People and places were easy to see in my mind’s eye.
Each book in this series can be read on its own but I recommend reading them in order to really get to know Verity Kent.
Verity Kent and husband Sidney attend a party at the home of the Marquess of Rockham. There is clearly tension between Lord Rockham and his wife, Ada but when she pulls out a gun at the dinner table and makes a joke about killing her husband Verity knows there could be trouble ahead. When she receives a frantic call from Ada saying the Lord was dead, Verity fears her friend followed through on her statement.
Verity is also called on by a woman she met working with the Secret Service to investigate the death of her sister. Verity can’t say no, but as both investigations continue she sees her two cases may be connected and may have more deadly consequences.
___
What I really enjoy about this series in the depth of the characters. The war had profound effects on everyone, but we get a personal look at Verity and Sidney as they try to deal with his return and the PTSD and guilt he is fighting while dealing with the Verity’s independence has gained while he was gone. The struggle is real and told in a very believable way. They are surrounded by a cast of characters all dealing with issues of their own and again Ms. Huber gives them depth and their circumstances real.
I found both mysteries to be very interesting. I was more drawn to the Marquess of Rockham’s murder. It was a different time and marriages were made for stature and wealth instead of love. Ada really had trouble adjusting to the aristocratic ways and clearly isn’t happy. I didn’t condone her behavior but understood part of where she was coming from. Verity has to see something in this woman and I was trying to find some redeeming qualities.
The other death drew Verity back to her Secret Service sources. The victim had a tough job during the war which opened the case which was first classified as a bungled home invasion to so much more. Verity was pulled in several directions and I enjoyed following alongside her as she did her best to find answers, even putting herself in the line of fire.
Anna Lee Huber has a very detailed writing style. You know she has well researched this time in history and does a great job fictionalizing the time period and giving readers a story filled with imagery to bring the story alive. People and places were easy to see in my mind’s eye.
Each book in this series can be read on its own but I recommend reading them in order to really get to know Verity Kent.
April 11, 2021
This installment of the series is a bit of a miss for me. I really liked book 2, but this one... less so.
1. I think this series needs a stronger secondary cast. Particualrly if it's going down the road of having a multi-book arc, which a shadowy all-powerful villain. The focus of the series has been on Sidney and Verity's relationship, which makes sense. But if this series is going to work longterm, with arcs that cross multiple books, I think the secondary cast needs to be strengthened. So far, the only characters who are at all memorable are Alec Xavier and Max, Earl of Ryde. Both were barely in this.
Which left the reader with Verity's friends Daphne (who we keep being told is clever and loyal, but I find a bit naive and irritating) and George (who is perfectly fine, but thus far little more than a source of information and a nonentitity otherwise). All of Verity's other friends were introduced in this book and were either downright unlikeable, or lacking in depth. I get that this book is post-war, and intending to show (in part) the effects of the war on hte young generation, so they've essentially all got their demons, but people can have demons and difficulties and still be likeable, or be characters I care about.
Instead the first half of this is basically Verity trying to solve a mystery that I don't really care about, because none of the characters were well enough established or grounded.
2. I continue to enjoy the development of Sidney and Verity's relationship.
3. I'm not counting this as a spoiler because it's evident from the descriptions of later book that Lord Ardmore and his scheming ways returns. He'd better develop some flaws or some weak points, because I find shadowy figures who just get away with everything and successfully thwart people at every turn to be really tedious. Also, it's really unclear to me why he decided to toy with Verity in the first place, beyond potentially just boredome.
I mean, this was fine, but by no mean was it a favourite by the author.
1. I think this series needs a stronger secondary cast. Particualrly if it's going down the road of having a multi-book arc, which a shadowy all-powerful villain. The focus of the series has been on Sidney and Verity's relationship, which makes sense. But if this series is going to work longterm, with arcs that cross multiple books, I think the secondary cast needs to be strengthened. So far, the only characters who are at all memorable are Alec Xavier and Max, Earl of Ryde. Both were barely in this.
Which left the reader with Verity's friends Daphne (who we keep being told is clever and loyal, but I find a bit naive and irritating) and George (who is perfectly fine, but thus far little more than a source of information and a nonentitity otherwise). All of Verity's other friends were introduced in this book and were either downright unlikeable, or lacking in depth. I get that this book is post-war, and intending to show (in part) the effects of the war on hte young generation, so they've essentially all got their demons, but people can have demons and difficulties and still be likeable, or be characters I care about.
Instead the first half of this is basically Verity trying to solve a mystery that I don't really care about, because none of the characters were well enough established or grounded.
2. I continue to enjoy the development of Sidney and Verity's relationship.
3. I'm not counting this as a spoiler because it's evident from the descriptions of later book that Lord Ardmore and his scheming ways returns. He'd better develop some flaws or some weak points, because I find shadowy figures who just get away with everything and successfully thwart people at every turn to be really tedious. Also, it's really unclear to me why he decided to toy with Verity in the first place, beyond potentially just boredome.
I mean, this was fine, but by no mean was it a favourite by the author.
July 8, 2023
3.5/5 stars, rounding up
Some elements of the murder investigation were a bit rushed - really the friendship between Ada and Verity, as it were, and Ada's character generally. She felt like an odd villain, and I'm not sure I completely understand how she got out of the room unnoticed. I thought it was fairly obvious that she'd done it early on. I just wish it had been a bit better explained. I also wish we were getting a little more from the recurring secondary characters so I had a better sense of who they are. Still, overall I did like this.
Some elements of the murder investigation were a bit rushed - really the friendship between Ada and Verity, as it were, and Ada's character generally. She felt like an odd villain, and I'm not sure I completely understand how she got out of the room unnoticed. I thought it was fairly obvious that she'd done it early on. I just wish it had been a bit better explained. I also wish we were getting a little more from the recurring secondary characters so I had a better sense of who they are. Still, overall I did like this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2023
It had been forever since I read the first books in this series and I did not remember them at all, which probably didn't help with my overall reading experience. But still, I finished the whole thing in one day and that's not nothing. Am going to try catching up on the rest of these in a more timely manner and hope that helps!
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