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Verity Easton
Murder and mayhem abound in this thrilling return to the 1930s as a young woman uncovers her own connection to the power and magic of her ancient Egyptian ancestors.
Verity is swept away from England to Egypt when her father, a professor at the British Museum, is assigned to discover the final resting place of Nefertiti. This fascinating world helps Verity feel a connection to her dead Egyptian mother like never before. However, her newfound home is rife with mysterious murders. Will Verity be able to discover the source of the violence that surrounds her before it’s too late?
If you enjoy Agatha Christie’s murder mysteries, the mysticism of Sherlock Holmes stories, the descriptive writing style of Daphne du Maurier, or uncovering the secrets of ancient Egypt, you’ll adore this riveting story.
Although Verity Easton is a standalone novel, one beloved crossover character from M. Rebecca Wildsmith’s first novel, Hattie Vavaseur, makes a cameo appearance!
Verity is swept away from England to Egypt when her father, a professor at the British Museum, is assigned to discover the final resting place of Nefertiti. This fascinating world helps Verity feel a connection to her dead Egyptian mother like never before. However, her newfound home is rife with mysterious murders. Will Verity be able to discover the source of the violence that surrounds her before it’s too late?
If you enjoy Agatha Christie’s murder mysteries, the mysticism of Sherlock Holmes stories, the descriptive writing style of Daphne du Maurier, or uncovering the secrets of ancient Egypt, you’ll adore this riveting story.
Although Verity Easton is a standalone novel, one beloved crossover character from M. Rebecca Wildsmith’s first novel, Hattie Vavaseur, makes a cameo appearance!
269 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2023
86 people are currently reading
1120 people want to read
About the author
M. Rebecca Wildsmith
2 books41 followersM. Rebecca Wildsmith lives near the Florida coast with her husband and daughter. She enjoys perusing British literature, writing frivolous songs on the guitar, beach combing, and wearing dangerously tall stiletto heels (not, of course, simultaneously).
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 23, 2023
Lots of Potential, Poor Plotting
I enjoyed this author’s writing style and there was a creative story with a good blend of Egyptian lore and mystery, but the book’s pacing was off because of poor plotting. The first quarter of the book is spent getting to know 13-year old Verity and meeting all the key players. Right at the start of chapter twelve there is a ten year jump; now you get to spend a good chunk of the book meeting 23-year-old Verity who is essentially the same character. She is still childlike, innocent, and referred to as a child by everyone around her. The reader is once again introduced to the same key characters from the first quarter of the book in a very similar context.
Fortunately, in the second quarter of the book, the suspense picks up as the body count increases and makes for an exciting story. I found it easy to figure out what was going on with Verity, but didn’t know the reason why. Instead of revealing the truth around the midpoint and giving Verity a chance to wrestle with the truth and grow into a capable young woman, she remains primarily reactive for the remainder of the book, which makes it hard to cheer for her. When the truth is revealed at around 85%, there was very little time to properly develop a satisfying ending. I found the romance introduced in the final chapters of the book hard to believe and I was unhappy with Verity’s final choice. It seemed to send the wrong kind of message, was very abrupt, and offered no resolution.
I noticed a few typos throughout the book, but overall it was well proofread. The book contains infrequent minor/borderline swearing and no erotic content. I’d recommend this one to readers who like things of the paranormal/occult nature. The author has an engaging writing style that kept me interested in the story, but I’d love to see this story polished up to its full potential.
I enjoyed this author’s writing style and there was a creative story with a good blend of Egyptian lore and mystery, but the book’s pacing was off because of poor plotting. The first quarter of the book is spent getting to know 13-year old Verity and meeting all the key players. Right at the start of chapter twelve there is a ten year jump; now you get to spend a good chunk of the book meeting 23-year-old Verity who is essentially the same character. She is still childlike, innocent, and referred to as a child by everyone around her. The reader is once again introduced to the same key characters from the first quarter of the book in a very similar context.
Fortunately, in the second quarter of the book, the suspense picks up as the body count increases and makes for an exciting story. I found it easy to figure out what was going on with Verity, but didn’t know the reason why. Instead of revealing the truth around the midpoint and giving Verity a chance to wrestle with the truth and grow into a capable young woman, she remains primarily reactive for the remainder of the book, which makes it hard to cheer for her. When the truth is revealed at around 85%, there was very little time to properly develop a satisfying ending. I found the romance introduced in the final chapters of the book hard to believe and I was unhappy with Verity’s final choice. It seemed to send the wrong kind of message, was very abrupt, and offered no resolution.
I noticed a few typos throughout the book, but overall it was well proofread. The book contains infrequent minor/borderline swearing and no erotic content. I’d recommend this one to readers who like things of the paranormal/occult nature. The author has an engaging writing style that kept me interested in the story, but I’d love to see this story polished up to its full potential.
May 24, 2023
WTH kind of ending was that?! I was so invested in this book. It was so good. Ugh!
May 1, 2023
The royal rulers of Egypt, such as Queen Nefertiti and King Tutankhamun, have played significant roles throughout the country's history. There are many stories, both true and fictional, about the pharaohs and their queens, which are full of controversies. Verity Easton, authored by M. Rebecca Wildsmith, tells a story about hidden secrets, murders, and revengeful queens.
The novel follows the story of Verity Easton, a kind-young girl who accompanies her father on his quest for historical relics and ancient knowledge. Verity acts as the responsible daughter, guiding her father along the way. However, she becomes disenchanted with living in the past and yearns for modern life. When she reunites with Lady Bethy, who provides the only maternal influence in her life, she is excited about the future. But as Verity experiences vivid nightmares and sleepwalking, she becomes more connected to the past and eventually becomes a part of it. The novel explores Verity's role in this situation and her relationship with Lady Bethy.
I enjoyed reading this book as the author tells an engaging story from ancient times. The book provides an excellent insight into the mind of a young girl as she grows into a fully-formed character. Additionally, the novel offers plenty of information about Egypt's history, traditions, and religion, which I appreciated as a reader. The book was expertly edited, with no mistakes that I noticed. However, I did have a few issues with the book.
The author's writing style sometimes felt overly complicated, with simple words being replaced with more complex ones. While I enjoyed learning new words, having to look up the meaning of every other word became tiresome and time-consuming as well. Also, the novel's time period was not clearly stated, making it challenging to place the story accurately. The issue could have been resolved if the author had specified the era.
Generally, I recommend this book to anyone who loves history, particularly Egyptian history and historical fiction.
The novel follows the story of Verity Easton, a kind-young girl who accompanies her father on his quest for historical relics and ancient knowledge. Verity acts as the responsible daughter, guiding her father along the way. However, she becomes disenchanted with living in the past and yearns for modern life. When she reunites with Lady Bethy, who provides the only maternal influence in her life, she is excited about the future. But as Verity experiences vivid nightmares and sleepwalking, she becomes more connected to the past and eventually becomes a part of it. The novel explores Verity's role in this situation and her relationship with Lady Bethy.
I enjoyed reading this book as the author tells an engaging story from ancient times. The book provides an excellent insight into the mind of a young girl as she grows into a fully-formed character. Additionally, the novel offers plenty of information about Egypt's history, traditions, and religion, which I appreciated as a reader. The book was expertly edited, with no mistakes that I noticed. However, I did have a few issues with the book.
The author's writing style sometimes felt overly complicated, with simple words being replaced with more complex ones. While I enjoyed learning new words, having to look up the meaning of every other word became tiresome and time-consuming as well. Also, the novel's time period was not clearly stated, making it challenging to place the story accurately. The issue could have been resolved if the author had specified the era.
Generally, I recommend this book to anyone who loves history, particularly Egyptian history and historical fiction.
February 24, 2023
Loved this book! The cast of characters is intriguing and entertaining. If you read Hattie Vavaseur, you’ll even get a cameo. Everyone has a lot of layers (with the exception of the Professor, who is pretty singleminded) There’s a lot of twists and turns in the plot; the ending took me completely by surprise! If you’re a fan of mysteries, Egyptology, period novels, and strong female characters, I highly recommend.
February 5, 2023
Verity Easton was a thrilling adventure from page one. The characters were entertaining and fascinating from the second they appear. Each character felt like a living, breathing person–I love when authors do that! I became obsessed with them. And the mystery of this book kept me guessing until the very end. I was a beta reader for Verity Easton and became so swallowed up in this world that I couldn’t put it down!
March 27, 2023
This book could be summarized as an unfair ordeal upon a child all the way into the deep unknown of Egypt and the mysteries that it stores, without a loving parental figure to guide her explaining the awkward quasi romantic component near the end of the story.
Except that the author presents us with condemned innocence only to turn it into a ruthless power of old, perhaps worse by the degree of loneliness displayed in a place where our girl, Verity, seeks belonging despite all evidence to the contrary in the form of adults that surround her but won´t actually protect her potential amid the exploration she is thrown into.
I wonder, is it possible to find peace within a nightmare? I hope so and if there are more readers who could agree that the only way forward is to transcend mercy and get your hands dirty, Verity Easton is a book I can recommend.
Except that the author presents us with condemned innocence only to turn it into a ruthless power of old, perhaps worse by the degree of loneliness displayed in a place where our girl, Verity, seeks belonging despite all evidence to the contrary in the form of adults that surround her but won´t actually protect her potential amid the exploration she is thrown into.
I wonder, is it possible to find peace within a nightmare? I hope so and if there are more readers who could agree that the only way forward is to transcend mercy and get your hands dirty, Verity Easton is a book I can recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2023
I really enjoyed this and it definitely gave me Amelia-Peabody-vibes (Elizabeth Peters), which is one of my all time favorite series. I definitely recommend this book if you like mystery, Egypt, historical fiction.
March 26, 2023
Lucy Foley fans will fall hard for ’s magical and absorbing new murder mystery, Verity Easton.
Set in the 1930s, opens aboard a steamer ship sailing turbulent seas near the coast of Malta. Thirteen-year-old Verity is accompanying her father, a professor at the British Museum, who is tasked with finding the ancient resting place of ancient Egyptian queen Nefertiti. Making the trip more emotional is the fact that Verity’s mother, of whom she knows little about, is of Egyptian ancestry.
Not long after their arrival in Egypt, Verity wakes from a disturbing dream about a murder, only to find that a housemaid named Linette has been killed in a way similar to her dreams. Unfortunately for Verity, it won’t be the last time she’s troubled by violent dreams, nor will it be the last real-life murder she has firsthand knowledge of.
A sense of ancient magic seems to be afoot. Is Verity herself somehow responsible? And what of the seemingly mystical connection developing between her and her deceased mother?
Author M. Rebecca Wildsmith is a master of world-building (first-time readers should check out her novel, Hattie Vavaseur). In her hands, 1930s Egypt is a truly visceral place seen through the eyes of a curious and vulnerable child (“the hardened, sultry heat of a land unknown”), where every sound (“ the bird who continued his raucous chant”) and scent comes alive on the page. Loads of historical detail and artifact obsession adds tons of fun. Throughout, Wildsmith walks a delicate line between cinema and overly descriptive literature in her scene descriptions, ensuring that the pace is never slowed and yet every observation is palpable.
Relative to many contemporary murder mysteries, Wildsmith stands out from the pack by focusing on atmosphere, suggestion and the drama of the human experience as opposed to gore and shock. Expect to feel chills, as it also never feels too “cozy” or lighthearted, either. All aboard for an uncommonly satisfying murder mystery.
Set in the 1930s, opens aboard a steamer ship sailing turbulent seas near the coast of Malta. Thirteen-year-old Verity is accompanying her father, a professor at the British Museum, who is tasked with finding the ancient resting place of ancient Egyptian queen Nefertiti. Making the trip more emotional is the fact that Verity’s mother, of whom she knows little about, is of Egyptian ancestry.
Not long after their arrival in Egypt, Verity wakes from a disturbing dream about a murder, only to find that a housemaid named Linette has been killed in a way similar to her dreams. Unfortunately for Verity, it won’t be the last time she’s troubled by violent dreams, nor will it be the last real-life murder she has firsthand knowledge of.
A sense of ancient magic seems to be afoot. Is Verity herself somehow responsible? And what of the seemingly mystical connection developing between her and her deceased mother?
Author M. Rebecca Wildsmith is a master of world-building (first-time readers should check out her novel, Hattie Vavaseur). In her hands, 1930s Egypt is a truly visceral place seen through the eyes of a curious and vulnerable child (“the hardened, sultry heat of a land unknown”), where every sound (“ the bird who continued his raucous chant”) and scent comes alive on the page. Loads of historical detail and artifact obsession adds tons of fun. Throughout, Wildsmith walks a delicate line between cinema and overly descriptive literature in her scene descriptions, ensuring that the pace is never slowed and yet every observation is palpable.
Relative to many contemporary murder mysteries, Wildsmith stands out from the pack by focusing on atmosphere, suggestion and the drama of the human experience as opposed to gore and shock. Expect to feel chills, as it also never feels too “cozy” or lighthearted, either. All aboard for an uncommonly satisfying murder mystery.
November 16, 2024
This story takes place in the 1930’s, following Verity, a 13 year old and her father, a professor and historian, as they journey from England to Egypt to learn more about ancient Egypt and Nefertiti's final resting place. While in Egypt, Verity must balance learning about her Egyptian heritage, struggles with her vivid nightmares, taking care of her father, and a series of mysterious deaths.
The first part of the book is spent getting to know Verity and meeting all the main characters. Seemingly out of nowhere there is a ten year time skip, Thus leading us to the second part of the story, where we are following 23-year-old Verity, who is practically the same 13 year old little girl. She is still childlike, innocent, and is actually referred to as a child. As the story progresses more, it also starts gaining more mysterious momentum and a higher body count. The more Nefertiti’s final resting place is uncovered, the more the unexplained seem to happen around Verity. Towards the end of the book, there is a bit of a romantic introduction, though very low on a spice scale, and almost added as an afterthought. I was left confused and disappointed with the ending and wished it didn't feel so rushed.
Though the detailed imagery throughout the whole novel made it feel as though I was actually there and experiencing what the character was experiencing, the author's writing style was just not for me. While it was well edited with only a few typos, grammatical errors, etc. I felt as though they were writing it while holding a thesaurus, so we as readers need to read it with a dictionary. Though I do appreciate uncommon and often unused words on occasion, they overdid it tenfold. I had to stop multiple times just to look up what words meant. Having to do that multiple times in a novel and occasionally in the same sentence just ruins the whole reading experience for me, which is the reason for my 2 out of 5 star review.
The first part of the book is spent getting to know Verity and meeting all the main characters. Seemingly out of nowhere there is a ten year time skip, Thus leading us to the second part of the story, where we are following 23-year-old Verity, who is practically the same 13 year old little girl. She is still childlike, innocent, and is actually referred to as a child. As the story progresses more, it also starts gaining more mysterious momentum and a higher body count. The more Nefertiti’s final resting place is uncovered, the more the unexplained seem to happen around Verity. Towards the end of the book, there is a bit of a romantic introduction, though very low on a spice scale, and almost added as an afterthought. I was left confused and disappointed with the ending and wished it didn't feel so rushed.
Though the detailed imagery throughout the whole novel made it feel as though I was actually there and experiencing what the character was experiencing, the author's writing style was just not for me. While it was well edited with only a few typos, grammatical errors, etc. I felt as though they were writing it while holding a thesaurus, so we as readers need to read it with a dictionary. Though I do appreciate uncommon and often unused words on occasion, they overdid it tenfold. I had to stop multiple times just to look up what words meant. Having to do that multiple times in a novel and occasionally in the same sentence just ruins the whole reading experience for me, which is the reason for my 2 out of 5 star review.
May 3, 2023
Another great read by this author! Wildsmith is a master at creating imagery, with her carefully crafted descriptions, whisking you away to another place and time and placing you right in the middle of all the intrigue and adventure. If you’ve ever wanted to travel to Egypt, this is one way to get there!! Thoroughly enjoyed the way the author wove historical facts into the storyline. Love the subtle placement of clues that keep you thinking and examining each turn of events. Walking through this adventure with Verity was a treat, as she slowly began to find her true-self. Definitely a fun book to read, with just the right touch of malevolence and triumph.
September 27, 2025
Didn't really care for her writing style, felt as though the author was trying to use a thesaurus to use a lot of diverse words that didnt add value to the story. Also, felt like nothing happened until the last 6 chapters. verity was supposed to be discovering Egypt and her connection with her mother and it never really came up, more focus on her weird relationship with her father. also, the ending was shit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2023
What an incredibly imaginative story! With twists and turns I didn't expect, the ending was the most riveting part. Beyond the intriguing supernatural murder mystery, it was an incredible commentary on the consequences of continuously being a people pleaser and how it can drive you to extreme and drastic measures—to finally assert yourself when you're pushed to the limits of what the human soul can endure by being ignored or steamrolled your entire life. I would have loved to have learned more about Nefertiti's journey, but the real center of the story is Verity, and, when I'd thought about it after finishing it, realized that it was the only possible ending to her soul-torn journey.
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July 14, 2023Very different
I wish I liked this book better, but it really wasn't my cup of tea. I like historical fiction and began reading enthusiastically, I got really bogged down in the middle and if I had something else to read on a 5 hour flight I wouldn't have finish it.
I wish I liked this book better, but it really wasn't my cup of tea. I like historical fiction and began reading enthusiastically, I got really bogged down in the middle and if I had something else to read on a 5 hour flight I wouldn't have finish it.
October 11, 2025
Worst book I have ever read!
I cannot believe I spent the time necessary to read this. (Although I did skim the last half. ) I won't go into story. Someone, somewhere, might want to read it. I just wish I hadn't wasted the time it took to read it!
I cannot believe I spent the time necessary to read this. (Although I did skim the last half. ) I won't go into story. Someone, somewhere, might want to read it. I just wish I hadn't wasted the time it took to read it!
October 15, 2025
Good start poor finish
Started well and was interesting. The last few chapters almost seemed like it was written by someone else. The ending was dumb.
Started well and was interesting. The last few chapters almost seemed like it was written by someone else. The ending was dumb.
September 9, 2025
Verity Easton is a book that has potential, but has a very poorly planned out plotline.
I loved the historical facts and effort in making the book have accurate information about the world in the early 1900s, but the pacing and how the plot was executed left more to be desired.
I won't really spoil anything in this review, but the ending felt abrupt, the pacing in the beginning felt slow (sometimes too slow), but the end felt so rushed.
I loved the historical facts and effort in making the book have accurate information about the world in the early 1900s, but the pacing and how the plot was executed left more to be desired.
I won't really spoil anything in this review, but the ending felt abrupt, the pacing in the beginning felt slow (sometimes too slow), but the end felt so rushed.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews