Review: Murder Most Fair by Anna Lee Huber

 

Murder Most Fair (Verity Kent Mysteries #5) by Anna Lee Huber

Publication Date: August 31st 2021 by Kensington Publishing Corporation

Pages: 384

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads 

My Thoughts:

Verity Kent and her dashing husband, Sidney, find themselves in another tricky situation with the surprise arrival of Verity’s German Aunt Ilse. Germans aren’t treated very kindly by the English in 1919 so close after the end of WWI, so they decide to get out of London and visit Verity’s parents in the English countryside of Yorkshire. However, Yorkshire isn’t all that welcoming to Great Aunt Ilse or her maid either.

Although, Verity had planned on visiting her parents for the holidays, the trip brings mixed emotions. It’s been five years since she’s visited and while Verity misses her family, being home brings the loss of her brother into sharp focus. It isn’t something Verity wants to deal with.  Also, her relationship with her mother is strained at best. I was not a big fan of Verity’s mother! The whole family has felt the effects of the war and loss and so it’s not all easy going.

On top of that, their neighbors in Yorkshire aren’t at all happy to have two Germans in their midst. There’s a lot of animosity and blame.  Aunt Ilse’s German maid, Bauer, is reviled by the staff and is said to be asking odd questions about Verity. Is Bauer just the target of animosity because her heritage or is she privy to Verity’s covert missions during the war? When Bauer is murdered Verity must get to the bottom of it to find out.  

Murder Most Fair is the fifth installment, and the books are best read in order to appreciate all the relationships and the ongoing story arc. While little progress was made in the investigation of the nefarious Lord Ardmore, I loved Murder Most Fair!   I was so happy to see Verity and Sidney draw closer as a couple, and work through some of the hurdles brought about by their experiences in the war. They’ve always presented a united front as they faced the troubles and danger from an adversary, but they’ve had some tough times.  It was heartening to see them open up to each other in ways they hadn’t previously. 

Anna Lee Huber expertly brings the post-WWI era to life and makes it relatable by highlighting the individual struggles and their journey back to a new normal.  It turned this time I learned about as an abstract in history class into a real-life emotional situation. With the added excitement of a murder mystery to solve!  I eagerly await the next book!

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

All is far from quiet on the home front in national bestselling author Anna Lee Huber's captivating mystery series, in which former Secret Service agent Verity Kent receives a visitor—who is being trailed by a killer...

November 1919. A relaxing few weeks by the seaside with her husband, Sidney, could almost convince Verity Kent that life has returned to the pleasant rhythm of pre-war days. Then Verity's beloved Great Aunt Ilse lands on their doorstep. After years in war-ravaged Germany, Ilse has returned to England to repair her fragile health—and to escape trouble. Someone has been sending her anonymous threats, and Verity's Secret Service contacts can only provide unsettling answers.

Even deep in the Yorkshire Dales, where she joins Verity's family for the holidays, Ilse encounters difficulties. Normally peaceful neighbors are hostile, seeking someone to blame for the losses they've endured. When Ilse's maid is found dead, Verity must uncover whether this is anti-German sentiment taken to murderous lengths, or whether there is a more personal motive at work. Could Verity's shadowy nemesis, Lord Ardmore, be involved? And if so, how much closer to home will the blow land when he inevitably strikes again?