In Anna Lee Huber's Murder Most Fair, the 5th installment in the Verity Kent historical mystery series, this newest edition would raise eyebrows and keep you in suspense. It all started for Verity Kent, a former Secret Service Agent for Winston Churchill, when she relaxed by their London home to enjoy their time together in November 1919. For five long years, the war was tiring to fight their enemies, even when she thought her husband was presumed dead. But when her German great-aunt Ilse arrived at their doorstep, claiming she'd thought she'd seen a second deserter from the war. To calm her great-aunt down, she talked to her about how she was afraid for her life back home in Germany and how someone threatened her life. From London, Verity returned to her hometown of Hawes, when her homecoming was nothing more than bittersweet with her family. The tension was high in the air, even when her great-aunt was ill, and she still mourned her late brother Rob who died in the war a few years ago. In the midst of this all, one of her great-aunt's maids was acting suspicious among the family and was later found dead in the barn by a pitchfork. Now it was up to Verity and Sidney to find out who killed her and why, even if it brought her answers close to home and closer to danger to find out the answer in the end.

This latest adventure takes Verity and her husband Sidney to Verity’s family manse in the countryside of England. The visit is hard on Verity as she has purposefully not returned home because she cannot bear to face the death of her brother Rob. Joining the Kents is Verity’s German aunt, Tante Ilse, and her maid, Fraulein Bauer. The Germans receive a chilly welcome in the countryside of England, as its citizens are still reeling from World War I and blaming all Germans for their suffering. The chill welcome escalates into something more when Fraulein Bauer is murdered, and although Verity is struggling with her grief, she throws herself into the mystery, hoping to get to the truth before Bauer’s killer claims another victim.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. There wasn’t as much “action” as in previous Verity Kent mysteries, which definitely took some getting used to, but I was really pleased that author Anna Lee Huber dedicated so much of the book to character nuance and development. Murder Most Fair is definitely a book that examines more of the inner world of our characters and their interrelationships, exploring the nature of grief, the ties between family, and how the war affected different people in different ways. It definitely gave me a lot to think about, and it was quite engrossing, seeing the way each character dealt with things. I admit that at turns Verity was quite exasperating, and I understood her family being cross with her for not seeing them for 5 years. However, this didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book.

I loved seeing the relationship between Verity and her family members. I’m glad it looks like we will be seeing more of Grace and Tim, and I hope Freddy as well. Reuniting Verity with her family gives her more nuance, and shows more of her faults, which makes her a richer character. This added depth to the heroine really makes for compelling reading and I hope we see more of this in future books.

Murder Most Fair was released on August 31, 2021.

The success of the Charles Todd mysteries (Caroline Todd died just a week ago; what a loss to the genre!) spurned a mini-genre explosion of World War I-themed mystery series. Their Ian Rutledge series is excellent, as is the Maisie Dobbs series. This new Verity Kent series begins, like those, after the war is over. The societal upheavals, the family dramas with shattered men returning from the front, and the end of the Edwardian gilded age are all part of the book. Verity is a young widow whose husband died during battle. She's invited to attend the engagement party of his best childhood friend on a remote island, and the reader knows immediately that we're in for a good country house murder. Verity is surprised and confused when all the attendees turn out to have been connected with a tragic desertion case her husband was involved with in France just before his death. As the weekend party continues, it becomes apparent that there are secrets swirling around the desertion case, and after she discovers a murder victim, Verity has to figure out what happened in France as well as what is happening then and there. Of course, there's a terrible storm and they are out off from the mainland, the electricity goes out, and Verity needs to identify the murderer before she's the next victim. I enjoyed the novel a lot, although there was a lot f jargon that the author tried to use to set the stage in the early 1920s that even this devotee of historical mysteries and old movies didn't recognize. For example, Tom is described as a dark,but when I looked it up, the Internet told me that is an American English word and not British slang. I'm still not sure how I feel about the main plot twist, and it would be giving away too much to discuss how that affected my impression of the book. But, the book is well written, the characters were nicely fleshed out, and I felt that I understood Verity and her actions much more than Stella in the previous book, because Ms. Huber dove into her emotional and psychological reactions. I recommend the book to those who like historical mysteries or English mysteries.

Murder Most Fair is the fifth title in the Verity Kent mysteries, and to date, I've read all of them.

This one is a little different to previous books. Much of the narrative takes place at Verity's family home, and this is actually a welcome break from some of the more frantic books in the series. The mystery of who committed the murder is well devised, with any number of potential suspects and I found the ending to be satisfying. I certainly look forward to more books in the series.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my review copy.

Another good mystery featuring Verity Kent and her husband, Sydney. Verity’s aunt leaves Germany after WWI to live the rest of her days in England with her brother, Verity’s dad, and their family after there is nobody left in Germany from her immediate family. Accompanying her is a personal lady’s maid, also German and causing tongues to wag on the village. With a murder uncovered, Verity and Sydney take on sleuthing to find the answers. Recommended, md thank NetGalley for the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read and review.

This is the fifth book in the Verity Kent series. We take a bit of a break from Lord Ardsmore (sort of) and travel home with Verity to her family's estate for the first time. We are introduced to new characters that I'm looking forward to seeing again in subsequent novels. There is murder, of course. Verity and her husband, Sidney are once again tasked to use their wits, knowledge, and war experiences to help solve the case. My only criticism of the book is that I do find it is getting tiresome to keep having Verity repeat to herself that she thought Sidney was dead for 'fifteen long months'. As this is the fifth book in the series (that really needs to be read in order), it should no longer be necessary (maybe we can just say 'when I thought he was dead' or 'at the end of the war'.

I love this series.
The mystery is well done and the characters are wonderful.
I prefer to read series in order so enjoy! LOL
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for my honest review.

I had read the the first 2 books in this Verity Kent series by Anna Lee Huber and liked them very much. All the books in the series showcase the heroine Verity Kent and her adventures in the regular world, post her adventures as a spy for the Crown during the Great War. In each book, we saw her investigating one murder case after the other or chasing her nemesis Lord Ardmore or both.

This book also follows the same norm. But this time, the story is centered in her hometown, where she had grown up and we get to meet her entire family. As usual, there is a murder there during her stay and though it seems like it might have been her adversory Lord Ardmore, Verity along with her husband Sidney try to find out the actual murderer.

Through this murder investigation, we get to see Verity grow up as a person, when she learns to handle her grief in a better way. It was also interesting to see how her relationship with her husband has both changed and grown. It was a delight to read their scenes together. This book was a delightful 5 stars for me.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author Anna Lee Huber for this ARC. The opinions provided in this review are entirely my own.

The latest Verity Kent novel brings her home to Yorkshire where she has not gone since the death of her brother. But Verity & Sidney do not go alone. Verity's great-aunt Ilse and her maid show up on her doorstep from war-torn Germany. Shortly after arriving in Yorkshire tragedy strikes that sends Verity into an investigation into her home town as well as war time Germany. Hopefully Ilse is healthy enough to help.

This was enjoyable and did not focus as much on the underlying story-line with Lord Ardmore. This is a series that is helpful to have read the previous novels in order to have some context especially since there is an investigation that spans the books. Murder Most Fair is only the fifth novel so going back to the beginning is not too much of a task.

In Murder Most Fair, Verity Kent is finally ready to face her family, whom she has not seen in five years. Between losing her brother and her work as an intelligence agent during WWI, of which her family knows nothing, she hasn't felt ready. The appearance of her German aunt and the aunt's maid hastens the trip and Verity is disturbed at the treatment of the two Germans by others in London and in her small hometown. Once a murder occurs shortly before Christmas, she has to set aside her grief and her very difficult mother in order to figure out who the killer is before someone else is wrongfully accused and convicted.

I really don't want to say any more than that, as this is not only a mystery, but also the fifth book in Anna Lee Huber's Verity Kent series. I was worried I wouldn't be able to follow along, as I had only read the first in the series, but had no trouble. The overriding story is still there--Verity knows there were traders in her midst during the war and one of them is still out to get her--but the reunion with her family and the accompanying mystery are the bulk of the book. This book provided a fascinating look at grief and the accompanying judgment that can come from others regarding the way we all handle our loss. Verity's mother is A LOT and she criticizes Verity almost constantly (and then wonders why Verity has stayed away). Having to face all of the memories of her closest sibling, Rob, and finally accept that he is really gone is the biggest part of Verity's journey. I had previously read almost all of Huber's Lady Darby series but this reminded me that I really need to go back for more. If you like some history with your murder, plus a splash of coziness, you definitely need to check her out.

After reading this advance copy, I went back and read the rest of the series. I've become a huge fan of Verity and Sydney and their whole gang. If you enjoy other books set between the world wars, as I do, pick up this series. Of course the characters are wealthy socialites who have an excuse to travel around and solve murders, but they also come across as three-dimensional people carrying emotional and sometimes physical scars from the war. WWII gets a lot of interest here in the US, but the WWI decimated Europe, killing more than half of the young men and leaving the continent traumatized and the whole way of life changed. Sorry for the tangent! Returning to the book, I like the way Verity's character stands in for a lot of women after the war. Her conflicts with her mother come from how she has changed and her perspective on the role of women and "proper" jobs for them have shifted from what her parents' generation expected. This story is about a murder, but it's also about the changing English society. Such a great read--go read the whole series!

I would like to thank Anna Lee Huber, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. It felt like it took a while for this story to get going. There was a bunch of exposition in the beginning, then a bunch of family drama; I almost didn’t realize when the plot kicked in and all the exposition from the beginning started to matter. Despite that, I liked the book; it was nice to see familiar characters again, and I liked that we dove deeper into Verity's family. I’m not sure what Huber’s doing with Max anymore, though; he doesn’t seem to serve much purpose, certainly not in this book.

I really enjoy Anna Lee Huber's historical mysteries. Murder Most Fair is the fifth Verity Kent book. She and Sidney continue their search for evidence against Ardmore and look into a suspicious bombing from the war. Their inquiry crosses into their family life when Verity's relative's maid is found dead. Verity and Sidney tackle the case while Verity comes to grip with a family tragedy. The couple finds themselves stronger at the end and ready to pursue Ardmore against a backdrop of post-WWI Britain grappling with collective and individual grief and anti-German sentiments. Huber puts so much research into her writing that she paints an accurate and heartbreaking world for her characters.

Ok, so I am a HUGE fan of Anna Lee Huber's books! This one is the latest in the Verity Kent mystery series. I love how Verity and her husband get involved in each murder and mystery and help get them solved. In this one, her Aunt from Germany is encountering problems and Verity must help figure out why. Dig in and transport yourself to England after the war and enjoy!

Huber’s series starring Verity and Sidney continues to explore the social and psychological aftermath of World War I. Both Verity and her husband had important roles to play in the war, and struggle to return to an England at peace. The author deals with the complicated issues of families who were divided by geography during wartime, trying to come back together.

I think this book is best read as part of the series, since there is a significant back story to Verity and Sidney’s relationship.

Murder Most Fair was another very good addition to the Verity Kent mysteries by Anna Lee Huber. I really enjoyed this one for a number of reasons.

Verity and Sidney finally return to Verity's family home up in Yorkshire. We have been waiting like her family for this return. However Verity has been dealing with war things, plus she has found it hard to face into the fact her brother Rob will no longer be there. He was shot down during the war in his fighter plane.  

During the whole book we see Verity struggling with re inserting herself into the family, and get a view of the various family members. Her mother, a rather difficult and fraught relationship, her Dad seems steady, her two brothers with post war related stresses and her sister Grace. Grace is young and has missed her sister. But...

I loved where she lived. Very English - not of Downton Abbey standing but in a much smaller way, still very class oriented. They had a butler and maids, Verity's mother was sort of the "the" lady of the village.

The fact they have Aunt Ilse with them and her German maid provides some tension as the villagers are not happy to have Germans among them. And so the mystery evolves and comes to its frightful conclusion. I did sort of suspect but didn't get it totally right. 

All the time the over arcing story of what Lord Ardmore is doing and when he might strike next is always threading its way through the story, which muddies the waters of the present mystery as well.

Truthfully Verity and Sidney and now her family have wormed their way into my heart. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Anna Lee Huber’s Murder Most Fair is the fifth installment of the adventures of British Secret Service Agent Verity Kent. This story begins in November, 1919 on the one year anniversary of Armistice Day. Verity and her husband Sidney, who is a recently returned WWI hero, are relaxing and planning their holiday vacation to visit Verity’s family. Verity has to do what she has been avoiding for 5 years, she has to go home. Home, where the memories of her brother Rob (a Flyboy who was killed in action over France during the war) will bombard her and bring her dangerously close to losing the slim hold she has on her grief.

One of the things I like about this fifth installment is that we get to meet and learn more about Verity’s family. As with all families, they are not without their issues. Each of them are dealing with the aftermath of the war in their own way. Verity has a very complex relationship with her mother and siblings. (who doesn’t?). This showed the readers Verity’s more human side instead of just focusing on the exploits of Agent Verity Kent and this made for an interesting read.

One member of Verity’s family that is also introduced in this story is her Great Aunt Ilsa. Ilsa and her maid have lived in Germany for many years. They ultimately accompany Verity and Sidney to celebrate the holidays with Verity’s family. The Great Aunt and her maid they are faced with unwelcome and biased attitudes because they are German. When the maid is murdered, it is up to Verity and Sidney to catch her killer.

I suggest that readers who haven't yet met the Kent's would be much happier and less confused if they would start with the first in the series: This Side of Murder. Author Anna Lee Huber is an excellent writer. She brings so much detail to post WWI Europe. Her character development and complex story line keeps the reader guessing until the very end. I truly was pleased with this historical mystery and cannot wait to see what Anna Lee Huber has in store for Verity next. Well done.

Thank you to Anna Lee Huber, Kensington, and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I am an follower of this series. I have enjoyed all five books. I just wonder how much longer this series can continue with out a life development boost for Verity. If we remove the struggling relationship issues between Verity and her husband, and we all get over the emotional impact of the first World War, what is left? Verity somewhat made nice with her family in the this book, and the story flowed well and the plot was tight. But, not for her and her husband's war connections, this mystery would not have been solved. I wonder if any other readers feel this way, or should we just suspend belief that these folks are never going to go on with their life? This is an honest opinion of a book I received thru Net Galley.

The Verity Kent series continues to be a thesis on the ramifications of secrecy and war long after the final bullet was fired.

Cautiously and gingerly balancing Sidney's own war-time experience with Verity's carefully cloistered espionage secrets from her own unique time in the war arena, Murder Most Fair is another exclamation on the ability of the past to nip at these beloved characters' heels. This time amidst Verity's extended family, interweaving more colourful and well-defined characters to the already dimensional mix.


With Huber's trademark atmospheric immersion, we are settled in the Yorkshire Dales and an idyllic countryside canvas that cannot help but carve deep feelings of loss and nostalgia--as well as a portentous feeling that the peace of an entire year after the Armistice is fragile.

I will never tire of Huber's ability to describe Verity's life and world with such careful, soft precision. Nor will I ever tire of Sidney and Verity sewing up the threads of loss as they dedicate to their romance again and again..

This 5th book in the Verity Kent series does not disappoint. These books are stand alone, but definitely best read in order. This book takes Verity and her husband home to a small English village where she grew up. Of course there is a death and a mystery, but this book is more about her siblings and parents and how they are trying to move on after the war.