A very entertaining story about a brave girl who must do everything to protect her country. A story that takes place in Europe during the 30s, previous to the Second World War. MI6's secret intelligence has lost contact with its informer in Northern Italy. For this reason, they must choose someone who can go and investigate what is happening. They fear that Nazi Germany will annex Austria as part of their strategy. The young Elena Standish is the only one who can recognize Aiden Strother, a man belonging to MI6, with whom she had had an intimate relationship in the past. Elena heads to Italy to find Aiden and discover what happened to him and why he cut off communication with Great Britain. This magnificent book caught my attention from the first page. The situation was undoubtedly tense for those who lived in Europe before the war. I liked that the author mentioned the knowledge of Elena, a woman who speaks many languages. I can't imagine how difficult it must be to get into territory that is occupied by a potential enemy. The author excellently narrated the situations that Elena experienced clearly and forcefully. A story that is full of suspense, mystery, and political intrigue. I thank NetGalley, and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Being a huge Anne Perry fan she didn't disappoint with this new series. Each book gets better each time. I love how she writes in twist and turns that one doesn't except. She brings the characters to life and makes you feel like you are there and a part of the story. It's hard to put down the book due to the intensity of the story line.. Reading A Question of Betrayal was like revisiting old friends. With that said I would highly recommend reading the first book in the series Death in Focus. I have really enjoyed each series that Anne Perry has put out and how each one is very different from the other. Each book compels one to keep going. Having this series with a MI6 twist is great and I look forward in the next one.

This is the second book in the Elena Standish series. Death in Focus was the first. It had a much better plot. This book was pretty thin with action, detail, and plot. I would probably not read another in this series.

I usually enjoy Anne Perry’s books, and A QUESTION OF BETRAYAL, the second Elena Standish novel, did not disappoint. Even though this book references the first book in the series DEATH IN FOCUS, I think this can be read as a standalone. I was immediately immersed in this tale full of intrigue, duplicity, betrayal, and murder. There are three threads that all work together to tell an exciting, engaging story in the increasingly tumultuous years leading up to World War II. All of the characters are well developed and believable. I particularly enjoy watching Elena and her sister Margot continue to grow and become more confident in their place in the world. The sisters’ grandparents are another bright spot; their experiences are so interesting. I cannot wait to spend more time in Elena’s world. Highly recommended.

I received an ARC of this title through NetGalley from Ballantine Books and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.

Author Anne Perry's Elena Standish mystery series is her newest and is a spectacular addition to her vast collective works. This second book in series, set in the 1933/1934 time period, is exciting, clever, very well written and it deftly weaves three story lines which converge into a thrilling climax. Her scene descriptions are painterly and provide a glimpse into the subtle nuances of human interaction through the personalities of her well-conceived characters. Perry is truly masterful.

After her harrowing experiences in "Death in Focus" (the first book in series), our protagonist, Elena Standish, receives her first MI6 assignment. Going into enemy territory, making contact and safely extracting a deeply embedded agent is a tall order for anyone, let alone a freshman agent. However, as Elena was once the love interest of said agent, she is the best choice MI6 has at locating and identifying the agent by his subtle mannerisms, even though six years have passed since they were last together. She convinces herself that she can keep this totally professional, make the contact, and get the guy out safely. When they finally meet, he's as charming as ever, almost as though no time had passed. The story progresses through some cat and mouse moments, a few close-calls and ends with a fabulous climax.

Meanwhile, her older sister is off in Berlin for a childhood friend's wedding and overhears some delicate intel at the reception. Elena's retired grandparents too are having a bit of an MI6 moment upon the sudden death of a dear old Cambridge friend, after an interesting visit with one another the week before. Was it natural causes? Or perhaps not?

At the front of this book, Ms. Perry clearly states that this book is a work of fiction regardless of the historical context. Being rather curious about the time and place, I did a bit of sleuthing of my own and concur that Ms. Perry has taken some liberty with the historic record in order to craft a spectacular story. The Fatherland Front was a real organization of Austria back in that day but was focused differently than was presented in this story. Regardless, the storytelling is grand and this was a most enjoyable read.

I am grateful to Random House Publishing Group for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review, the words of which are mine alone.

“1933, a new, brash, desperate age”. Hitler is on his ascent, the brownshirts are taking control, there are splinter factions within the larger whole and each is trying to regain the glory of what was Germany before the First World War. The British are watching, waiting, inserting a few players trying to keep abreast of what is happening, what is to be feared.

This book was so edgy. I was waiting for the knife in the back, the floater in the canal, the silhouetted man in the alley. I could feel hearts beating so loudly they blocked out conversation, silent whispers shrieked in the night. Is it possible for an inexperienced young woman to master her emotions and overcome a messy betrayal? Can she save her former lover? Will she succeed? Will she survive?

There are great issues raised within this superb spy story. What constitutes real courage? Does living mean hurt is unavoidable? Are our leaders bound to make the same mistakes over and over? Do the realities of war ever take into account the devastation of the victims?

I have read several of Anne Perry’s books and enjoyed them all but this was a stand-out for me. Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for a copy

Courtesy of NetGalley, I received an ARC of A Question of Betrayal by Anne Perry. Having not read the first book in this series, I had no problem getting immersed in the narrative of this novel. Intelligent and resourceful strong women characters highlighted this compelling tale of history and espionage in pre WWII Europe. A page-turner!

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series. It introduced Elena Standish and her family and friends. This book, the second in the series, starts to give depth and life to the characters. I suggest reading the first book first, so you can understand how the individuals have gotten to where they are at this point.

Elena is tasked with a job for MI6, the British secret intelligence group that she has recently joined. The task takes her to northern Italy to save the man who betrayed her and caused her years of emotional pain.

It takes everything in her to agree to the job but once in Italy, she begins to see Aiden in a different light. When he comes under suspicion, she stands beside him to save him, not only for the information he carries but also because of who he is.

There are all kinds of twists and turns in this story. They reach from Britain to northern Italy and back. Elena’s sister ends up in Berlin, in which the Nazis are growing ever more powerful.

There is so much going on and the story comes together beautifully. I’m looking forward to the next in the series.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

I’ve long enjoyed Anne Perry’s Charlotte and Thomas Pitt books, so I was thrilled to be offered a chance to read an ARC of the second title in her new Elena Standish series, A Question of Betrayal, in exchange for my honest review.

A Question of Betrayal has a different feel than the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series – it has many elements that were more like a thriller (or maybe a romantic suspense tale) than a “straight” murder mystery. There are spies, and double agents, and political agendas, and secret plots, and money laundering. But I’m not usually a big fan of thrillers, and yet I really liked this book. Part of why I liked it so much, I think, is that Perry does a great job of melding the big-picture historical background, which we all pretty much know about, since it’s set between WWI and WII, with the specific background for this story. And her characters, whether fictional or real, fit nicely and believably into their places. I also especially liked the parts of the book that were set in Trieste, a complicated city that I’ve become more interested in since reading a history of Venice and the Adriatic in which Trieste often appeared.

Another reason I liked it is that it’s more elegant than most thrillers, and doesn’t depend mainly on feats of unbelievable physical prowess - although I still love Where Eagles Dare! Instead it relies more on the subtlety of relationships and differing points of view. Perry manages to keep multiple threads going throughout the book: Elena and her mission to Trieste; Elena’s grandfather and his former school friend/MI6 colleague; and Elena’s sister, Margot, and her visit to Germany for her friend’s wedding – to a German officer. She does this without letting things become confusing, and then she ties them up nicely in the end. And, of course, there are a few murders to solve as well!

On the down side, I only have one small niggle – I wish I had read the first book in the series first. Perry does do a pretty good job of filling in what background is necessary, but I just had occasional moments throughout the book when I felt as if I might be missing something I was supposed to know. In the end, I don’t think I actually was missing anything too vital, but if you have a choice, I think I’d recommend reading the first one first.

All-in-all though, this was a thoroughly enjoyable book, and I very much look forward to going back and reading the first one. I also hope there will be more coming in the series! And my thanks again to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the review copy.

A Question of Betrayal by Anne Perry (Elena Standish #2) 4.5 stars

This book follows last years "Death in Focus" which introduced us to Elena Standish. After a trial by fire in last years book, we find Ms. Standish given an assignment from MI6 that gives her pause. She is told to find a contact in Italy and get a deep cover agent out of danger and bring him back to England. The problem is the deep cover agent is the man who betrayed her and England or so she thought. Who to trust is a dangerous game during these times.

This book is full of atmosphere, with undertones of dread and terror. The backdrop for all the action is Continental Europe between the wars, where the wealthy wear high fashion and have parties with brittle tones of trying to forget or ignore current events. Europe is also a place where people can get stopped in the street by men wearing brown shirts. The rise of fascism is imminent and some people will do anything to avoid a war, even surrender.

I found this book is be suspenseful and engaging. The only thing I found a little jarring was the switch in story from Elena to Margot, who is attending a wedding in Berlin. Sometimes while reading about Margot, I found myself being impatient to get back to Elena and her search in Italy. I felt that Margot's story was more about seeing what was happening in Germany and feeling her dread that anything else. But she shows initiative and passes on some intelligence to her grandfather. I don't think that anyone should read this book as a standalone, you need to read "Death in Focus" to understand the background of the characters. The end was exciting and I can't wait for the next book.,

Thank you Netgalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was a second novel in a series and I had not read the first so there were some pieces I felt were missing but overall you don't need to read #1 to enjoy this book. It is a historical fiction set in Italy right before WWii and involves spies and former lovers. Elena Standish, main character, is Sent by MI6 get get info on an agent to get him out of Italy. Great fast paced read and am ready for book 2!

On her first mission for MI6, the daring young photographer at the heart of this thrilling new mystery series by bestselling author Anne Perry travels to Mussolini’s Italy to rescue the lover who betrayed her.. this is the second book in the Elena standish series. Having not read the first book in the series, I was a little lost at the beginning. But I will soon sucked into this one as I am with all of the Anne Perry books. Now I have to go back and read the first one. But having not read it did not in anyway harm my enjoyment of this book.

This was a book with a lot of action which is good for pulling the reader right into the story. I was a little surprised at how fast Elena was able to locate her former lover. But then the action started and it moved along at a really good pace in the book. I think the way Ms. Perry wrote this she created a sense of feeling especially with things like the walking on the ledge and in the water, something which I hate. She did throw in a couple of surprises at the end which created is satisfactory into the book.

I was a bit confused as to why she spent so much time with the sister and her trip to Berlin for the wedding. It seemed not to be totally connected to the story. But I think it was a way of giving some background to the German organization that was to be feared. And it also helped paint these story of the differences in the two sisters.

I am still a big fan of Anne Perry and all of her various series. I think the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of the book. This review is my own.

A cracking good story featuring the Standish family as the Nazis rise in Europe in 1933. Lucas Standish was head of MI6 during WWI; he's still in contact with Peter, who is second in command to the loathsome Bradley. His granddaughter Elena, a new MI6 officer, is sent by Peter to find and exfiltrate Adrian, the lover who betrayed her, from Trieste. His other granddaughter Margot is off to Berlin to attend the wedding of her friend Cecily to Hans, a German officer. Oh and there's Josephine and Toby the dog,. The three strands of the story- as Lucas and Josephine try to unravel what their old friend Stoney had uncovered about money laundering, Margot's unease in Berlin, and most of all Elena's efforts in Trieste- all pull together in the end (and what an ending it is!). Pay close attention to events in Trieste (it gets a bit confusing). I read this as the second in the series and can't comment if it would be ok as a standalone because I felt I knew the characters- but give it a try regardless. I found myself doing a bit of googling about events and people from the time period (less familiar to me than I thought)-and I learned something. The characters and pacing are good and the twists- well, they're awfully good too. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Great read.

A Question of Betrayal is a very well written historical book. Enjoyed the pre WWII and Italian setting. I highly recommend this book. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

I discovered Anne Perry earlier this year when I read One Fatal Flaw. I didn't love it, but I thought it was more the time period of the book than anything to do with Anne Perry's writing. So when I saw she had another new book this month and it was set during one of my favorite time periods I decided to give it a chance.

I was super excited after reading the first couple of chapters and realized it was about spies! So not only is A Question of Betrayal set in the lead up to WWII (my favorite time period), it involves MI6. As an adult, I refound my love of reading with Tom Clancy's Cold War-era spy novels. I couldn't wait to really dive into this book. However, I only got to read the first two chapters that first night.

When I picked it the next night, it didn't hold the same excitement. I was worried but then I realized it was just the scenes with Peter Howard that I didn't like. Thankfully he doesn't have a large part in the book.

I loved Elena's time in Trieste. I liked the scenes with Lucas and Josephine more than I thought I would. I thought there might have been more to Margot's trip to a wedding in Berlin. It felt like a lot of foreshadowing was happening and I wonder if some of the things that happened there will play a bigger role in future books in this series. I suspected a character of being on the wrong side fairly early on in the story but then spent the rest of the story wondering if it was a red herring.

A Question of Betrayal is the second book in the Elena Standish series. I did not read book one and while it is not absolutely necessary to have read the first book to enjoy the second book I think it would have been better if I had read book one. The characters refer superficially to events and conversations that took place in book one. Throughout the book, I kept wondering what I was missing. I will go back and pick up Death in Focus before the next book in the series comes out.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Monday, Sept. 7 - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2020/09/a-question-of-betrayal-by-anne-perry.html

A Question of Betrayal by Anne Perry is an engrossing look at the period of time during the rise of Hitler. This novel depicts the search of MI6 for information about Hitler’s plans to take control of Austria and financial links to some influential British officials.
Margot attends the wedding of a friend. She has gone to bring back any information she can discover about the growing unrest in Germany. She reports her findings to her grandfather who worked with MI6.
Elena’s story is the most important part of the novel. She has been sent to Trieste, Italy, to extricate an agent with the most vital information needed by England to track down the sources of financial support for Hitler from people in England and other countries. It is a dangerous assignment that could mean her death as well as the agents if she wasn’t successful. Her story is suspenseful and fast paced. It makes the novel well worth reading.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read historical fiction about a World War II. Also, anyone who loves novels that are filled with fast paced action and intrigue.

4 stars (release date 9-8-2020)

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This is a good mystery/thriller set in the years just before WWII. In this book Elena is sent to Northern Italy on her first MI6 mission to rescue a contact that has important information regarding future plans of Nazi Germany. His handler is missing and MI6 needs to get the information, and rescue their contact if possible. Elena is the only one person that can recognize him - because he's her former lover Aiden Strother, the man that betrayed her, ruined her reputation, and brought shame on her family.

Elena discovers that a secret group is working behind the scenes to put Austria in the hands of Germany. Meanwhile, her sister Margot is in Berlin to attend the wedding of a friend who is marrying a German man who is in the Gestapo. The girls' grandfather Lucas Standish, the former head of MI6, is not happy both girls are in such dangerous locations. He's also got his own mystery to solve when a friend he's known for over 50 years is murdered and leaves clues that only Lucas could find, detailing a plot in England that most likely got him killed.

Despite the heavy topics and twists and turns, this is a fast and easy read. It is well-written and the author does a good job of creating tension and urgency. I like Elena a bit more this time around because she's more self-assured and trusts her instincts. Margot also shows some growth and starts to come to terms with the death of her husband. I wouldn't be surprised if Margot starts to play a bigger part in the "family business", perhaps even helping Elena on future jobs.

The ending was kind of a cheat and took away from the book a bit. It was also a bit jarring because the book wrapped everything up very quickly and then it abruptly ended. Overall, however, I enjoyed this book and recommend you read it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group -Ballantine for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received a free electronic ARC of this historical British novel from Netgalley, Anne Perry, and Ballantine Books on August 14, 2020. I have read this novel of my own volition and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. A Question of Betrayal is a pre-WWII story, but anything written by Anne Perry is a sure bet. She is an author I follow. I am thoroughly enjoying these books by several authors that cover happenings in between the European wars, and especially those that cover the growing unrest in some of the smaller countries that were rolled up by the German machine later on. There was so much going on, so many countries affected besides Germany and France. They are of course our usual focus group of WWI and WWII. The pain and suffering were however international, universal.

Elena Standish is the 28-year-old granddaughter of Lucas Standish, the man who was head of British Intelligence during WWI, and is herself a member of MI6 in 1933, though with only a couple of cases under her belt. Her boss Peter Howard is certain she is the perfect operative to undertake the retrieval of Aiden Strother, an operative embedded for several years in Trieste, Italy, and currently isolated, with the chain of contact and information broken. Things are heating up in both Italy and Germany and that information chain is essential. World affairs are looking bad again, with trouble in the wings, and England cannot be caught off guard.

The fact that Aiden was Elena's lover six years ago when he was accused of being a double agent and cut off without a country might make Peter think twice about using Elena for this job but the work she has tackled for him in the past has been strictly professional, and she will know Aiden when she sees him. Without access to his handler Max, disappeared these many days, finding Aiden will not be easy. Getting him out of Italy unscathed will be even harder. If anything happens to Elena, however, Peter will have to answer to Lucas, a man he really respects - and sometimes fears.

A Question of Betrayal by Anne Perry is a twisty, exciting, nail biting, fun pre WWII spy novel with a true heroine as its lead.

Its 1933 and Europe is still recovering from WWI when Elena Standish is given her first mission from England's MI6 secret spy agency. She must retrieve a double agent deep undercover since his handler is missing. Why her for such a tricky first mission? The spy in question is her former lover who betrayed her and possibly their country and she is the only one he will recognize and hopefully be willing to go with back home.

Meanwhile, her older sister is in Berlin attending the wedding of a friend to a Gestapo officer and hearing whisperings of camps being built and fascists ideals.

Her grandfather, a retired MI6 commander, is caught up in a murder investigation close to home. As Elena and her family each deal with these intense situations the world and their lives are headed towards cataclysmic events.

This is the second book in the Elena Standish series. The first is Death In Focus. I do not think its necessary to read the first book but you will be doing yourself a disservice because not only is it highly entertaining but it is so inspiring to watch Elena's growth as a courageous woman in such turmoil times.

The author writes with such clarity and obvious detailed researched background. There are many characters but its the Standish family that gives the story its personal appeal.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A Question of Betrayal is the second book of the new Elena Standish series with a strong female character. Anne Perry does a wonderful job of describing her characters and locations so you see them while reading.

Elena has become a good photographer and is sent by MI6 to Italy to bring back a compromised double agent. While there it is discovered that MI) has been infiltrated by Nazi sympathizers.who are laundering money through the MI6 department.

Margot, Elena’s widowed sister is going to Germany to attend a wedding of a dear friend who is marrying a German soldier that is coming through the ranks very fast. While there Margot listens to the conversations so she can relay the information to her retired grandfather, Lucas Standish, the former head of MI6.
As usual things get a little dicey and there are quite a few twists to the plot.
#netgalley #AQuestionofBetrayal