Once again, Verity and Sidney discover that WWI and their participation in it continues to have a long tail for them, dragging them into the past. After a French prisoner insists that she will only confess to Sidney, Verity and Sidney set off to the continent, only for the prisoner's suspicious death to send them a race across Europe, trailed by Ardmore's henchmen. Much like the series as a whole, there is a lot of interesting history and exploration of the ripple effects of WWI on politics, countries, and individuals. Huber expertly weaves these details into the complex plots with many twists and turns. In terms of negatives, the interpersonal dynamics of the series are starting to drag a bit. Looking forward to the next book.

The biggest problem a reader faces with a book series is that, very often, as the series progresses, the quality of the story tend to deteriorate. The author either gets short of interesting ideas to take the story forward or the characters have no scope for growing any further. With the Verity Kent series, however, author Anna Lee Huber manages to come up with thrilling and engaging story lines book after book.

When we met them last, Verity Kent and her husband Sidney had tried to find proof against their nemesis Lord Ardmore and failed to find it. Things had gone to a lull when they are suddenly summoned by the French police to one of their prisons when one of the prisoners is adamant that she will only share the proof of her treason with Sidney Kent. Both Sidney and Verity are already being send to France by Verity's handler on another unrelated matter which might be of great consequence to their country.

This begins another perilous journey for the both of them, with them struggling to identify friend and foe, all the while making sure to be ahead of the game. But that is made difficult by the fact that the enemy they are after proves equally resourceful and is a couple of steps ahead of them all the time. It does not help that their investigation this time around forces both Verity and Sidney to face their inner demons and confront the harsh realities of the country they were loyal towards.

Author Huber has manage to create one more wonderful book which transports the reader to the bleak and terrible state of the European countries after the World War 2. That effect is only multiplied when we are forced to see the war through the eyes of a young couple, who were supposed to have a happy life, but are forced to instead get through the trauma such a situation enforced on them.

Though I didn't initially much care for Sidney's character, Huber has managed to bring in front of the readers a tragic hero bogged forever by his traumatic experiences. I loved this book absolutely and can't wait to read more of Huber's work.

I was a little lost when I first started this, which I expected, as this is the first Verity Kent book I've read. That didn't prove to be a detriment as Anna Lee Huber made it easy to figure out the implications of relationships and the like.

Verity and her husband Sidney are requested to talk with a prisoner and former agent for Germany, who is unwilling to share information about a set of papers proving treason with anyone else.

The prisoner's murder soon after and what little information they could glean from her sends them on a hunt for the papers, with various dangerous parties tailing them . The truth of the papers will blast a hole through Verity's and Sidney's beliefs, leaving them questioning much about the war, before they must leave for a new assignment in Ireland (in the next book).

Verity is a much more interesting person than I anticipated. Her spy training and experience in dangerous situations made her an interesting protagonist, and someone not to be dismissed, as several of the misogynist people in charge do.

The identity of the murderer was really easy to figure out, but the why of the murder was much more interesting.

What I particularly liked about this book was how messy and complicated motives and situations were post WWI, and how these play into the next World War.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Kensington Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

The Verity Kent series continues to be engaging
This was such a fascinating period in history, socially and politically and this series captures the period so well while adding an intriguing mystery/spy thriller and the continuing romance between Verity and Sydney. I highly recommend A Certain Darkness

A Certain Darkness is the sixth title in the series that began with This Side of Murder. While the books can be read in any order, it is worthwhile (and entertaining) to start from the beginning. This way readers may best understand the relationship between protagonist Verity and her husband Sidney. It has been a complicated one.

This title takes place in the aftermath of WWI. Peace may have been declared but that does not mean that life is peaceful. Sidney is asked to interview a woman who wanted to talk only to him-why could their meeting not take place? Verity, for her part, is supposed to secure some documents. Readers can imagine that events around this will not move forward smoothly. Verity will have doubts about those for whom she works. How will what Sidney has been asked to do relate to Verity’s own work?

In these pages are murder, a series of confusing events and a deepening of the relationship between the main characters. Readers also travel some through post war Europe. This all makes for a good read.

I enjoy this series and look forward to each new entry. As noted above, I do think that perhaps the titles are best read in order so those who have not yet met Verity have a lot of good reading ahead. For those who start with this novel, some background is provided.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

A Certain Darkness

by Anna Lee Huber

Lord Ardmore—a good name for an evil person. Although he is not physically present in A Certain Darkness, his influence and machinations pervade the events of this spy novel. Verity Kent and her husband Sidney are a rich and glamorous couple who are both well known in the intelligence circle for undercover work for the British during WWI. Sidney is also a war hero. In this book, they are once more called into service by their country to discover potentially damaging evidence.

In this action packed drama, Verity and Sidney don’t know whom to trust as they try to uncover how a murder occurred on a train and in a jail cell without anyone seeing either crime. Verity is a polyglot, a helpful skill as the couple interacts with French, German, Dutch, and Flemish speakers. One of my favorite scenes involves Verity speaking in their language to someone who is previously unaware that she can understand their conversations with others—rather embarrassing for the speaker.

The plot is complicated because the events that occurred during and after the war are quite complex. Just when I thought I wasn’t enjoying the book because of the intricate historical references, the action and intrigue picked up and I couldn’t wait to read what would happen next.

Both characters suffer from the horrors and stresses of the war, but there are some mental and emotional breakthroughs for both of them in this book. Whereas in the first book I read in the series (#2) I found the couple rather frivolous, I have come to like and respect both of them as I have gotten to know them better. There has also been more character development with each book. If you are interested in history or like spy mysteries, you will enjoy this series including A Certain Darkness. It closes out with a very important hook that will keep me and other readers anxious to read the next book in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Mystery, Historical Fiction

Notes: 1. #6 in the Verity Kent Mystery Series. I do not recommend this book as a standalone. There is just too much necessary background provided in the previous books.
2. Clean.
3. One of the themes of this book concerns the ending of WWI. I did an Internet search on this topic and found this is a concern for some historians. In her introduction, Huber lists a recently published nonfiction book on this subject that she used as a resource for her fiction book.

Publication: August 30, 2022—Kensington

Memorable Lines:

Much of intelligence gathering in general was accepting that there were few total victories, few clear choices of right and wrong. Everything was shaded in gray. One had to make judgment calls, constantly wagering possible sacrifices versus gains. Sometimes you got it right and sometimes you got it wrong. But whatever the outcome, you had to swallow the guilt and disgust such decisions and compromises at times wrought.

I recognized what game he was playing, for he’d learned it from the best. After all, Lord Ardmore didn’t simply aim to outwit his opponents, but to corrupt and demoralize them. To turn them against themselves, against their very morals.

“I’d accepted long ago that the war was utterly senseless.” His voice rasped as if being dragged from the depths of his lungs. “That I was simply stuck. Just a little cog in a great monstrous machine that couldn’t be stopped and would one day consume me as well.”

Verity Kent is back in another case of intrigue that takes her across Europe with her husband Sidney. Verity may no longer be a spy but she still needs nerves of steel for this case. I think the relationship with her husband has healed and better than the last book I read. This series has developed an arch-nemisis of Verity and that person is active in this novel as well.

The book creates a dilemna for Verity when what is at stake is far more than what she or Sidney had been told. They follow what cryptic clues they have and dodge bullets while searching for the truth. The pacing slowed at times, but picked up again before long. The climatic confrontation is well done and not predictable, so good job there.

This is a well done novel and the historical aspects of the first world war are always appreciated because not many novels cover it.

Rating: Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list

Another Verity Kent Mystery is always welcome news!

This time around we follow Verity and her husband Sidney on the continent as they try to painstakingly untangle the many threads that may or may not link together the suspicious death of a Belgian lawyer on a train in the Netherlands, the hunt for a shipment of gold that had been sunken somewhere in the North Sea during World War I and the never-ending secret shenanigans involving the English secret services and the brewing troubles in Ireland....

It's 1920 and the author gives us a bleak fictional portrait of Northern Europe after the catastrophic chaos generated by war. Tensly plotted with lots of violent twists and turns and blessed with a cast of exquisitely drawn characters, this latest addition kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

Unfortunately I don't think that this marvellous novel can be read as a standalone so I would encourage readers to discover the other titles previously published in the series in order to get a complete understanding of Verity and Sidney's roles in it. As for me,I simply can't wait for the next installment...

Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this terrific ARC

Post WWI era intrigue and murder along with a slow build second chance marital romance are at the heart of the fabulous Verity Kent series. Each installment fills me with high anticipation when I pick up the latest release because I know I will devour the book and be left satisfied, but wanting more.

A Certain Darkness is the sixth in a series that must be read in order through the build of relationships, the series long suspense plot, and ongoing personal growth though yes, there are murder mysteries that wrap up in each book.

Still on the trail of the poisonous gas that is meant to be released in Ireland and the bringing down of an insidious powerful British mastermind behind the gas and other schemes of intrigue, Verity and Sidney agree to two separate missions back in the area of France, Belgium, and the Netherlands where they served during the war.

First, Sidney is contacted by the French police that they have a prisoner who will only share what she knows to Sidney and she happens to be an informant who played both sides during the war. Verity is contacted by her former spymaster boss to follow up on the murder of one of his agents and some volatile missing papers in the neutral ground of the Netherlands. The marital team do not separate, but help each other work their separate case and assignment only to find that someone- a few someones don’t want them finding answers and they discover the truth will be a game changer.

I love this series not just for the cunning murder mysteries and intrigue plotting, but for the sensational characters, their growth, and the relationship that is difficult though amazing between Verity and Sidney. And, let’s not forget the attention to historical setting and backdrop. Sidney is still dealing with the costs of war that haunt him and, in so doing, haunt their marriage while Verity is also dealing with the effect of working as a spy during the war and Sidney faking his death to get justice for his men and clear his name. They are getting there and it is precious to see them feel their marriage and love is worth the fight.

The mystery was twisting and got dangerous as they tracked the trail to discover the answer to murder and missing papers for two situations. I loved seeing some of their familiar opponents show up. The setting was mostly the Netherlands and I liked the change up, though the focus was the mystery and the cultural history was background while the war history was the focus.

All in all, that big reveal about their cases and the announcement of new trouble in Ireland at the end will make things interesting going forward and I am dying to see what comes next. Historical mystery fans who like a blend with spy thriller and second chance romance should definitely give these a try.

There are few things that make me more excited than the release of a new Verity Kent book! I also love Huber's Lady Darby series; but there is something about the re-establishment of the relationship between Verity and Sydney that keeps me wanting more. To add ,Huber writes such a unique perspective of a time period wedged between two wars. As per always, A CERTAIN DARKNESS deftly balances the mystery plot while furthering the empathetic relationship nuance of the series' continuation.

wonderfully immersive, romantic and expertly researched.

I have loved reading about Sidney and Verity and was really looking forward to this next book. I have to say that I was a little disappointed. It picks up right where the last left off, and the story is very slow moving and struggles to make sense. The main characters are so strong snd compelling that it does them a disservice to drag their story out in such a manner. I wasn’t sorry that I read it, I just wanted some forward movement. Anna Lee Huber is an excellent writer, I adore these characters, so as long as she writes about them, I will keep on reading,

A well crafted plot mixing murder with espionage and rooted in actual historical events. Verity remains a strong female protagonist. Huber places her intellect and keen insight in the forefront and allows it to shine. She also provides more insight into Sidney’s struggle confronting untold horrors witnessed on the front lines in WWI.

While darker in tone and more emotional than previous installments, this is still an excellent addition to the series.

This is book 6 in the Verity Kent mystery series and while most mystery series I can read in any order, this one was tricky to follow in the beginning especially since I haven’t read the other books. The mystery was still interesting and the story did pick up a fair bit, but I definitely recommend reading the other books before this one. The story is set in 1920 and focuses on Verity and her husband Sidney. Verity had a very active role with British Intelligence in the war and they both seem to have a nose for solving a mystery. The murders in this story both tie into the bigger picture so I won’t talk about them. The history felt very realistic and the writing was good. I definitely will give this series another chance with starting with book one this time. Overall I gave this one 3.5 stars rounded up for quality writing.

I was so excited when my request for this book was accepted. I have read this series from the beginning and love it! I love the time period and the main character, Verity. She's tough, courageous, yet vulnerable and flawed.

A Certain Darkness is the 6th book in this historical mystery series. Although the reader could jump right in with this book, this is a series that really should be read in order.

Someone from Sidney's past asks for help and Sidney and Verity head to France. I like the complex yet ultimately strong relationship between Verity and Sidney. A Certain Darkness has lots of action tempered with reflective, deeply emotional moments.

This book is fast-paced and smart with characters you really care about.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A Certain Darkness is the 6th book in the intriguing Verity Kent series by Anna Lee Huber. You'd be hard pressed to find another historical mystery series better than this one! I started with book 3, and I've given all of them 5 stars. I do suggest reading from the beginning. I didn't, and it took me a while to fill in the holes of what I missed in the first two books. If I ever get close to close to clearing my nearly insurmountable to-be-read pile, I will definitely treat myself to the books I missed.

The Great War is over, but in March 1920 the after-effects are still very palpable. Former British Intelligence agent Verity Kent and her husband Sidney are still working their way through the trauma of being separated during the war when it was believed Sidney had died. However, things appear to be calmer now; of course, this being Verity and Sidney, that state doesn't last long! French authorities request Sidney's help with a former acquaintance of his who claims to have proof of treason during the war. Shortly after Sidney and Verity speak to the woman, she is assassinated. Verity is also tasked with an investigation into the murder of a Belgian attorney on a train. The man was connected to British Intelligence and is rumored to have information concerning the sinking of German ship carrying gold during the war. Their investigations are beginning to appear connected. The Great War is over, but apparently repercussions exist...

The publication of a new Verity Kent book is always a cause of celebration for me. The stories have it all: mystery, the effects of war, espionage, spies, action and romance, all wrapped up in one exciting package. This book is no exception. Both Verity and Sidney have been through hell and back. Verity worked for British Intelligence during the war, and she uncovered traitorous activity that put her in danger. She also struggled with Sidney being killed, only to discover that he actually wasn't, and dealing with the truth of the situation. Sidney dealt with his deception of being dead and how it hurt Verity; he was also dealing with PTSD from his service. They are growing closer than ever, but fate continues to batter them about. This case was especially intriguing; it seemed their cases were totally separate at first, but were soon revealed to be intertwined in ways they never imagined. Verity's faith in her former Intelligence boss and cohorts are shaken during this case, and secrets uncovered push Sidney's PTSD to the forefront. Shady characters Smith and Willoughby from previous books make an appearance here, and it's still hard to determine whose side they are on. The mysterious villain Ardmore lurks in he background, wreaking even more havoc. The espionage and mystery are exciting as ever, but it's Verity and Sidney's relationship that really makes this a perfect series for me and keeps me coming back for more.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely mine, and I have not received any compensation for my review.

The Verity Kent series has been an exciting, addictive adventure! Verity and her husband Sidney have come a long way since reuniting after the end of WWI. Both have had to work through the traumas they experienced during the war. Verity served as an undercover agent, often crossing into enemy territory, and Sidney was on the front lines seeing untold horrors. These ordeals and more took a toll on their marriage, and it hasn’t been all smooth sailing, but it’s evident that Verity and Sidney are still very much in love, besotted knowing how easily they could’ve lost each other. They’ve got mixed up and then solved several murders, and continue to hunt the nefarious Lord Ardmore, a British Intelligence higher-up they believe played both sides during and after the war.

This is a series that should very much be read in order. A Certain Darkness would not make a good jump-in point since the history of Verity and Sidney’s romance, interactions with family and friends and the ongoing arc of the villainous Lord Ardmore wouldn’t make sense otherwise.

The war may be over, but Verity and Sidney are dragged into another situation where the sins committed during the war are coming back to haunt certain individuals and countries. Sins they want to keep hidden, but these things have a way of coming out. I had to wonder how much of the storyline was rooted in the actual events of WWI. It would be extremely sad if so. What an unnecessary loss of life! These discoveries cut Sidney deeply, and my heart hurt for him and Verity.

Verity and Sidney had to tread carefully! Things got edgy a few times! The murder and mystery were solved, but the ending left a character dangling in a dangerous situation with Verity and Sidney poised to make the next move. I’m looking forward to it!

Not what I expected. This book was more detailed than I originally thought. So much more information and attention to detail

I've been enjoying the Verity Kent series, which blend classic whodunit with post-WWI spy thriller, up to this point, but this sixth instalment was a bit of a drag for me, compared to the first five books. There are a lot of characters to keep track of (and three or four specifically that I had such a hard time keeping separated in my mind), a lot of information from earlier books to be retained, and yet somehow too much exposition. That sounds like a contradiction, but I could've used more (subtle!) reminders of who was who and what was what from the first books, and fewer paragraphs explaining the relevant pieces of history to me, information that too often felt pasted in from an encyclopedia, rather than integrated into Verity's own voice and perspective.

For a book with so many action sequences, it was just a little boring at times. I still enjoy the historical setting, and Verity & Sidney's interpersonal drama as they struggle to open up to one another about the trauma they each went through during the war, though there's considerably less of that in this than in earlier books. But this slightly too-complicated story didn't hold my interest quite as much as I wanted it to. (Maybe I secretly just want more Max and/or Alec Xavier, sorry Sidney.) I'll still happily anticipate the next book, but I hope it picks back up a bit - and I hope we finally make some progress on the overarching Ardmore plot.

Thank you to Kensington Books for the advance review copy!

Thanks to Anna Lee Huber, Kensington, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had a really, really hard time getting into this book. Actually, I never did get into it; don't ask me what happens in it because I have no idea. Verity and Sidney do some spy stuff and deal with PTSD--pretty much the same as in all the Verity books. It took me several days to finish the audiobook, which is pretty unusual for me, and no matter how often I told myself to focus on the story, it always became background noise as my mind wandered and I did other stuff. I found it so boring . . . waaaay too much exposition and talking among characters, not enough action happening to grab my attention.

The narrator, Heather Wilds, was definitely part of the problem. I've listened to many books narrated by her before and I don't remember having a problem with her until now. The way she read was droll, like she was just as bored as I was. She handled the languages and accents beautifully, expertly, and she certainly sounds sophisticated, but this time she was very monotone, with little energy or inflection. Between all the exposition and Wilds's narration, this audiobook was a snoozefest. I'd have DNF'd if I hadn't needed to review it for NetGalley, and if the author hadn't been Huber. She's so nice, I hate that I can't give her a better review.

You might really enjoy this book if you're into spy thrillers with World War backdrops. Verity Kent is a great character, Sidney's grown on me a lot, too, and Huber definitely did her research. My god, did she do her research. But for all that I want to like this book, it's just not for me. Lady Darby is more to my taste.

This series just gets better with each book!! The mystery is always good [I had NO idea this time - YAY!] and the ongoing story just keeps building and building - I CANNOT wait to see where we go next with this.

I love how well Verity and Sidney work together, yet I also appreciate the fact that they are still struggling to put their marriage back together and grapple with trust and sharing their memories of the war. It makes the story very real and relatable and I love that.

I don't like to give a lot away in my reviews because I think it is best to go into books like this cold, but I will share that there was a section of the book where Sidney finally opens up to Verity about an experience he had during the war and I was ugly crying by the end - the almost throwing-up kind of ugly crying. War is ALWAYS awful, but there were things that happened during WW1 that makes me wonder how anyone survived it; this section was a really good reminder of that.

If you love a good HM, I suggest you go get book 1 [you cannot read these out of order; you would have absolutely no idea what the heck was going on] and dive in. You will not be sorry.

Thank you to NetGalley, Anna Lee Huber, and Kensington Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.