Treacherous Is the Night by Anna Lee Huber a historical mystery that takes place in 1919 England.
Enjoy!
Treacherous Is the Night by Anna Lee Huber
#2 Verity Kent
Historical Mystery
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 9.25.18
ASIN: B078QSYZ3H
Pages: 304
Format: eARC
Source: Net Galley
ADD TO: GOODREADS
GoodReads Blurb:
In 1919 England, in the shadow of The Great War, many
look to the spirit world for answers. But it will take an all too earthbound
intrigue to draw in the discerning heroine of Anna Lee Huber’s latest
mystery . . .
It’s not that Verity Kent doesn’t sympathize with those eager to make contact with lost loved ones. After all, she once believed herself a war widow. But now that she’s discovered Sidney is very much alive, Verity is having enough trouble connecting with her estranged husband, never mind the dead. Still, at a friend’s behest, Verity attends a séance, where she encounters the man who still looms between her and Sidney—and a medium who channels a woman Verity once worked with in the Secret Service. Refusing to believe her former fellow spy is dead, Verity is determined to uncover the source of the spiritualist’s top secret revelation.
Then the medium is murdered—and Verity’s investigation is suddenly thwarted. Even Secret Service agents she once trusted turn their backs on her. Undaunted, Verity heads to war-torn Belgium, with Sidney by her side. But as they draw ever closer to the danger, Verity wonders if she’s about to learn the true meaning of till death do us part . . .
It’s not that Verity Kent doesn’t sympathize with those eager to make contact with lost loved ones. After all, she once believed herself a war widow. But now that she’s discovered Sidney is very much alive, Verity is having enough trouble connecting with her estranged husband, never mind the dead. Still, at a friend’s behest, Verity attends a séance, where she encounters the man who still looms between her and Sidney—and a medium who channels a woman Verity once worked with in the Secret Service. Refusing to believe her former fellow spy is dead, Verity is determined to uncover the source of the spiritualist’s top secret revelation.
Then the medium is murdered—and Verity’s investigation is suddenly thwarted. Even Secret Service agents she once trusted turn their backs on her. Undaunted, Verity heads to war-torn Belgium, with Sidney by her side. But as they draw ever closer to the danger, Verity wonders if she’s about to learn the true meaning of till death do us part . . .
Sophia Rose's Review:
After my intro to Verity and her Post WWI world in This Side
of Murder, I was eager to press forward with the next installment in this
complex and intriguing though exceptionally engaging historical murder mystery
series.
Treacherous is the Night is book two and follows closely on
the heels of book one. It builds from
the previous events and doesn't make a good one to grab out of order.
In fact, this book's very blurb provides a spoiler for book
one that can't be helped, dear readers, so just know that going forward if you
choose to keep reading or investigating this book.
Alright, so that warning given, let me share my thoughts on
this one. The time is just following the
harrowing and startling events of the previous suspenseful adventure and Verity
is just coming off that high and faced with the reality of the new twist her
life has taken. The author does her home
work and presents a historical world and setting that shows what it was like
just following the Great War for Brits and for those who are rebuilding and
attempting to get on with life after German occupation in Belgium and France.
This was an excruciatingly emotional book on a few levels,
but mostly as it tackles the after effects of Verity's new marital
circumstances. There are no simple
answers. Both have blame and both are
prickly. But, love is still there though
it is ready to flicker out if they can't find a way.
Verity didn't do well when she thought her husband
dead. She drank heavy, lived wildly,
lived dangerously and she rose to the challenge of work in the Secret Service
that altered her forever. Now, she can't
stuff herself back into the persona of her early years as Sydney's wife- that
is no longer she. She can only guess
that Sydney doesn't know what to do with who and what she is now. She is still simmers with anger that he
allowed her to think him dead and is resentful that now she feels guilty for
the secrets she now keeps from him.
Meanwhile, Sydney is something of a closed book with secrets
and shadows of his own from those years.
He, and other returning war vets like him, are no longer the same. Verity is caught up in her own issues, but
slowly realizes that she is not the only stranger in this relationship who
needs to be understood and accepted. It
seems that neither are willing to cross the great gulf yawning between them and
both are willing to figuratively and sometimes literally run from the big
issues they need to confront. Like I
said, this was a hard fought path this pair is on, but this battle did need to
be waged.
The mystery is a breath of fresh air and almost light
compared to the anguish of their marriage trouble. I was glad to see Verity and Sydney, Max and
some new faces on the hunt figuring out the odd and mysterious meaning behind a
medium's message about Verity's Secret Service work and then the woman's
death. The mystery carries them into
danger and a trail back to their past during the war years in Belgium. I found it a nice blend of tension and steady
clue hunting. The suspense was not as
shocking or atmospheric as the previous book, but it was by no means boring,
either.
All in all, this will exhaust readers emotionally and maybe
even not be their thing if they are only looking for a mystery in a historical
setting, but for those who need to connect with the lives of the characters,
this will certain do that and there is resolution here and excitement for what
is to come from the rest of the series.
I rec'd this book from Kensington through Net Galley to read
in exchange for an honest review.
Author Bio:
Anna Lee Huber is the Daphne award-winning author of the
national bestselling Lady Darby Mysteries, the Verity Kent Mysteries, the
Gothic Myths series, and the forthcoming anthology The Jacobite’s Watch. 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.
Website: www.annaleehuber.com.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnnaLeeHuber
Sophia’s Bio:
Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking,
book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man
and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region
of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.
Sophia’s Social Media Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sophiarose1816
I do like historical mysteries, they are the best kind of mysteries
ReplyDeleteDefinitely my soft spot for the mystery genre. Best of both worlds. :)
DeleteThat does sound like an emotional story.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah. I ached so hard for this pair to make it after all they'd been through.
DeleteI love the sound of this Sophia Rose and that cover is Fab!
ReplyDeleteThanks
I think you would probably enjoy these. Oh yeah. One of my favorite covers this year. I want it in print copy so I can look at it often. LOL
DeleteI actually like that this is more than a historical mystery! Great review Sophia
ReplyDeleteYes, the personal side with their marriage is an incredible story all its own. I was glad the author didn't make it easy and sweep it under the rug or it would have felt fake.
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