What do you think?
Rate this book
Elena Standish #2
A Question of Betrayal
On her first mission for MI6, the daring young photographer at the heart of this thrilling new mystery series by bestselling author Anne Perry travels to Mussolini's Italy to rescue the lover who betrayed her.
Britain's secret intelligence service, MI6, has lost contact with its informant in northern Italy, just as important information about the future plans of Austria and Nazi Germany is coming to light. And young Elena Standish, to her surprise, is the only person who can recognize MI6's man--because he is her former lover. Aiden Strother betrayed her six years before, throwing shame on her entire family. Now, with so much to prove, Elena heads to Trieste to track down Aiden and find out what happened to his handler, who has mysteriously cut off contact with Britain.
As Elena gets word of a secret group working to put Austria in the hands of Germany, her older sister, Margot, is in Berlin to watch a childhood friend get married--to a member of the Gestapo. Margot and Elena's grandfather, the former head of MI6, is none too happy about the sisters' travels at this tumultuous time, especially when a violent event at home reminds him that even Britain is growing dangerous. As his own investigation collides with his granddaughter's, what's at stake on the continent becomes increasingly frightening--and personal.
Against the backdrop of a rapidly changing Europe, New York Times bestselling author Anne Perry crafts a novel full of suspense, political intrigue, and the struggle between love and loyalty to country.
Britain's secret intelligence service, MI6, has lost contact with its informant in northern Italy, just as important information about the future plans of Austria and Nazi Germany is coming to light. And young Elena Standish, to her surprise, is the only person who can recognize MI6's man--because he is her former lover. Aiden Strother betrayed her six years before, throwing shame on her entire family. Now, with so much to prove, Elena heads to Trieste to track down Aiden and find out what happened to his handler, who has mysteriously cut off contact with Britain.
As Elena gets word of a secret group working to put Austria in the hands of Germany, her older sister, Margot, is in Berlin to watch a childhood friend get married--to a member of the Gestapo. Margot and Elena's grandfather, the former head of MI6, is none too happy about the sisters' travels at this tumultuous time, especially when a violent event at home reminds him that even Britain is growing dangerous. As his own investigation collides with his granddaughter's, what's at stake on the continent becomes increasingly frightening--and personal.
Against the backdrop of a rapidly changing Europe, New York Times bestselling author Anne Perry crafts a novel full of suspense, political intrigue, and the struggle between love and loyalty to country.
284 pages, Hardcover
First published April 16, 2020
638 people are currently reading
6291 people want to read
About the author
Anne Perry
361 books3,375 followersAnne Perry, born Juliet Hulme in England, lived in Scotland most of her life after serving five years in prison for murder (in New Zealand). A beloved mystery authoress, she is best known for her Thomas Pitt and William Monk series.
Her first novel, "The Cater Street Hangman", was published in 1979. Her works extend to several categories of genre fiction, including historical mysteries. Many of them feature recurring characters, most importantly Thomas Pitt and amnesiac private investigator William Monk, who first appeared in 1990, "The Face Of A Stranger".
Her story "Heroes," from the 1999 anthology Murder And Obsession, won the 2001 Edgar Award For Best Short Story. She was included as an entry in Ben Peek's Twenty-Six Lies / One Truth, a novel exploring the nature of truth in literature.
Series contributed to:
. Crime Through Time
. Perfectly Criminal
. Malice Domestic
. The World's Finest Mystery And Crime Stories
. Transgressions
. The Year's Finest Crime And Mystery Stories
Her first novel, "The Cater Street Hangman", was published in 1979. Her works extend to several categories of genre fiction, including historical mysteries. Many of them feature recurring characters, most importantly Thomas Pitt and amnesiac private investigator William Monk, who first appeared in 1990, "The Face Of A Stranger".
Her story "Heroes," from the 1999 anthology Murder And Obsession, won the 2001 Edgar Award For Best Short Story. She was included as an entry in Ben Peek's Twenty-Six Lies / One Truth, a novel exploring the nature of truth in literature.
Series contributed to:
. Crime Through Time
. Perfectly Criminal
. Malice Domestic
. The World's Finest Mystery And Crime Stories
. Transgressions
. The Year's Finest Crime And Mystery Stories
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 371 reviews
August 17, 2020
The history is as impeccable as usual, and I'm sure it's a nice change for Perry to be researching the 30s instead of the 19th/early 20th century, but I just don't like this series, and I don't particularly warm to Elena. I'd rather read more about her sister Margot and their grandparents than I would about her. There are huge holes in the plot and a ridiculous resolution.
October 20, 2020
I was ready to give this a solid 4 until that ending! Wow! Now I appreciate the heroine in a whole new way.
September 6, 2020
4 stars (release date 9-8-2020)
You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.
This is a good mystery/thriller set in the years just before WWII. In this book Elena is sent to Northern Italy on her first MI6 mission to rescue a contact that has important information regarding future plans of Nazi Germany. His handler is missing and MI6 needs to get the information, and rescue their contact if possible. Elena is the only one person that can recognize him - because he's her former lover Aiden Strother, the man that betrayed her, ruined her reputation, and brought shame on her family.
Elena discovers that a secret group is working behind the scenes to put Austria in the hands of Germany. Meanwhile, her sister Margot is in Berlin to attend the wedding of a friend who is marrying a German man who is in the Gestapo. The girls' grandfather Lucas Standish, the former head of MI6, is not happy both girls are in such dangerous locations. He's also got his own mystery to solve when a friend he's known for over 50 years is murdered and leaves clues that only Lucas could find, detailing a plot in England that most likely got him killed.
Despite the heavy topics and twists and turns, this is a fast and easy read. It is well-written and the author does a good job of creating tension and urgency. I like Elena a bit more this time around because she's more self-assured and trusts her instincts. Margot also shows some growth and starts to come to terms with the death of her husband. I wouldn't be surprised if Margot starts to play a bigger part in the "family business", perhaps even helping Elena on future jobs.
The ending was kind of a cheat and took away from the book a bit. It was also a bit jarring because the book wrapped everything up very quickly and then it abruptly ended. Overall, however, I enjoyed this book and recommend you read it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group -Ballantine for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.
This is a good mystery/thriller set in the years just before WWII. In this book Elena is sent to Northern Italy on her first MI6 mission to rescue a contact that has important information regarding future plans of Nazi Germany. His handler is missing and MI6 needs to get the information, and rescue their contact if possible. Elena is the only one person that can recognize him - because he's her former lover Aiden Strother, the man that betrayed her, ruined her reputation, and brought shame on her family.
Elena discovers that a secret group is working behind the scenes to put Austria in the hands of Germany. Meanwhile, her sister Margot is in Berlin to attend the wedding of a friend who is marrying a German man who is in the Gestapo. The girls' grandfather Lucas Standish, the former head of MI6, is not happy both girls are in such dangerous locations. He's also got his own mystery to solve when a friend he's known for over 50 years is murdered and leaves clues that only Lucas could find, detailing a plot in England that most likely got him killed.
Despite the heavy topics and twists and turns, this is a fast and easy read. It is well-written and the author does a good job of creating tension and urgency. I like Elena a bit more this time around because she's more self-assured and trusts her instincts. Margot also shows some growth and starts to come to terms with the death of her husband. I wouldn't be surprised if Margot starts to play a bigger part in the "family business", perhaps even helping Elena on future jobs.
The ending was kind of a cheat and took away from the book a bit. It was also a bit jarring because the book wrapped everything up very quickly and then it abruptly ended. Overall, however, I enjoyed this book and recommend you read it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group -Ballantine for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 27, 2020
I usually like Anne Perry's books, so I was surprised to dislike this one. It almost became a DNF. The flaws? Well, did we have to have a lengthy description of every woman's complete outfit before she could go out the door and actually do something? And a certain person who is finally revealed as a traitor/spy on the last page was so obviously a traitor at the very beginning; no surprises there. More plot holes than anyone could list. And finally there was the supposed heroine, Elena, who spent most of the book playing "he loves me, he loves me not." Gah!
September 3, 2020
After reading the first book in the series, Death in Focus, I was well aware just how gripping this one could get since Elena is now participating in British espionage work in the pre-dawn of WWII when the Nazi government is growing in power in Germany, Fascism is rife in Italy and the world is like a caldron ready to boil over. With attention to historical detail, thoughtful character development, and a well-paced twisting suspense plot, Anne Perry’s latest left me wanting the next book as soon as I clicked onto the last page.
A Question of Betrayal does not make a good standalone and is more like a continuing story after the introductions and harrowing events of Death in Focus. Elena has survived a desperate adventure and learned a great deal about herself and some of the big family secrets. She is coming into her own and now she faces her first mission. And, what a doozy it is. She must locate an operative embedded deep in Nazi affairs in Trieste and get him out with what he knows- oh and he’s the man who betrayed her and his country which ended her foreign office career. Aidan caused her to doubt herself and many others to doubt her as well and now he’s her mission. She still has doubts whether he is the real deal or a clever double agent, but his handler is missing and Aidan, with what he knows, is in the wind.
Just that opening dialed up the tension quickly. But, Elena’s story is not the only plot thread. Like the first book, this one offers a mystery involving her grandparents who used to be up to their ears in missions during the first war and Elena’s MI6 handler. They are looking for a murderer and betrayer back home. And, then there is Elena’s fashionable, put together older sister Margot who goes to Berlin to support a dear friend who is marrying a bright, young Nazi officer and Margo hears disturbing things while she is there. The plot threads took the reader to different places, but didn’t distract because they were all different aspects of the same conflict.
I didn’t mind the three separate threads because I loved all the characters from older, but not past it Lucas and Josephine working on their friend’s murder, to lonely but capable Peter Howard who was taking flack from his boss at MI6 while knowing he might ruin a friendship with Lucas for sending his granddaughter Elena into peril, to Margot who is learning a lot about her family and also herself as she finds her place figuring out her role in all that is going on, and then Elena who must face down her past and locate an operative whose cover has been blown in a city loaded with Nazi and Fascist intriguers. I love how each character’s thoughts and motives are meticulously drawn so the reader gets to know the main characters intimately.
The book starts out setting things up and getting the reader inside the characters, but by the end, there have been several acutely dangerous moments that can be subtle or overt action with a final breath-stealing climax.
As I said at the beginning, the series is strong and riveting for me. I can’t wait to see what spy adventure comes next for the Standish family as the storm clouds of war gather over the world. I think it will appeal to both historical mystery and historical thriller fans in this turbulent pre-WWII period.
I rec’d this book through Net Galley to read in exchange for an honest review.
A Question of Betrayal does not make a good standalone and is more like a continuing story after the introductions and harrowing events of Death in Focus. Elena has survived a desperate adventure and learned a great deal about herself and some of the big family secrets. She is coming into her own and now she faces her first mission. And, what a doozy it is. She must locate an operative embedded deep in Nazi affairs in Trieste and get him out with what he knows- oh and he’s the man who betrayed her and his country which ended her foreign office career. Aidan caused her to doubt herself and many others to doubt her as well and now he’s her mission. She still has doubts whether he is the real deal or a clever double agent, but his handler is missing and Aidan, with what he knows, is in the wind.
Just that opening dialed up the tension quickly. But, Elena’s story is not the only plot thread. Like the first book, this one offers a mystery involving her grandparents who used to be up to their ears in missions during the first war and Elena’s MI6 handler. They are looking for a murderer and betrayer back home. And, then there is Elena’s fashionable, put together older sister Margot who goes to Berlin to support a dear friend who is marrying a bright, young Nazi officer and Margo hears disturbing things while she is there. The plot threads took the reader to different places, but didn’t distract because they were all different aspects of the same conflict.
I didn’t mind the three separate threads because I loved all the characters from older, but not past it Lucas and Josephine working on their friend’s murder, to lonely but capable Peter Howard who was taking flack from his boss at MI6 while knowing he might ruin a friendship with Lucas for sending his granddaughter Elena into peril, to Margot who is learning a lot about her family and also herself as she finds her place figuring out her role in all that is going on, and then Elena who must face down her past and locate an operative whose cover has been blown in a city loaded with Nazi and Fascist intriguers. I love how each character’s thoughts and motives are meticulously drawn so the reader gets to know the main characters intimately.
The book starts out setting things up and getting the reader inside the characters, but by the end, there have been several acutely dangerous moments that can be subtle or overt action with a final breath-stealing climax.
As I said at the beginning, the series is strong and riveting for me. I can’t wait to see what spy adventure comes next for the Standish family as the storm clouds of war gather over the world. I think it will appeal to both historical mystery and historical thriller fans in this turbulent pre-WWII period.
I rec’d this book through Net Galley to read in exchange for an honest review.
January 2, 2021
I can always count on Anne Perry to provide me with a read that awes me with the power and skill of the writing. I really liked Death in Focus, the first book in this new series by Perry, and this second book was just as absorbing. Much of the story takes place in Italy, in the 1930's, where Elena has been sent to locate a man who is an operative of the M16 in England, the same man who broke Elena's heart in the earlier book. So while there is some romance entertwined in this story, the majority of the focus is on the dangerous situation that both Elena and Aiden are in, and the action becomes fast and treacherous as they try to escape from Mussolini's Italy. Yet, even while the action is so heated, Perry takes time to give descriptive detail about the Italian fall season, which always adds richness to my reading experience.
During this same time period Elena's older sister Margot has gone to Berlin for the wedding of a very close friend. Margot finds that the groom is a member of the Nazi party, and at the wedding she overhears a disturbing conversation about the plans the Nazis have for the invasion of other European countries. And even at home in England, there are developments, and some unexpected danger from a surprising source, which underscores the sense of unrest throughout Europe at this time. Perry craftily develops the sense of impending catastrophe and violence throughout all the layers of this story.
I wish to thank the author, Ballantine Books, and Netgalley for the copy of this book I received.
During this same time period Elena's older sister Margot has gone to Berlin for the wedding of a very close friend. Margot finds that the groom is a member of the Nazi party, and at the wedding she overhears a disturbing conversation about the plans the Nazis have for the invasion of other European countries. And even at home in England, there are developments, and some unexpected danger from a surprising source, which underscores the sense of unrest throughout Europe at this time. Perry craftily develops the sense of impending catastrophe and violence throughout all the layers of this story.
I wish to thank the author, Ballantine Books, and Netgalley for the copy of this book I received.
February 14, 2021
Bravo Perry!
Unknown to each of them members of the Standish family is flung into situations that come together in unexpected and sometimes dangerous ways. Perry has once again given us some amazing new characters to come close to in an age that is pregnant with malice and a taste of things to come.
It's the Interbellum period in Europe between World War I and II. Germany is still stinging from its defeat and looking for a better way. Hitler is on the rise and Austria is wavering. Italy is governed by Mussolini. Churchill is out the way and many powerful Brits want peace at all costs. A German organization, The Fatherland Front, is becoming more powerful and appears to be a vanguard for a new push.
Elena is asked by MI6 operative Peter to go to Trieste to check on an agent under deep cover who might be in danger.
Margo has gone to Berlin to attend her best friend's wedding to a high ranking German Officer and is alarmed by what she hears and sees. It's a pleasure to find out more about Margo.
Lucas has a visit from an old friend who subsequently takes a fall down steps and dies.
From the dangerous to innocent situations, the plot morphs into something more.
I'm loving the Standish family and the satellite characters that form part of their challenging and secretive bubble.
A Random House - Ballantine ARC via NetGalley
Unknown to each of them members of the Standish family is flung into situations that come together in unexpected and sometimes dangerous ways. Perry has once again given us some amazing new characters to come close to in an age that is pregnant with malice and a taste of things to come.
It's the Interbellum period in Europe between World War I and II. Germany is still stinging from its defeat and looking for a better way. Hitler is on the rise and Austria is wavering. Italy is governed by Mussolini. Churchill is out the way and many powerful Brits want peace at all costs. A German organization, The Fatherland Front, is becoming more powerful and appears to be a vanguard for a new push.
Elena is asked by MI6 operative Peter to go to Trieste to check on an agent under deep cover who might be in danger.
Margo has gone to Berlin to attend her best friend's wedding to a high ranking German Officer and is alarmed by what she hears and sees. It's a pleasure to find out more about Margo.
Lucas has a visit from an old friend who subsequently takes a fall down steps and dies.
From the dangerous to innocent situations, the plot morphs into something more.
I'm loving the Standish family and the satellite characters that form part of their challenging and secretive bubble.
A Random House - Ballantine ARC via NetGalley
October 18, 2020
This book does not have a single protagonist even though it is billed as "An Elena Standish Novel." Less than half of the novel features Elena. The rest concerns her sister Margot and their grandfather Lucas Standish and Peter Howard, his friend and former colleague from MI6.
The plot initially seems straightforward. Howard sends Elena to Italy to find an embedded spy and bring him home along with the information he has uncovered. But the author spends entirely too much of the narrative on a tangential storyline about Margot and conversations she has in Germany. Nothing Margot sees or hears is anything the British haven't already heard. This storyline does build on one from the first book, but it doesn't seem to belong here.
The whole book seems so ill conceived. Elena is unconvincing as an MI6 agent and her rescue at the end is completely contrived. As a suspense story, this book has some tense moments but it would have been better to build the story around Peter and Lucas. They are the interesting characters, just as they were in the first book.
There is a twist but it doesn't seem convincing. And nothing is actually done with the information Lucas uncovered other than the arrest of a traitor. This seems to be a series set up to show the uncovering of English sympathy to the Nazi cause--the measures some were willing to take to avoid war no matter the cost. There is a great deal of analysis given over to describing the personalities of Hitler and El Duce and the measures taken to subjugate the people they gain power over. It is a very political novel.
As a matter of factual interest, the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) was not known as MI6 until the beginning of WWII according to their website [www.sis.uk.gov]. This book is set in 1933, well before the start of WWII.
(Note to myself: Do Not read any more of this series!)
The plot initially seems straightforward. Howard sends Elena to Italy to find an embedded spy and bring him home along with the information he has uncovered. But the author spends entirely too much of the narrative on a tangential storyline about Margot and conversations she has in Germany. Nothing Margot sees or hears is anything the British haven't already heard. This storyline does build on one from the first book, but it doesn't seem to belong here.
The whole book seems so ill conceived. Elena is unconvincing as an MI6 agent and her rescue at the end is completely contrived. As a suspense story, this book has some tense moments but it would have been better to build the story around Peter and Lucas. They are the interesting characters, just as they were in the first book.
There is a twist but it doesn't seem convincing. And nothing is actually done with the information Lucas uncovered other than the arrest of a traitor. This seems to be a series set up to show the uncovering of English sympathy to the Nazi cause--the measures some were willing to take to avoid war no matter the cost. There is a great deal of analysis given over to describing the personalities of Hitler and El Duce and the measures taken to subjugate the people they gain power over. It is a very political novel.
As a matter of factual interest, the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) was not known as MI6 until the beginning of WWII according to their website [www.sis.uk.gov]. This book is set in 1933, well before the start of WWII.
(Note to myself: Do Not read any more of this series!)
October 4, 2020
I didn't find this book as believable as Perry's Monk or Pitt series. First, I find it implausible that MI6 would send someone as naive and untrained as Elena Standish to "bring home" another, far more experience spy even if her grandfather had been the head of MI6 during WWI. Secondly, I think Elena's sister Margot would be a better bet for such a spy. I wouldn't be surprised if in future books, Margot joins in the "family trade."
December 20, 2020
A Question of Betrayal, in my opinion, is one of Perry's best. A cast of believable characters set in the days just prior to Austria's annexing to Hitler's Germany. If you enjoy page turners, this one is chock full of spies, mystery, and suspense.
September 8, 2020
Author Anne Perry's Elena Standish mystery series is her newest and is a spectacular addition to her vast collective works. This second book in series, set in the 1933/1934 time period, is exciting, clever, very well written and it deftly weaves three story lines which converge into a thrilling climax. Her scene descriptions are painterly and provide a glimpse into the subtle nuances of human interaction through the personalities of her well-conceived characters. Perry is truly masterful.
After her harrowing experiences in "Death in Focus" (the first book in series), our protagonist, Elena Standish, receives her first MI6 assignment. Going into enemy territory, making contact and safely extracting a deeply embedded agent is a tall order for anyone, let alone a freshman agent. However, as Elena was once the love interest of said agent, she is the best choice MI6 has at locating and identifying the agent by his subtle mannerisms, even though six years have passed since they were last together. She convinces herself that she can keep this totally professional, make the contact, and get the guy out safely. When they finally meet, he's as charming as ever, almost as though no time had passed. The story progresses through some cat and mouse moments, a few close-calls and ends with a fabulous climax.
Meanwhile, her older sister is off in Berlin for a childhood friend's wedding and overhears some delicate intel at the reception. Elena's retired grandparents too are having a bit of an MI6 moment upon the sudden death of a dear old Cambridge friend, after an interesting visit with one another the week before. Was it natural causes? Or perhaps not?
At the front of this book, Ms. Perry clearly states that this book is a work of fiction regardless of the historical context. Being rather curious about the time and place, I did a bit of sleuthing of my own and concur that Ms. Perry has taken some liberty with the historic record in order to craft a spectacular story. The Fatherland Front was a real organization of Austria back in that day but was focused differently than was presented in this story. Regardless, the storytelling is grand and this was a most enjoyable read.
I am grateful to Random House Publishing Group for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review, the words of which are mine alone.
After her harrowing experiences in "Death in Focus" (the first book in series), our protagonist, Elena Standish, receives her first MI6 assignment. Going into enemy territory, making contact and safely extracting a deeply embedded agent is a tall order for anyone, let alone a freshman agent. However, as Elena was once the love interest of said agent, she is the best choice MI6 has at locating and identifying the agent by his subtle mannerisms, even though six years have passed since they were last together. She convinces herself that she can keep this totally professional, make the contact, and get the guy out safely. When they finally meet, he's as charming as ever, almost as though no time had passed. The story progresses through some cat and mouse moments, a few close-calls and ends with a fabulous climax.
Meanwhile, her older sister is off in Berlin for a childhood friend's wedding and overhears some delicate intel at the reception. Elena's retired grandparents too are having a bit of an MI6 moment upon the sudden death of a dear old Cambridge friend, after an interesting visit with one another the week before. Was it natural causes? Or perhaps not?
At the front of this book, Ms. Perry clearly states that this book is a work of fiction regardless of the historical context. Being rather curious about the time and place, I did a bit of sleuthing of my own and concur that Ms. Perry has taken some liberty with the historic record in order to craft a spectacular story. The Fatherland Front was a real organization of Austria back in that day but was focused differently than was presented in this story. Regardless, the storytelling is grand and this was a most enjoyable read.
I am grateful to Random House Publishing Group for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review, the words of which are mine alone.
September 8, 2020
I received a free electronic ARC of this historical British novel from Netgalley, Anne Perry, and Ballantine Books on August 14, 2020. I have read this novel of my own volition and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. A Question of Betrayal is a pre-WWII story, but anything written by Anne Perry is a sure bet. She is an author I follow. I am thoroughly enjoying these books by several authors that cover happenings in between the European wars, and especially those that cover the growing unrest in some of the smaller countries that were rolled up by the German machine later on. There was so much going on, so many countries affected besides Germany and France. They are of course our usual focus group of WWI and WWII. The pain and suffering were however international, universal.
Elena Standish is the 28-year-old granddaughter of Lucas Standish, the man who was head of British Intelligence during WWI, and is herself a member of MI6 in 1933, though with only a couple of cases under her belt. Her boss Peter Howard is certain she is the perfect operative to undertake the retrieval of Aiden Strother, an operative embedded for several years in Trieste, Italy, and currently isolated, with the chain of contact and information broken. Things are heating up in both Italy and Germany and that information chain is essential. World affairs are looking bad again, with trouble in the wings, and England cannot be caught off guard.
The fact that Aiden was Elena's lover six years ago when he was accused of being a double agent and cut off without a country might make Peter think twice about using Elena for this job but the work she has tackled for him in the past has been strictly professional, and she will know Aiden when she sees him. Without access to his handler Max, disappeared these many days, finding Aiden will not be easy. Getting him out of Italy unscathed will be even harder. If anything happens to Elena, however, Peter will have to answer to Lucas, a man he really respects - and sometimes fears.
pub date September 8th, 2020
received August 14, 2020
Ballantine Books
Reviewed on Goodreads and Netgalley on September 5, 2020. Reviewed on September 8, 2020, at AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, BookBub, Kobo, and GooglePlay.
Elena Standish is the 28-year-old granddaughter of Lucas Standish, the man who was head of British Intelligence during WWI, and is herself a member of MI6 in 1933, though with only a couple of cases under her belt. Her boss Peter Howard is certain she is the perfect operative to undertake the retrieval of Aiden Strother, an operative embedded for several years in Trieste, Italy, and currently isolated, with the chain of contact and information broken. Things are heating up in both Italy and Germany and that information chain is essential. World affairs are looking bad again, with trouble in the wings, and England cannot be caught off guard.
The fact that Aiden was Elena's lover six years ago when he was accused of being a double agent and cut off without a country might make Peter think twice about using Elena for this job but the work she has tackled for him in the past has been strictly professional, and she will know Aiden when she sees him. Without access to his handler Max, disappeared these many days, finding Aiden will not be easy. Getting him out of Italy unscathed will be even harder. If anything happens to Elena, however, Peter will have to answer to Lucas, a man he really respects - and sometimes fears.
pub date September 8th, 2020
received August 14, 2020
Ballantine Books
Reviewed on Goodreads and Netgalley on September 5, 2020. Reviewed on September 8, 2020, at AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, BookBub, Kobo, and GooglePlay.
September 21, 2020
i'm amazed to read all the positive reviews of this book. i adore anne perry, most especially her william monk series. i found this book to be slackly written, including errors of syntax, with poorly developed characters (i had read the 1st in this series, & while it won't rank among my favorites, i enjoyed it enough to purchase the sequel) & an almost ludicrous main plotline. the secondary plots, involving lucas standish & elena's sister, margot, came much closer to my admittedly high expectations of this writer.
am glad others enjoyed it, however.
am glad others enjoyed it, however.
October 1, 2020
I did not read the first book and this one seemed like part 2 of that story. My advice is to read it before this one.
As a thriller and or mystery this is pretty lite. A fluffy book, not much to sink your teeth in. A lot of the book is internal dialog by a character, mostly a lot of recrimmination by Elena. The Margot subplot added nothing to this book, but i'm sure is character development for the series.
looking back, the ending wasn't a surprise, not much of a choice, the title should clue you in on how things go.
As a thriller and or mystery this is pretty lite. A fluffy book, not much to sink your teeth in. A lot of the book is internal dialog by a character, mostly a lot of recrimmination by Elena. The Margot subplot added nothing to this book, but i'm sure is character development for the series.
looking back, the ending wasn't a surprise, not much of a choice, the title should clue you in on how things go.
October 14, 2020
Anne Perry is one of my favorite authors, but this book left me a little puzzled. Warning: Spoiler coming up. How did Elena go from completely trusting aiden to realizing he would probably kill her? She changed her mind, but it was hard to see what made her change. It wasn't clear. Also, the chapters the centered around her sister did not really contribute that much to the main plot. I suspect we may see connection in the next book, but not in this one.
April 2, 2025
Elena Standish, posing as a photographer, is sent to Trieste to rescue fellow MI6 agent Aiden Strother. He is her former lover who betrayed her and possibly his country. It is 1933 and Hitler and Mussolini are ascending. These are dangerous times. Meanwhile, Elena’s sister travels to Germany for the marriage of a friend to a rising star in the Gestapo. Back in Britain, their grandfather, former head of MI6, is tipped off that there are traitors in the government who are helping to fund the Nazis.
This has been on my TBR for a long time. It is the second in the Elena Standish series. I read the third one, liked it, and wanted to go back and read the prior installments.
Well written with much historical accuracy, there is suspense, intrigue, and even fashion commentary. It makes for a fast, engrossing read.
Although it was released in 2020 and takes place in 1933, this book may be more pertinent today given our present political climate. There are so many quotes here that resonated with me and I saw as a warning for our times.I found myself underlining line after line to go back to read and think about later.
This could work well as a standalone.There are three subsequent entries in the series; Anne Perry passed away in 2023.
Thanks to #NetGalley and @RandomHouse #BallantineBooks for the DRC.
This has been on my TBR for a long time. It is the second in the Elena Standish series. I read the third one, liked it, and wanted to go back and read the prior installments.
Well written with much historical accuracy, there is suspense, intrigue, and even fashion commentary. It makes for a fast, engrossing read.
Although it was released in 2020 and takes place in 1933, this book may be more pertinent today given our present political climate. There are so many quotes here that resonated with me and I saw as a warning for our times.I found myself underlining line after line to go back to read and think about later.
This could work well as a standalone.There are three subsequent entries in the series; Anne Perry passed away in 2023.
Thanks to #NetGalley and @RandomHouse #BallantineBooks for the DRC.
June 26, 2022
Rated 3 stars. #2 in the Elena Standish series. Set in 1930's Europe. Enjoyed this more then #1. Although I liked the character development and espionage story for some reason that I can't explain I'm not fond of this author's writing style. I had the same problem with her Monk series which I didn't continue after #3. So not sure if I'll go onto #3 Elena Standish.
September 18, 2020
The second installment of the Elena Standish series was an improvement on the first. In book one Elena was a complete idiot despite everyone saying how intelligent and brave she was. She wasn't. Then probably because her grandfather was head of MI6 she got hired as an agent. Now after doing a few minor assignments Elena is shipped to Italy to find her former lover and bring him home safely as his cover has been blown. She might have gotten a few brain cells, but she still isn't the brightest bulb in this book either. At the same time her sister Margot who I think should've gotten the MI6 job since she has plenty of working brain cells goes to a wedding of a friend in Berlin. Her friend is marrying a promising young officer in the Gestapo and Margot fears that nothing good will come of it. And back home an old friend of grandpa Lucas has discovered a possible double agent at MI6 but before he can do any more investigating, he is found dead of an apparent heart attack that resulted in a fall. Somehow all three of these storylines merge together giving a very dramatic and thrilling spy novel. I really hope we see more of Gabrielle and Franz in the future, and also that Elena actually begins to act like everyone says she is, intelligent quick witted and brave. There was an improvement in this book, but not that much of one.
September 9, 2020
This second in a series starts out suspenseful with Elena sent to rescue an English spy. One she believed had betrayed her and the country. As she arrives in Trieste and finds him the story builds. However, the end seems rushed and is a letdown. Will there be more in the series. Maybe but they need to be better than this one.
September 28, 2020
Although this is enjoyable historical fiction, I don't think this series is flowing naturally to Ms. Perry yet. There's a lot of internal dialogue and prose, as if the author still is explaining the environment and characters to herself. And there's a good bit of redundancy, which may be a question of editing.
I have great hopes for the Elena Standish series, and recommend it despite its possible growing pains.
I have great hopes for the Elena Standish series, and recommend it despite its possible growing pains.
August 4, 2022
Elena's adventures continue, I'm glad I read Death in Focus before this, to understand Hitler's early positive influences upon Germany which gave him the confidence of the German people as his aims begin to change beyond Germany's borders. These fiction stories help me understand how desperately people wanted to avoid another war, as they saw WW1 as the war to end all wars and still were suffering from its effects years later.
I enjoyed the story, Elena wants to do her best on her first MI6 assignment, but she struggles to keep her emotions and confused feeling about Aiden under control. Who can she trust? Lucas' friend, Stoney dies and he and Josephine are convinced it's not an accident. They must see if he left them clues, especially with the information Margo overhears at her friend's wedding to a member of the Gestapo. Good read!
I enjoyed the story, Elena wants to do her best on her first MI6 assignment, but she struggles to keep her emotions and confused feeling about Aiden under control. Who can she trust? Lucas' friend, Stoney dies and he and Josephine are convinced it's not an accident. They must see if he left them clues, especially with the information Margo overhears at her friend's wedding to a member of the Gestapo. Good read!
August 25, 2020
So I put down another book in order to read this one as I have become enamored with Anne Perry's books. I read my first when I was young and her writing has never ceased with keeping me captivated and involved in the story. A very well writteen book that has a wonderful heroine. Thoroughly enjoyed and had a hard time putting it down.
Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
September 8, 2020
A Question of Betrayal is the second book of the new Elena Standish series with a strong female character. Anne Perry does a wonderful job of describing her characters and locations so you see them while reading.
Elena has become a good photographer and is sent by MI6 to Italy to bring back a compromised double agent. While there it is discovered that MI6 has been infiltrated by Nazi sympathizers.who are laundering money through the MI6 department.
Margot, Elena’s widowed sister is going to Germany to attend a wedding of a dear friend who is marrying a German soldier that is moving through the ranks very fast. While there Margot, listens to the conversations so she can relay the information to her retired grandfather, Lucas Standish, the former head of MI6. As usual things get a little dicey and there are quite a few twists to the plot.
#netgalley #AQuestionofBetrayal
Elena has become a good photographer and is sent by MI6 to Italy to bring back a compromised double agent. While there it is discovered that MI6 has been infiltrated by Nazi sympathizers.who are laundering money through the MI6 department.
Margot, Elena’s widowed sister is going to Germany to attend a wedding of a dear friend who is marrying a German soldier that is moving through the ranks very fast. While there Margot, listens to the conversations so she can relay the information to her retired grandfather, Lucas Standish, the former head of MI6. As usual things get a little dicey and there are quite a few twists to the plot.
#netgalley #AQuestionofBetrayal
February 3, 2021
I have heard people rave about Anne Perry for ages but have only read the two Elena Standish volumes, of which this is the second. It’s a great story about a young woman emerging into her adult self, preWar Europe, spies, great old MI6 leaders and everything else a reader who loves the era, strong ( or in Elena’s case, learning to *become* strong, ) women and lots of intrigue.
She’s not Maisie or even Bess but she’s growing. It will be fun to follow her transformation in what I suspect will be several more volumes.
She’s not Maisie or even Bess but she’s growing. It will be fun to follow her transformation in what I suspect will be several more volumes.
September 14, 2020
I was able to read this historical mystery a couple of weeks ago before it was published. Truthfully I usually dislike reading books in a series, but this second book of a World War II new series stands on its own.
Romance, betrayal, and a riveting plot make this book an interesting and exciting book that is hard to put down. Spies for England or for Germany? Who knows.
Romance, betrayal, and a riveting plot make this book an interesting and exciting book that is hard to put down. Spies for England or for Germany? Who knows.
September 21, 2022
The second book in Perry’s Elena Standish series is as good as the first. Lots of interesting “between the wars” political intrigue as Hitler continues to increase his power over neighboring Austria.
My favorite characters are Lucas and Josephine. I’m glad that the author continues to give both them and Elena’s sister, Margot, important parts in the plot.
My favorite characters are Lucas and Josephine. I’m glad that the author continues to give both them and Elena’s sister, Margot, important parts in the plot.
September 9, 2020
This is an intense thriller covering the time period just before WWII. The characters are extremely interesting and realistic. the suspense becomes very strong at points, and the occasional violence is clear but not gory. I found it difficult to attend to other issues in my life while I was reading this book. It has everything I enjoy in a book. It is well-written, has great characters, a plot to has twists and turns, great suspense, and a bittersweet ending.
June 18, 2021
I have been reading Anne Perry mysteries for over 30 years and can’t tell you how many I have read. Someone told me she hasn’t really written these books herself and I could see the difference in writing and they seemed a lot more gritty, but I still enjoyed the story.
April 6, 2024
Elena is a spy for M16, and is sent to Italy fo bring back another spy who has been undercover and is now in danger. However, this particular spy was once her lover 6 years ago then just left her w/ no word, and compromised her position, lost her job w/ the Foreign Office, and thus ended up in M16. It is a dangerous mission, this is when Hitler is coming to power, but she agrees to go, as she can recognize him by sight. That is when things get really interesting. Enjoy.
February 2, 2025
Really interesting to explore the politics of 1930s Europe but the plot is weak and Elana's character feels thin. I enjoyed some of the other characters though!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 371 reviews