I have been a long time fan of Anna Lee Huber and I have read every single one of her books. I never miss one of her new releases so obviously I had the next Verity Kent book on my calendar months before its release.

When I first started this series it felt different than Huber’s other books not just in time period but in characters too. Verity Kent has a lot more grit and grey area to her than some of Huber’s other heroines.

And don’t even get me started on Sidney. I have struggled with Sidney’s character since the first book and have in all honesty never quite warmed up to him based on some of his deception. But I have stuck out this series because it is excellent.

Summary
In the aftermath of the Great War, the line between friend and foe may be hard to discern, even for indomitable former Secret Service agent Verity Kent, in award-winning author Anna Lee Huber’s thrilling mystery series.

Peacetime has brought little respite for Verity Kent. Intrigue still abounds, even within her own family. As a favor to her father, Verity agrees to visit his sister in Wiltshire. Her once prosperous aunt has fallen on difficult times and is considering selling their estate. But there are strange goings-on at the manor, including missing servants, possible heirloom forgeries, and suspicious rumors—all leading to the discovery of a dead body on the grounds.

While Verity and her husband, Sidney, investigate this new mystery, they are also on the trail of an old adversary—the shadowy and lethal Lord Ardmore. At every turn, the suspected traitor seems to be one step ahead of them. And even when their dear friend Max, the Earl of Ryde, stumbles upon a code hidden among his late father’s effects that may reveal the truth about Ardmore, Verity wonders if they are really the hunters—or the hunted . . .(summary from Goodreads)

Review
I have been Team Max since the first book and I still keep hoping that Verity will throw over Sidney in favor of Max but admittedly I doubt this is going to happen. But a girl can dream right? As I said, this series is excellent and captures the raw emotion left over from the Great War years in a way that Maisie Dobbs never did for me.

If you love Maisie Dobbs or Maggie Hope there is no doubt you will adore Verity Kent but I didn’t love Maisie Dobbs (Maggie Hope—YES) she was just ok for me there was something detached about her as a character that I could never place, which perhaps was the point. But with Verity, as a reader I really get the emotional turmoil and struggles that she is facing in her new post war life and all its relationships. Verity Kent is more gritty and raw for me and I have loved this series because of it.

Huber’s other books have a strong romantic element to the mysteries where as Verity Kent is more mystery. In this one, there is a lot to unpack when it comes to the mystery. Sidney and Verity are closing in on a long time villain and there was quite a bit of action in this one! Personally I would not read this book out of order. If you are considering this series, I would start back at the first book rather than picking this one up. There are other threads of this mystery that are from previous books and new readers might feel lost.

I think this might be Huber’s best mystery in this series so far. While I have liked each book independently for various reasons, this one stood out as a shining star for me. It had a lot of exciting elements with in the mystery—the art forgeries were an interesting piece for me considering I just finished another historical mystery that included a detailed art forgery and was hungry for more—not to mention the pacing was perfect! I didn’t feel like there were any slow spots or unnecessary filler dialogue. It was great all around!

Of course I am looking forward to more books from Huber—that goes without saying! You can bet that I will have whatever book she pens next up for review the second I can get my hands on it! Well done!

Book Info and Rating
Kindle Edition, 304 pages
Expected publication: September 29th 2020 by Kensington
ASIN B082WRDB98
Free review copy provided by publisher, Kensington, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 5 stars
Genre: historical mystery

Ana Lee Huber is a new author for me. A Pretty Deceit is apparently the 4th book in the Verity Kent series and as I can attest can be enjoyed as a stand alone. Verity Kent is a former British Secret Service Agent. Her service ended following the end of World War I. This book’s time period is a post WWI.

This story sees Verity and her war hero husband Sidney along with an interesting cast of characters (who I am guessing have been established in her previous books) attempting to solve a mystery that has also been ongoing prior to this book. Without giving too much away, I must say that author Anna Lee Huber brings her characters to life so fully that the reader can easily imagine that these characters are very real. You find yourself rooting for them and feeling their emotional difficulties. Each character comes complete with their own regrets, strengths, weaknesses, fears, and sorrows. Verity and her war-hero husband, Sidney, have settled into a relatively comfortable marriage after having been separated for fifteen months during the war. Each spouse is still hounded by the horrors they faced during that Great War (WWI). This book was a page turner for sure. Ms. Huber’s writing is very good. It is obvious to this reader the large amount of research that was done in order to create this book.

I am only sorry I didn’t know about the Verity Kent series prior to reading A Pretty Deceit. It very much reminds me of the Maisie Dobb and Maggie Hope series. I am definitely going to look for more books by Ms. Huber. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next. Well done!

I would like to thank the author, Kensington Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this one! I admit it took me quite a while to finish, but my drive for reading has been suffering lately during quarantine, and even having a good mystery was slow going. However, I’m incredibly glad that I persisted, as Huber really edges into spy thriller as well as murder mystery, making for a fascinating and engrossing read. The A and B plots to this were equally interesting, but I admit to taking a bit of priority with the Ardmore plot simply because it brought Alec Xavier back into the picture, and I so adore him. It was fun seeing Verity be surrounded by these men who carry affection for her, but I really would like to see Max and Alec find other interests, I want the both of them to be happy. It’s also great fun to have Verity matching wits with Ardmore, who has incredible scope and power; it’s not a game with low stakes, or even one that the reader can be sure Verity will win and emerge unscathed. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Another interesting Verity Kent mystery, a lady ahead of her time. Working for Britain's Secret Service, Verity is with her presumed dead husband, they are pulled into trouble through her Aunt's problems. Very well done, historically accurate, very enjoyable read. Great cast of characters, sexy husband, handsome Max, handsome, sexy, mysterious Alec!
I highly recommend! Thank you Netgalley!
carolintallahassee.com

I am so happy I was encouraged to read this series by my historical mystery loving friends. I read all three of the previous books to prepare for the latest in the series. I'm happy to say this fourth installment in the series didn't disappoint.

I just love the characters of Sydney and Verity, they have made it through some tough times in their lives which were well chronicled in the first few books of the series. I was glad I had read the first three books in the series to get a sense of what Verity and Sydney have been through up to this point.

The mystery itself was difficult to figure out with plenty of twists and turns. I enjoyed the treasure hunt aspect of the mystery and it kept me engaged throughout. I was also happy to read that Max and Alec were back and were featured in this mystery as well.

I thoroughly enjoyed this smart and entertaining historical mystery. I recommend this book to all historical/cozy mystery lovers. 4.5/5

This is the 4th book featuring Verity Kent and the series is best read in order. Verity was a spy in WWI, thought that her husband, Sydney, was killed in action and carried on her life as a widow. That all makes for some entanglements in this mystery. Because of her experiences, she is asked to go to her aunt's stately home and investigate art thefts and a missing servant and a death. While she and Sydney are sorting that out, they realize that something more sinister is needing to be dealt with - finding Lord Ardmore and a coded message might make that happen. As they hunt for answers to the happenings on the estate, are they the hunted when it comes to Lord Ardmore? I'll say no more for fear of spoilers.
Historical mysteries are one of my favorite genres and this series is in the top ten. It's full of depth, well developed real people and puzzles that keep me engaged and guessing wrong My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Ex-British intelligence agent Verity Kent is back in A PRETTY DECEIT. While she, her husband Sidney, and their friends continue to track down the nefarious Lord Ardmore and his cronies, Verity finds herself caught up in aunt’s drama concerning the strange happenings around her country estate. During the Great War, Aunt Ernestine’s manor house was commandeered by the Royal Air Force and used to house airmen from the nearby base. Not only did the airmen cause considerable damage to the house, there are now reports of a ghost, minor thefts and forgeries of family heirlooms, and a missing housemaid. Verity and Sidney do not take Aunt Ernestine’s problems too seriously until the man-of-all-work is found murdered and the missing housemaid dead body is discovered. While they remain indirectly involved in the murder investigation, Verity and Sidney leave the responsibility of finding the murderer up to the police while they resume chasing their enemy/traitor to the crown, Lord Ardmore. Following the clues and coded messages that the former Earl of Ryde left before his untimely death, Verity and Sidney find themselves back in Wiltshire as they two cases become intertwined.

I am a big fan of the Verity Kent series, and I really enjoyed how A PRETTY DECEIT carried on with storylines that were introduced in the earlier novels. Verity and Sidney are still repairing their relationship and getting used to married life now that the war is over. And they are both battling with painful memories from the war—Sidney fought in the trenches and Verity worked for the secret service and took on dangerous missions. One of Verity’s missions continues to haunt her, and sorting through what really happened becomes crucial to the hunt for Lord Ardmore. Verity and Sidney both have a very solid character development that has built up over the four novels. They are not perfect, and they are struggling to repair their marriage and overcome past nightmares. Their personal issues make they more real and relatable to the reader. The supporting characters are also well fleshed out and add to the story.

By the end of the novel, Verity and Sidney help bring about a resolution to the various problems at Aunt Ernestine’s estate, but Lord Ardmore remains one step ahead of them—setting up for the next novel. Overall, an enjoyable read and a great addition to the series. While it can be read as a standalone, I suggest reading the first three novels to better understanding the continuing storylines.

The continuing adventures of Mrs. Verity Kent and her dear husband Sidney were all that I'd hoped for when I saw this book was due to be released. Book three had felt a bit lackluster, but now I see it was the set up for this book which held multiple exciting car chases and plenty of historic scavenger hunts to keep even the most fervent reader involved. I felt I couldn't put A Pretty Deceit (book 4) down! Anna Lee Huber knows her time periods and she smashes in every lush and sparkling detail (The Fashion!). Verity and Sidney are hot on the heels of the dastardly (he really is though) Lord Ardmore, who manages to stay just a step ahead. This time, our heroes might just get the upper hand and past friends join them for a heart pounding adventure. Everything we've grown to love about Verity hits tenfold in this new novel!

[This review will appear in full on my blog and Goodreads, a shortened version will appear on Instagram. My rating will be 4 of 5 stars on Goodreads. I will publish October 5.]

I am very excited to say that I enjoyed this Verity Kent mystery. Like a lot. Other than my initial reservations about a main character named Verity (Verity? Really?) I was just slightly short of “blown away” by my introduction to the series. Allowing for a little confusion as I started the book (this is a series the one needs to read in publication order) I quickly fell in love with Anna Lee Huber’s writing.

The author seems to have one of those gifts for writing compelling characters, intense action, and such a thorough setting description that you feel like she really must have grown up in England rather than Ohio. Even better, she wrote a story with a believable, equitable marriage that doesn’t make me want to tear my hair out. I love historical mystery, but is it too much to ask for a partner that is involved in the mystery and not also a hurdle to the whole thing?

This fourth book in the Verity Kent series follows Verity and friends as they continue to investigate the suspicious activities of their archnemesis Lord Ardmore. Verity’s attentions are split when a dead body is discovered at her aunt’s home in Wiltshire. What follows is a cunning story of secrets, subterfuge, and murder in Post-World War I England.

I am so excited to have finally read a book from this series and I cannot wait to get my hands on the first three books. Verity Kent is one of my new favorite sleuths, and although she does follow the trope of an “elite woman of means turned sleuth”, I’m really glad to know her. This series is great for fans of Jacqueline Winspear and Susan Elia MacNeal with a smart and strong female lead.

Huber also has a late Georgian-era mystery series that currently has eight books available, so I hope to get the first one ASAP.

Verity Kent is back investigating a murder at her Aunt’s country estate, but of course it is much more complicated than that. Verity was a secret agent in WWI, and is still doing some work for the service. This is the first of this series that I’ve read so I need to go back and read the first three books in the series. Although they are stand alone books, it is always interesting to know the underlying backstory.

It's 1919 and Verity and Sydney are still finding their way as a couple but the one thing they are expert at is solving crimes. Verity's father has persuaded her to go help her Aunt Earnestine in Wiltshire- there's been a lot of strange events on the estate, mostly involving missing items and a missing maid. Did the members of the RAF, which occupied the estate, take them? Things ratchet up when the maid's body is found and then the gardener is murdered as well. AND, Lord Ardmore is lurking out there. This last, and the complications of Sydney and Verity's lives are explained for new readers but admittedly those who have read the series might appreciate it more. The mystery is, as always, nicely complicated but the best part of the novel(s) is the characters. Huber has done a terrific job of incorporating the effects of the war on both those who served and those who were at home. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A terrific read.

I like this series a lot. Verity and Sidney make a great investigative team. A maid disappears and Verity and Sidney are looking for answers when a relative's handyman is killed. Roman coins, lost mosaics, and questions from the past all converge on this dynamic couple.

Fourth in this entertaining series full of intrigue mysteries,this episode involves stolen heirlooms missing from Verity aunts house The interaction between Verity and her husband is also a wonderful part of this series.#netgalley #kensingtonbooks.

This was such a unique read. I've read cozy mysteries before but not any from a different time period. Anna Lee Huber was able to write an intriguing mystery wrapped up in one book. However, since it's part of a series, there were other elements that alluded to the underlying storyline. I loved that Huber quickly caught the reader up without the overexplaining. I could pick up book four without having read the previous three and still enjoy it.

In this novel, Verity Kent and her husband set out to visit her aunt, a woman who is prone to overexaggerating. So when Verity is asked to check in on her and the estate, she goes anticipating her aunt has stretched the truth as to the extent of the damages. What she doesn't expect to stumble upon a missing person and theft.

Verity is trying to stay out of the investigation when a murder occurs. She certainly doesn't need the added trouble, she has enough of her own. In a constantly unfolding mystery, Verity is embroiled in a dangerous game with the suspicious Lord Ardmore. She seems to be a magnet for assassination attempts. It was fun trying to work out the murder mystery and the motive for the suspects. It reminds me of an Agatha Christie novel.

I'm curious to see where Verity and her quest for justice leads us next. I've also got to promptly go check out the first three novels of the series!

This is the fourth book in the Verity Kent mystery series. Preparations for the one year anniversary of the Armistice are underway. Verity's stint in the British Secret Service had come to an end following the end of World War I. Yet, those skills honed in service are vital to solving the riddles and mysteries found in book four.

Without giving too much away, I must say that author Anna Lee Huber brings her characters to life so fully that one could easily imagine that these persons are very real. Each is replete with their own fears, sorrows, regrets, strengths, cleverness and devotion. Verity and her war-hero husband, Sidney, have settled into a relatively comfortable marriage after having been separated for fifteen months during the war. Yet each is still hounded by the horrors they faced during that Great War, some of which visit them and not just in their nightmares.

It is October of 1919. Sidney is speeding through the Wiltshire countryside in his brand-new red Pierce-Arrow roadster with Verity at his side, clinging to the dashboard as he maneuvers the vehicle around the country lanes. Verity, at her father's request, has been called to her Aunt Ernestine's estate to assess the damage done to the home while it was utilized as barracks for airmen flying off to war from the nearby airfield. There was also the mysterious disappearance of heirloom items from the home which Verity was expected to look into. It wasn't long after Verity's arrival that the first dead body was encountered along a wooded path of the estate. The local constabulary did their best and soon had a suspect in hand. But had that person truly been the perpetrator? Only time will tell. Meanwhile, some troublesome business carried over from the war is hounding Verity's nightmares and requires quick thinking and agile outmaneuvering of the person(s) after her. Tension increases as the chase is afoot and finally much is resolved as the story comes to a satisfying end. Yet there are still a few unanswered questions so that one is eager for a hopefully forthcoming fifth installment of the series.

The writing in this book is exquisite; scene descriptions - painterly; and history - well researched. If you are a fan of good, solid historical fiction with a touch of sleuthing, then I highly commend this series to you.

I am grateful to Netgalley for having provided a free ebook of this story. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Post-WWI Spy Intrigue
This is a very good mystery. The series has an overall arc storyline of looking for a certain bad-guy mastermind. Each book has a mystery to be solved. This book takes place late in the year following the armistice. To say more would spoil some of the plot. This story also deals with some of the war's fallout of men and women suffering from the mental and physical residual from the war. This is such a good book. I love the way the author presents things and really brings the story to life. I plan on reading all of this series. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Ana Lee Huber is a new author for me and I have to say I love her books and writing style. She has great prose and her books have been thoroughly researched. A Pretty Deceit is the 4th installment in the Verity Kent series and can be enjoyed as a stand alone. I love Verity - a heroine and spy during WW1, working in occupied Northern France and Belgium. This book has it all, family drama, missing loot, forgeries, espionage and murder. Verity and her husband Sidney (who verity thought was dead in book 1) visit Verity's aunt, Lady Popham at the request of her father, to investigate some strange occurrences - theft/forgeries/ghost/murder/missing maid. When they arrive they see how run down the manor is and her aunt less than forthcoming. Her cousin Reg, the new Baronet is back home, he was injured during the war and is now the blind..... together, Verity and Sidney try to figure out all the mysteries while investigating their nemesis Lord Ardmore. Will they be able to solve all the vexing mysteries???? I guess you will have to read it.

I read this book fairly quickly and have to say I enjoyed it - to me it was probably the best one yet. If you like the Maisie Dobb books (which I've read all), you will def. enjoy Verity Kent and you will def LOVE THIS AUTHOR.

I want more!!!!!

I love the depth I find in Anna Lee Huber's stories. She has proven herself a master at jumping from different historical settings. I found the fourth book in the series to be delightful. Verity and her husband are called to a relative's estate to help solve the unexplained disappearance of some treasured family objects as well as that of a missing maid. Is there a connection between these and the mysterious death of a local man? With some predictable and some unpredictable plot twists, I found this to be an enjoyable read. I was most drawn to Huber's elegant prose and the graceful focus on different characters' emotional scars from WWI, delving into how these continued to haunt them.

Within this story, we have a mystery that is solved witting the pages of this novel, but we also have another plot that is carried from past novels and is foreshadowed to continue in upcoming books. Readers will find that this can be read as a standalone, but will appreciate the overall plot and character arcs if the books within the series are read in order.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I am grateful to NetGalley for the ARC of "A Pretty Deceit" by Anna Lee Huber, fourth book in the Verity Kent Mystery series, and my first one to read and enjoy. Located in post WWI England, Verity Kent is a former wartime Secret Service agent. With her newly returned military veteran husband, they are thrown into a mystery to solve, as well as dealing with old adversaries. I was so impressed with the descriptive detail of this era and the evident research involved in writing this historical novel.

A Pretty Deceit, the latest in Anna Lee Huber's post-WWI mystery series, is sure to please those who have already read and enjoyed the previous books starring Verity Kent, wartime spy turned peacetime detective. This fourth volume sees Verity and her war hero husband Sidney, along with an ensemble of characters established over the last few books, pursuing their ongoing investigation of the devious Lord Ardmore's treachery and murders. Along the way, they're entangled in another mystery or two - murder does seem to dog Verity's footsteps - as first some thefts and disappearances, and then corpses, cause her long-suffering aunt to demand Verity's assistance. Naturally, this being a solidly plotted mystery novel, these seemingly disparate mysteries have their connection with Verity's continuing investigations, all of which provides for both a satisfying conclusion (to the single-story mystery) and a strong lead-in to a future Book #5.

Verity remains an engaging heroine, surrounded by an ensemble of more or less interesting characters (some rather more than others; I find Alec Xavier intriguing, but servants Nimble and Sadie feel wasted so far), and the plot moves at a smooth pace, sprinkling clues here and there at just the right times. I wouldn't say the solution has the rich inevitability of an Agatha Christie puzzle, but it's more than adequate, and the historical setting, just post-war and rife with comments on demobbed soldiers' PTSD, secrets & treason that have continued into peacetime, and the hardship faced by those on the home front while despairing over their loved ones in the trenches, is successful at going far deeper than just set decoration.

All in all, it's a solid, enjoyable, and quick read for fans of historical mystery series, and I look forward to it continuing for several more books to come!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the advance review copy!