Rosalie Knecht is so good at what she does. Like the first book about Vera Kelly, this book quietly becomes something more than a spy novel. Its special.

I had a hard time getting in to this one. It was a confusing in the beginning and it took me awhile. It wasn't my favorite but wasn't bad.

"The “splendid genre-pushing” (People) Vera Kelly series returns in full force as our recently out-of-the-spy-game heroine finds herself traveling from Brooklyn to a sprawling countryside estate in the Caribbean in her first case as a private investigator.

When ex-CIA agent Vera Kelly loses her job and her girlfriend in a single day, she reluctantly goes into business as a private detective. Heartbroken and cash-strapped, she takes a case that dredges up dark memories and attracts dangerous characters from across the Cold War landscape. Before it’s over, she’ll chase a lost child through foster care and follow a trail of Dominican exiles to the Caribbean. Forever looking over her shoulder, she nearly misses what’s right in front of her: her own desire for home, connection, and a new romance at the local bar.

In this exciting second installment of the Vera Kelly series, Rosalie Knecht challenges and deepens the Vera we love: a woman of sparkling wit, deep moral fiber, and martini-dry humor who knows how to follow a case even as she struggles to follow her heart."

If you're missing Killing Eve, this book is for you.

Much like the first Vera Kelly book, this second piece is quite good. The story flowed easily and the dialogue was seamless. Even though it didn't hook me in as much as I wanted it to, it's still a good book. I'm hoping for a third. Fingers crossed!

Vera Kelly Is Not A Mystery publishes 6.16.2020

3.5/5 Stars

Vera Kelly is not so good at sharing herself or trusting her feelings or other people. Her personal life is rocky and complicated as a result. Fired from her job she hires herself out as an investigator where this same lack of trust serves her well, helping her to navigate the attempted machinations of others with impure motives. Both mild-mannered and sharp, she works to locate a missing boy to reunite him with his family. An excellent tale with many a foiled plot. Tightly written historical mystery that will warm your heart. A good sleuthing tale.

This is my first Vera Kelly read. I cannot say that I liked the book nor can I say that I disliked it. I felt for Vera from the beginning as I find out that she loses her job and her girlfriend the same day. In order to create some cash flow, she starts her own business as a private investigator. Back in the 60s, it is hard to take a female investigator seriously and she struggles a bit. Until she meets this couple that accept to pay for her services hires and the investigation takes her to the Dominican Republic. I enjoyed the atmosphere of New York in the 60s, as well as the Dominican Republic which felt rather similar to Cuba, in my opinion.

What I liked the most about this book was getting to know Vera and learn about her background and her talent as a investigator and profiler.

A big thank you to the author for creating this LGBTQ character and not sexualizing it.

Thank you Net Galley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and TinHouse books for an advanced copy in exchange for my review.

I really liked Vera's character as a bad ass female who defies the traditional gender roles in 1960s NYC who after leaving the CIA opens up her own private investigator firm. But parts of the book moved a little too slow for me and the parts that were fun and exciting didn't have the level of detail I wanted.

I didn't realize this was the second book in a sequel, and it did ok as a standalone, but I think knowing more from the first book would help.

Twist on a classic detective story.

I probably would have enjoyed this book more had I realized that it was part of a series...but, I thought it worked okay as a stand alone. That being said, I don't plan to read the rest of the series.

Vera Kelly is an exceptionally compelling protagonist:
. . . . she is believable both as a character in a novel and as a human being;
. . . . she is fearless as she approaches a dangerous "mission" , but her "Angels Rush In" attitude seems totally natural:
. . . yet she is vulnerable and sympathetic at every step along the way.

I loved her personal story and I was fully engaged in the missing person case she investigated in the novel. Spending time with Vera was not always easy because it was so easy to identify with her insecurities, but I respected her perspective and didn't find it a stretch that she made the choices she made.

Rosalie Knecht has created a fascinating character and a compelling novel.

Netgalley provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a candid review.

A solid spy story with more action than the first one . The character is witty and sardonic with a wry sense of humor. I liked this second installment.

Thank you to Tin House Books & NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!

Available June 16th 2020

A surprisingly emotional story, Rosalie Knecht's "Vera Kelly Is Not A Mystery" is the second installment of the Vera Kelly series which follows a lesbian ex-CIA agent-turned-private-investigator as she solves crimes and muddles through love affairs in 1960s New York. I know, it sounds like a lot to take in, especially if you are just starting with the series like me. Luckily, Knecht has a knack for building a scene with emotion as Vera works to track down the missing child of an illustrious Dominican family. What starts out as an innocent project quickly develops into sinister intent as Kelly is forced to revisit her own past. Knecht's twisting plotline will keep you up until 3 in the morning waiting to see what happens.

An ARC of this novel was sent to me by NetGalley for reviewing purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Loved this book! I didn't realize it was a sequel, but enjoyed it.

A refreshing, unique, brave, marvelous pulp fiction-ish espionage/Spy thriller dances with noir vibes, introducing a kickass, smart, sexy, queer, tough, brilliant ex CIA agent, new private investigator Vera Kelly!

The pacing was good, the story’s improvement was intriguing, action packed, the characterization was well-developed and I wished this entire installment turned into a streaming series with skilled writers group leading by the author. I can clearly see the captivating scenes in my mind!

I confess! I haven’t read the previous book but I easily got the story from the sequel. The reason I clicked the request button was of course related with interesting blurb and vivid illustrations on the cover. But who can blame me to get interested a woman agent’s story defying against the chauvinist men’s world, instead of being a Stepford stay at home and raise the kids mom! The author tries something refreshing and destroys all regular stereotypes and ordinary characters.

It’s one of my easy, entertaining, riveting readings. I want to read more adventures of Vera Kelly and I liked to round up my 3.5 stars to 4! It’s promising, original and enjoyable novel.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Tin House Books for sharing this entertaining ARC in exchange my honest review.

What can I say about this Vera Kelly book except "wow?" Well, a bit more than that, but I'd say that's a start. All the things I loved about Vera from the first novel shine here: the intrigue, the wry self-awareness, the snappy dialogue, and the international stakes-- they all heighten in this second novel. We see Vera more at home, especially in her personal relationships, as she tries to figure out the next step of her career. This time, her investigations lead her to the case of a disappeared teen boy, and from there, she finds not only leads for the case, but all the danger you could want.
Vera is one of those narrators you love to spend time with-- for all her intelligence and guile, she self-sabatoges in ways that keep you nervous for her. I won't spoil anything, but there are some wonderful side characters introduced here that I hope will make an appearance in a third book.
Please let there be a third book?
Nevertheless, if you haven't checked out WHO IS VERA KELLY?, start there, then immediately double back (as I did) to read this second volume. You'll thank me later, as well as wonder what other mysteries Vera might have in store for her later on.

I guess this book is part of a series. I plan on revisiting this book at a later date! I want to make sure I connect with the characters.

I hadn’t realized this was the second in a series, so I’ll go back and read the first for sure, but this stood alone fairly well! Vera is an ex-CIA agent and a wonderful main character in a time when men usually would take the forefront! Easy read- great book to spend your weekend curled up with.

This is the second book about Vera Kelly, a twenty-something gay woman trying to make a life in 1960's NYC. I hadn't read the first book--and hadn't even realized that there was a first book-- so it's safe to say that this works as a stand-alone. In 1967, homosexuality is not accepted in mainstream society, and Vera's outing after her girlfriend moves out costs Vera her job. She decides to fall back on the skills learned as a CIA agent and open a private investigator agency.

As might be expected, both her sex and her sexuality work against here, but Vera is undaunted. When she takes a case looking for a Dominican couple's missing nephew, she finds a lot more than she bargained for. This is good mix-up of a missing person mystery and a spy thriller, and I was ro0ting for Vera all the way.

Recommended for those looking for a strong female lead in a setting that's out of the ordinary.

I received a digital ARC from the publisher (WW Norton) via NetGalley.

[This review will be posted on Goodreads and my blog on the publication date in June.]

I haven’t read the first book in this series, but found this book to be a good read. The premise of Vera starting her own private detective business after leaving the CIA during a time when women were encouraged to stay home and raise kids was a different kind of plot. Usually books like this focus on male characters, so it was refreshing to read one centered on a woman.

This is the second book in a mystery/sleuth series, and while I didn't read the first book, I easily picked this up and got right into the story-line.
Vera is an ex CIA agent who goes into business as a private detective. The books is set in the 1960's and I loved the dry humor and mod type theme set in this book.
While the plot wasn't a huge mystery to me, Vera is so enjoyable that I could easily see this book series continuing and becoming a TV series.

This book was meant to be enjoyed on a long weekend day when you can sit and read for hours. It furthers the story of Vera Kelly, a woman torn between who she wants to be and who she really is. When her new business turns into more than a job, she must reach deep inside her and find the woman she never knew she was and save a young man who has no one else to count on. Rosalie Knecht builds the story one brick at a time until you are surprised by how far Vera has taken you into her confused life. This is a reader's book, not meant for those who skim a story and move on.