"Villainy in Vienna" by Kelly Oliver is a delightful and spirited spy thriller set against the backdrop of 1917 Vienna. Fiona Figg, a file clerk turned British agent, is a refreshing protagonist whose wit, intelligence, and unconventional approach to espionage make for an engaging and entertaining read.

Oliver's storytelling shines as she combines elements of historical fiction, mystery, and humor. The narrative unfolds with a delightful blend of intrigue and comedy, offering readers a unique and enjoyable experience. Fiona's character is a highlight, defying traditional spy stereotypes with her preference for practical oxfords over ballgowns and a penchant for disguises, including a fake mustache.

The murder mystery at the heart of the story adds an extra layer of suspense, and Oliver successfully keeps readers guessing as Fiona investigates the royal body found on the dancefloor. The pacing is well-maintained, with a balance between action-packed sequences and moments of introspection.

The novel's setting in Vienna during World War I is vividly portrayed, capturing the atmosphere of the time and place. The author's attention to historical detail adds authenticity to the narrative, immersing readers in a world of espionage, danger, and political intrigue.

Fiona's journey, as she tracks her nemesis, the Black Panther, through Vienna and the Austrian countryside, is filled with unexpected twists and turns. The introduction of a hunting accident adds a layer of complexity, forcing Fiona to reconsider her loyalties and adding depth to her character.

While "Villainy in Vienna" is a thoroughly enjoyable read, some readers may find certain aspects of the plot a bit formulaic for the spy genre. The elements of disguise and espionage, while entertaining, may feel familiar to those well-versed in spy fiction.

In conclusion, "Villainy in Vienna" is a four-star adventure that delivers a delightful blend of mystery, humor, and historical intrigue. Kelly Oliver's creation of the charismatic Fiona Figg and the compelling backdrop of wartime Vienna makes for an entertaining and engaging read. If you're a fan of unconventional spies and clever mysteries, this novel is a charming addition to the genre.

Villainy in Vienna is the third book in the Fiona Figg Mysteries by Kelly Oliver. This series is set in World War I era Europe and follows protagonist Fiona Figg as she works for the British War Office as an operative. This particular installment see Fiona and her co-worker Clifford Douglas following their nemesis, Frederick Fredericks, to Vienna to try to prevent whatever mayhem he has planned there.

The author of this series has done an admirable job of basing her mysteries around events and individuals which had impact on the situations brought about as a result of the war in Europe. By using this basis, the reader is enticed to learn more about the actual events and people which are loosely represented in this series giving an opportunity for new understanding of this time in history for a new generation. Although the author did include some background history of the earlier interactions between the main characters, I did find that I needed to read the earlier installments in order to completely follow along with the underlying continuing plot and story. It will be interesting to see where the author takes the future developments and interactions with these characters in the context of the waning days of The Great War.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and Level Best Books and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I simply adored this book! great story and great characters. Down to earth!

I love mysteries in this time period so an amazing great story for me.

The leading lady detective in this book, Fiona Figg, was interesting and amusing, but some of the side characters were really crude. Also, the "art" described was anything but art. I might check out another of the Fiona Figg mysteries later, but I wasn't thrilled with this one. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this e-book. A positive review was not required, and the thoughts above are my own.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. A good Mystery thriller novel. Love the cover.

The Fiona Figg series just keeps improving from book to book, and this was the best installment yet.

Though the spy craft is borderline goofy at times (fake mustaches! Fake blood!) the plot is an excellently woven and fun blend of history and fiction.

Fiona is a terrific detective, if a borderline incompetent spy, but that doesn’t detract much from the fun of the narrative, which derives an evocative and immersive feel through its characters and settings.

Oliver does a good job of incorporating real historical figures and events into Fiona’s story. Though a lot of what happens as Fiona and the Black Panther continue to square off seems a tad absurd, it’s an enjoyable dance to follow and creates a unique perspective on WWI espionage. I’m eager for the next installment in the series.

I really wanted to love this mystery. However, I found the main character to be weak. The story is also very slow-paced and nothing happens until the end. Still, I recommend this for fans of historical mysteries!

I decided before jumping into this book, I would read the first books in the series. This is the third book, and just in case, I usually try to get myself up to date before jumping into a series right in the middle.

I really enjoy Fiona Figg's go getter attitude. The series takes place during WW2, and women are beginning to be allowed to work in what would typically be considered "men's" jobs because all of the men were at war.

Fiona jumps straight into espionage and goes undercover. In the first books, she did this as well, but she was disguised as a man a few times, and it was a riot! In this third installment she goes undercover as herself, which is new for this series, but also refreshing. After a couple of books, I didn't really want to hear about how itchy a faux mustache was anymore, even though it was a fun aspect in the previous books.

This book also brought the typical cozy mystery love triangle a bit more into the light.

Normally, I appreciate a cozy that doesn't have a love triangle at all, but in this book, it is very enjoyable. It feels like a much more gradual thing in this series and finally we are seeing a little bit of it come out a bit more blatantly.

All in all, I enjoyed this book, as well as the previous two. I hope that the series continues on. I definitely want to see how the triangle plays out!

Loved reading this book. It has just the right amount of humor and mystery. Two genres which usually don't go together well. The interaction between Fredricks and Fiona are amusing and Kelly Oliver has kept the intrigue on, compelling the reader to await for the next book in this series. The interlinking of history with the story is also interesting.

This book took a while for me to finish. I just couldn’t really get all the way into it. I love the main character and the idea that it was a series. I like that it is a historical fiction novel with a little spice. Everyone loves a good nemesis too. So the author did great on all of that. I wish I was drawn in longer though. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book for an honest review.

This book was too cute, I really enjoyed it! It was fun, it was witty, and it was a compelling story. All in all, and all around a great and fun read.

This is the first book in this series and while the mystery(s) can be read as stand alone the character's do mention previous situations and the building of the character might be better if read in order. The villain is interesting, the historical titbits are fun but I did find Fiona annoyingly ineptness which seems at total odd's with her cleverness in solving the mystery(s). This left me unsure if I will read more of this series. This is my honest opinion having received the ebook in exchange for it.

This is my first time reading any of the Fiona Figg mysteries and I enjoyed this book as a standalone. I probably would have enjoyed it even more if I had read the previous books especially as Fiona's relationships with the men in her life is great fun to read.
Fredrick Fredricks is the enemy you love to hate and I couldn't help but find him very charming and humorous, especially where Fiona is concerned. Archie didn't appear much in this book but when he did he was a charming addition too. It will be interesting to see what happens with them in New York in the next adventure.

There is more than one mystery to solve in Vienna and I found it a little confusing at times as there were so many characters to keep track of.. The dognapping wasn't a particularly interesting case nor was the missing notebook but they got resolved quite quickly in the end. The actual mystery of who the spy was to prevent another murder was much better but side-swept somewhat with the other cases. I did like that the characters were based on real people and real events.

File clerk turned British agent Fiona Figg is more comfortable wearing a fake mustache than a ballgown.

When a royal ball ends with a royal body in the middle of the dancefloor, Fiona trades her dancing slippers for practical oxfords and sets out to investigate. The characters were easy to invest in and overall an enjoyable easy read.

Rating:

3.5/5

This novel took me longer to read. It was a stop and start for me. I had difficulties getting into the story.

Fiona Figg is a British spy and this is supposed to be a cozy mystery. She is in Vienna pretending to be married to another spy who could be a double agent. We meet real life characters like the first wife of Albert Einstein and Frau Sacher.

The story became a little more interesting towards the end of he book.

Though I usually enjoy cozy mysteries, this story did not catch my attention. Perhaps other people would love this book.

Thank you to Net Galley for a complimentary copy of the digital ARC.

Although part of a series this can be read as a stand alone, which i did having never read the previous in the series

I could not decide if this was supposed to be a cosy mystery thriller, an espionage novel or a comedy as the main character as a British spy in Germany she is truly dire

A good read if you know the authors other books but not for me

It took me a while to read this as I kept stopping and starting. I think this was because it just didn't hold my interest for long periods of time.

It was a fun cosy mystery, fairly easy to read other that the fact it seemed long-winded and I liked the characters as they were each quite unique.

It is the third in the series but I don't feel I needed to read the others in order to read this one so I would say it is a stand alone read. The main character Fiona Figg seemed a bit clumsy in her style of spying/espionage and life in general.

All in all it was a fun book to read and a bit light-hearted.

This book is enjoyable, fun, and entertaining. Fiona (a British Spy) must track down The Black Panther from Vienna to the Austrian countryside against the backdrop of WW1. As someone who has lived in Vienna for several years, I was invested in the storyline. It’s a delightful, quick read that adeptly combines history, suspense, and fantasy. The reader is expected to suspend a good deal of judgment when it comes to the main character, so I deducted a star. All in all, I recommend this book to readers that enjoy historical cozy mysteries.

Villainy in Vienna by Kelly Oliver is the third installment in the Fiona Figg Mystery series.
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I liked the setting of the story as well as the turbulent time it writes about but for some reason I couldn't connect with the main heroine.
Her character including all other seemed somehow stereotypical and exaggerated almost cartoonish. I simply couldn't take them seriously enough.
This could be attributed to the fact that this is the first book in the series that I have read and didn't properly followed the story from the beginning.
The mystery itself was nicely presented, the story is steady paced and apart from occasional expressions befitting the time it is set in, easy to read.

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. This is a great mystery that's just enjoyable to read.