Anne Perry’s 17th Christmas novel has Lady Vespasia and her new husband Victor Narraway attending a Christmas house party. Victor is on a missions, and is his typically angsty way, he is haunted by an incident in his past that seems to have some bearing on his present circumstances. Lady Vespasia is uncharacteristically unsure of her bearings in their still new marriage. Lovers of Anne Perry’s novels will be delighted!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Anne Perry's annual Christmas book and it is amazing! Her books never fail to entertain. A Victorian whodunnit that is a fast paced cozy novella.

I look forward to Anne Perry's annual Christmas novella every year. This year was particularly delightful as it featured Lady Vespesia, an aunt of sorts to the Pitts. She is married to Pitts former boss, Narraway. They have traveled to an English estate to spend Christmas but it turns out Narraway has an ulterior motive.

There is an attempted murder and the involvement of state secrets to liven up the house party. The situation brings back sad memories of a botched operation for Narraway. Things move at a fast pace in this short but complete story. This is a nice addition to Perry's Christmas series.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.

For many years, Anne Perry has written an annual short novel centered on Christmas and featuring characters from her various series. This is 2019’s entry.

In this outing, Perry features Lady Vespasia, who was looking forward to spending a quiet Christmas with her husband, Victor Narraway. Victor, a former head of the Special Branch, is accepting stolen documents that will reveal the identity of a traitor. In order to do that they must attend a gathering at one of the great halls in the country. Vespasia’s hopes for time with her husband are dashed. Vespasia knows the other people and is not pleased with the company she’ll be keeping. And, to make matters worse, Victor won’t tell her anything about why they’re spending Christmas with people she doesn’t care for. Not a good beginning of the Christmas holiday.

Perry’s deft drawing of a lavish country home and its gardens will have the reader whisked into a Victorian Christmas with the added gift of a mystery thrown in for good measure. Perry adds details about the guests that will have you liking some, but disliking others. Lady Vespasia is fleshed out beyond her role in the Thomas Pitt series. At the end of the book, I was hoping Perry will write a series featuring Lady Vespasia.

Perry doesn’t rush her story, but nevertheless, this is a fast read, and a thoroughly enjoyable one at that.

If you are unfamiliar with Anne Perry’s books, this is a wonderful starting place because it is a stand-alone with only the vague reference to characters you might not know. If you’re a Perry fan, this delightful outing will bring some Christmas cheer to your reading list.

Thanks to Ballantine and NetGalley for an eARC.

I always look forward to Anne Perry's Christmas books! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy. I am admittedly a die hard Anne Perry fan and I love the Christmas books especially those involving Lady Vespasia and her now husband Victor Narroway. The book had mystery, secrets, and all the trappings of the season - it did not disappoint and it kept me guessing!!

I haven't read any of Anne Perry's Christmas books, but I will be reading more. I love Charlotte and Thomas Pitt and Monk and Hester. This story centers around Vespasia, Charlotte's relative. There are new characters and events since I last read a Charlotte and Thomas Pitt mystery. Vespasia and her husband are invited to a grand manor for Christmas. However, Vespasia knows that it is more than a holiday. Her husband, Lord Narraway, used to be head of Special Branch has other reasons. I enjoy these mysteries. This one has some twists in it and for Lord Narraway, it brings back bitter memories. It is always interesting to me to read about the British aristocracy and on the various expectations of this class. Great story and quite short. If you love Victorian mysteries, you will like this one.

A Christmas Gathering is this year's seasonal novella written by Anne Perry. This one features two of my favorite Anne Perry characters, Vespasia and Victor Narraway. Fans of the Thomas Pitt series will know these characters well but the book can also be read as a standalone.

Vespasia is a woman of a certain age and she has the beauty and wisdom that those of her age hope for. Victor has a difficult past history; among other jobs, he was the head of Special Branch which dealt with crimes around terrorism and other issues.

The two are invited to a house party over the lead up to Christmas. As it turns out, Victor has a job to do while there although he does not initially tell Vespasia this. Also at the house are the person assigned to pass a confidential report to Victor and someone who is looking to hurt Victor. Victor, himself, is aware of the similarities between this assignment and one in his past when he failed. This failure has troubled him for twenty or more years.

The case is solved in time for Victor and Vespasia to welcome the holiday. Along the way, there is much wisdom dispensed, some of it centering on the need to forgive oneself one's human failings. In addition there is much wit in this book as Vespasia spars with at least one of the other women in the house party.

This novella is a quick read and one that will be welcomed by Anne Perry's many readers. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! It was a nice quick read. More mystery than Christmasy ( a little dissapointed in that area) but a great mystery and while I did figure out the main 'bad guy' there was a surprise twist I did NOT see coming! I felt the book ended a little abruptly. I enjoyed the romance between the main older couple, who have been married for a short time. Not something that is usually portrayed and a nice touch. Overall, if you like mysteries this book is a great, fun relaxing read!

This is the first Anne Perry book I have read.
This is also a book in a series with the character Lady Vespasia. There were hints about what I might have missed in past books but I felt like this was a stand alone book and did not miss anything by not reading past books. This was a very fast read.
It was a light , cozy mystery that got straight to the point. There wasn't a whole lot of the story that tried to mislead the reader to wonder who the villain was. I like reading books that take place in the 1800's to early 1900's. The way people gathered at houses for weeks at a time for socializing. And the way society was back then is very interesting. I can see this would be a fun series to continue to follow. Hopefully there will be another in the future.

The annual Anne Perry Christmas novella is a long-running treasured gift for the holidays to her legions of fans and this 17th installment does not disappoint. Thankfully, Lady Vespasia is back in the holiday book, this time with her new husband, Victor Narraway, as they spend the holidays at a country estate.

The past and the present and a lot of intrigue are the highlights of this installment.

As usual, very enjoyable!!

Anne Perry’s annual Christmas Novella and a gift to us. It was as always a quick, good read. This is a true treat to read. Enjoy

Lord Victor Narraway & his wife Lady Vespasia were invited to the estate of Lord Max and Lady Amelia Cavendish for Christmas along with 4 other couples.Victor had once been the head of the powerful Special Branches, a department under the Home Office that dealt with anarchists, terrorists and saboteurs.

Although Narraway and the Cavendish were not close, Victor had sought the invitation. He was to receive a secret packet of submarine plans that would eventually be passed onto the Germans. Iris, one of the guests made plans to meet Victor at Midnight in the Orangerie and give him the packet. Once the transfer was made, someone started shooting at Victor. After he escaped inside he went back to bed where Vespasia was asleep.

The next morning Iris’s husband James could not find her. When they got to the Orangerie, they found Iris bruised and unconscious. In that state, Iris was kept under guard by the servants while Victor tried to find out who attacked both of them.

This is the 16th holiday book the author has written. Her books take place in Victorian England and give the readers insight into life among different classes of people who lived there.

Vespasia and her husband Victor Narraway go to the country estate of Max and Lady Amelia Cavendish. Vespasia would have liked to stay home, but she knew there was some reason that Victor wished to go. There were three other couples there - Rafe and Rosalind Allenby, Iris and James Watson-Watt, and Georgiana and Dorian Brent.

Vespasia finally finds out that Victor's reason for coming was to get some altered submarine plans from one of the guests (which on he doesn't know until he is notified) to be passed on through the network. Hopefully they would show up a traitor in British Intelligence. Victor had done a similar task in Normandy, where he was supposed to be protecting Edith, the passer. However, Edith was killed and he never found the papers or her killer. This was a chance to redeem himself.

Tensions are high among the guests. Lady Amelia seems to have a dislike for Vespasia, and Iris seems to be attracting a lot of attention. The papers do get passed; someone gets hurt; and there is a very exciting end as we find that more than the two participants are aware of what was to happen at the party. There is a connection between Victor's current task and his failure twenty years before.

At slightly over 200 pages long this annual Christmas novella from Anne Perry is sure to give her fans exactly the pleasure they have come to expect from her. This was my first time reading anything in this series so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. This is the third Christmas Vespasia and Victor have been married and she would have preferred to spend the time at home instead of at the country estate of Max and Lady Amelia Cavendish. Vespasia knows Victor has some business he needs to take care of but he has not confided in her and she will not ask what it is.

This is a story where Vespasia and Victor keep repeating how much they love and trust each other and then proceed to not share any thoughts and don't act as if they trust each other at all. Almost falling into that dreaded category of "the big misunderstanding" this one is saved because it just isn't long enough to develop that thread fully. Someone has conked one of the guests on the head and an investigation uncovers how deeply hatred is running through this Christmas house party. If you are a fan of the Thomas Pitt series you will have come to know Vespasia, her past and her present so you will probably be very glad to catch up with her during this holiday offering.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for an e-galley of this novella.

Thank you Net Galley for this book! What a surprise I wasn't expecting this kind of exciting book! What a mystery, a crime ,love,being resentful for so many years and It's Chrstmas! Wasn't expecting all of this but it was such a great exciting book! The characters you get to know some off them in fact you see them as you read! You will not be disappointed in this book,there's no way!! So put your mind to work and let's see who did it and why!!! Anne always always writes so well and her description on things is enough to see the setting and get to know everyone!!🙈🙉🙊

A Christmas Gathering for friends, this was not! Someone had a clandestine meeting with a person that he did not know. How will this estranged group manage to function amidst all the mistrust and hostility that was developing. Despite all this turbulence, the author does have a satisfying outcome.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for an advanced ecopy of “A Christmas Gathering” by Anne Perry.

I am reviewing this title for the holiday edition of Mystery Scene Magazine I do not own this review. See the review in the Holiday Mystery Scene magazine

I have enjoyed many other books and series by Anne Perry but did not realize that Lady Vespasia has her own series. I really enjoyed this book or novella, whichever you prefer. The historical context adds to the fun and lots of interesting characters thrown into the mix. I wish there had been a little more involved in identifying the murderer, just sort of happened quickly and then it was over. Otherwise a fun, easy read.

A Christmas Gathering is the annual Anne Perry Christmas mystery. This novella is set in the world of a country manor as we follow Lady Vespasia and her husband Victor Narraway. As with all of Anne Perry's writings there is an espionage intrigue followed by a murder. This book was read quickly and enjoyed thoroughly. It wouldn't be Christmas without an Anne Perry novel.

There is a lot of turns and twists in this great holiday mystery. I just love the Victorian home. I hated that she didn’t get her relaxing holiday at home with her new husband. But ends up in a murder mystery and she feels left alone while husband must forgive himself and save the spirit of Christmas.