This one took me a little while to get into, and has significant plot carry over from the previous book, so I would not recommend reading it as a stand alone. Once I got into it, however, I was right back in with the Verity and Sidney goodness. Though I did figure out the murderer right before Verity did, it was very engaging and exciting. I swooned over Sidney’s dedication to Verity here, and wish Verity could prove the same - but I’m then reminded that though it’s been four books, it’s only been about 5 months since Sidney’s return. With that reminder, I’m impressed with both of them.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

My sincere thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this delightful book.

The prologue details a war scene in 1918 France and the remainder of the book takes place in England in 1919, just after the war. Chapter 1, first paragraph, stole my heart!

Verity and Sidney had both been involved in the war and they, along with other characters, lived with its horrors, nightmares, inner turmoil, remorse and despair. Resulting intricate threads permeate the book in all directions as the characters struggle to find normalcy and safety.

Murder, theft and intrigue span the plot and subplots . I liked the historical aspect and atmosphere including castles, secrets and trying to determine which sides everyone was on.

Most female characters are depicted as strong and independent which is refreshing.

A few parts were comparatively slow but perhaps this was to create a balance as there was a lot of action as well.

Murder mysteries/WWI era readers will absorb this like a sponge! All in all, a fascinating read, like others I've read by Anna Lee Huber.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

I enjoyed reading this book, although it was a little slow at times. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed in the ending. There are two (possibly) related cases going on. One got solved, the other is "reserved" until the next book or books.

I generally enjoy reading books in a series, but each should stand alone on its merits and not depend on the others.

A Mystery Within A Mystery

Verity Kent , secret service agent, is glad the war is over, however there are still secrets to uncover. Along with her husband Sidney they are working to find proof of evil works by a traitorous agent within the secret service ranks.

Her father calls and convinces her to visit her Aunt because she insists that paintings and other belongings have been stolen from her home and that it was damaged when the Royal Air Force took it and used it as their headquarters during the war. While there investigating these allegations not one but two dead bodies surface.

Is this a new mystery, or is it connected to the one they are working on? Who is the murderer, the butler, the groundskeeper, the maid, her blind cousin, or someone else. Will they solve the mystery before they are killed themselves?

With a bit of Romance, ancient Roman ruins, a bit of espionage and some good detective work they set out to solve the mystery and catch the killer.

This was a nice distraction from some heavier reading material and I really enjoyed it. I had a good time trying to figure out the ending and who the killer was. I did not guess until the end.

The book was well written, kept you in suspense until the end and I loved the descriptions of the surroundings and the clothing worn during that post war period. I also liked the characters and how they interacted within the story.

I would recommend this book.

Thanks to Anna Lee Huber, Kensington Books , and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy in return for an honest review.

The latest adventure of WWI intelligence agent Verity Kent and her war hero husband Sidney. This series is very strong at conveying the dark days following the Great War after the horrendous losses and deprivations.

Sidney and Verity stop at her widowed aunt's at the request of Verity's parents. The aunt is thoroughly unpleasant, and claims someone is stealing items from the manor. She was also allegedly stunned to find out that their vaunted artworks were actually forgeries although Verity figured out almost instantly that it was her uncle who commissioned the fakes. To make matters worse, the heir to the estate, Verity's cousin, Reg, returned from WWI blinded. His mother is condescending and hateful although he is supposed to be in charge. Verity straightens out some of the issues and gives Reg a bit of moral support. When a maid disappears, her family and co-workers assume she's run off to London.

Meanwhile, Verity and Sidney and a couple of old friends are untangling post-war intrigues. They are surprised to find out there may be a link to the problems at the manor. Lots of old entanglements and leftover trauma from the war lend depth to the narrative and it is gratifying to see Verity and Sidney re-build their relationship after what they have both been through.

This is a great series for those who enjoy historical mysteries which strong detail and characterizations. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

When ex British intelligence agent Verity Kent is summoned by her aunt to figure out what’s going on at the family estate, she finds artwork forged and valuable heirlooms stolen among a number of strange happenings with links to a bigger, much more sinister, problem. As Verity gets closer to the truth, she finds herself in a life threatening situation.

A Pretty Deceit is the final installment in the 4 book historical crime fiction series Verity Kent Mysteries by Anna Lee Huber, published by Kensington Books. The story is set in Wiltshire, England 1919. We follow ex British Secret Service agent Verity Kent as she is summoned by her aunt to figure out a number of strange happenings after the estate has been used by the RAF during the war. Investigating, Verity finds connections to a neighboring airfield as well as links to some very powerful and dangerous people trying to cover up their criminal acts, lead by dangerous Lord Ardmore. As Verity gets close to the truth, she barely survives an attempt on her life.

Main character ex British Secret Service agent Verity Kent understandably seems a bit sensitive about her gender in the 1900s man’s world. I can really relate to her character as she compassionately reflects on hardships in her own life to understand struggles of others. This makes her my favorite character of this story.

Supporting character ex Secret Service agent Sidney Kent is Verity’s husband who seems slightly jealous and over protective as I would envision a man of post WW1 England. I still find him a very sympathetic and kind man of his time who keeps Verity sane in all the danger she gets herself into.

This is the first I have read by this author. The writing was excellent and I found it very enjoyable how the plot flowed slightly differently from others I have read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about British intelligence activity during and after WW1, and will certainly follow up with more of Anna Lee Huber’s books or similar reads in future.
The plot worked well as a standalone. Plenty of hints to previous books, but if possible I would probably suggest reading the series in order to pick up on any details.

My favorite part of the story was descriptions of Verity’s birthday night of dinner and dancing at The Savoy with all its glitter and glamour. The worst was when Verity was attacked by an intruder who put strain on her neck and throat to get to crucial coded information Verity had just deciphered.

Fans of Anna Lee Huber would love this story and readers of murder mysteries would enjoy it too. Similar authors to explore might be Andrea Penrose or Dianne Freeman
Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for this eARC which gave me the opportunity to share my honest review: All opinions in this review are completely my own.

Conclusion: If you enjoy a thrilling historical murder-mystery including post WW1 spies and traitors to The Crown, bodies turning up on a Downton Abbey inspired estate and an element of newlywed romance, this would be the one to read.

A Pretty Deceit is book four in the Verity Kent series. I have only read books three and four so I do not know exactly what happens in the first two but Huber does a good job of referencing previous stories so that you do not feel lost. However to understand this story you need to have read book three as this is almost an extension of that story. Verity and Sidney continue there search to find evidence against Lord Ardmore with help from the new Lord Ryde, their friend Max.
During this search strange things start happening at Verity's aunt's house and Max receives a coded note from his dead father. Why are people dying on her aunt's estate and why is the dead Lord Ryde sending his son on a coded treasure hunt?
So much is wrapped up in this book that you can get whiplash following all of the traveling they do from one place to the next. There must be five or six different cities over the course of a week or so and this entire time you wonder if Ardmore's men are going to catch them and kill them.
This has the feel of a Sherlock/Moriarty kind of cat and mouse game to it. Are the Kent's able to get ahead of Ardmore and collect enough evidence to stop him or are they just going where he wants them to go. I am looking forward to the next book in the series but I do wonder how long they will keep my interest if it does not wrap up soon.

This might be the best book in the series so far. All of them have had great mysteries and all of them have furthered the investigation into the overarching villain – but this one shows further character growth that I really appreciated. For me, it has been a slow go to warm up to Sidney – read the first book in the series, This Side of Murder, to learn why. Speaking of that, you can read this as a stand-alone book and you’ll definitely appreciate the single mystery contained within it, but to gain a good understanding of the overarching mystery as well as the character’s relationships with each other, you really ought to read the series in order.

Verity and Sidney are preparing to leave for Falmouth to further their investigation into Ardmore whenever Verity received a call from her parents asking her to travel to her aunt Ernestine’s estate, Littlemote, in northeastern Wiltshire. There were some issues that needed handling at the estate. Many soldiers from the nearby airfield were billeted at Littlemote during the war and caused a lot of damage to the structure. Along with that, several small items have disappeared and a number of the more valuable paintings have now been identified as forgeries.

When Verity arrives, she learns that not only are items missing and paintings forgeries, there is a maid missing. Verity quickly comes to a solution on the paintings, but the body of one of the employees turns up in a wooded area. Oh! My! Sounds like a job for the local constabulary.

As Verity, Sidney, and company zip around the countryside investigating Ardmore and the mishaps at Littlemote, we have more bodies, more danger, car chases, you name it. Solving this one won’t be easy and it certainly won’t be safe for Verity or her friends. Things are really beginning to heat up with Ardmore. Oh! Heart Palpitations!

I thoroughly enjoyed the read – the writing is excellent, the pacing is exciting, and the plot is interesting and keeps you wondering until the last moment. I am also coming to like Sidney much better – especially with the way that he allows Verity to take the lead on investigations and he’s even accepting of her friendships with the males in the group – even though it gives him a bit of a pang, he shows his trust and faith in her. So, I’m thawing toward him.

I hope you will enjoy the read as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Even though the war is over, Verity Kent is still knee deep in espionage, chasing the shadowy Lord Ardmore. But as a favor to her father, she visits her aunt in Wiltshire near an air base. The once-prosperous estate is falling into disrepair and her aunt doesn't have the funds to make the renovations. Lady Popham is convinced the Royal Air Force, who were housed on the estate, should pay for the damage and for the missing antiques. Many of the paintings proved to be reproductions and Verity and her cousin Reg believe they know what happened to the paintings. As for the small items, it seems a maid had disappeared and the blame falls on her. When some one is murdered, on the grounds, Verity knows she must discover the truth. I joined this series in the middle but I enjoyed this book and hope to read more in this series.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher for an honest review. A Pretty Deceit if the 4th title in the Verity Kent series set in the post WWI period as returning soldiers and the women who stepped up in their absence try to figure out what normal looks like. Verity and her husband are no different as they continue to settle into married life after the events of previous books and the fact that they spent little time together after they married before Sidney shipped off.

Verity and Sidney travel to visit her aunt and cousin after being asked by her parents to check in; her aunt is convinced that valuables were stolen and replaced with fakes while soldiers were staying there during the war. Verity and Sidney drive to her aunt's and discover that things aren't quite as her aunt believes. When Verity discovers a maid recently went missing, her senses start to tingle. When the girl's body is discovered, Verity realizes that there is something bigger than a dead maid going on.

While trying to solve the mystery of events at her aunt's Verity, Sidney, and their friends are trying to figure out how they can stop Lord Ardmore. During their previous adventure, he bested them, but Verity is determined to get one step ahead of him so they can bring him to justice. Max and clues left by his father may hold the key, but they'll have to stay one step ahead of Ardmore and his minions.

As always, Ms. Huber does a wonderful job of providing the reader a real view into the upheaval society was going through in the Post-War period as woman had to adjust to returning back to the house after working in all kinds of positions while men were off fighting. The frantic need to feel alive that is the underpining of the Roaring Twenties is clearly depicted as returning men dealt with grief and guilt. There is a story involving Verity's cousin Reg who was blinded that I found to be very sensitively written that provided a great glimpse into what the wounded were dealing with.

It goes without saying that the mystery portion of the story is well craft and keeps the reader not only guessing but on the edge of their seat. The portions involving Lord Ardmore are full of twists and turns and one can see that he is a worthy adversary; it remains to be seen if Verity and team will be able to find a way to bring him to justice. I can't wait for the next title in this series.

This was a great addition to the series. Verity and Sydney are called to her aunt's estate to assess damage left during the war by pilots at a neighboring air base. They soon find themselves embroiled in not one but two murders that are somehow connected to their nemesis Lord Ardmore. There were times were the mystery took a back burner to the overarching Lord Ardmore plot, but overall, I really enjoyed this one! And I'm now desperate to read the next one!

"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..."

Yes, interwar intrigue and goings-on at a manor house! Squee!

This is the fourth book in this wonderful series by Author Anna Lee Huber! Although its possible to read as a standalone, it is best to read this series in order so you can better understand the characters. The great WWI spy, Verity Kent and her husband Sydney are needed at her aunt's English country estate to look into some thefts, missing servants and murder. This is a great series that will have you guessing who the culprit is, which most of the time, my guess is wrong! I look forward to the fifth book in this fun series!

Book 4 in the Verity Kent series. A Pretty Deceit sees Verity and husband Sidney continuing the investigation of Lord Ardmore. Her family complicates the matter by expecting her to assist her aunt and cousin in dealing with the Royal Air Force regarding damages to the estate while it was used by the RAF during the war. Verity discovers that there are also items missing from the house, and a servant has gone missing as well. While this could be enjoyed as a stand-alone title, the reader would gain so much more by reading the entire series. There has been very good character development over the course of the series.

Many thanks to Kensington and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the eARC in return for an honest review.

Verity and her husband follow up their investigation into Max's father's death while trying to elude the evil people pursuing them. They also work on the problems that Verity's aunt is having at her manor house.

This is the fourth book in the Verity Kent series which takes place in England just after the “great war”. Verity, who was a member of the secret service working behind the lines on the battlefield during the war, has returned to a more settled life in London with her husband, Sidney. He fought in the war and, for a time, Verity thought he was dead. It has taken them some time to heal the wounds that were created by his allowing her to believe he was dead, although his justification was in bringing some traitors to justice. This is part of the story the reader will learn if they choose to go back and read the series in order. Many will enjoy reading this series from the beginning as it highlights how Verity’s and Sidney’s relationship has developed and gotten passed the hurt of his deception. In addition, several secondary characters, one of whom is a continuing enemy of the Kents, are introduced in earlier books and the reader will have a greater understanding of who they are and how they relate to Verity and Sidney by reading the books in order.
In addition to character development, this story hinges in part on the on-going battle between Verity and Sidney and their arch-enemy Lord Ardmore. While the story and mystery itself does not require having read the previous novels, an understanding of the relationship between Lord Ardmore and the Kents will best be achieved by reading the previous novels.
In this book, Verity travels to visit an aunt and her son who is blind as the result of a war wound. The visit is not by choice but at the request of Verity’s parents who want Verity to determine if the aunt’s claims of damage to her ancestral home by pilots who were billetted to the mansion during the war.
In addition to the issues with her aunt, Verity and Sidney are trying to find proof of Lord Armore’s participation in war crimes involving shipping. These crimes were uncovered in previous novels and continue into this one as well as beyond. The immediate mystery in this novel is who killed the “man of all work” An additional murder of a maid is uncovered toward the end of the book, although it was long suspected as a possibility. The two storylines come together to parallel each other in places, not to Verity’s surprise and with considerable foreshadowing to assist the reader in setting expectations.
The book is a good mixture of adventure and daring escapes along with solution of a murder. The adventure takes precedence over the murder itself. Throughout the adventure the reader is treated to bits of information and description that help bring the era to light and which are written in a way that they fold easily into the story being told. The result is a good depiction of time and place provided in a reasonable adventure/murder mystery.
This review is voluntary and reflects my unbiased opinions. I want to thank Kensington Books and NetGalley for an advanced digital read copy of the book.

The best Verity Kent novel so far! Picking up more or less where Penny for Your Secrets left off, A Pretty Deceit follows Verity, Sidney, and their friends as they try to unravel a sinister conspiracy that's already cost several people their lives. At the same time, they try to assist Verity's aunt and cousin with mysterious events at their estate. I particularly appreciated the character development in this latest instalment and look forward to seeing what Huber has in store for her characters nex.

A Pretty Deceit by Anna Lee Huber is a Verity Kent Historical Mystery Thriller set in post World War I England. Old foes, traitors and plenty of intriguing mysteries in this latest Verity Kent book. Murders by unusual methods and motives, with plenty of excitement and unexpected twists. Characters and past situations are revealed with insights as to what really happened. Verity and husband Sidney continue to be involved in British Intelligence post war with assignments in the present and flashbacks to their past missions.
I have enjoyed every book in this series and with each book more of Verity Kent’s story is revealed but the mysteries deepen.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book. 5 Stars

Verity Kent has been called to her aunt's country house to investigate the theft of some valuable items and damage done by officers stationed there during the war. Eventually, there is a murder, so Verity and her husband Sidney become involved in that too. They are already investigating security issues connected to British Intelligence and are attempting to find evidence against Lord Ardmore, their nemesis and possible traitor. The crimes seem to be linked to their own investigation so the Kents must unravel all the evidence and hopefully deal with Ardmore once and for all. There are more details about Verity's wartime experiences and the sense of time and place is flawless. It's a fine whodunnit in the style of traditional upper crust British mysteries in the 1920s., with some espionage for additional suspense. You need to read the previous books in the series to understand the relationships and the underlying espionage plotline.

Description
A thrilling new period mystery set in post-Great War England, where the traces of conflict and danger still linger… 
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.

This is a roaring tale, set immediately after the Great War, it is vividly written and I could almost see it playing out like a vintage movie as I read. This is my second book by this author as I had previously read and enjoyed book 2 in this series. This was even better and although you do need to concentrate as the 2 stories unfold side by side, it is not over complicated, it just holds your attention. Super book, will definitely be reading more and look forward to further adventures with Verity and Sidney